Buying a car in the last year of the generation

[Ralphie]

The 9th gen has a high end exclusive trim level again

Go look at the touring trim level sedan.

Yea they also have a sport model.

It is two different things though.

Im talking about when Honda use to end a generation with a bang....it was classy but also had options maybe not available before.

Not sure why they didn't keep that tradition but in any case, sport or touring are different then a SE model.

9th gen is fucking banging though. Honestly, not sure what an SE would be able to include unless they threw in some Acura options lol.

[crazymikey]

How would you suggest they build them cheaper? They aren't going to spends hundreds of thousands to retool something that works fine. And in fact engineering even works to improve discontinued models that still have problems.

Because, I have worked at both Honda and Chrysler manufacturing plants.

In the 4 years I worked for JCI manufacturing Chrysler seats, every year they would change something on the seats, where it was material, how many fasteners were used, swapping zippers for j-clips, and also reduction of manpower on the assembly lines. All of these seemingly insignificant changes add up to lots of cost savings. One of the biggest cost savings on the Chrysler 300s, was the low-end leather seat covers were made in South Africa and shipped to Canada for assembly. They ended up getting the covers made in Mexico instead.

It's little things like that which the consumer doesn't know or notice, but every year the manufacturers have to find ways to save costs in production.

[Domesticated]

Well thats thats an exception because the company was going bankrupt. They didn't do it because they could, they did it because they had to. Chrysler is now a bronze level in World Class Manufacturing, which is an extremely high. I've worked there since 2011 and they don't to cost cutting like that because it goes against WCM standards.

[Madpol]

its because cars these days are so packed with shit thats not needed that it just leaves more things to go wrong.
also cheaper materials are used today where as way back then vehicles were solid tanks. yeah sure some vehicles come out more powerful like the Euro R BUT have you seen the weight difference between say our CB's and the CL's? there is about 100kg of extra crap in the newer ones with air bag this and air bag that...total bs

[Domesticated]

[crazymikey]

Well thats thats an exception because the company was going bankrupt. They didn't do it because they could, they did it because they had to. Chrysler is now a bronze level in World Class Manufacturing, which is an extremely high. I've worked there since 2011 and they don't to cost cutting like that because it goes against WCM standards.

I worked at/for Chrysler and suppliers from April 2005 to May 2009. I saw shit loads of cost cutting in my time there.

Honda wasn't nearly as bad at cost cutting, but it was still done.