# Country of origin - do you care?



## T.D.K (Mar 16, 2011)

So I paid the deposit for my Astra GTC last Friday, the salesmen showed me one that had just arrived, ticked all the boxes, apart from the alloys - too small. So unfortunately it to be a factory order.

It appears the car was made in Poland. I thought as the five door was British, this would be too. Slightly disappointed but it was still superbly assembled.

So do you care where a car comes from? Do you prefer to support British built cars etc?


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## shaunwistow (May 13, 2011)

2 answers from me

NO I don't care where a car comes from.
YES I would prefer to support British built cars


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## Deano (Jul 7, 2006)

some VWs are made in Brazil, and I'm pretty sure at least one Audi model is made in poland or czech republic.


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

Cars were never our strong point.....................


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

Not massively bothered, if theres anything wrong with it or it turns out to be slapped together badly, i'd just reject it or send it back to be fixed under warranty.

The Ford Focus is german built but its not up to audi levels of trim quality
and I once heard the 3 series was built in south africa.... go figure


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

heck its like the debate of which porsche boxsters are better the ones made by Porsche in Germany or outsourced ones made in Finland iirc.

I am not hugely bothered but i like to know tbh  made Ghent in Belgium here 

end of the day parts sharing means really tbh that alot of parts only really come together for assembly at some location...its like saying certain apple products are bad because they are made in china...


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## Alzak (Aug 31, 2010)

All GTC are made in Poland but if You ask me I'm sure they take big care with assembly


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

My last two cars were built in Swindon, that should be enough to put anyone off. 

On the plus side though, they were built at the Honda plant, not the Pressed Steel/British Leyland/Rover/BMW plant...


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## Shug (Jul 13, 2007)

Gruffs said:


> Cars were never our strong point.....................


What about the imp? 
The cars built solely in britain are probably very expensive high powered affairs.
I.e McClaren.
There was a program on bbc no long ago about how the uk couldnt compete with mass manufacture, so were going for niche, top level stuff instead.


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

Shiny said:


> My last two cars were built in Swindon, that should be enough to put anyone off.
> 
> On the plus side though, they were built at the Honda plant, not the Pressed Steel/British Leyland/Rover/BMW plant...


Ironically the Longbridge built Rover 75s were renowned for being of a better finish than their cowley countetparts.


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## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

I clicked 'No' as if the car is from one of the main makers then quality control and so on should all be fine. They stand to lose too much by letting cars out that fall short of what we expect these days, as Rover found out with their Indian built crap heap a few years back. Times change too, would I have bought a Polish built car 20 years ago? No, just like I wouldn't have bought anything from Kia or Hyundai, but now the mutt munchers have really got their act together, and I'd be more than happy with one of the new breed of cars they build.
I'd even buy a car made in China, if it was built by VW, or Merc or Audi, but I wouldn't go near a domestic make of Chinese car if they became available in the next few years. A few were submitted for Euro NCap testing as a couple of factories wanted to flog their knock off look alikes in Europe and, well, the Chinese still have a lot to learn. But learn they probably will, the Japs weren't all that hot to begin with either, but look at them now, the Chinese could be right up there in twenty or thirty years time.


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## DesertDog (May 15, 2011)

Ninja59 said:


> porsche boxsters are better the ones made by Porsche in Germany


....by Turks


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)

Deano said:


> some VWs are made in Brazil, and I'm pretty sure at least one Audi model is made in poland or czech republic.


all the diesel vw engines are made in Poland

Gearboxes are made in Barcelona



Gruffs said:


> Cars were never our strong point.....................


haha well yeh thats true. :lol:


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## Deano (Jul 7, 2006)

dixon75 said:


> Ironically the Longbridge built Rover 75s were renowned for being of a better finish than their cowley countetparts.


other way round I think. longbridge cars were subjected to rovers "project drive" when they started cutting corners to save cash.

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=34369

mine was a cowley and had all the trimmings.


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## Kriminal (Jan 11, 2007)

If it was a car company based in the UK but the employees were all immigrants, would this be a contradictory question ?

I think at the end of the day, if my Audi was built in Germany, Good. If it was built in Poland, Good....etc

It's only an over-sized airfix kit at the end of the day


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## kempe (Jan 9, 2011)

In a word no :lol:


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

Not one bit I only care about quality. Plus you never know where your car is really made. My neighbour tried lecturing me to buy british "like him" with his land rover. I had to explain my civic was more british than his Indian car. Damn near broke his heart.


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## dsolds (Feb 13, 2008)

erm, Land Rovers are built at Solihull or Halewood. The Indian ones are CKD kits for their domestic market. Tata might be Indian but they haven't moved build out there yet.


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## T.D.K (Mar 16, 2011)

stangalang said:


> Not one bit I only care about quality. Plus you never know where your car is really made. My neighbour tried lecturing me to buy british "like him" with his land rover. I had to explain my civic was more british than his Indian car. Damn near broke his heart.


True, JLR are owned by TATA, but production of all their vehicles is in Britain. Most components are locally sourced and JLR have announced another factory is to be built soon (engines I believe)

Your Civic is indeed British assembled but I'm sure most of it's parts are foreign sourced, probably from Japan.

Feel free to correct me though.


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

Yes but he was adamant it was a British company :thumb:Hated the fact they also make the cheapest new car in the world :lol:I also pointed out that the civic is made here and now shipped to japan it was beautiful Anyway point is your car is never entirely what you think it is, so I personally only care about quality and value for money be it British Indian or german


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## cangri (Feb 25, 2011)

Don`t care where it was made as long as I know it`s a good car.


