Foo - Ruthless German efficiency is not what it used to be.

Man, what hard work!

I'm trying to convince a spare parts guy at a very well know German maker of top quality sporting goods that the fixing I require to renovate one of their products exists.

I was hoping that the photograph of the part (a brass threaded bushing and matching bolt) with a description of where it was from would be enough.

"Not ours!" he says. "Well, it looks original to me" I reply.

Hopefully the photograph of the area it is mounted to with an added diagram (yes, I busted out Adobe Illustrator) helps him recognise it. If not, I'm stuffed (and/or writing to the head of the company to moan about it!)

The Australian company I deal with for similar equipment has an old guy who'll ask you a question like "what shape is the bit that goes from X to Y?" and then proceed to tell you what year range it was built in and then get you the right spare part for that design generation. I'd have thought that Mr German would have been much better at this!

Sheesh!

Meh, I think German companies started to trade on their reputation for money a long time ago. I drive a Mercedes Vito 115 cdi van at work and at only 50,000 km it needed a full automatic transmission rebuild. You would think that they would be ashamed but no they just think of the money and charge for the job. Several others have posted similar experiences on the net. We used to complain when the Ford taxi's we drove needed transmission rebuilds at about 200,000 km.

If it was a Japanese, Korean or Chinese company who built a van that needed a transmission rebuild at 50,000km then EVERY man and his dog would be making xenophobic comments about how bad their product was and in fact the companies would be bending over backwards to protect there reputation but Mercedes-Benz have figured out that there reputation is so solid it doesn't matter to them.

Anthony

I just remembered a chapter in a history book I read a while back. Basically the book looked at a much wider range of reasons why the Allies won WW2.

The Germans had about 20 types of truck and 70 or so motorcycle designs - and get this....most of the parts (even basic stuff like wheels/tyres) were not compatible. Whole units would have to abandon perfectly good equipment for want of simple parts (or ones the right size). Imagine the horror when the supply guys finally fight a shipment of bits to you - and they don't fit your truck!

Meh, I think German companies started to trade on their reputation for money a long time ago. I drive a Mercedes Vito 115 cdi van at work and at only 50,000 km it needed a full automatic transmission rebuild. You would think that they would be ashamed but no they just think of the money and charge for the job. Several others have posted similar experiences on the net. We used to complain when the Ford taxi's we drove needed transmission rebuilds at about 200,000 km.

If it was a Japanese, Korean or Chinese company who built a van that needed a transmission rebuild at 50,000km then EVERY man and his dog would be making xenophobic comments about how bad their product was and in fact the companies would be bending over backwards to protect there reputation but Mercedes-Benz have figured out that there reputation is so solid it doesn't matter to them.

Anthony

Chinese, yes. But the Japanese have worked steadily to improve their quality (a form of Kata) for the last 50 years and dominate many markets because of it. And the Koreans aren't far behind in the automotive market and do particularly well in the microelectronics sector. And I suspect the Chinese, who appear to spend a lot of time copying things, do have their eye on the prize.

VW had quite a few quality problems that were largely associated with manufacturing in Mexico (Jettas, I believe). Some suggest avoiding any VW that wasn't built in Germany. That's advice I took when I recently bought a 15 year old Passat.

Yes, your Benz transmission should not have failed that early. In contrast, a friend of mine has a somewhat dated Honda Odyssey. The trans went on it, and despite having nearly 100K miles, the Honda company paid the lions share of the replacement/repair costs. This was most likely a known fault, otherwise they too would have left it to the customer to shoulder the burden.

Its not only German products that ride on their reputation. I am totally UN-impressed with anything with the name Bose on it.

... I am totally UN-impressed with anything with the name Bose on it.

+1

Although I do have a Bose center channel speaker. I got it really cheap.

+1

Although I do have a Bose center channel speaker. I got it really cheap.

I bought a set of Bose speakers many years ago that was supposedly reconditioned to factory specs.

They SUCKED. SUCKED. I think you pay way too much for Bose products. Within another year, there will be clone noise reduction headphones available that are better for 1/4 to 1/5 of the Bose price.

Its not only German products that ride on their reputation. I am totally UN-impressed with anything with the name Bose on it.

As some would say, "No highs, no lows, must be Bose."

As some would say, "No highs, no lows, must be Bose."

I've never heard that before but it is a very apt description of how the speakers sound ... bland.

I thought it was "all highs, no lows", since they push that ****ty system of satellite tweeters with a few midranges stuffed in a box.

I don't understand why Bose and Monster Cable haven't married yet. It would be the bifecta of overmarketed, underperforming junk.

x10000

Meh, I think German companies started to trade on their reputation for money a long time ago. I drive a Mercedes Vito 115 cdi van at work and at only 50,000 km it needed a full automatic transmission rebuild. You would think that they would be ashamed but no they just think of the money and charge for the job. Several others have posted similar experiences on the net. We used to complain when the Ford taxi's we drove needed transmission rebuilds at about 200,000 km.

If it was a Japanese, Korean or Chinese company who built a van that needed a transmission rebuild at 50,000km then EVERY man and his dog would be making xenophobic comments about how bad their product was and in fact the companies would be bending over backwards to protect there reputation but Mercedes-Benz have figured out that there reputation is so solid it doesn't matter to them.

Anthony

+100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

+1

Although I do have a Bose center channel speaker. I got it really cheap.

Ha! Same here! LOL! but my rear speakers are Boston Acoustics, main speakers LogicTech THX, sub Polk Audio. Motley crew? do they do the job? yes.