A little humor: Oil changes

[SVOboy]

So people have to be aware that SynLube is not a mechanic in a bottle ant that it will not fix design problems or poor workmanship in Mexico (that is where the international engines are made).

It seems synlube has a poor opinion of mexicans. If I got paid hardly enough to survive to work in a sprawling, unsafe, ununionized factory every day for endless hours I might not assemble and engine too well either. But I guess we're allowed to treat them like slaves and expect them to be perfect at the same time, because we're U.S. citizens.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

It seems synlube has a poor opinion of mexicans. If I got paid hardly enough to survive to work in a sprawling, unsafe, ununionized factory every day for endless hours I might not assemble and engine too well either. But I guess we're allowed to treat them like slaves and expect them to be perfect at the same time, because we're U.S. citizens.

I'm unsure where this angry rant came from, but I don't treat people in Mexico like slaves, and I'm assuming neither do you. If you have an issue with the way Mexican workers are treated then you need to take issue with their bosses, not with consumers.

[JanGeo]

Yeah What Matt said - and I didn't vote for Bush either and know that the mess over in the middle east is not going away in my lifetime and I expect to live a pretty long time. Quality is always a function of what the executives want in the product not the workers abilities. AND WHO YOU MEAN BY WE??? lol

Oh yeah it was not supposed to be a political just information about the quality of the Ford Motors.

[SVOboy]

We, communally, do treat them like that. It is not just an issue to take up with Ford, it is an issue with this country.

That angry rant came from the fact that I have seen the Ford plant in Mexico. I know how Mexicans live and I know that they look up to our country as a place of opportunity.

Yet we still shut them out because we are afraid "their" culture will dominate "our" culture. Immigration has been big in the news lately, and the one thing no one wants to do is grant amnesty.

I ask, what is so bad about amnesty? I thought this country was about "give us your poor, your hungry..." all that ****. But no, it seems like we communally have decided that we built this country and now we're going to keep it to ourselves.

Then we go and send the work to somewhere else where we can indirectly abuse the workers, say we're helping bring them industry, then turn around and tell them to get the **** out when they make the crazy assume they have as much right as anyone else to live in the US.

[SVOboy]

To respond to you, jangeo, I know quality mainly depends on ford, but the guy who emailed you said it was poor mexican workmanship, not poor ford designs. I was not speaking to you, just to the synlube guy.

PS: I was just trying to say, we cannot fault Mexican workmanship for no reason just because it's convenient. But I do like to discuss this country's relationship with Mexico.

[JanGeo]

Yeah I hear ya but he is a Russian and a bit blunt about his observations. We have a lot of foreigners that get off cruise ships and stay in Newport to work. Many are short dark skinned wearing jeans and work boots. May be Mexicans I don't know for sure. But sometimes I get a little embarrased to be called an american too.

[SVOboy]

Bluntness is the best, in my opinion. I shy away from the term American, because there are really two American continents, chock full of Americans, but only some of them live in the U.S.

[GasSavers_Ryland]

I was suprized while reading the factory service manual for my vw diesel rabbit the other day, 10,000 mile oil change, 15,000 filter change... of course the filter is the size of a coffee can, and the engine only holds 3.5 quarts of oil.


I try not to buy stuff that is not made, or sold by people who have jobs that I deffently wouldn't want "mexicans are taking the jobs that amarican's don't want" is it that the jobs are that bad, or that amarican's are that lazy? if the jobs are that bad then they should get paid MORE for doing the lousy jobs, not less, but mostly I think that people are short sighted, and are not willing to pay 10% more for something that will last twice as long, or maybe people are just bad at math.

[Sludgy]

The Powerstroke motor in my truck hasn't given me any mechanical problems, and I have no idea whether it's Mexican or not. My main ***** is the poor mileage.

I remember when the first Dodge diesels came out in the '90s. They got mileage in the mid 20's, which was great. Now all the big three truck manufacturers use overpowered turbocharged/intercooled diesels that struggle to get mileage in the high teens.

If you ask me, the problem isn't Mexican labor, it's American marketing of power and speed instead of fuel economy. Why can't Ford/Navistar split the Powerstroke in half to produce a 160 HP, 3.0 liter four cylinder? A 160 HP diesel is not far from the original Cummins/Dodge non-intercooled power rating.

It would be enough for a 1/2 or 3/4 ton pickup, and it would get close to 30 mpg highway. I'd be happy as a clam it high tide with mileage like that.

[JanGeo]

I think there is a way of telling by the VIN seems the first letter J in my Scion means made in Japan so maybe if yours started with M it would be made in Mexico. Yeah power sells or so we are led to believe by the marketing people - same with vacuum cleaners - they make them noisy so they seem powerful - get a central house vac and it is weird not to hear anything but air being sucked in to a hose in the wall.

This is also why I bought the 1.5 liter Scion - plenty of power.