brexit put me off BMW

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand ... 3131213846

[catcitrus]

While I don't agree with everything that Germany is doing (encouraging immigration, for example) I have nothing but admiration for the way they have encouraged their manufacturing industry to flourish.

Go to any German industrial estate, and it will be full of actual industry...pencils, musical instruments, automotive parts, you name it. Mostly run by family-owned companies where the directors have real enthusiasm for their products and care about their workers and customers.

Go to a UK industrial estate, and what do you find: warehouse selling imported carpets, workshop fitting imported tyres, builder's merchant selling imported building tools, goods, and materials, garden equipment shop selling imported lawnmowers and strimmers etc etc. Mostly employing idiots on ZHCs and/or the minimum wage.

We get what we deserve...no investment in training, technology, manufacturing or anything other than unstuffing containers full of crap from China.

In 1943, after he had only just escaped being killed in a precision RAF Mosquito strike on a radio station in Berlin, Herman Goering gathered the heads of German industry together and delivered the following famous bollocking: "In 1940 I could at least fly as far as Glasgow in most of my aircraft, but not now! It makes me furious when I see the Mosquito. I turn green and yellow with envy. The British, who can afford aluminium better than we can, knock together a beautiful wooden aircraft that every piano factory over there is building, and they give it a speed which they have now increased yet again. What do you make of that? There is nothing the British do not have. They have the geniuses and we have the nincompoops. After the war is over I'm going to buy a British radio set - then at least I'll own something that has always worked."

Now, we have no piano factories and no radio manufacturers...and no chance of ever building an aircraft like the Mosquito (which was 'knocked together' as a hobby project at De Havilands) again.

Interesting--I think the primary reason is their education system--it has much more bias towards practical skills and the application of technology--schools continue/morphe into a sort of technical college approach and turn out skilled engineers/entrepreneurs--in this country there is a bloody great hole in this area of education and training--and this government are only making things worse--look at the recent drop in apprenticeships offered due to their levy. A degree is about as much use as a chocolate tea pot without the necessary practical training--and we get the resultant computer jockies who know F all about practical engineering trying to tell experienced and skilled old timers how to do things--it simply doesn't work--seen too much of it. I might add that I have a good engineering degree but also did a lot of practical stuff in my early years--now retired and making stuff!

[Africa John]

It's very hard to imbue a feeling of pride in a job well done and the personal satisfaction of a good design in addressing a problem when the government's view is to flog off anything of merit or value. Many great things were created by public servants in the course of just doing their job but I can't see that happening ever again. Which mirrors the decline in communal spirit, sense of being a Brit and doing the right thing. Now our children believe that reward will come to them as YouTubers or singing celebrities with no effort or need for education.

[zimtim]

I know nothing ........




Except the Fokkers blew up me grandma's chippy.

[threepot]

In fact everything German, its like thay rule the bloody world, or want to! Call me small minded old fashioned or whatever but thay can go fuck themselves! There government btw not the Germans in general.

Well slurping on my Stein of Herforder Pils, and munching on a Bratwurst dipped in a dollop of Zenf I have to disagree with you my old Northern Mucker. My experience of British Engineering in both Bikes and Cars has been shocking, simply put zee Krauts have zee qualitsen technik, zee Tommies est schizer !!!

Well,I've had really good service from my British(Hinckley) made Triumphs in the 23yrs I've owned them. Two items failed on my 900 Trident..starter clutch(apparently made by Bosch?),and the cdi unit(think that was pvl,German?). Just a crank sensor,and I replaced the inlet valves last year on my 53k miles,23yr old Daytona. And I've done bugge r all really to my 22yr oldTiger in 7yrs,apart from general maintenance,cam chain,new shock,and a fresh set of coils. Now on 80k. Even the valve job on my Daytona only cost me about £300. And that included a good 'used' replacement oil cooler,and radiator,due salt corrosion.
There's no denying the Germans do posses fine technical,and engineering skills. I took one of my bikes to a local garage for its mot recently. I know the owner,and he's done a few jobs on my daughters VW Golf diesel in the past. He asked me if the car has been 'behaving' itself? He went on to tell me that the majority of repairs they do,are on German cars.

[HedgeHopper]

I don't trust em, they still havn't returned the painting of The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies

[Barftone]

And they bombed me grandads chipshop! I'd still take Merkel for PM anyday.

[Sanqhar]

Doesn’t the german fine on VW go to the local state .....who is a large VW shareholder?
Tom

[Jak*]

I misread the title and thought it was the other way round, 'BMW put me off Brexit'. I already know some owners and those of KTMs who are feeling that way.
I can see why the consequences of Brexit would put anyone off owning BMW or any other foreign made vehicle for that matter. Quite simply the cost of owning and running vehicles has already got more expensive due to the fall in the pound. It is likely that even if the pound recovers the cost will rise due to import tariffs. If we have a hard Brexit or no deal then BMW and other car manufacturers are very likely to relocate to the EU and many are putting contingency plans in place to do this.
One of the many problems with Brexit is the rational that Brexiteers from both parties have for wanting to leave. Essentially it seems that those in the Labour Party who wish to leave do so because they believe that it is just a club to benefit big corporations, whilst those on the right of the Torres want out so they can get rid of the rights that workers in this country enjoy because of the EU. What is apparent is that none of them seem to understand how little power individual countries have. A prime example of this is Harley's reaction to Trump's trade bill. They just turned round and said they will relocate production for Europe to Europe, of course they already make bikes in India. If it was not for Brexit they would probably be looking to the UK to locate their new factory in.
Whatever the ideological reasons for wanting to leave it will be the average and poorer citizens of the UK who suffer. Maybe Gove was right and in thirty years time we may begin to see the benefits but the majority of those who voted to Leave will not be around to see it.
Cheers Jak

[Craig-SM]

Jak, that’s a very rosey view of the EU and if we were staying in the union then HD would have come here. Unfortunately most manufacturing has moved east to capitalise on cheap labour. Workers that migrated west were also taken advantage of and paid at lower rates, leading to wage stagnation for many industries when they were able to use cheaper workers from the eastern EU countries. Only recently EU introduced rules to prevent this with rules to stop businesses hiring cheaper labour from poorer countries in the EU and making them pay the local rate. This was after France pushed it forward due to their own workers been undercut.
Manufacturing moved to eastern EU countries are now seeing labour cost increases too like VW in Slovakia were the workforce went on strike for a 14% pay increase after seeing themselves as been treated as 2nd class EU citizens.
The EU has help facilitate a lot of these moves with grants that were supposed to been used for other purposes instead helping to create plants in Eastern EU countries before the company relocated. No denying the EU helps big business but not the workforce’s that established those businesses.
https://www.ft.com/content/74ab02a6-fd8 ... 144feab49a