What's the issue with Webasto exactly? (ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS)

[DaBronCo33]

Clearly most of you aren't in business. This has affected every maker. The supply chain is a mess. Certain parts cannot be had. And that's across nearly every industry. It's OK to be upset, but get real. It affected the whole freaking world.

The supply chain was disrupted well before launch. Why launch something that you can’t deliver? If your ducks aren’t in a row then DELAY THE LAUNCH. Don’t launch and delay delivery. Don’t scam people!

Sponsored

 

[Alfabeast]

This is turning out as bad as possible. I used to work at a Ford supplier and have some inside info. They basically picked the wrong supplier and would have been a challenge without the pandemic lockdown and everything else. Then throw on TOP of that (ha ha) .... a more complex and aim high design on the top. Interesting that the ones I saw at the dealer reveal were both soft tops. I would guess that they are having trouble with warping, leading to leaks. This is most likely thermoformed (not injection molded). I only have relevant knowledge for about 25K pcs/year on big doors. More challenging to make 100-200K per year of these things on top of everything else - labor and material shortages, etc etc. This turned out to be Ford's worst nightmare - a hot product with huge backlog and hype, tons of visibility and everything went wrong on the top. I'm not sure what to do but the reality is my Bronco 2.7L hardtop is not showing up this year.

 

[da_jokker]

Curiosity also has me wondering what went wrong. But sorry the lack of hard tops should not be causing full-on brakes for Ford.

Almost every one of us would be willing to take a soft top as long as Ford provided the connections for the MIC later...yet Ford refuses to give, refuses to do soft tops for two doors, refuses to do soft tops for models that don't come with them (WT FE)...

It's not like they're producing vehicles without engines or doors. It's a vehicle with a removable top for God's sakes. The top is not a critical component.

 

[TNcoupe]

Just make me a one piece hardtop with no removable panels and we'll be all good.

 

[Ramble_Offroad]

Probably the same reason I'm waiting months for Webasto heater parts to come from the plant in Germany. But it's not just them, I'm having supplier issues with almost every vendor I have right now, many who never have issues.

Same.

 

[Lashedup]

In the end people need to set expectations that these supplier issues will continue through the summer and even potentially into the end of the calendar year. That’s not to say some things might improve while others decline. But overall all manufacturers are having major supply chain issues.

 

[Cold_steel]

I'm not sure causing a greater issue or controversy is going to help anything or help us. I just hope when things are caught up that FORD sues the crap out of them and finds a new vendor.

you take things too seriously my friend.

 

[Tricky Dick]

I joked about it earlier, but I seriously am curious now. We're going with the idea that it's not so much a material/labor shortage, but defects in the tops. So are both 2dr and 4dr tops having the problem? Or just the 4dr, maybe because it has an extra middle panel?

There are a lot of 2drs scheduled next month with no apparent backup plans for tops.

 

[Mattwings]

The primary issue as I understand it started with the machinery being delayed last year. Covid caused delays in the equipment being built and delivered. That has snowballed into delays while they try and build the assembly process while building tops. I have heard a lot of different theories and also was thinking it was a leak issue, having friends in the top manufacturing business. Based on my recent conversations and ongoing issues, it seems to be much more focused on the actual manufacturing process. Covid has continued to complicate the process, requiring pay starting at $17 per hour plus $3 “Covid “ hazard pay as a starting point. They continue to struggle to both hire and or retain workers. There could be other issues, but that is what I know from direct communication with a couple of people involved in the process and my ongoing attention to news and industry reporting on the issues. Ford has no options and has significant investment of time , people and capital to get the situation rectified. It is safe to say they are getting crushed financially because of the issue. It’s not intentional or a secret plot to keep our Broncos from us. I will say, It sucks, but listening to people literally just make stuff up and rant gets as tiring as the delays getting our Broncos.

