Dear Scotty,
Greetings from Arizona! Like all your videos and like how you keep it real and stick it to Uncle Sam. Thought I get your opinion about KYB parts and how they are starting to be made in the good old U.S.A. I know for a long time KYB are made in Japan. We've seen how good stuff the Japanese make. I Have been seeing KYB parts lately saying made in the U.S.A. what is your taking on that. Do you think their quality will still be there and will still live up to their name? Or will their quality will downhill? Thanks
1992 Honda Accord LX 98,580 Miles
Automatic Transmission. OBDI
Well I would assume the products may go downhill because nobody makes stuff like the Japanese do their quality control is strict
Thank you Scotty. I wanted to buy struts for my honda and saw the KYB and it said assembled in the USA. Not sure if the parts are still made in Japan and assembled in the USA or are being made in the USA and assembled as well.
What comes next? Mexico?
Haven't seen it in car parts yet but I've been seeing clothes and electronics made in Vietnam. I guess labor is getting too expensive in China and Mexico.
Hopefully KYB will keep their quality up. It could be worse, here's how automotive parts are made in some parts of the world:
First in made in Japan, second made in USA,...
What comes next? Mexico?
I've done technical documentation and training for several dozen manufacturers, and in my experience, it's the management that determines product quality. Crappy management is more interested in quick profits instead of quality products for the customer. Good managers insist on close tolerances to spec and re-work of anything off spec. If GM managers were operating a Japanese factory, they would turn out crap, as they wouldn't let the workers do their job well, as it wouldn't be fast and profitable enough for them to meet their next quarterlies (they don't consider losing market share a problem).
Consider all the Japanese brands built in the US, as compared to BMWs and Mercedes built in the US - the difference in quality and dependability is dramatic.
Thank you, Scotty and everyone. It's hard to say. I used to work at a Nissan dealership many years ago. I was the PDI technician and there was a 2011 Sentra that was expected to come and it was on backorder. It took about a month to finally arrive and of course, there made it to Mexico. However, the reason it took so long to get to the dealership. I had a charging problem. I saw the paper that was left in the vehicle and saw the notes, they would not ship it until it was fixed. they replace pretty much all charging systems and finally did a reprogramming of the computer and it fixed the problem. I confirmed everything was working correctly before giving it to the owner. I once time had a 2011 Altima come to the dealership from the factory with no BRAKE FLUID and it passed all the driving tests done at the testing improving grounds. How it passed all tests is beyond me and it has 26 miles so they test drove it haha. Like one of the people said maybe it has to do with GM managers.
I saw some other kyb and say assembled in USA. Not sure if the parts are still made in Japan but are assembled in the USA. Thoughts anyone?