Quality differences between factories

UncleDave · August 12, 2019

This might be a silly question, but is there any difference in the quality of builds between assembly plants? I discovered that mine was assembled in Indiana, which made me wonder if the Roanoke built trucks differ in any way to the ones built in Silao. Assuming they all source sub-assemblies from the same suppliers, and automated procedures are identical, I would think they would all be pretty much equal.

No biggie, just curious.

Canadian GM Guy · August 12, 2019

This might be a silly question, but is there any difference in the quality of builds between assembly plants? I discovered that mine was assembled in Indiana, which made me wonder if the Roanoke built trucks differ in any way to the ones built in Silao. Assuming they all source sub-assemblies from the same suppliers, and automated procedures are identical, I would think they would all be pretty much equal. No biggie, just curious.

FWIW I feel you have a bigger variance in quality based on how much sleep the people assembling your truck got or what they had for breakfast or weather or not they got into a fight with their partner the night before.

It's all luck, my 17 5.3 with the 3.42 rear end feels wayyy slower than any other truck I've driven with the same setup. My bad luck is I always get a slow vehicle compared to all the other vehicles that are the exact same. I had a VW diesel that was way slower than anyone elses and I worked at a VW dealer and every other diesel golf accelerated way faster than mine [emoji217][emoji217][emoji217]

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aseibel · August 12, 2019

I drive a Mexican assembled Crew Cab. I've not noticed any issues with fitment or assembly at all. I wouldn't shy away from a truck based solely on which plant it rolled out of.

powerhaulic · August 12, 2019

I had a '17 Mexican truck, paint was not that good and chipped if you looked at wrong.

My '18 the paint is much better and chips have not been a problem.

diyer2 · August 12, 2019

Luck of the draw.

MaverickZ71 · August 12, 2019

The problems on my Silverado have all been with the American designed and built parts. Not the Mexican built parts or assembled truck. My engine and transmission were built in America, shipped to Silao Mexico, then the truck was built and shipped by rail to Chicago and trucked to my dealer (back Southwest!) 4 states away. Build quality was good. That must be a logistical nightmare shipping those heavy parts down there and then assembling it all and shipping it back up here. Hard to think that even with all of those shipping costs it is still cheaper to assemble the truck in Mexico. The Oshawa, Canada plant used to always be top-rated, and it was closer than Silao, but GM closed it down.

I've noticed that some of my AC Delco replacement parts come from Mexico, while the original part said USA. Maybe there's a reason for that? Who knows.

Hey, I'm a patriot and want everything made in America, but in today's world, it seems like half of the "foreign" manufacturers have plants in America, and the American manufacturers are building more in foreign countries. I'd agree that luck or assembly date (they say never to buy the first year or last year of a model, and not to buy anything built before or after a holiday or on a Monday or Friday, but how do we know that??) probably plays more of a role in the end quality than the assembly point.

Edited August 12, 2019 by MaverickZ71

MaverickZ71 · August 12, 2019

1 hour ago, Canadian GM Guy said:

FWIW I feel you have a bigger variance in quality based on how much sleep the people assembling your truck got or what they had for breakfast or weather or not they got into a fight with their partner the night before.

It's all luck, my 17 5.3 with the 3.42 rear end feels wayyy slower than any other truck I've driven with the same setup. My bad luck is I always get a slow vehicle compared to all the other vehicles that are the exact same. I had a VW diesel that was way slower than anyone elses and I worked at a VW dealer and every other diesel golf accelerated way faster than mine

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Maybe you need an alternate source for fuel purchases? Just sayin . . .

Canadian GM Guy · August 12, 2019

Maybe you need an alternate source for fuel purchases? Just sayin . . .

I've tried all fuels available to me, Shell, Petro-Can, Esso, Chevron, Co-op (Shell) and Costco. My truck is just slowwww. As was my golf diesel.

