Chinese Audi connection

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

>
>Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 23:55:11 -0400
>From: Scott 20191668 Bermes <scottb2460@earthlink.net>
>Subject: Used Audi's and China connection
>
>I have experienced two stories the past few days about used Audi's and
>China and wanted to know what the list thought had heard similar
>stories. 
>
>The first was on ABC's World News Tonight last night (Tuesday). The
>story was on US business in China, GM was featured. They talked about 
>how the government run companies basically copy the car, take off
>badges, put their own on and sell it as a domestic car.  They used an
>Audi to illustrate what they do with foreign cars.
>

As usual, the media got it wrong. Again. (Morons!)

Audi has licensed the production of type 44 cars to China. They are built
with Chrysler 1.8 and 2.0 liter 4 cyl. engines, and Audi 2.3 5 cyls. Many
of the major parts are imported, and the sheet-metal work, soft parts,
plastic parts, and some of the electricals are made locally. Cars are
assembled in China - don't recall the name, but it starts with a "W".

I have been dealing with a man in China who was kind enough to send me a
parts book - unfortunately it is written in Chinese - but it shows manual
window winders, steel wheels, the standard GM air conditioner parts, etc.
I'm trying to get prices from him, but no coherent answers yet (stay tuned,
but don't hold your breath).

This is a win-win deal for China and Audi. Audi gets to sell off all their
obsolete tooling, and gets to keep their FULLY amortized 5 cyl engine
production facility in operation. China gets a fairly good car without
having to make all the mistakes that team door handle made (at our expense
. . .) - China doesn't have to do the really heavy engineering - they are
supplied with blueprints, diagrams, specs, it is an easy entry to making a
product the local technological infrastructure can't develop on its own
just yet.

This is not the only product or country doing this - China makes copies of
pre-war BMW motorcycles (Tooling taken from Germany by Russia after the
war, built in Russia for some years, subequently sent as "gift" to China.).
These have sidecars, and can be bought here with a little looking. China
also makes a copy of the Russian SKS rifle, and the copy is better quality
than the original! (My opinion only) Mig 17s or 19s are built as the
Shenyang F-6. They also make a really awful copy of the Hasselblad camera -
it is 1/10 the price, and proof positive that you only get what you pay for
. . . please don't ask me how I know (ouch!).

India is also playing this game - "Bajaj" motorscooters which were once
Vespa/Piaggio scooters from Italy, and a copy of a 350cc BSA (or maybe
Royal Enfield - Royal Oilfield?) single cylinder motorcycle - a horrible
P.O.S. mechanically, but it has a certain appealing Victorian elegance even
when it won't run (which in the original version, was most of the time). I
think they were also building Austin Seven sedans or similar for some years.



>The other situation came about as a result of me trying to sell my 92
>100CS.  I put it on www.classifieds2000 and www.tradeonline. I received
>a lot of inquires by wholesalers all around the country, 90% from  the
>west coast and ready to offer my nothing for the car, sight unseen and
>could have a truck within the week to my location to pick it up in
>Atlanta.  I was also talking to a dealer on a recent business trip to
>Chicago who had a 92 100CSQ with 100k and he said they were just going
>to wholesale it to a local dealer who ships them to China.  
>


I too have heard this from someone. Unless we can positively confirm or
deny it, I submit that this is a variation of the "Alligators in the
Sewers!" myth - everyone knows the alligators live topside, in broad
daylight, just daring the local muggers to try anything!




>I knew this situation was common in cars like Peugeot who are popular
>all around the world.  Was just curious if others had heard of this
>China connection as well.  I just hope it doesn't make used Audi's
>popular with carjackers like airbags and the current #1 stolen car,
>which I believe is a Buick or Oldsmobile.
>

Yes, this *IS* a problem - many luxury cars from NY and Florida somehow
seem to turn up in South America. European stolen cars either go east to
the CIS, or south to Nigeria - they drive them across the desert - if they
are lucky, they make it, but sometimes they get ambushed and the car is
stolen from them - if the new thieves are in a good mood, they just dump
the driver on the spot (right there in the Sahara desert). If they are not,
they kill him. (!)

My suggestion is to GET and USE an alarm, and think about a hidden fuel
pump cutoff switch. Park your car in a locked garage if possible - under
lights if not. Anyone for a thread on how to keep your car from being stolen?

Best Regards,

Mike Arman