Honda provides an explanation for delaying the release of the '15 Fit.


Why is Honda Keeping the 2015 Fit From Customers? - Consumer Reports News

 

That's a vague statement from Honda, but I think that CR's interpretation is fairly likely.

Put more bluntly, they're probably having quality issues at the factory and a lot of rejected cars. Reject cars take time to rework.

Other manufacturers have had the same issues when starting their Mexican factories and Honda probably has higher standards than any of them. It would be a disaster for them if the quality of Mexican-built Fits fell markedly below that of the previous Japanese-built Fits. Black circles in Consumer Reports will mean less sales for years to come.

 

Also likely :
180,000 new vehicles are sitting, derailed by lack of transport trains - Autoblog

 

Another article saying about quality checks.

2015 Honda Fit delayed until June for quality checks - Autoblog

 

Actually startup of a new plant usually begins at about half regular productrion and many more quality checks. The problem isn't reject cars but slow getting on stream. Pretty usual.

 

They don't do those quality checks for their health, and there are bound to be quite a few cars caught that need additional attention. That attention comes at the expense of production.

I followed Volkswagen and Chrysler's experience with opening factories in Mexico and it wasn't pretty. Unfortunately, those manufacturers (hardly paragons of reliability) usually made the mistake of shipping and selling the cars before fixing them.

The delay probably indicates that Honda is following the smarter path. I find it interesting that a few cars actually made it to dealers before being retrieved. That indicates a problem that is non-trivial.

 

Will not buy a new Fit for at least a year after release.

 

Yeah I'll probably wait a year too.

I wanna see what the reviews are after a year.

Either that, or I might just lease it for a year and go from there.

 

Me too. What's the hurry? Not thrilled about the high rev freeway ride in the manual trans car anyway. Hoping for a fix.

 

Unfortunately, we'll need a car after our move by the beginning of July.


I remain hopeful, because I want an EX any color, any trans (yeah I'd like a manual, but the odds are slim).

 

that shorter gearing is what gives our fits the good gasmileage

Even the current automatics are short geared compared to any USDM designed 4 cylinder car

 

We'll wait for a year or a bit more for dependability of the FIT hatch or for the possible intro of the FIT ( City ) sedan .

 

That's not good to see

 

 

They're just repeating the same vague statement from Consumer's Reports over and over.

Too bad one of these so-called "news" outlets can't call a stringer in Celaya to hang out at a cantina near the plant and find out what is *really* going on.

 

Now that's a great idea. Even someone that works there could make a call

 

Here is another fresh "news" report about the delayed delivery of the 2015 Fit. The link is to the Automotive News website article that came out early this morning.


http://www.autonews.com/article/2014...-for-honda-fit


The article is different than the CR story that came out a few days ago. The few comments with the article may not be valid.. I am not sure. Sounds as if build problems were caught after the first cars were in the USA. They are being fixed by Honda and the problem(s) have been corrected at the Celaya factory.


Rail transportation has also been slower in Mexico than expected, but they have worked all that out. Part of the problem with any of the transportation, is that once a delay has occurred it throws off all the planning and scheduling that has been done.. including that for other transport customers. A huge ripple effect of delays, demand and bottlenecks. That all adds to the seasonal surges that can occur in rail traffic.

 

Manufacturers have "stop sales" when a problem is found to cars on dealer lots already, sometimes for very small issues. It happen when you are putting together a 10,000 piece jigsaw for the first time. Same issues occurred when first Accords were built in Ohio.

 

Yes, but...

When I read that Japan uses more robotics and Mexican Fits do not, that will concern me. I'd prefer robots doing the work as much as possible. Anyone else ?

 

I guess that depends who builds/designs/maintains/programs those robots.

Mexican robots?...

It's more about the man behind the machine than anything else IMO.