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Mechanic AH

Does it matter to you if Tamiya's mid to high end RCs are made in Japan?

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14 minutes ago, catman79 said:

...has someone said something offensive and i've missed the offence?

Yes.

It's got nothing to do with China and everything to do with poor quality. Conflating the two is wrong.

Seriously people, if you can't see that you need to read more books.

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8 minutes ago, djmcnz said:

Yes.

It's got nothing to do with China and everything to do with poor quality. Conflating the two is wrong.

Seriously people, if you can't see that you need to read more books.

it looks to me like some tongue in cheek 'british sense of humor' comments,  which have been taken completely out of context by some people, who are possibly a tad too highly strung. 

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9 minutes ago, catman79 said:

it looks to me like some tongue in cheek 'british sense of humor' comments,  which have been taken completely out of context by some people, who are possibly a tad too highly strung. 

Perhaps you missed the title of the thread? Regardless, the poor humour doesn't mitigate the poor judgement, it's hardly worth digging in on the wrong side.

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It's got everything to do with whether people want their high-end Tamiya models made in Japan, or not, as that is the gist of what this thread asks. People's reasons for that are totally valid, whatever they are, as that is what the thread is soliciting. People's opinions on the matter. People expressing their opinions is not in poor judgement, unless you are into policing language and thought.

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Just wanted to point out my Prodrive and Eventuri parts for my 1:1 cars are all made in the UK and I love them.  Definitely top notch stuff.  

It's poor quality that I hate, regardless of where it is made. 

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5 hours ago, djmcnz said:

All Apple products are made in China, there are very few complaints about their quality.

Be careful, generalising about Chinese manufacturing is probably racist (even though it's still quite common).

When companies outsource production they are not obliged to outsource quality control. China also has some of the most advanced manufacturing capabilities in the world.

The question should be: should Tamiya permit poor quality products to be released under their brand (regardless of where they're made)?

NB: I'm not Chinese, and I hate Apple products.

Not sure if the "Be careful, generalising about Chinese manufacturing is probably racist (even though it's still quite common)." is directed at me. But I want to clear something up and want to make sure my post isn't taken out of context.

First, I have not said a negative comment about Chinese manufacturing or the notion of "hate" on anything. My title does not indicate anything about that. I'm not generalizing. My point is, does it matter if Tamiya is still made in Japan? For me, the mid-range to high end kits do (and even some other products like static models and hop ups). I've never had an issue with their lower priced kits/parts/minis that are made in the Philippines because they are still very excellent and meant to be more affordable, and it has been that way for close to three decades. But if a re-re Egress or Avante will be made in China or the Philippines, will I pay the same premium price or desire it as much? At that level, Tamiya's made in Japan culture seems to be part of the brand and novelty. When an RC10 re-re came out I struggled to get it because it was more than the original that was made in the US. And when the original was on sale, it was 1/3 of what the re-re was that was made in China (even with China having lower labor cost).  I'm specifically talking about Tamiya and RC cars and nothing beyond that. As for UK made 1:1 cars, I have no comment on that but I would've preferred the Cat XLS be made in the UK.

And changing the question to yours about permitting poor quality products? It doesn't make sense as a business question, why would any decent brand want that? Unless you're making fun of it. I've been in Japan and worked there a number of times and I can't see a brand like Tamiya or similar that would do or think that. 

1 hour ago, djmcnz said:
1 hour ago, catman79 said:

it looks to me like some tongue in cheek 'british sense of humor' comments,  which have been taken completely out of context by some people, who are possibly a tad too highly strung. 

Perhaps you missed the title of the thread?

I don't know how it turned into a British thing but what was wrong with title of the thread? It's genuinely a Tamiya + Japan specific question. 

I have RC parts made from other countries and I don't care as long as they are good companies with good products. And if the innovation starts from them, I don't mind paying a premium.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Mechanic AH said:

And changing the question to yours about permitting poor quality products? It doesn't make sense as a business question, why would any decent brand want that? Unless you're making fun of it. I've been in Japan and worked there a number of times and I can't see a brand like Tamiya or similar that would do or think that. 

I don't know how it turned into a British thing but what was wrong with title of the thread? It's genuinely a Tamiya + Japan specific question. 

