I was allowed to take a tour of Volkswagen Chattanooga yesterday.

[phlfly]

Because they can't understand how a global company as big as Volkswagen works. They've also probably never seen how German plants are often full of former eastern block immigrants who hate each other and cannot speak the same language.

I have purchased 5 Volkswagens brand new... 3 from the Puebla Mexico plant, 1 from the Emden Germany plant, and one from the Wolfsburg plant. Want to guess which ones had the best build quality? All the Puebla cars. Not a single issue with any one of them. Nothing, nada. Nothing loose, no trim problems, no paint problems, nothing not lined up, not clipped in place properly, everything worked.

My Wolfsburg car had 3 assembly problems, 1 caught at PDI, the others remedied by me. Minor, but still there.

.

It's surprised me really, I had(my wife car) brand new 2000 VW Jetta, as I know it has worst reliability, and all them build in Mexico. I'm not saying other factories do better job. But I had 2002 VW Passat wagon, except water in the tank from bad gas station, I had zero issues. But I'm not sure where is built.

 

[oilhammer]

Your Passat was most likely built in Emden, same as mine.

"Reliable" doesn't really have anything to do with assembly quality.... a common mistake. My 1993 F150 was perfectly reliable, zero trouble at all... but its build quality was horrific. It was also a $12k Ford. So no suprises, I knew going in.

 

[compu_85]

The Argentina made 5 speed in my 2002 Jetta was sloppy and hard shifting. The German made one in my 2000 was smooth.

Not an apples to apples comparison since your 2002 has different shift cables, with more / softer rubber on the ends, specifically designed to reduce the vibration / notchiness of the 00-01 style shifter

-J

 

[bangoman]

The TTRS is built in Hungary http://www.vin-decoder.net/vin_TRUZZZ8J7B1900864

Does that make it crappy?

 

[JM Popaleetus]

If anything, I'd say the robots in the US plant are better than the ones in Germany because of the laser brazing process they do I'm sure that tech will make it back to the fatherland soon, through (If it's not there already).
-J

Guess what, those robots are Japanese and built in Detroit !

How do you arrange for a tour as an owner?

http://www.volkswagengroupamerica.com/newsroom/press_contacts.html

Why does everyone assume that VW products not built in Germany are inferior?

It's an obsolete train of thought. Just like those who SWEAR you still need to change your oil every 3,000miles.

Because of past experience with them? How about that?

The Argentina made 5 speed in my 2002 Jetta was sloppy and hard shifting. The German made one in my 2000 was smooth.

Matter of fact, IMO, the new Passat is not the same high standard that I have come to expect from previous Passats I have. It just does not match the same fit/feel/quality, again in my opinion.

You're comparing two different transmissions.

Also, of course it doesn't feel as good. The American models are decontented to make them cheaper. The true B7 Passat would cost $40-$46k here.

 

[JM Popaleetus]

Too bad. Another nail in the coffin against me buying any more Passat TDI's.

Our 2012 had the German TDI Engines. Here is the window sticker from mine.

https://picasaweb.google.com/mtbarr64/Passat_2012?authkey=Gv1sRgCIX-4PGJxfjlQA#5831985150898733298

Country of ORIGIN is Germany. Not necessarily where it was MANUFACTURED. Don't know if you've looked at a map recently, Germany and Poland are pretty close.

But yes, my guess is that the engine is built in Poland and exported out of Germany.

 

[DaMidget]

Other interesting facts:

• Every car, other than the battery of tests I just showed, is also driven through a 2mile road course.
• Our TDI engines are manufactured in Poland.
• Tolerance for manufacturing is 0.5mm, outside of that the car will disassembled.
• Every car's manifest (build specification/order form) is electronically coded into an RFID chip bolted into the engine bay.
• This is VW's newest, largest, most efficient, cleanest, and most automated plant. It will be used as the blueprints for any future plants that are built.

Sadly, you were a little mislead on three points by our wonderful tour guide...

Every car is not ran through the test track, located in the east side of the plant and running under the pedestrian bridge. The track is approximately one mile long and the vehicle only reaches 80 MPH. There is a "rough road" each car is driven across but it is not 2 miles and I wouldn't consider it a road course. It is to test for rattling

The car will not be disassembled if the tolerance is out. Each vehicle can be adjusted and removed from the production line once any issue is noticed.

There are no RFID chips located on the body. All tracking is done via barcode scanning.

Awesome, thanks so much for sharing this! Looks like a nice place. Was everyone in uniform?

We do have uniforms for both contractors and VW employees. Uniforms are at no cost to employees and receive an annual refresh allotment. You receive a "credit" towards footwear. Our selection is very wide.

