I hate to admit it, but part of the reason I have yet to buy a Fit is I still am not trusting the Chinese built Fits that Canada gets.

Any user feedback? Quality / fit and finish good? Issues? Comparison to Japanese built ones you've owned before?

I know people say "its a Honda plant" but I have to admit the early Ontario built Civics had their gremlins....

 

I'd rather have chinese built than mexico built.......

 

I've had my Panda Powered Fit for about two months. I have had zero problems. it will probably take another 2 years for the final verdict.

They have assembly plants in Japan / China / Brazil / Indonesia and in 2014 Mexico.

They source their parts in many more.

Does it matter more where the parts are made or where they are assembled?

My Fit was shipped to my dealer not entirely put together. They did over 2000 different torque checks and over 100 pre-delivery checks. None of the electrical parts had ever had electricity run through them before the local dealer Honda tech connected the battery as an example.

With all these different hands on my "Dragon Wagon" how do we know the quality control guys and gals at Honda are on top of it all?

In the end the resale value is there because they have the highest quality cars. Period.

And for that reason I say go for it and get yourself a nice Fit in the colour you want.

 

That doesn't sound right at all... How did they move the car from the factory to the port, and the port to the truck?

 

Could You buy one in the US? I trust a Japanese plant alot more than a Chinese one

 

If Chinese-built is your only option, I'd still say go for it. This is what your factory warranty is for. If anything goes wrong, the dealer will be footing the repairs/parts. If it becomes a serious issue that they cannot fix, they will likely offer you a new vehicle before you reach the point of invoking the lemon law.


Wait, do you guys have that way up there?

 

Nope, no lemon law in Ontario. Trust me, as the owner of a 2009 Ford Escape I've investigated that thoroughly Mediation on "lemons" is between you and an industry funded "consumer protection" organization.

Honda, unlike most other car companies, will not warranty a US purchased car that is imported into Canada unless the car was licensed in the US and imported by the same person (ie: you move to Canada and bring your car). Helps protect their obscene Canadian profit margins I guess.

Fortunately I do own property in the US (Michigan) and have a rental income from that property - so I have a US bank account, a US credit rating, etc. I can buy the car there, license it there, and then import it into Canada at a later date. Or keep it licensed and insured in Michigan; I spend a lot of time there so it isn't a stretch. Unlike most Canadian motorists I am lucky to have that option....hence why I am asking about the Chinese (ie: Canadian Market) Fits.

I just have a hard time trusting the quality of anything made in China...I know, it isn't reasonable; the parts come from every country on the globe. Heck, parts in the Japanese built Fits come from China, and dozens of other countries. But it is just a "thing" in my head....

 

I completly understand. I certanly would not want a Chinese/Mexican Fit either. Or any car made and exported out of any country just to cut corners and increase profit margins.

 

The cars are loaded into transport containers or Sea Cans in logistical slang. The sea can can be shipped by train / ship/ or truck.

 

Where is this irrational train of thought coming from? No matter where the cars are built they still have to adhere to Honda's build/quality standards. There is absolutely no proof that cars manufactured/assembled in one region are superior to another!

 

Do cheap Chinese goods have to mean trade-off in quality? - USATODAY.com

This story sums it up nicely. It considers both sides and offers good examples as to why consumers would be wary of Chinese made goods.

 

hmm...a U.S. article warning about the problems of dealing with overseas businesses...I'm sure it's not biased at all

buy American...lol

 

That makes no sense. Are the containers delivered to dealers, 2 cars at a time?

 

Ok I get it you need a picture.
You are a picture person.
You see the cars are wrapped up for shipment?
Do you see the picture?
The cars are NOT driven at ANY time between the FACTORY and the DEALER. I'm just sorry they are Audi's and not all FIT's.
This is basically all the time I am spending on this thread.

 

Why would they leave the windshield and back glass uncovered if they werent driven? And the gaps for headlights and to allow air to go into the grill? And why are there door panels? Do you think its a straight line from the factory door, onto rail cars or ships with no way to slow it down other than standing infront of it?



You go on with your delusional thoughts about a factory not completing a build for no real reason tho.

 

Cars can be moved short distances in their 'incomplete' state. Acuras arrive covered head to toe, inside and out with plastic wrap but are still drivable. The Pre-Delivery Inspection involves installing fuses to activate major systems and most interior features, removing plastic, checking over all the paint/leather for blemishes and anything less than perfection. As a dealer, we have no problems raising a flag to imperfections. Honda Motor Company will pay us the amount it took us to fix the problem, or even buy the car back from us and send another. It's also our reputation as a dealer we have on the line, so we go the distance to ensure we're delivering a car that's 100% up to the customers' standards. The PDI process also involves a 10 mile test drive/gas up. We check EVERYTHING. Radio presets are put in, gas is pumped, gauges are checked, suspension performance, speakers, all seat adjustments, all light, every single button on the interior is checked for operation. Everything that moves (seats, windows, mirrors, visors, etc) is moved and flexed to check for free and quiet movement.
If you have a good dealer way up north there that you trust to treat you right then go for it. Remember, the dealer isn't the one who pays for warranty repairs, that's Honda.

 

Wow....sorry I started this...just trying to calm an irrational fear.

To reinforce what is said above....having worked in the industry (Ford, Honda, Acura and Mercedes dealers, all in service and or parts) for the better part of 2 decades I can tell you that it is more common for vehicles to arrive unfit to drive than ready to roll. Dead batteries and untested electronics are very common. Many factories have a completely automated system to get the cars to transport to avoid putting wear and tear on the cars by overzealous car jockeys. And yes, any work done to fine tune the car prior to delivery is charged back to the manufacturer. To be honest, I trust the technicians a lot more than the factory anyway. But I still have a lingering fear of a Chinese assembled car, even with these safeguards.

Ford in Oakville still has jockeys who drive them; I did that 25 years ago for a summer job in university - I had 2 different cars have wheels fall off, one where the seat literally fell sideways when I got in, and many, many no starts (we towed them to the freight car). We called them "DWs" - dealer worries.

It always scared me when sales reps would let people drive cars that were not PDI'd.

 

Someone hasn't watch this season of top gear. Cheap garbage is the only thing china will ever kick out. No need to fear war with the Chinese, the little p.o.s. weapons they make will blow up in there face...

 

lol I love how they crash tested the Chinese cars

 

Yes, we do need the big box stores and Walmart to continue to feed us low priced chinese and mexican goods, so we can replace the same pieces of crap we bought a year ago from them. Things lasted and you got years of use out of them. Now goods are cheap throw away junk. Americans would have more money to spend on QUALITY goods if we did not have to constantly replace crap that should have lasted. Home owners know what I'm talkin about.

Done with rant.