 

[Headsong]

The primary issue as I understand it started with the machinery being delayed last year. Covid caused delays in the equipment being built and delivered. That has snowballed into delays while they try and build the assembly process while building tops. I have heard a lot of different theories and also was thinking it was a leak issue, having friends in the top manufacturing business. Based on my recent conversations and ongoing issues, it seems to be much more focused on the actual manufacturing process. Covid has continued to complicate the process, requiring pay starting at $17 per hour plus $3 “Covid “ hazard pay as a starting point. They continue to struggle to both hire and or retain workers. There could be other issues, but that is what I know from direct communication with a couple of people involved in the process and my ongoing attention to news and industry reporting on the issues. Ford has no options and has significant investment of time , people and capital to get the situation rectified. It is safe to say they are getting crushed financially because of the issue. It’s not intentional or a secret plot to keep our Broncos from us. I will say, It sucks, but listening to people literally jut make stuff up and rant gets as tiring as the delays getting our Broncos.

Actually helpful info. Thx. No one will believe it or course since it wrecks speculations....

 

[MadMan4BamaNATL]

The primary issue as I understand it started with the machinery being delayed last year. Covid caused delays in the equipment being built and delivered. That has snowballed into delays while they try and build the assembly process while building tops. I have heard a lot of different theories and also was thinking it was a leak issue, having friends in the top manufacturing business. Based on my recent conversations and ongoing issues, it seems to be much more focused on the actual manufacturing process. Covid has continued to complicate the process, requiring pay starting at $17 per hour plus $3 “Covid “ hazard pay as a starting point. They continue to struggle to both hire and or retain workers. There could be other issues, but that is what I know from direct communication with a couple of people involved in the process and my ongoing attention to news and industry reporting on the issues. Ford has no options and has significant investment of time , people and capital to get the situation rectified. It is safe to say they are getting crushed financially because of the issue. It’s not intentional or a secret plot to keep our Broncos from us. I will say, It sucks, but listening to people literally jut make stuff up and rant gets as tiring as the delays getting our Broncos.

You're right on the manufacturing process and equipment. Thing is that these days the supply chain is Just In Time. Can't blame this company for not wanting to start the run too early and risk paying to warehouse, what? 40K tops. How much real estate would it take to store that many? A lot.

So here we are. And $17hr is nothing really, but is in today's manufacturing world due to companies moving so much off-shore, but no one would be willing to pay $25hr or more either for this type of work although that's likely where economic conditions put the pay.

Ford is not trying to keep these Broncos from us; they're not making money until we start to pay for them.

 

[TJconvert2.7]

Seriously

Walmart could have sources the tops better than Webasto.

 

[Razorbak86]

This forum had a Webasto insider back around December. We insulted him and he stopped providing information. From him we know that the production facility was still under construction in December.

My recollection of BroncoGuy's participation on this forum is quite different than yours, but I freely admit that I didn't see everything that occurred. However, if you really insulted him -- you did say, "we", didn't you? -- and I simply missed it, then you shouldn't have done so, and hopefully you learned from the experience.

All kidding aside, what I remember about BroncoGuy was a person who publicly stated that he worked at Webasto and wanted to be acknowledged as an expert, without being challenged about the source of his insider knowledge. He frequently got annoyed when people didn't immediately accept his claims, and posted about how frustrating that was for him.

Let's be frank... he was walking a tightrope, acting as an expert with inside information, but also trying to maintain anonymity on social media, when he was likely putting his job at risk by posting inside information often critical about his employer's product on a public forum in violation of the supplier's &/or buyer's policies.

Towards the end of his membership, he got into a pissing match with a well-known member and MAP employee. His comments were both critical and insulting, questioning whether this member even worked at MAP or had any knowledge or influence on the subject matter. Shortly thereafter, his account and posting history vanished in a puff of smoke.

I saw @BroncoGuy's last post in this forum which stated that he didn't want to jeopardize his job of a decade and asked @Administrator delete his account and all of his messages. That message is, of course, now deleted as well.

 

[Lagrange 6g]

Webasto

Webdistasto

Sponsored