2015 USDM Fit built in Mexico vs. Japan. Does it REALLY matter?
 

Hi Fit Freak users,

I'm looking to buy the new redesigned Fit sport MT about a year and a half from now and for the most part, I really like what the car has to offer (more hp, tech, 6MT, quieter ride…). But after some research, it appears that Honda will not be making these Fits in Japan (known for quality assembly), but in their new plant in Mexico for the US market.

Do you guys think that overall build quality from Mexico will be that much worse than the ones from Japan? The way that some people have made it out on these forums make it seem that the car will fall apart from Mexico within a few months haha (not quite that dramatic but you get my point.) Just wanted to hear y'alls thoughts/opinions on this!

I would definitely skip the first model year.

Combining new generation car with an all new plant, employees, etc., there are bound to be issues.

That said, Honda is fairly well known for their quality control, so it shouldn't be anything to keep you away from the car.

i too think it will not be the same. mexico team will need to prove themselves. but if they do, great.

Thanks for the input!
Yeah, it'll definitely be easier to make an assessment once we get to see the car up close and in person. I'm hoping Honda will showcase the new Fit at some car shows within the next few months!

Well, as much as I think that leasing is generally a terrible deal for the lessee, this is one circumstance where a lease might possibly make sense- if you fit into the miles you're paying for- because if the car turns out to be a piece of crap you just live with it for 3 years, hope you don't have to spend any money out of warranty, then just hand them the keys at the end. Of course they may ding you for every dent and scratch, etc. but at least if the car's falling apart because it's poorly made, that's someone else's problem.

First year models it is always recommended to not buy due to the manufacturer having to make changes and upgrades during the first year of production no matter where it is manufacturer.

Most of the Japanese and German car manufacturers are either expanding or building new plants in Mexico. Mexico is the 8th largest car manufacturer and 4th largest exporter of cars in the world. Soon it will be number 7 in manufacturing. VW will be making the Golf and GTI there, Nissan Infinite models, Mazda3 and Mazda2 will begin soon there (Mazda6 still manufacture in Japan), Honda manufactures a portion of the CR-V production there now, Ford Fusion (some of the production) and Fiesta, etc. So in the future it will be almost impossible to get a car in the USA that is manufacture in Japan or Germany let a lone the USA. Toyota is the only manufacturer that has not expanded into Mexico. Quality is controlled by the company a good example is when people were jumping from US domestic cars due to reliability issues to the Japanese cars. Who then begin manufacturing the cars in the USA while maintaining high quality controls. A lot has to do with new plants ,equipment and using the same techniques as in the home market.

This is hardly relevant today, but a fun anecdote. My old car was a 1996 Civic. That's a first-year model. It was serial number 3120, meaning build in the first 2 weeks of production. It was a fantastic car that I drove to 200,000 miles. First-year cars aren't always a problem.

Sadly, I don't trust today's Honda to deliver the same way they did then. I will definitely be waiting until year 2 this time around.

Actually I do trust Honda to turn out a good car, but I would still wait until the second year.

There was a time you would order a new model from Toyota and Honda without even test driving it.

Recent Consumer Reports:

• Mazda slipped from fourth to fifth; still very good. The redesigned Mazda6 debuted with above-average reliability. Subaru and Scion, which also typically rank well in reliability, were torpedoed by their twin sports cars, the Subaru BRZ and the Scion FR-S, which scored below average. This dropped Subaru to 10th place, from last year’s fifth. Scion, for which we had only two models with sufficient data, sank from first place to 11th this time.
• The redesigned 2013 Honda Accord V6 scored below average, which means that we can no longer recommend it. The four-cylinder Accord, which earned an average score, is still recommended.
• The redesigned 2013 Nissan Altima also had a lousy debut, with the four-cylinder and V6 models finishing well below average and last in their category. The Altima’s problems stem mostly from the transmission, wind noise, and squeaks and rattles. Nissan’s troubles also include the Armada and Pathfinder SUVs, and the Titan pickup truck, which scored well below average.

Canadian and Euro China made Fits are having rust issues. I'd jump ship to Toyota rather than buy a cHonda.

Sad to see them shifting the Fit production from Japan to Mexico. I love my GD3 and hope that the new Fits will do just as well.

