Lack of paint issues?

[42pilot]

Originally Posted by MattBianco

When we buy this car in the US, it states (by value) 65% made in Germany, 30% made in Austria. Virtually ever component is imported whole. I know the bulk of the Austrian value is the transmission.

Paint is 100% in the US. No hiding behind the workmanship (or lack there of), in checking everything is fed to the robot line correctly, and doing proper inspections.

My concern now is the quality of electronic sensors, which I suspect, regardless of place of assembly, are all sourced in places they'd rather not tell us. For instance, Latvia makes a lot of the electronics and LEDs, but Lativa is doing modeling and assembly, not the whole thing. When you see electronic components listed as generic substitutes in Alibaba.com, you get a sense that this car is not as German, Austrian or American as we are led to believe.

One thing for sure, this car is much more complicated and sensor=dependent than anything I have owned, and the risks I had no choice but taking if I wanted this car. But when you see unprimed body, wrong mirrors on the car (not yours), wrong rear door panel, missing options, wiring not plugged in for internal LED lights, rust on off-the lot bake calipers,......it makes you see where the toll is taken for BMW's strategy to expand its menu of product offerings so fast and so wide. I didn't expect these kinds of problems.

The engines are from Austria and trannies from Germany (ZF). Anyway, your point about being so sensor dependent, I think, is spot on. Just think about owning this car in 6 or 8 or 10 years (my pickup just turned 10) and chasing failing sensors and the cost of replacing them, or even finding them available at a reseller. For that matter, just think of how few current independent shops have the technology to diagnose the problems. My local BMW shop can't even install a battery in my car because he won't buy the software needed to register the battery with the ECU. Hopefully, people like Opasha and others will provide technology for owners to do some of this work.

With each passing year, I like my pickup more and more due to it's relative simplicity and the fact I know how to work on most components. Not to mention it's paid for, insurance is cheap and still runs/looks great.

[MattBianco]

42pilot ...we are on the same page.

note, it is the other way around the engine is german built (by BMW) and the transmission (ZF 8HP) is an OEM by ZF Friedrichshafen AG of austria. They supply the same box to Audi, Chrysler, Jaguar, Iveco, Maserati, Jeep, Dodge, VW, Bentley and a few more. The power management software is BMW proprietary.

ZF has just released a 9 speed as well.

You may recall Ford and GM entered into an agreement to jointly build a 10 speed, and committed $1B for the project. These transmissions are very complex and few makers can make their own at this point. MB is an exception.

If you do a google for: ZF 8HP PDF BMW (or without BMW), you can get some interesting PDF literature on the monster.

I am not hopeful I can take this simple little thing below to a Chrysler mechanic and ask for a rebuild one day.

[42pilot]

Originally Posted by MattBianco

42pilot ...we are on the same page.

note, it is the other way around the engine is german built (by BMW) and the transmission (ZF 8HP) is an OEM by ZF Friedrichshafen AG of austria. They supply the same box to Audi, Chrysler, Jaguar, Iveco, Maserati, Jeep, Dodge, VW, Bentley and a few more. The power management software is BMW proprietary.

ZF has just released a 9 speed as well.

You may recall Ford and GM entered into an agreement to jointly build a 10 speed, and committed $1B for the project. These transmissions are very complex and few makers can make their own at this point. MB is an exception.

If you do a google for: ZF 8HP PDF BMW (or without BMW), you can get some interesting PDF literature on the monster.

I am not hopeful I can take this simple little thing below to a Chrysler mechanic and ask for a rebuild one day.

I just got back from Guadalajara today visiting ZF there. It's their suspension plant and they make 6,500 shock absorbers/struts PER HOUR there and will double production by the end of the year. And this is only to satisfy local consumption by Nissan and Honda.

Anyway, ZF is my customer and last year, my company moved every single ZF transmission from Saarbrucken, Germany to Spartanburg for X car manufacturing - by air freight! We were flying 6 747's per week because ZF had problems with production. And my sticker says the engine is made in Austria but it's the diesel. I don't mean to argue - I just know ZF paid an unbelievable amount of money for nearly one year just in transportation moving trannies from Germany. Maybe it was a different model tranny? Dunno...

The real irony here is that ZF is adding onto their 650,000 sq ft building (going to be over 1,000,000 sq ft) state of the art production facility in Gray Court, SC, but it produces trannies for only Jag/Rover and Chrysler. It's only 30 min away from BMW.

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by 42pilot

And my sticker says the engine is made in Austria but it's the diesel. I don't mean to argue

Yes, it depends on which engine you have where it is manufactured.

The BMW Steyer manufacturing plant in Austria makes most diesel BMW engines ( 4 and 6 Cylinder) aswell as some 3,4 and 6 Cylinder petrol engines.

The BMW Munich Germany plane makes the M Performance 6 Cylinder Diesel engines aswell as 3, 4, 8 and 12 Cylinder Petrol engines.



Some engine assembly footage

[MattBianco]

Originally Posted by 42pilot

I just got back from Guadalajara today visiting ZF there. It's their suspension plant and they make 6,500 shock absorbers/struts PER HOUR there and will double production by the end of the year. And this is only to satisfy local consumption by Nissan and Honda.

Anyway, ZF is my customer and last year, my company moved every single ZF transmission from Saarbrucken, Germany to Spartanburg for X car manufacturing - by air freight! We were flying 6 747's per week because ZF had problems with production. And my sticker says the engine is made in Austria but it's the diesel. I don't mean to argue - I just know ZF paid an unbelievable amount of money for nearly one year just in transportation moving trannies from Germany. Maybe it was a different model tranny? Dunno...

The real irony here is that ZF is adding onto their 650,000 sq ft building (going to be over 1,000,000 sq ft) state of the art production facility in Gray Court, SC, but it produces trannies for only Jag/Rover and Chrysler. It's only 30 min away from BMW.

buddy, you are the authority on this subject. My knowledge is from reading. Yours is from doing.

[artem123]

I have the same issue! Just noticed lack of paint on fender's edges where they are close to front light assembly. I will not handle, nor tolerate this. Will visit dealer asap.

[Broadsword]

Just had my BMW Encore visit on Monday. Before we left did a walk around of the car noticed some of the paint had fallen off near the amber reflectors on the front bumper. Not a chip, but like dried paint that had fallen off. SA took note of it and taking the car back Friday to have their paint guy take a look at it. Color is Space Grey.

[originalgoods13]

Hi all,

I have detailed my vehicle last night and noticed added lack of paint where the primer is showing

I highlighted the areas, make sure you check your X5 in these areas carefully