Mexican or American?

[CDR]

I would also like to buy American when possible, but it just ain't so no mo'...

My truck is a Mexican. Has been good for 9300 miles and counting. (only things so far is the center console tabs w/ plastic that is very brittle and no paint in the stake pockets and some areas of the bed, most of the body got at least a mist. I am also going to see if I really wasted $285 on the "LSD")

My truck theoretically should be of the highest quality. Born August 30th, a Wednesday I believe.

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Chris 01. 5 2500 ETH/DEE 3. 55 LSD 4x4 QC/LWB SLT Patriot/Silver Camper,Trailer,Snowplow prep...

 

[MikeR]

I think some of you guys can post your factory 'preference' with out all the name calling. I have met alot of Cummins Dodge owners that are white,black,hispanic, oriental etc-etc,and this name calling BS doesn't need to go on here.

-Mike

 

[RobMitch]

I didn't even know my truck was made in Mexico until I read this topic. I have the broken console tabs too, ( the dealer keeps saying that the lid is on national backorder. I wonder what that means?) and the paint is not 100% the greatest. Other than that I couldnt be more pleased with the quality. And mileage too ( 18+ )

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RobMitch, Temple Texas, 2001Quad Cab,SLT 6 speed 3. 54 Dark Garnet recieved in Oct. 2000
NRA Life Member, TSRA Member, Viet Nam Vet

 

[Todd T]

we were comparing US to MEX trucks this weekend at a meet, and the US truck we looked over had three paint defects, missing id tags, and the paint was super thick, so thick you could hardly see the serial #'s stamped in the fenders. but it wasnt hard to find the dirt specs.

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Todd,
2001 Q-cab SB 4x4 5spd 3. 55's, A pillar Boost/EGT,Jardines 4" turboback kit,custom built aluminum airbox W/K&N-RE0860 through the cowl, and more to come...

 

[DUNE RACER]

My first Dodge truck, a black 98 auto. , came from Mexico with a flawless paint job, no loose fasteners and not a single build quality related problem in the 25,000 miles that I owned it.

My 01 black dually (just turned 10K) was built for me in Missouri and came with the following features: Paint that has LOTS of blemishes, loose transmission mounting bolts, 2 loose exhaust bolts, loose turbo clamps, a defective track bar, and a bad steering box that had the truck driving bad from day one.
Hmmm, not a tough pick for me next time.

 

[JGblkLand]

I found out mine was built in Mexico. I don't have any problems at all with it, fit and finish on everything is just fine.

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2001 ETH/DEE white, reg. cab, 4x4, front end replacement, luverne nerf bars, no muffler

 

[Wiredawg]

My Mexico built 96 gasser Ram had: intake manifold problems, blown head gasket, steering gear box replaced, 46RE transmission rebuilt (2months after warranty) and serious paint flaws on the bed.

My 2000 Cummins Ram was made in St Louis... so far so good. We'll see!

Wiredawg

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2000 4X4 SLT QC 8' bed; 6 spd, 3. 54 ; BD exhaust brake and 4" exhaust syst; TST PM2; Airlift Super Duty rear air bags; RS 9000 shocks; pyro/boost gauges in 2 gauge a-pillar mount; back preasure gauge mounted under dash; KN air filter; Brown's Welding brush/grill guard, rear bumper & headache rack; nerf bars and aluminum roll top rear cover, Warn front receiver and Hadley air horns, 20K Reese hitch,Mag-Hytec dif cover,Psycotty Air.

 

[Briar Hopper]

seems like my words got twisted around in this forum... . READ MY LIPS, PEOPLE, I have NOTHING against the Mexicans or any other nationality. The issue to me is simple: loss of our jobs to other countries ! That is the one issue I emphasized ! I dislike having to buy anything made outside of the USA. I will if I have to, same as anybody else. At least my truck has a Cummins in it, and I know where it was made! Indiana, the home of speed and horsepower !

 

[hammong]

My truck was made in Mexico, and aside from the "usual" issues like the leaky blow-by bottle, I haven't had any problems at all with it.

The fact that many of our trucks are made in Mexico is one reason they're not ALL $45000. I agree that some jobs need to be kept in this country, but that is the only argument that you can stand on. The quality of the Mexican-built trucks is equal to those of St. Louis -- and no doubt superior to those Friday afternoon and Monday morning trucks from the States.