My three-day old Mexican-made Honda Fit is sitting in front of my house. I've spent hours looking it over -- and cannot find a single visual or mechanical flaw. It drives beautifully.

There is a good reason why dealers cannot enough Honda Fits to meet consumer demand: the company is simply not releasing any car that does not meet its very high quality control standard. For sure, I had reservations about buying an early new model car --- made in a completely new assembly plant in Mexico of all places --- but I'm very glad I did. This is a very enjoyable vehicle.

[QUOTE=morgantruce;1260525]My three-day old Mexican-made Honda Fit is sitting in front of my house. I've spent hours looking it over -- and cannot find a single visual or mechanical flaw. It drives beautifully.

There is a good reason why dealers cannot enough Honda Fits to meet consumer demand: the company is simply not releasing any car that does not meet its very high quality control standard. For sure, I had reservations about buying an early new model car --- made in a completely new assembly plant in Mexico of all places --- but I'm very glad I did. This is a very enjoyable vehicle.[/QUOTE
I am glad you wrote this. Could you please tell us the last 5 digit of your VIN since that is build sequence number? I am waiting on my LX with build number 22335 and dealer is expecting the car any day, they told me this last Tues. This may tell how far down on build date mine is. Thanks, Bill

last five digits: 17166

never first year Mexico
 

Quality control aside, most things that I bought from Napa that were
Mexican made did not last through the warranty period. IE) starter and
Alternator. The mentality of the people making them is a factor too. They live next door to me and didn't ask to tear down my fence I installed 40 years ago with my father, then stuck their poles over the stumps of mine
instead of digging new holes. Sorry pal, but based on my experience, you
are making a mistake if you buy one from Mexico at all. Especially since it's a first year production.

Should I assume that everyone who lived in Ohio shared your mentality? I think not.

Let me get this straight. Your asking everyone to base their car purchasing decision, on your experience with your neighbors? Come on, re-read your post and think about what your saying.

The Mexican plant is only putting together the hardware now from what some people here were saying I believe. I'll take a first year Fit. They are expanding so they can began building the transmission and/or engine at the plant in Mexico soon. Next year perhaps? I'd rather have hardware issues being figured out than problems with the new direct injection earth dreams engine or the CVT transmission. Pick your poison?

:o

As a matter of fact, skip the Fit altogether until you feel they have gotten all their problems sorted out, including delivery of the Fits.

Yes... and then you'd be missing out on all the fun of driving the 2015 Fit, and just being in it.

----------------------

Let me tell you, there was none of this "let's hold off with this until all the bugs are worked out" nonsense. I actually remember standing in a line for that "new technology" shot --- and I could hardly wait the few minutes until I got to the head of the line.

For sure, the polio vaccine and the Honda Fit are apples and oranges, but if you don't get a new Fit, you're going to be missing out on a VERY nice car. Who knows? Maybe four months from now you could be out walking the dog --- and you get hit with an asteroid. (Whew: the dog survived!) At your funeral, people will be saying, "It's too bad he never got that new Honda Fit he was thinking about... he was really looking forward to it!"

I'm usually VERY cautious about buying decisions --- especially MAJOR buying decisions. When my dealer told me that the new Fit was in, I went down and spent two hours checking that thing out. It was the first time I had ever layed eyes on ANY Honda Fit ----talk about buying a pig in a poke. I could not find a single thing about it which would indicate careless assembly.

The ONLY regret I have about the car is that the dealer went and prepped the car and finished off with a glossy coat of ArmorAll on the tires. I hate that look. It tells everybody, "Hey look here, the owner of this car is such a dufus, he thinks that stupid shiny tire is gonna trick you into thinking that he has new tires." As we all know, new tires do not look that way at all. (Just one of many pet peeves... PLEASE spare me mentioning the dozens of semi-gloss, satin-finish and other bogus attempts by the tire glitz industry at the "natural rubber" look. Hey, you want to see natural rubber? Here.... I got one in my wallet..... as a small pile of dust pours out of his aging leather wallet. End of rant.)

:offtopic:

How long from order to delivery?
 

Can anyone tell me how long it takes if your car is ordered from the factory? I've been told that it is "being built", but, isn't that, like, a *day*, start to finish?