Are New Lexuses Still Imported From Japan?

[flanker271]

I was skimming through carsurvey.org during lunch break. It appears that Honda Accords, Toyota Camries and Nissan Maximas receive more and more negative reviews on newer models. One of the Accord review mentioned that the Accords are no longer assembled in Japan, but instead in Ohio after year 1998, which accounts for the decline in quality.

I'm just curious to know if all the newer Lexuses are still manufactured and assembled in Japan and then shipped to the U.S., or does Japan only supply parts now and the assembly process is done in the U.S.?

[SW03ES]

Yes they are, SOME RX330s are built in Canada starting last year.

[1990LS400]

A Toyota branded vehicle visually indentical to the GX is currently being assembled in mainland China. Likely, most Lexus vehicles will be sourced from China soon.

[flanker271]

Likely, most Lexus vehicles will be sourced from China soon.

I sure hope not ;)

[1990LS400]

Likely, most Lexus vehicles will be sourced from China soon.

I sure hope not ;)

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You don't like lower prices and excellent quality7 :whistles:

[Unlisted]

they will defintely stick with producing the cars in japan. the suvs may all end up being built in canada or possibly Texas

[Wilfred]

Luxury names like Volkswagen/Audi and BMW are all having a go at getting a piece of the Chinese market and doing it with alot of sucess by outsourcing and assembling these cars over there. Damiler Chrysler want to follow suit with Mercedes soon however i think the luxury car boom won't be as lucrative. I sure hope Lexus don't associate assembly in China however it seems like thats the trend of recent times.

Someone told me recently the Honda Accord Euro we get is assembled in Thailand and the bigger Accord in the US!

[99lsguy]

Always check the beginning VIN letter to find where the car is built........

J = Japan

[vcv10guy]

Likely, most Lexus vehicles will be sourced from China soon.

I sure hope not ;)

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I hope not too. Last thing I need to see is a Lexus with "Made In China" on it. lol... :D :D . All jokes aside, I trust a Lexus/Toyota coming from Japan than anywhere else because of their high standards of quality.

[SW03ES]

But thats what you're missing, Chinese plants have a lot of the same quality characteristics because their society is similar to Japan's. Japanese products have the quality they do because of the personal worth their workers put into each product they make. A misaligned panel is personal and family disgrace. Consequentially thats why we're so bad at building cars, we do it to make money. As Japan gets more and more individualistic and capitalistic their quality control has waned. China is a heavily collectivist country and I'd expect they run a really tight factory.

Be more afraid of Lexus building cars in Texas than China.

[vcv10guy]

I was only kidding Steve. I was making that joke because of the idea that a lot of things come from China. My second statement about trusting a Lexus coming from Japan is because of what you said about the quality standards in the US. I am aware of the "kaizen" idea that Toyota employs in their factories. Overall though I'm still more trusting of a Lexus coming from Japan. Sorry but that's how I feel.

[SW03ES]

Honestly though, I've seen a drop in quality in the cars coming out of Japan. My ES is a great car but its nowhere near as solid as my dad's 98 LS was, and niether is his new 04 LS. Japan is changing a lot every year and becoming more and more like us. China is just starting out on that journey and they still have a lot of the old beliefs that you are the quality of your work and money doesn't matter, whereas in the US and becoming increasingly so in Japan it doesn't matter what quality your work is as long as you make lots of money. Think about it, newer lexuses have had transmission problems, recalls, bad press. That would have been unheard of in say 1994.

[vcv10guy]

Ya I hate to admit it, but you're right about that Steve. I guess for me, it's more of a "Lexus is a Japanese company, therefore their cars should come from Japan", and the other part is the Japanese work ethic (which unfortunately is dropping down). Yes it is a lame reason, but that influences my trust. Hopefully things will change in Japan for the better.

[SW03ES]

But what I'm saying is that the chinese have the same work ethic.

Thats just part of globalization, gotta get used to companies building products in other countries.

[TexasLexus94]

I always remember that piece of junk new Camaro I owned years ago. It was the first year of a new model line. The advertising for this wretch was headed by a hit song by Bruce Springsteen-"Born in the USA".

It was no surprise when I found out later that the car was actually built in Canada. After all, my first car was a Chevy Vega, and if you're thinking that the Rio or Yugo was the worst car ever built-think again.

Don't worry about where your car is assembled-worry about the manufacturer. Since both GM and Ford made no money last year on new car sales, only on financing, it's obvious where their concerns are focused. And it ain't quality. I wouldn't care if my Lexus was built in Bangladesh-Still better than Flint. Not because of the people-because of the manufacturer.

[SRK]

I always remember that piece of junk new Camaro I owned years ago.  It was the first year of a new model line.  The advertising for this wretch was headed by a hit song by Bruce Springsteen-"Born in the USA".

It was no surprise when I found out later that the car was actually built in Canada. 

What exactly was no surprise about the Camaro being built in Canada? The Auto Pact, and now free trade, has ensured that Canada has built domestic cars from the big three for over forty years. The Berthierville production plant that assembled all fourth generation Camaro Firebirds was one of the highest quality and most productive that GM had. I too owned a fourth gen, a 94 Camaro Z28, and what was wrong with that car was a matter of design, not assembly quality. It didn't matter who installed the optispark distributor on that LT-1, an American, a Canadian, or a Latvian, the distributor would have failed in the same period of time.