Greg


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Y2K Dodge Cummins QC 2500 SLT Laramie 4x4 Long Bed, 4. 10/Auto, Forest Green/Driftwood, 265x75R16 Michelin LTX, 6 speaker CD, Camper/Tow/Plow Packages, Westin Black Nerfs, Mopar bedliner, Ultra bright diamondplate toolbox, K&N Filtercharger.

http://www.rints.com/hammond for photos!

Not Bombed yet!

 

[Tom C]

My last dodge was made in mexico. I did not have one quaility control related problems with that vehicle.

My current dodge (that was ramdomly selected of the line for a quality check) with only 4000 miles on it and was made in St. louis. runs fine other that the following having been delt with.

1. sterio replaced
2. steering box replaced
3. pcm reprogrammed
4. front bumper crooked
5. drivers door does not close properly
6. cup holder makes grinding sound when opening or closing
7. seat console lide creeks like an old door when opened.
8. A-piller cover fell off while driving down the road.
9. front end alignment out of spec.
10. steering wander

I've had to spend alot of time at the dealer and still do to get these item corrected. once all these are corrected I'm sure the truck will be fine. This was a random check truck!!! it had 36 miles on it a delivery. I know there is some major errors being made at the st. louis plant an im writing DC about it. If my next truck is another dodge I will be requesting it be made in mexico.

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2001. 5 2500 4X4, QC, Auto, 3. 54 LSD, SLT, SWB, Trailer, Camper & Snow plow Packages, White, 35k# Cody Hitch, 20' Gooseneck Lowboy flat-bed Trailer.

[This message has been edited by Tom C (edited 03-26-2001). ]

 

[Sleepy Creek]

TOM C -

When was your truck delivered? I picked mine up on 1/31/01 and it came from St. Loius. I also was told by DC that my truck was pulled for a "routine quality check. " When I asked my dealer about this, I was told the truck was not pulled, that it was on the way.

I have a few similar quality problems.

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2001. 5 (del'd 1/31/01)2500 SLT 4x4 155"WB, ETC, auto trans (DGP), tow pkg, camper pkg, MOPAR bedliner, 4. 10s, Patriot Blue ...
Jed DuVall

 

[DGFoster]

Well I had a 98 gasser made in Mexico,and let me tell you,it was a humiliating experience,my friend tryed to tell me not to buy it but I wouldn't listen.
This truck was a good looking truck,but from day 1 it was a bad deal,1st time I washed it the paint came off in chunks,big huge pieces of paint. And it had a vibration so bad it was miserable to drive. Had it in the paint shop 5 times,DC screwed themselves on this one,if they would have painted the hole truck the first time it would have been fine as far as the paint goes,but the 5th time I got a lawer and in a week I had my money back and they took that truck away,and I bought a 99 superduty.
Never again will I buy mexican built trucks.
Jobs need to stay here anyway.

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Dave Foster:3500 Quad cab,auto,light driftwood,muffler and resinator are history,Van Aakens. DTT vb and tc on the way...

 

[Deezul1]

It seems a shame that workers making $25-$30 an hour have such a poor attitude about the quality of the product they build. Of course not all people have the same attititude no matter which side of the border they come from. Remember the quality of cars that came from Detriot in the 60s-70s they for the most part were CRAP. The japanese made good quality cars for good prices and Americans snapped them because they were tired of CRAP and now American cars are great cars, they had to change or go under. Its a shame the $5. 00 a day attitude doesnt rub off on the $25 an hour worker. All things being equal Americans should keep their money at home, but Americans should not build poor quality to sell to other Americans. Loyalty has to be earned its not free.

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96 SLT Laramie CC 5spd, 3. 54, no muff, no cat, 5"turn down tip. (its for sale)
. Member NRA/USPSA

 

[cullyguy]

Hot topice here I must say. I grew up in an unusual circumstance,One side of the family was independent performance got the raise type of thought train & the other was The longer you been there the more you should make. We all want high quality product for the lowest possible cost, while still enabling the producer of the product to make a profit so they will be around to back up the product we just bought. Labor is just one of the factors. Government regulations play a much larger role. I used to live in Seattle a long time ago, Boeing is now pulling up to head off to Kansas and it's not because they don't like thelabor situation, it's because of Government! Everyone who wants to keep jobs here in the USA or their home State for that matter should be hot on their congressmen(women) to allow business to remain profitable and not over regulated. The voice of the people has the power, a written letter from a registered voter has much more!

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Steve in Spokane,01 4x4 Auto Quad Cab SB, NRA Life Member, Former PSD owner

 

[XX_Road Dog]

Having a Mexican built Ram has been good for me also. But like many, the concern for the workers and economy here are strong. One thing though, unlike others who are upset about the situation and choose to boycott the superior product, I choose to vote for lowering the taxes that cause businesses to move their production facilities out of the US. If more of us were as diligent in pressuring Congress to lower taxes as we are in seeking American made products there'd be many more America made products to choose from. It's not too late.