Going back to my first post, the photo I posted of my latest Billy's all have very poor injection.  I am honestly questioning the authenticity of the ones I got, although the packaging appear authentic, same paper label and printing, poly bag seems same as other Tamiya packaging.  I can't believe Tamiya would allow such low quality to pass even if they were made in the Philippeans.. Tamiya is a plastic model company for crying out loud! :wacko:

As far as the British comment, I think it was just a joke as I have personally seen some pee poor quality things made in the UK historically.. but not all.  

 

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35 minutes ago, Willy iine said:

Going back to my first post, the photo I posted of my latest Billy's all have very poor injection.  I am honestly questioning the authenticity of the ones I got, although the packaging appear authentic, same paper label and printing, poly bag seems same as other Tamiya packaging.  I can't believe Tamiya would allow such low quality to pass even if they were made in the Philippeans.. Tamiya is a plastic model company for crying out loud! :wacko:

It depends, partly, on the original mould as well. Not all Tamiya are perfect, there are some that missed the mark. Rare but it does happen. Do you happen to know what was the original date your example was first made AND is there any new mould for the ones you bought? 

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3 hours ago, djmcnz said:

Perhaps you missed the title of the thread? Regardless, the poor humour doesn't mitigate the poor judgement, it's hardly worth digging in on the wrong side.

i quite agree,  i was not referring to the title or even the initial comments in the thread, more the later content where people seem to have digressed in order to complain about others opinions, and some have obviously been taken out of context which is disappointing. 

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11 minutes ago, alvinlwh said:

It depends, partly, on the original mould as well. Not all Tamiya are perfect, there are some that missed the mark. Rare but it does happen. Do you happen to know what was the original date your example was first made AND is there any new mould for the ones you bought? 

I do not know, but I am from the manufacturing industry and tools are something that are to be maintained or replaced.   The output should not deviate (especially not that bad as my example) from the original injection when they were injected properly regardless of age of tool or origin.  

That is the level of quality I expect from a Japanese company like Tamiya.   A Philippino injection 'should' match the quality of Japan.. but if that was possible, then we would not be having discussion like this thread, right?   Anyway, that injection is very poor even for made outside of Japan.  I'm going to have to do a lot of sanding because the front and rear helmet halves do not match well either..

I would pay triple for Billy injected in Japan if very clean like the originals from back in the day..

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17 minutes ago, Willy iine said:

  I'm going to have to do a lot of sanding because the front and rear helmet halves do not match well either.

Sounds to me like like 70s and early 80s static kits. 

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30 minutes ago, alvinlwh said:

Sounds to me like like 70s and early 80s static kits. 

Yes, Revell kits if in the USA, that I use to buy as a kid.  When I started building Tamiya kits, man where the injections clean!  That is the level of quality  I expect from the Tamiya brand.  

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I'm not too fussed where the kits are made as long as the quality is good.

Would be nice if no one was being exploited and the environment wasn't being destroyed in the process though.

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9 hours ago, svenb said:

Don't understand? 

It would all get taxed. Offtopic but since UK left EU… it triggers my tax offense easy

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In the past decade of buying Tamiya RC and static model kits, I've never checked the box to see the country of origin.  It doesn't matter to me if it's made in Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, or elsewhere.  I just care that the end product embodies Tamiya's "passion and precision" brand principles at a reasonable cost point.  To me the heart of Tamiya is choice of subject, product design and packaging design, and mold making.  Where the parts are shot, the fasteners bagged, the instructions and boxes printed, etc. doesn't mean much to me as long as the factory produces correctly per design intention.

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2 hours ago, speedy_w_beans said:

I just care that the end product embodies Tamiya's "passion and precision" brand principles at a reasonable cost point.

I couldn't have said better myself. 

On the nationality thing, I'm afraid @Mechanic AH's good intension was misconstrued a bit.  What he probably meant was that Tamiya being a Japanese company, quality control is better done in Japan.  If you send one employee overseas to oversee the QC, there is a limit to how much s/he can examine. If there is a problematic machine, problematic HR issues that's causing lower quality, s/he'd have to call Japan to discuss it.  Japanese HQ would have to discuss it with the local head of operations, then require an acquisition forms sent to Japan, and HQ would have to send it to accounting to see about the cost, and they'll have a meeting about it at the board, etc, etc.  Everything takes so much longer to fix.  

