Would you buy a MINI if it was assembled in Mexico? I've read the a lot of good things about the manufacturing in Mexico and being built in Europe hasn't eliminated a good number of issues with these cars but I still feel a little less interested if I thought I was paying premium price for a car not built in Europe, maybe it's just me

 

I think built in Mexico actually means 'assembled' in Mexico. I suspect many parts that would be considered important parts are made elsewhere and sent to Mexico for assembly. But, to answer you question, yes I would buy a car built in Mexico.

 

Mexico is on track to overtake Japan and Canada and become the United States' No. 1 source of imported cars by the end of next year, part of a national manufacturing boom that has turned the auto industry into a bigger source of dollars than money sent home by migrants

They are also building or assembling aerospace equipment.

Mexico has enough experience in the auto industry by now so yes would be my answer too.

 

I think you're right it would be assembled in Mexico, but for a company that never misses a chance to claim it's "Britishness" it seems a bit disingenuous to now build in Mexico, of course based on the many threads about poor build quality etc., maybe being built in Mexico will be a huge improvement

 

Would you buy a MINI if it was assembled in Austria? Good/Bad manufacture is good/bad manufacture no matter where it happens. We also need to get over the idea that country of origin has anything to do with where it is put together.

 

Made in England or Austria,India,Thailand Etc.. or Amsterdam, French or Brazilian Chrysler made engine, Japanese tranny and German owner. Who knows were the car is from anymore lol

 

^^^ this ^^^^ I agree 100%

 

I get it , the R60 is already a global car, and I agree with Sealy that good/bad manufacture is just that, wherever it happens.

 

Just about all the parts on cars are outsourced to suppliers all over the world, IMO the assembly quality is a big factor and the following is why I feel that way.

Around 8 years ago I purchase a new loaded VW bug turbo diesel as a city car for the wife (she wanted it), the vehicle ran great, it delivered unbelievable fuel economy and I felt the quality of materials for the price was decent. The issue with the car was the overall assembly quality IMO, it was assembled in Mexico and was a “total” rattle trap after only 6,000 miles. It was the shortest lived car we have ever owned and most expensive to drive after taking a $7000 hit after only 6 months to get rid of it.

So, would I buy a car assembled in Mexico? .... No, only if I had Amnesia


P.S. I would by a VW made in Germany...

 

Same goes for the early MINIs as far as I know rattles are part of the MINI charm ( can't speak for the R56) and they were build in England. In your case it could've been design flaws like ummmm the MINI. If I like the car I wouldn't care where it was made. I'm happy with my rattles :-)

 

I would have to guess the assembly workers in Mexico only assembled the parts that were provided to them by the 'parent' company. That plus the fact that the majority of assembly is accomplished by mechanical technology again approved and probably provided by the parent company. I have difficulty faulting the workers in Mexico.

 

Exactly

 

While I have not yet bought my Mini, it would matter to me. If they are chasing cheap labor, it should reflect in the price of the car. There is more to the car than the badge. The build quality, reliability, and longevity of the car are all things folks consider. If all you are buying is the badge, everything would be made in China or SE Asia.
Just my $.02,
Rob

 

Makes sense but lots of people automatically assume the worse if the car is not built in certain places.

 

Since we are on the subject, what are the best and worse cars you have ever owned?

 

If the only thing I was concerned about was build quality, reliability and longevity, to be honest I wouldn't have bought the MINI or any other European car. I would have probably purchased a Honda.

 

Not a chance, we pay a premium price for the euro car.

 

Well enjoy while you can

(Reuters) - BMW (BMWG.DE) plans to announce in July that it will build its first assembly plant in Mexico and has earmarked two regions where the site could be built, Automobilwoche reported on Sunday, without citing the source of the information.

With numerous free trade accords, a cheap and able labor force and proximity to the lucrative U.S. auto market, Mexico keeps attracting investment by foreign carmakers such as Audi (VOWG_p.DE) and Honda Motor Co. (7267.T).

BMW's Mexican factory will either be built in the state of Hidalgo or in San Luis Potosi and will initially produce as many as 100,000 cars per year, the German magazine said. Models likely to be built at the site include the 3-Series saloon, according to Automobilwoche.

 

I started life in the suburbs of Detroit and only drove Fords or Chevys. In '76 my wife and I moved to San Diego (the land of foreign cars). We drove and bought the First Japanese car we ever looked at: a Toyota Celica GT. We've since owned a total of five different Toyotas and 'never' had a single one of them back to the dealership for a mechanical problem. I can say the same thing for the three different Hondas we've owned since then.

The very worst car I ever owned was a then new 1959 Renault Dauphine.

 

We purchased a new 2005 PT Cruiser convertible in October of 2004. My spouse drove it five years and 40K miles with no issues that stemmed from being assembled in Mexico. The overall quality of the PT was on the same level as my current R56 Cooper S.


There are great, good, poor and bad examples of all brands and models no matter where on the planet they get screwed together.

 

Country of assembly doesn't matter as much as the concern the parent company has for quality. Consider that China is full of manhole covers that can't support the weight of vehicles and sometimes pedestrians, but the iPhone is built there, and no one could honestly say it isn't a quality product.

 

We have owned a few Japanese cars and suv’s with zero issues also. Owned quite a few German cars with no real mechanical issuers and some minor warranty work, but the standard maintenance cost was as much as paying for mechanical failures on most cars. The absolute best sport sedan I have ever owned was an Infiniti G35S, it didn’t have the sole of a BMW sport sedan but had its own unique DNA going on, it was a 9.5 at everything and a flawless car. The absolute worst car I ever owned was a Fiat X1/9, I never went on a road trip without the dealer bringing it back on a hook.

 

Hah! I had a new '79 Fiat X1/9 that was a POS too. And a new '76 Plymouth Fury 'Sport' just before that Fiat and it wasn't any better either. And a '74 Pinto Wagon that i wished would have been rear-ended & caught fire too. My '70 MGB was the most fun car i've owned but i spent a lot of time fixing things on it. My '91 Acura Legend was probably the most reliable car i've owned but it was boring...

 

Actually the Fiat dealer at the time was the MG and Triumph dealer. A week after the dealer towed the X1/9 over 500 miles back to the dealership from FL, he called asking me to come by and bring him the rental car bill so he could cut me a check. When I made it to the dealership the dealer handed me the keys to a new MGB totally loaded out with trunk rack, wire wheels and a custom stereo in British Racing Green. I said wow thanks so much for the really cool loaner car and he said its not a loaner car its yours.

Had some really good times in that MGB

 

Could not agree more. I believe some folks have the idea that Euro (especially German) builds are somehow superior in quality. Check out the 2013 JD power quality survey. Mini, BMW, VW, all in the lower half of the quality ratings.

We have had a couple of Hondas built 35 miles from our house, with over 100k miles each and neither was ever at the dealer for anything other than routine maintenance....downside? BORING CARS.....ever since Honda dumped the S2000, they have absolutely nothing that's interesting or engaging to drive.

I like that the R56 is still built in Oxford for sentimental reasons-it started as a British brand, and that factory has some history......