The real problem with the “German” car makers was the amount of Bad parts they had made in Mexico. I unfortunately purchased a Tiguan and before 40,000 miles the AC died, the retractable roof leaked, the plastic bushings on the rocker arms wore out, and it developed rust and a leak around the windshield. I traded it in on an F150. F the “German” car industry.
Amen.
Most people have absolutely no idea the volume of parts actually manufactured in Mexican plants.
Not sure how’d you confirm this, but I suspect if Mexico just decided to stop, or disappeared, the entire industry would be offline until they could spin up Central Europe and non-China Asia.
Some of the parts are manufactured in Central Europe and Asia, but nothing like Mexico. They are the last of the truly inexpensive, moderately-skilled labor on Earth.