Me being a human, I overlap cheap Chinese knockoffs with all Chinese produced stuff. I shouldn't. They are not the same things, as mentioned by other members.  Just because I'm living in the country where Jeffrey Dahmer is from, does not mean that we all go around eating people.  Japanese people are probably looking at USA as a land of crazies. But most people are good, reasonable people (except for murders). 

NWhnhRn.jpg

(Car-crazy? Yes, please. Cannibal crazy? No, thank you.)

Like somebody said, if you look at trees while you ski, all you see will be obstacles.  If you look at the clear path among the trees, all you see will be a clear path down the mountain.  So I want to look at thousands of Philippine made stuff that are good. (Obviously Tamiya should do better QC. As @Willy iine has seen, few parts did slip through.)  I'm fine wherever it's made, as long as it's made responsibly.  

 

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What was wrong with Triumph Spitfires anyway. Mine was K reg black and beautiful. It was a bit like a modern drift car that people spend mega bucks on difference being mine would drift at about 20mph!! Usually backwards into a ditch😂
 

PS just to lighten the mood a little image.png.97405e4498a42a4defc82b3fde7a2bc7.png

Edited by Busdriver
Happy days
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8 hours ago, catman79 said:

it looks to me like some tongue in cheek 'british sense of humor' comments,  which have been taken completely out of context by some people, who are possibly a tad too highly strung. 

It was me and the comments struck me as a long way behind the times and utterly pointless.

And no I am not highly strung in anyway, again a pretty stupid comment to throw out there. 
 

 

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Guess I am the stupid, long way behind the times and utterly pointless one for trying to explain a joke to someone who don't get it and the first site of British car jokes I found was in fact from a Spitfire and GT6 car club page clearly making fun of themselves. 

Therefore I apologise for the offence caused and present this picture of what was voted to be one of the best ever British car. 

288145722_download(4)-2021-08-25T223316_285.jpeg.73bd94d5c9a1207ee4f0490d5d098bd6.jpeg

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20 hours ago, Mechanic AH said:

Do you care about the mid to high end Tamiya RCs (including hop-ups) being made in Japan?

Nope.

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I don't care if they're made in Japan or not, as long as the quality is to Japanese home production standards. It costs too much to make things in Japan to make junk there, and, as long as quality standards are maintained, manufacturing in the Philippines, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, etc. is absolutely fine.

I'd prefer to not have them manufactured in China for environmental, economic, and human rights issues. China produces some very high quality products, and their industrial might is impressive. Once they clean up their emissions, worker's rights issues, and put a stop to counterfeiting, I'd have no problems with Chinese manufacturing. And, of course, I buy plenty of Chinese stuff already.

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People need to take their Tamiya rose colored glasses off.  Tamiya has produced poorly engineered vehicles using inadequate materials for years.  I’m not saying everything is junk but I think we all know the weaknesses of everything Tamiya produced. 
 

As others have said, doesn’t matter where it’s produced.  You pay for the quality control. 

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16 hours ago, TWINSET said:

Indeed, in the last 20 odd years of being back into regularly building RC, only one Tamiya kit has ever had a manufacturing defect, and that was a cross-member brace on a Knight Hauler where the sprue wasn't properly cast.

That's good. Well, compared to me. I think I got back into this hobby in about 2007 (my membership start date would be indicative) and I would say in that time, I would have had between 10 and 15 kits with defects. Everything from unfinished sprues, to miss-drilled holes, bent metal in the factory, etc etc. Of course, Tamiya Japan stand by their product, but it can be more difficult getting replacements out of distributors, even harder if they don't have stock, or extra kits to pilfer parts from.

 

 

 

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I'm borned and raised in the Philippines... but immigrated to the US some years ago... Just wanted to share:

https://visor.ph/culture/inside-the-tamiya-factory-in-the-philippines/

This is by NO means racially or culturally driven posting... I just wanted to share how Tamiya Factory in the Philippines have been operating since it was instituted by the company a few decades ago. 

It doesnt really matter for me where it is made, so long as the quality is what I expected. 

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So 90% of what Tamiya produces comes from the Philippines factory. The factory in Japan addresses the immediate needs of the Japanese market.

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