Posted on 03/09/2019 5:35:46 PM PST by nascarnation
BMW announced this week that, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, it again leads America in automotive exports by sales value. This is thanks to the plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, BMW’s biggest global plant and the producer of most of its X crossovers and SUVs.
BMW said the plant—which makes all the X3, X4, X5, X6, X7 models and their M and hybrid versions sold worldwide—exported 234,689 cars abroad in 2018, a value of more than $8.4 billion. BMW said 356,749 SUVs were made there in total.
(Excerpt) Read more at jalopnik.com ...
I believe Honda is another offender for its policy of "service manual secrecy".
On the other hand, Ford (and most other makes) will provide service information to anyone for the cost of the manual/CDs. And that is how it should be.
Without UAW infestation, car companies can manufacture in America quite successfully. The employees at the BMW plant in Spartanburg make good money too.
Supervisor:
“There’s no smoking in the dynamite room!”
Union employee (muttering to himself).
“I got a strong union”.
I had one, which followed four '02s and my first—a 1965 1800 four-door in 1968. Got sold on the e30 (a rental) at Nürburgring school in 1990.
‘’ ‘’ My Son in Law works for Rolls Royce turbines.
The Brits consider the USA as their version of Mexico.
Even unionized US labor is cheap compared to England.’’ ‘’
Not justified at all. That’s just a phantom imperial delusion. Limey bastards would be a third world country before next generation.
They might have $11 an hour minimal wage but the same tech job which pays $130,000 in US won’t even pay $80,000 in UK. And they have higher living costs there.
I know Arabs have a cult of British employees in UAE heavily overpaying the Brits over Americans or Russians on the same positions doing the same jobs but that is all. These same UAE Arabs pay Indians half of the white men wages for the same jobs too.
Ah. A Fiat. Italians always did make pretty cars. May be some German engineering left in there.
By hiring Halls do you mean temp agencies?
Where we live in Kentucky the Japanese owned plants hire through the temp agencies for what amounts to permanent help. The jobs can convert into permanent hires directly by the company. That occurred with a former brother-in-law.
I believe that this has come to be primarily because of government regulations. Workers that come via temp agencies can be cut loose a whole lot easier if they are not suitable.
I would think temp agencies would be the more modern term. Plus you are correct on regulation creating this situation.
Slickest, fastest and most reliable Jeeps in decades. I’ve had Grand Cherokees since 1977, and these recent have been the best.
11K people produce 200+K cars per year? Wow, that shows you labor is tiny part of the manufacturing cost equation.
In launch and track mode, it lowers itself 4-6”. Never heard of one doing so, but I’d never take it to 189mph. At 69, I’ve gone fast in my neighbor’s McLaren P1, but wouldn’t try it in that one.
I heard that too, so I wouldn’t be going there. There’s got to be other shops which can do better, and more reputable.
I’m not familiar with their operation in SC.
Don’t know how many are directly involved in manufacturing.
Perhaps somebody else is.
The factory web site says average production is 1,400 vehicles per day.
The 230,000 number is just the exports.
Wow one person makes 1 car/suv a day! Let’s assume 2 8 hours shifts and a wage of $25.00 hr. Labor cost comes in at 16 X $25 = $400/suv. The SUV sells for 40K, labor 1%. Either the figures are wrong or the cost of labor is insignificant.
11,000 workers not 1,100 so the labor per SUV is $4,000 not $400, still 10%. Not that much when you think about it.
Average wage of $25/hr means actual labor cost would be twice that much.
I’d guess about $3,000 labor cost, which, as you point out, isn’t a big chunk out of a median selling price of $50k or more.
The typical X3, the cheapest one built in Spartanburg, tops $50k.
For about three years I worked part time at a big auto auction next to the Darlington racetrack just for pocket change. I have driven hundreds, probably thousands of BMW cars and SUVs both driving through the sale and just moving them around the property for different reasons. If you gave me a new one I would sell it the same day and probably buy a used F-150 with the money.
My daily drive is a Dodge Ram. Well equipped and a comfy ride, and it costs about half what the BMW X3 I just turned in did.
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