Pants: Blue jeans, black slacks and blue slacks. Contractor pants receive CTR embroidered above the right rear pocket; Volkswagen employee pants receive the VW logo embroidered above the right rear pocket.

Shirts: Dress shirts (long and short sleeve) in blue, white and baby blue. T-shirts in blue, white, baby blue and gray. All shirts have the employee name embroidered on the right breast. Volkswagen employees will have an embroidered Volkswagen logo and "Chattanooga". Aerotek production team members have Aerotek in place in Volkswagen and Chattanooga. All other contractors typically have nothing other than their name.

Footwear: Footwear is area specific and you receive a credit towards footwear when hired and every two years. The credit covers almost all possible selections. If memory serves me correctly, I paid $20 for my steel toe, ESD wing tip dress shoes with additional testing to enter the paint shop.

 

[JM Popaleetus]

Sadly, you were a little mislead on three points by our wonderful tour guide...

Every car is not ran through the test track, located in the east side of the plant and running under the pedestrian bridge. The track is approximately one mile long and the vehicle only reaches 80 MPH. There is a "rough road" each car is driven across but it is not 2 miles and I wouldn't consider it a road course. It is to test for rattling

The car will not be disassembled if the tolerance is out. Each vehicle can be adjusted and removed from the production line once any issue is noticed.

There are no RFID chips located on the body. All tracking is done via barcode scanning.

Interesting. The guide definitely said, "we are proud that every car is test driven". I assumed (wrongly apparently) that it was on the round course.

Also correct, disassembled only if it can't be fixed/adjusted. Which I assume is extremely almost-impossibly rare.

Are you sure about the RFID chip though? The guide showed us the bolt and white sticker where the chip supposedly is.

Also, any way you can get me a photo of the electric green body chilling in the factory? I wanted one very badly .

 

[DaMidget]

Interesting. The guide definitely said, "we are proud that every car is test driven". I assumed (wrongly apparently) that it was on the round course.
Also correct, disassembled only if it can't be fixed/adjusted. Which I assume is extremely almost-impossibly rare.
Are you sure about the RFID chip though? The guide showed us the bolt and white sticker where the chip supposedly is.
Also, any way you can get me a photo of the electric green body chilling in the factory? I wanted one very badly .

I can positively guarantee you that RFID is not used in the Chattanooga plant.

The electric green body is for showing process areas associated with high cost. The car can be configured to go down any assembly shop line with areas of the car notated. I do have photo clearance but I'd rather not provide one - you never know where it might end up

 

[JM Popaleetus]

I can positively guarantee you that RFID is not used in the Chattanooga plant.
The electric green body is for showing process areas associated with high cost. The car can be configured to go down any assembly shop line with areas of the car notated. I do have photo clearance but I'd rather not provide one - you never know where it might end up

Interesting. Might want to tell "Captain K" that then.

Is that green body secret for any reason? We were told that it was for "testing", and that fun paint jobs were common (last one was M&M themed?). Even though I would never EVER distribute it...theoretically at worst I could imagine some auto journalist trying to say it's a new color for 2014 .

If you change your mind though, I really would just love a simple photo of that body. Because it really made my tour.

 

[Jim_NM]

My 2013, built in October, delivered in November had Germany as the origin of engine/transmission labeled on the window sticker.

 

[psd1]

My 2013, built in October, delivered in November had Germany as the origin of engine/transmission labeled on the window sticker.

Same with my 2013 built 12/12 and delivered 1/13.

Parts content: Germany, 19%
Country of Orgin: Engine Germany and Transmission Germany.

 

[JM Popaleetus]

My 2013, built in October, delivered in November had Germany as the origin of engine/transmission labeled on the window sticker.

Again, I theorize that the engines are prepped and shipped to TN from Germany but actually built in Poland.

 

[bangoman]

I'm an absolute amateur on EU export law, but I understand that a product can be made in one country (Poland) but have a "country of origin" from another country (Germany) if said product is to comply with the second country's (Germany) rules and regulations l, like for waste, environment, factory standards etc..

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/customs/customs_duties/rules_origin/introduction/index_en.htm

Although I have no idea what the deal is with the Hungarian VIN'd TTRS.

I think most of my old Polo was built in the Czech Republic. No complaints there.

 

[TDI_Dan]

Anyone remember the Michael Keaton movie Gung Ho?

Yes! "...Fity thousan' caas!" Great movie. A bit of a culture clash and some stereotyping, but entertaining.

 

[irishrob]

Is point five millimeter tolerance the industry standard or just Volkswagen standard? jm.. thanks for posting this very cool very interesting