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## corradophil (Oct 31, 2011)

Not too worried my mk4 Golf is a German car, built in Belguim, sold when new by a Swedish dealer in UK spec to a UK customer.

It seems just as good as my dad's mk4 which was built in Germany.


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## dew1911 (Jun 9, 2009)

Doesn't worry me, as above mines Belgium built, Swedish Designed. 

And tbh it depends how you define built, as most are produced all over the world then just assembled at the end.

My dads wagon is a prime example. Cab and chassis are Dutch, engine is American, assembled by a load of Lancashire Monkies :lol:


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## Deano (Jul 7, 2006)

dew1911 said:


> Doesn't worry me, as above mines Belgium built, Swedish Designed.
> 
> And tbh it depends how you define built, as most are produced all over the world then just assembled at the end.
> 
> My dads wagon is a prime example. Cab and chassis are Dutch, engine is American, assembled by a load of *Lancashire Monkies* :lol:


OI!  :lol:


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## Shug (Jul 13, 2007)

Deano said:


> OI!  :lol:


Damn right. Its Lancashire monkeys, not Lancashire monkies.


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## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

Going to add my thoughts to this i.e. a cars origin.

My brand new VW Golf was built in Germany & I'm not too fussed where a car may have been built.


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)




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## nyrB (Jun 15, 2012)

*I'm not bothered either! I for sure would like to be able to buy British & support the Industry. As for the quality of foreign made so called British Vehicles, I have been in most European plants & presently own a Spanish made Focus, most are a first class set-up & very modern, nearly all computer controlled manufacture. I lived in Luton during the 60's & worked under contract in Vauxhall Motors & never thought I would see it's demise. However I do now see that we never allowed the change to Computer Automation until it was to late & other European Countries beat us to it. Also unfortunately Lower costs was possibly a very big factor in the breakup of our manufacturing plants?*


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## Tisgreen (May 18, 2012)

The Audi Q7 Porsche ummm ( 4x4 one) and the VW Tourag are all made in the same place if I remember correctly......Slovakia..... Bratislava to be exact....I was in Bratislava once and someone told me they used to work at the factory....he also said never buy one....BUT....they are backed up by Audi VW and Porsche


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## triggerh4ppy (Jul 15, 2011)

I work for an automotive oe currently and have learnt it doesn't matter where your car is assembled as the parts are sources from around the world anyway


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## dew1911 (Jun 9, 2009)

triggerh4ppy said:


> I work for an automotive oe currently and have learnt it doesn't matter where your car is assembled as the parts are sources from around the world anyway


Hence what I said regarding DAF Trucks, bits of them come from all over the world and then assembled at the factory in Leyland, Lancashire


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

Renault will be rolling out the Datchia Duster built in Romania shortly, have one in our showroom and have to say mightily impressed.

http://www.dacia.co.uk/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Dacia&WT.srch=1


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

I look at it that if that's where the car is made that's where it's made. 

I know my Clio 172 and Megane 225 were made in Dieppe as that's the RenaultSport factory but the Twingo was made in Slovakia I believe as that's where all of the Twingos are built.


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## GR33N (Apr 5, 2009)

Who resurrected this thread :lol:

My Fiesta was built in "West Germany" from what I remember and my mk5 Golf is a proper Wolfsburg one


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## Scotty Pro (Nov 12, 2008)

Don't know where my Corsa was built and TBH I don't really care, all I know is that it is a lot better than the GP I had that was built in Italy.


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## Supermega (Nov 10, 2008)

Scotty Pro said:


> Don't know where my Corsa was built and TBH I don't really care, all I know is that it is a lot better than the GP I had that was built in Italy.


They were made in the bertone factory if I recall? My minis haven't been the best built cars I have owned.


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## T.D.K (Mar 16, 2011)

Scotty Pro said:


> Don't know where my Corsa was built and TBH I don't really care, all I know is that it is a lot better than the GP I had that was built in Italy.


Corsa is built in Spain IIRC....


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

my car = designed in britain, built in britain, by largely british workforce.

1 million+ sold over 3 years.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

dew1911 said:


> Hence what I said regarding DAF Trucks, bits of them come from all over the world and then assembled at the factory in Leyland, Lancashire


I remember having a few days down there on the manufacturing line, I had to go and have a sleep after having a rather heavy night out in Blackpool.

I don't really care where the car is made, the tt was somewhere in Germany and Austria or something, the seat in Spain and it's been good so I think it missed the siesta, a I think the 206 was made in Coventry ... Guess which rattles the most having said that I think our manufacturing has come a long way and I would buy british, but only a mini.


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## Scotty Pro (Nov 12, 2008)

CraigQQ said:


> my car = designed in britain, built in britain, by largely british workforce.
> 
> 1 million+ sold over 3 years.


Nissan :thumb:


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## lanciamug (May 18, 2008)

I have a VW Scirocco on order, being built in portugal!


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## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

lanciamug said:


> I have a VW Scirocco on order, being built in portugal!


When you get it, you can tell from the VIN where exactly it was built so it should confirm if yours was built in Portugal.

By the 11th letter, you can determine what plant it was built at.

My 2012 Golf was built in Wolfsburg.


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## lanciamug (May 18, 2008)

Thanks for that, I have a Mk5 Golf now so I'll have a look and see what the 11th letter is.


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