Guess it all depends on who designed the OEM parts that were supposed to come with the car. If a german designs it you'll be able to tell as it (usually) is over engineered and nothing is left to chance. German engineering standards are rigid. And that all has to do with how german engineers are educated.

@Xsr when is your next comedy show?

If everything in the world was as reliable as a VW or a German Manufacturers Engine what a place the world would be...

 

There was the Engineers Engineer Dr Martin Winterkorn heading VW & signing off the engines and vehicles.  He was selectively deaf dumb and blind.

Not so sure about how VW Group select their engineers, maybe they have to just take the blame.

Eventually they will have sorted the Door Seals, Water Pumps & Tensioners when VW no longer produce ICE vehicles.

@e-Roottoot 

I've had to spend 6 months abroad in Germany to finish my university thesis.

Studying and working alongside German engineering students and professionals.

And the first thing i thought after my first lecture was: Holy ****, these people are not ****ing around. I felt like an absolute novice in comparison.

First thing i thought after my first day in the field: What the f*ck am i doing here. It will take years before i am anywhere this competent.

And i was right...

 

The amount of material and the difficulty of said material they covered was extensive and merciless to anyone without persistence.

They joked: The only reason why you'd become a German Engineer is if you have no life, or no wife. Because you you won't have time for either.

Which was absolutely true. They studied for 8 years where we did 6.

They covered more than 3 times the material, and their testing is rigorous and merciless.

Where we would study over a weekend, they would need to utilize weeks to pass their exams.

If we would fail we could re-try after 4 weeks. If they failed they would have to revert back to the start of that years semester and do re-do all classes to the subject you failed on AND THEN be tested again. Only after 2 failures would they be allowed to simply retake the test.

 

The environment these people are in. They are under continues stress to succeed. Led to believe that German Engineering is the best in the world. And to not uphold that standard is considered absolute blasphemy.

Its this reason why Germans over engineer everything. They worked their asses off to be able to, and take pride in it. Anything less is simply not German.

You simply do not make it that far if you aren't of that mindset.

We do not hold a candle against that type of mentality and dedication to the craft, Its admirable and scary at the same time.

Especially if you've seen it first hand.

 

Edited 18 September, 20205 yr by Xsr

@Xsr

So i know German Engineers and have experience of German engineering.  Some very very good, and then German manufacturers spec crap components from many places around the globe and for the cheapest prices they can get them.

Hence the shortages just 2 years ago of components for the VW Group because the suppliers had had enough.

There are some German Engineers & their employers and management so full of poo it is unbelievable.

Carry on as you were.  It takes all kinds....

 

You get very good e-Bikes from German Manufacturers, you pay for that quality.

Rather good motorcycles.

Good canoes and kayaks as well. 

Good white appliances.

 

https://www.osv.ltd.uk/are-volkswagen-reliable

 

Edited 18 September, 20205 yr by e-Roottoot

Value Engineering is the culprit, I had a very early 2000 Fabia 1.4 16V and the build quality was clearly superior to the later models I've seen or owned and many of the original parts were of noticeably higher quality, probably because it was the first production model using the Polo 9N platform.

Absolutely. If anything has lowered the quality it is that. It used to be that you would design to specification and then you would quote it. If that was undesirable concessions could be made and you work from there on the design. Then it turned into a backwards version of it as a design would be made. The engineering needed to fit to the design following specifications and then the quote would be made. Now days you get the quote. Which will determine the design and then the remaining budget is allocated to engineering. Concessions is the name of the game now days. As engineer you are structurally working from a budget deficit and must figure out a way to make it work. Hence why i quit. I started to hate the frequency at which i was forced to hand over products that i felt ashamed of building. I don't think this is any different in Germany.

5 hours ago, Wino said:

I guess the 8v filter lacks that feature then? So Skoda's general instructions couldn't specify a torque.

 

Yes, the genuine  8v 1.4 filter doesn't have the nut bits, just a hand grip.

 

Edited 18 September, 20205 yr by TMB

On 18/09/2020 at 12:30, Xsr said:

Absolutely. If anything has lowered the quality it is that. It used to be that you would design to specification and then you would quote it. If that was undesirable concessions could be made and you work from there on the design. Then it turned into a backwards version of it as a design would be made. The engineering needed to fit to the design following specifications and then the quote would be made. Now days you get the quote. Which will determine the design and then the remaining budget is allocated to engineering. Concessions is the name of the game now days. As engineer you are structurally working from a budget deficit and must figure out a way to make it work. Hence why i quit. I started to hate the frequency at which i was forced to hand over products that i felt ashamed of building. I don't think this is any different in Germany.

And that is engineering in UK today. As implemented by bean counters. Forget the quality- design for minimum cost and max profit. As the song goes"when wil they ever learn".( That customers do not return to buy shoddy gods), and goods.

And TMP- that might be a 1.4 filter, but not a 1.4TDI filter.

Edited 19 September, 20205 yr by VWD

54 minutes ago, VWD said:

And TMP- that might be a 1.4 filter, but not a 1.4TDI filter.

 

Dunno what you're on about. My reply was to Wino who was referring to the 8 valve 1.4 petrol engine filter.

 

And my username is TMB not TMP.

Edited 19 September, 20205 yr by TMB

TMB- PAX( typos, do occur). I don't know about 8 valve 1.4 petrol engine( I presume oil) filter. On the 1.4TDI- the oil filter is held in a canister with a 36( from memory) mm nut. A TDI filter is more like something from outer space- it's got an extension that fits into the lower end of the filter.

Possibly petrol engined 1.4  use a canister filter, but I can assure you that derv 1,4 use a filter contained in a can, with a 36mm bolt on the top.