Ford's engine made in Germany?

[Rasulis]

My wife's 2006 BMW is getting too old for the mileage that she puts on it. So we decided to retire the car (as in donate to NPR) and buy a new car. We were at Penske Ford on Saturday. Very nice people and they got us a nice car.

As I was walking around the lot, I notice on the stickers that although all the cars were assembled in the US (somewhere in Kentucky), their engines were manufactured in Germany. My question is “Why Germany?” Manufacturing cost in Germany can't be cheaper than in the US. Or have we as a nation fallen that far behind in term of advanced manufacturing?

[Vanyali]

We don't manufacture much in the US, mainly because those pesky "regulations" and "minimum wages" made it impossible to do it in the US.

Not in other countries with the same things in place, mind. Just.. you know. The soil of the US makes it harder to make a profit on. For... reasons.

[zephid]

Because German engineering > US engineering when it comes to cars.

[Self Inflicted Wounds]

As far as I know, Germany makes really good car parts... so maybe that has something to do with it?

[Orange Joe]

We don't manufacture much in the US, mainly because those pesky "regulations" and "minimum wages" made it impossible to do it in the US.

Not in other countries with the same things in place, mind. Just.. you know. The soil of the US makes it harder to make a profit on. For... reasons.

You really think Germany doesn't have many of the same rules.

[Bigbazz]

There is a huge Ford engine plant really close to me in the UK, has been for a long time. Don't think it's anything new that Ford manufacture a lot of their engines in Europe. I think the Ford Focus itself was originally designed as a split effort between Ford UK/Germany for European markets, and I think those are sold in the US too? And to my knowledge the Focus is manufactured all over the world.

Ford spread their wings far and wide with manufacturing.

[Vanyali]

You really think Germany doesn't have many of the same rules.

Please read the second line, friend.

[Orange Joe]

Please read the second line, friend.

I'm guessing there was some sarcasm in there I didn't pick up on.

[Super Kami Dende]

We don't manufacture much in the US, mainly because those pesky "regulations" and "minimum wages" made it impossible to do it in the US.

Not in other countries with the same things in place, mind. Just.. you know. The soil of the US makes it harder to make a profit on. For... reasons.

That's some mighty large assumptions.
Protip: German Workforce rules and regulations are far stricter than American. They also have much higher Quality when it comes to things like Cars and Engineering.

[Vanyali]

I'm guessing there was some sarcasm in there I didn't pick up on.

I thought the part about US soil itself driving up the cost made it clear

That's some mighty large assumptions.
Protip: German Workforce rules and regulations are far stricter than American. They also have much higher Quality when it comes to things like Cars and Engineering.

It was sarcasm, my dude. The main theme for why american manufacturing is gone is that "regulations and wages' won't let them be profitable.

[telygroar]

You really think Germany doesn't have many of the same rules.

XD

For op : better manufacturer with better iron.

[Orange Joe]

I thought the part about US soil itself driving up the cost made it clear

I'm horrible at picking up sarcasm in text

[the game]

You really think Germany doesn't have many of the same rules.

Your reading skills are showing.

[Rennadrel]

Depends on the Ford engine, not all of them are made in Germany. Some of GM's engines are made in Mexico, which should be a good indicator as to why they make shit vehicles. I know most of the upcoming 10 speed transmission that Ford and GM joint ventured is being made in Canada, and the F150 axle and differential assemblies are also all made in Canada and assembled in the USA. The engine used in the Focus RS is made in Germany, since the car is built there. It's also technically an import for that reason, though they are probably some of the best built cars in Ford's stable at the moment.

But as someone who works in the manufacturing industry for automotive vehicles, I can say with confidence that most vehicles are fairly poor for build quality because they are mass producing the living hell out of these things. GM just ended production of their V6 engine block at one of our facilities and they were churning those blocks out day in and day out for the better part of a decade. Running machines full tilt just ran them into the ground sadly, and in doing so it ruins the quality of the components being manufactured because the machine accuracy goes out the window after about 3 or 4 years of being run 24/7 365 days a year. Most companies do that though, it's nothing new but is very much the American way of manufacturing.

[Independent voter]

Buick beat out Lexus in quality at least for a couple of years, Lexus being comparable than anything made in Germany.

Times change, what might be true in 2010 might not be true in 2017.

[Rennadrel]

Buick beat out Lexus in quality at least for a couple of years, Lexus being comparable than anything made in Germany.

Times change, what might be true in 2010 might not be true in 2017.

No one buys Buick unless they are old men with their belts around their nipples.

[Occam-OC]

No one buys Buick unless they are old men with their belts around their nipples.

I resemble that remark.

[the game]

I resemble that remark.

I assume you're an old man with his belt around his n ipples.

[Kellhound]

Ford builds some of their lower demand engines for their cars in Europe, but their real money makers (truck engines) are mainly a US built item.

[Mihalik]

Ford builds some of their lower demand engines for their cars in Europe, but their real money makers (truck engines) are mainly a US built item.

I find it highly dubious that trucks would be Ford's primary income source. It's a bit late here, so I can't be arsed to sort through Google to find a sales/income breakdown, but if you by any chance could link something alike I'd much appreciate it.