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MaverickZ71 · August 12, 2019

2 minutes ago, Canadian GM Guy said:

I've tried all fuels available to me, Shell, Petro-Can, Esso, Chevron, Co-op (Shell) and Costco. My truck is just slowwww. As was my golf diesel.

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Pour in a bottle of Moosehead, Molson, or Labatt into every tank. That'll perk it up. ha Just kidding.

Canadian GM Guy · August 12, 2019

Pour in a bottle of Moosehead, Molson, or Labatt into every tank. That'll perk it up. ha Just kidding.

Ohh f*** yeah bud [emoji1063]

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Thomcat · August 12, 2019

4 hours ago, UncleDave said:

This might be a silly question, but is there any difference in the quality of builds between assembly plants? I discovered that mine was assembled in Indiana, which made me wonder if the Roanoke built trucks differ in any way to the ones built in Silao. Assuming they all source sub-assemblies from the same suppliers, and automated procedures are identical, I would think they would all be pretty much equal.

No biggie, just curious.

At first blush,you would think so. But no manufacturer running a production line uses just once source of components, at least none that hope to stay in business. Specs are drawn up, placed for bids and first articles evaluated for each potential supplier. All approved suppliers use the same part number, traceability rests with the manufacturer. More than likely same parts are sourced locally, Midwest US likely sourced local US/Canadian and Mexico from local US/Mexican suppliers.

No more VINs beginning with "3" for me! First thing I check in the lot and won't even test drive one.

Learned my lesson with the Avalanches built at the Silao plant compared to the Silverados from Lansing. Bulk of parts may come from the same suppliers, but not locally sourced adhesives, lubricants and manufacturing materials. And robotic equipment will only perform as well as those that program them and the level of programming and assembly expertise of personnel is a function of the length of time training and performing tasks. Been manufacturing in the US and Canada a helluva lot longer than that plant in Mexico......Of course this would not be the case if all the GM senior and expert US and Canadian personnel all moved themselves and their families to Silao - I think not!

Got my fill of the Mexican snot used to seal the windshields and sunroofs of my Avalanches........tired of bailing water, drying carpet and clearing the driver's side electrical channels....not to mention the excess lumps of adhesive use to seal the bed panels, bed mat wouldn't lay flat until I chiseled them off.....and waxy snot falling off pre-rusted frames....a real joke.

NorthForty · August 13, 2019

My 2019 SLT was assembled in Mexico. Not what I would have wanted for sure but what I ended up with. My wife's 2013 Cadi Srx was assembled in Mexico as well. Have had no issues on the SRX and have not noticed anything on the SLT. Keep the fingers crossed. Will have to check but I am pretty sure my Harley was assembled in the good ole USA.

econometrics · August 13, 2019

Zero difference.

UncleDave · August 13, 2019

14 hours ago, MaverickZ71 said:

My engine and transmission were built in America, shipped to Silao Mexico, then the truck was built and shipped by rail to Chicago and trucked to my dealer (back Southwest!) 4 states away. Build quality was good. That must be a logistical nightmare shipping those heavy parts down there and then assembling it all and shipping it back up here. Hard to think that even with all of those shipping costs it is still cheaper to assemble the truck in Mexico.

That says something about the huge gap in wages and cost of living between he US and our neighbor to the south. But we are in a global economy, for better or worse. It would be logical for a global company, whose entire reputation rides on the quality of its product, to do whatever it can to ensure consistency across all its operations. Cultural differences may come into play, but in the end the company does what it must to regulate the quality of its product, wherever it's built.

14 hours ago, MaverickZ71 said:

I'd agree that luck or assembly date (they say never to buy the first year or last year of a model, and not to buy anything built before or after a holiday or on a Monday or Friday, but how do we know that??) probably plays more of a role in the end quality than the assembly point.

I'd be leery of buying a truck made just before a labor strike(!).

KARNUT · August 13, 2019

Pay is regional. The amount of money to live well differs from state to state even here in the U.S. I rather buy U.S built when possible.

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