No more Mazda. What’s next?

[Nick M3]

Looks like you had good timing for this. Apparently a lot of BMW's wire harness production is in Ukraine.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by Nick M3

Looks like you had good timing for this. Apparently a lot of BMW's wire harness production is in Ukraine.

Indeed. There were rolling plant closures, too, this month, but I think that’s easing up already?

I found my car at the dealer, so just a small window of opportunity (I had one ordered and this turned up as a canceled custom order later the same week.)

It had every option I had ordered. Colors might not have been what I would have chosen (I was still dithering), but I think they work really well with the controversial design. I might even be happier with these colors than something I would have selected…

I was thinking my custom order would push into mid-summer and I would have more time with the convertible in nice weather, but such is life. Saved me the annual service $$ on an five-year-old BMW.

[SCA]

Originally Posted by Nick M3

Looks like you had good timing for this. Apparently a lot of BMW's wire harness production is in Ukraine.

Plant Dingolfing and Leipzig are mostly affected. Munich production was unscathed as of today.

[ZBB]

Originally Posted by SCA

Plant Dingolfing and Leipzig are mostly affected. Munich production was unscathed as of today.

That's still a huge impact. Even back when I worked there in '92, Dingolfing dwarfed Munich (and Leipzig didn't exist...). Back in '92, Munich had the I6, V8 and V12 engine lines (the V12 wasn't much a line -- it was hand-built on stands), and they did 3-series sedan production only. Overall, its a small plant without any room for expansion. Back then, FIZ had just opened (their R&D center), which is in Munich, but a couple km from the plant -- and there was a building in Munich used for some of their pre-production (I would occasionally see a prototype when working in the plant -- a 5-series Touring/Wagon prototype was there that had obviously been modified to try different tail-light designs, but that was just going into production in Dingolfing at the time...

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by ZBB

That's still a huge impact. Even back when I worked there in '92, Dingolfing dwarfed Munich (and Leipzig didn't exist...). Back in '92, Munich had the I6, V8 and V12 engine lines (the V12 wasn't much a line -- it was hand-built on stands), and they did 3-series sedan production only. Overall, its a small plant without any room for expansion. Back then, FIZ had just opened (their R&D center), which is in Munich, but a couple km from the plant -- and there was a building in Munich used for some of their pre-production (I would occasionally see a prototype when working in the plant -- a 5-series Touring/Wagon prototype was there that had obviously been modified to try different tail-light designs, but that was just going into production in Dingolfing at the time...

Our 5 wagon was made in Dingolfing. Did that plant make most 5 series? I had a number of Munich-made 3 series. 2 was made in Leipzig, I believe. And now my 440i is from Munich.

[SCA]

Originally Posted by wdc330i

Our 5 wagon was made in Dingolfing. Did that plant make most 5 series? I had a number of Munich-made 3 series. 2 was made in Leipzig, I believe. And now my 440i is from Munich.

Yes, Dingolfing was the sole plant for the 5 & 7 and currently still stands (excluding China production at Brilliance) The OG 8 as well as the Z8 were produced there too. All 440 production is currently in Munich. 3s are produced there, but not from NA, those are built in Mexico.

Edit: Dingolfing was awarded as a platinum plant several times. Aka, exceptional build quality.

I am unaware of what the Regensburg plant is currently producing.

[ZBB]

Going back in my memory archives...

I worked on the I6 line (the M50 at the time...). Target production at the time was 390 engines per shift and the plant had 2 shifts, so 780 engines per day. We hit quota most days, and the more senior union guys on the line would tell us to slow down if we were building more. The line built engines that went in the 3 and 5 at the time, so the engines for the 5 would be shipped to Dingolfing to be added. Dingolfing had the I4 and Diesel engine assembly, so the trucks that shipped engines would bring those back to Munich for assembly.

And the V8 line was an early virtual line. The engines were mounted on robotic carts that would move between each assembly station when it was done. For a more complicated engine, the assembly line space took about 1/2 the floor space than the I6. It also didn't have to commit holding space for post-inspection rework -- the engine could just be sent back to the original assembly station for the person to do their own re-work. The I6 line had to holding sections where rework could be performed (at the mid-point and end of the line).

The other thing that was really cool was the test stands. Every engine would be connected to fuel and exhaust lines, then go into a little engine-sized garage bay and then be tested for a min or so each. There were easily 20 or so of those engine bays (maybe more).

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by ZBB

Going back in my memory archives...

I worked on the I6 line (the M50 at the time...). Target production at the time was 390 engines per shift and the plant had 2 shifts, so 780 engines per day. We hit quota most days, and the more senior union guys on the line would tell us to slow down if we were building more. The line built engines that went in the 3 and 5 at the time, so the engines for the 5 would be shipped to Dingolfing to be added. Dingolfing had the I4 and Diesel engine assembly, so the trucks that shipped engines would bring those back to Munich for assembly.

And the V8 line was an early virtual line. The engines were mounted on robotic carts that would move between each assembly station when it was done. For a more complicated engine, the assembly line space took about 1/2 the floor space than the I6. It also didn't have to commit holding space for post-inspection rework -- the engine could just be sent back to the original assembly station for the person to do their own re-work. The I6 line had to holding sections where rework could be performed (at the mid-point and end of the line).

The other thing that was really cool was the test stands. Every engine would be connected to fuel and exhaust lines, then go into a little engine-sized garage bay and then be tested for a min or so each. There were easily 20 or so of those engine bays (maybe more).

Sounds like a very cool experience.

[robg]

Originally Posted by wdc330i

Sounds like a very cool experience.

For sure. Even now I think it might fun to spend a summer building engines…


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[ZBB]

Thanks! It was a pretty unique summer internship. Learned a ton just by observing…

That’s also where I met MotoMan…. He was on the same program…