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Road Dog
St Petersburg,FL
98' 2500SLT/CC/LB/4X4/ISB&5spd/tow/camper/non work truck/Front Receiver/255/85X16 Dunlops

 

[Tom C]

Sleepy Creek, I took delivery 12/12/00. Mine has a sticker on the drivers window that states it was pulled from the line at ramdon to be quality checked. If your does not have this sticker it may have not been pulled.

Cullyguy, your right. if you want something to change you have to stand up and say something.

Dave65, Sorry to hear of your paint problem. good to hear you got a new truck though. sounds like your truck got a bad batch of paint. If mine had just one item wrong I would not complain of quality. It is just that you got a bad batch of a certain item. but when you have many things wrong then you did not just get a bad batch on an item but you have poor quality. I bought a new chevy once and had many, many problems. after a few months of arbitration they bought that poor quality crap back. I had that truck 7 months and had a file 1 inch thick of "service" reciepts. They just could not fix it. My current truck has come with some quality problems and the dealers are slowly getting them corrected. but when you spend 30+K on a new truck that the factory spent about 30HR per employee to make it, you don't suspect to find any quality control problems. expecially when its a random check truck.

Deezul 1, You said it. . Loyalty has to be earned.

 

[Keith Eilers]

Three cheers for global markets and competition! For most of my adult life, I have been so disgusted with American auto quality that I would not own one. I opted instead for traveling machines from Europe or Japan. If Toyota made a true full size/full power pickup, they would have got my latest purchase as well.

Alas, Toyota can not get this full size pickup thing right, so I bought my first "American made" vehicle which turns out to be "North American" as in Mexico. After two years, I am still delighted with my Dodge Cummins diesel.

Bottom line, we no longer live in fortress America. We are truly a part of a global market place. Highest quality for lowest price will always win in the end. If you don't like this, tough luck!

Now if we Americans would just get our collective heads out of the sand in some other areas. The metric system comes to mind. We are in the midst of a globalization of technical standards which we in the USA continue to resist. We are able to persist with our outdated systems simply because of economic inertia. In the engineering world, There are two systems, the USA system and the rest of the globe. The good old USA is slowly losing this war.

Let's dump our attitude of "made in the USA is better" and focus on making the best products for the lowest prices. We have done this in the high tech industry, why can't we consistently do it in automobiles and other manufactured products?

Competition is a good thing be it domestic or foreign.

 

[Sleepy Creek]

Tom C. -

The only thing that tipped me off that the truck was pulled for audit(other than DC telling me on the phone) was a faint impression of the word "AUDIT" on the rear window behind the driver's seat. Looks like it was written in grease pencil and it showed up when I washed the truck. It took nine weeks from order to delivery for my truck to arrive.

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2001. 5 (del'd 1/31/01)2500 SLT 4x4 155"WB, ETC, auto trans (DGP), tow pkg, camper pkg, MOPAR bedliner, 4. 10s, Patriot Blue ...
Jed DuVall

 

[Sleepy Creek]

I have first owned a '94 RAM 360ci gasser I think was built in Michigan - great truck, ran it 100k and sold to a buddy who still has it today.

Next it was a '99 RAM 360ci gasser built in Mexico. Many quality control issues like terrible paint, truck leaned to the left side by about 2", steering went out in snowstorm after 6 months in service. Sold to a guy in Baltimore and converted to Cummins Diesel.

Now I have the truck in my signature built in St. Louis. Paint still sucks, but this truck is by far my favorite of the three RAMS I have owned. I am looking forward to making some enhancements very soon.

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2001. 5 (del'd 1/31/01)2500 SLT 4x4 155"WB, ETC, auto trans (DGP), tow pkg, camper pkg, MOPAR bedliner, 4. 10s, Patriot Blue ...
Jed DuVall

 

[RobbyRam]

My Y2K was made in St. Louis. The passenger door does not fit right. Otherwise, the truck is great! On the other hand, my '96 Ram was built in Mexico and in 78K miles, had '0' problems. Our New Home Building company currently, as of today, has 508 employees. At least 350+ are Hispanic. (Concrete, framers,stucco,landscape,etc. ) I will continue to harp on the fact that they are the most efficient, conscientous,honest, and prompt employees we have, and I'm glad they tightened the last bolts on somebody's RAM!!