By the way, I'm Canadian.

[ArmyofOne]

But thats what you're missing, Chinese plants have a lot of the same quality characteristics because their society is similar to Japan's. Japanese products have the quality they do because of the personal worth their workers put into each product they make. A misaligned panel is personal and family disgrace. Consequentially thats why we're so bad at building cars, we do it to make money. As Japan gets more and more individualistic and capitalistic their quality control has waned. China is a heavily collectivist country and I'd expect they run a really tight factory.

Be more afraid of Lexus building cars in Texas than China.

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[country song]"All my Lexus' live in Texas"... :whistles: [/country]

LOL, sorry. seriously, i never knew they would be so good at biuilding stuff, howcome stuff from china always comes off ascheap? i have alot of things from china that have broken and if this is the case, there are alot of disgraced people and family names in china from my household alone LOL. but i guess it has something to do with their morals or whatever..

[vcv10guy]

Steve,

Yes I get what you are saying, and I'm used to companies building things in other companies (I know part of the reason for building in other countries is cut down production costs).

TexasLexus94,

What you said is true about worrying about the manufacturer and not where it's made. I like Toyota/Lexus because of their reputation for quality and reliability. I prefering Japan is simply a matter of preference, nothing more nothing less. However, I'm not going to reject a car since it's not made it Japan. If that was the case, there wouldn't be a 1999 Camry in my family (it was made in Georgetown, Kentucky). I always will believe in the manufacturer. Heck if they made all Toyota products in China or Russia or wherever, if they still are just as good as if they were made in Japan, I'd still buy them. A great way to put it (as far as my preference is concerned), if there was two ES300s in front of me, one was made in Japan and the other somewhere else. I'd go for the one from Japan. I guess it feels more "authentic". I'm just explaining my view and opinion, which this is simply.

[TexasLexus94]

SRK-My point wasn't that the Camaro was built in Canada, and thus was a piece of crap. It was that GM loved to proclaim that the car was "Born in the USA", as if the car was a USA masterpiece. Maybe they blame Canada for the declining sales, and eventual extinction?

It made me mad that the Camaro, which I stupidly bought, was once rated by Auto Digest this way after a test drive:

"We would have commented about any creaks or interior soundproofing problems, except that exterior wind noise made it impossible to hear anything".

Remember, it's a matter of design and engineering-but in the end-it's profits. You can engineer a perfect car, but if it won't turn a profit, it won't be built. GM now can't turn a profit anyway-Can you say Oldsmobile?

[bartkat]

But thats what you're missing, Chinese plants have a lot of the same quality characteristics because their society is similar to Japan's. Japanese products have the quality they do because of the personal worth their workers put into each product they make. A misaligned panel is personal and family disgrace. Consequentially thats why we're so bad at building cars, we do it to make money. As Japan gets more and more individualistic and capitalistic their quality control has waned. China is a heavily collectivist country and I'd expect they run a really tight factory.

Be more afraid of Lexus building cars in Texas than China.

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Yeah, I bet they'd be almost as good as Yugo's. In China the government runs the factories. Think about it.

Some companies are putting car factories in China so they can sell cars there.

[SRK]

I think you and I agree then TexasLexus. I recall being on the CamaroZ28 board a few years back ( and it is a great board actually) when a thread began similar to the Springsteen comment about how one should buy American and not foreign cars, and they went on at length trashing cars like Toyota and Mazda until someone pointed out that the F-Bodies were all built in Canada. Seemed to upset them somewhat.

But you are right, they are built to a price point. All the same that Camaro sounded great, and was as fast as the GS 400 I now own in its place. But that's where the comparo ends. The GS is probably the best car I have ever owned, and its only competition is the LS my wife drives. I smile all the time in either one of them. The Camaro was adrenaline rush followed by miles of fear of "what will break this time"......

[Wilfred]

I think one of the problem with production in China is that the main driving force is production and alot of it. Production for both domestic and export market demands which is a lot! Thats why their quality control isn't up to great standards yet as that isn't their core focus even though they do emphasis on it. Thats just my opinon.

[KY350]

No matter how much the Japanese may supervise the build quality in China, a new Lexus from China will not be built to the exacting standards that they are built in Japan.

No doubt the built quality in China will improve over the years, but it will take 5-10 years to rival Japanese quality.

Just look at some of the electronics that are coming out of Korea. All fairly well made to rival the best of the Japanese electronics brands today, but 10years ago, Korea were exporting junk.

[dfkd]

Final assemble for all Lexus vehicles is quoted as being Japan...except the RX which lists both Japan and Canada for some reason...

[90LS400Lexus]

Not sure if it is true, but our local Hyundai dealer keeps raving in their ads that Hyundai rates higher in JD quality than Honda or Toyota. Does it?

They do have a nice warranty. 10 year / 100K mile.

Final assemble for all Lexus vehicles is quoted as being Japan...except the RX which lists both Japan and Canada for some reason...

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