Opel build quality FAIL!

[Kowalski]

Epic FAIL!

Look what happened to this 2009 Insignia.

A friend sent these to me yesterday of a 09 plate insignia


http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10032009461.jpg


http://img5.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10032009463.jpg

And here's the story:

That came into the garage where a guy i know works, a couple more pics...

Turns out that the front wishbone balljoint had not been assembled into the front knuckle properly and the pinch bolt had not been able to securely grip the joint. Over a period of 3 days, the knuckle had been allowed to wear where the joint goes until the balljoint literally just fell out, allowing the wheel to simply roll off into the arch. Not bad for 3 days old and only 76 miles on the clock.

Car needs new:
wing
wing liner
front bumper
front spoiler
driveshaft
hub
knuckle
bearing
tyre
undertray
shock absorber
lower arm

Source: vvoc.com - The Worlds Largest Vectra Community

Oh dear, I would be very pissed if this happened to my brand new car. Now, I know it has a Vauxhall badge, but the Insignia is built by Opel in Germany and if you reckon that a broken wishbone was shocking enough, how about this:

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Crikey!

 

[cawimmer430]

Well, this might be a one-of-a-kind problem. I certainly hope so.

I like the Insignia. It's one of the best-looking Opels in a long time I also feel that they worked hard to make this car appealing.

 

[DaSilva]

2009 ? and allready rusty like hell
uuuwh*

 

[VroomVroom]

Very disappointing, I do like these cars!

And Julius its only surface rust from the steel, nothing serious

 

[siko]

Hard to judge Opel based on this one-time cases... we don't really know if the owner abused the cars or not.

If this is a reoccurring problem with more then one owner, then yes, epic fail!

 

[Kowalski]

I agree with you guys. The car proved to be good enough to win a Top Gear magazine award and please the motoring press in general. I quite like the estate version, I mean, the "Sports tourer". However, I really do hope these are very isolated cases, because like most rivals the Insignia has to be robust and easy to run.

One interesting thing I heard, is that Vauxhall dealers are reporting Audi owners are part-exchanging for the Insignia... either Vauxhall dealers are talking nonsense or the Insignia really IS that good to convince Audi owners to trade their A4s for one.

 

[Giannis]

I have serious concerns about Opel's quality. After seeing these pics the problem the last gen Astra's had with the steering wheel came to my mind...

 

[martinbo]

I swore in 1999 that I'd never buy another Opel again. I haven't.

 

[Giannis]

Why? What happend in 1999?

 

[martinbo]

I sold my Astra and bought a GTI!!!

 

[DaSilva]

I swore in 1999 that I'd never buy another Opel again. I haven't.

Why? What happend in 1999?

I sold my Astra and bought a GTI!!!

and can you buy a GTI again?

 

[martinbo]

Nah, been there, done that... my wife might though! She loves the GTI.

Next car purchase will be AWD or RWD for me - and it will be a "weekend plaything" and that's great because it means I won't be buying an Opel. Yippee...

 

[DaSilva]

Nah, been there, done that... my wife might though! She loves the GTI.

Next car purchase will be AWD or RWD for me - and it will be a "weekend plaything" and that's great because it means I won't be buying an Opel. Yippee...

*Ooooh, listening to mr. Player I quite like that style!

GTI is a perfect wife car cause when she is not home and you
want a little fun .... GO DRIVE!!!

Buy a AWD like a Lambo maybe ?
J/K ...

Good to hear that you'd enjoyd your ride with the GTI what model was it?
Sorry for off-topic the thread I will go no further when I have Mr. Players answer

 

[martinbo]

I had two Golf IV GTI's - one Jazz Blue and the other in Candy White with black Recaro leather and sunroof. We then had a baby and the GTI became too small. Needed a larger, more versatile family car.

 

[Yperion]

I would never buy an Opel (although i like the insignia very much) cause i have heard dreadful stories about serious reliability problems from several opel owners...

On the other hand i will probaly never buy a VW again also after my wife's Polo was three weeks in the dealer for repairs in the engine after 3 years and only 25,000 km...they changed almost half the engine (including valves and the lid) as it was loosing compression...

 

[VroomVroom]

Look whats in my garage....

 

[coolraoul]

Look whats in my garage....

Man, and you're still alive? Wow! You're taking crazy risks here!

 

[Human]

Componet failure comes down to Opel's suppliers. Thus one can expect that their suppliers quality control and quality in general is poor. If that is the case their are normally contracts binding suppliers to carry a warranty on the parts supplied to Opel etc. This could lead to a recall of hundreds even thousends of the Opel cars using the faulty or poor quality and poor manufactured parts to be replaced by newly manufactured and of better quality standards - parts/components - BEFORE legal claims arise.

This is how claims are handeled in my line of bussiness and the same goes for all manufacturers / OEM's That is why ISO standards as well as local EU regulations for standards and body's like ADAC and TUV exists, to control quality and safety standards as well as providing a basis for risk management etc.

 

[coolraoul]

The wishbone balljoint is probably assembled by Opel at their manufacture, so I think this is not down to suppliers.

It seems not to be a quality problem, but a faulty assembling. It isn't mention of a problem in the component in itself.

Is it an exception, does it reveal poor end-quality controls, or a faulty assembling procedure? This will be revealed if other similar cases emerge.

If not, well, shit happens. But Opel will need to inquire and determine if other cars suffer the same problem.

The burning Insignia is very concerning though. Many grave problems, for such a young car. Seems indeed a problem of quality control, allowing faulty cars to go through and to be delivered to customers.

 

[Human]

The wishbone balljoint is probably assembled by Opel at their manufacture, so I think this is not down to suppliers.

It seems not to be a quality problem, but a faulty assembling. It isn't mention of a problem in the component in itself.

Is it an exception, does it reveal poor end-quality controls, or a faulty assembling procedure? This will be revealed if other similar cases emerge.

If not, well, shit happens. But Opel will need to inquire and determine if other cars suffer the same problem.

The burning Insignia is very concerning though. Many grave problems, for such a young car. Seems indeed a problem of quality control, allowing faulty cars to go through and to be delivered to customers.

Many suppliers for example ZF delivers complete front and rear axle assemblies to the OEM's, thus they are not assembled inhouse.

If you look at the - what seems to be a crack in the balljoint arm (composite aluminium itself) that could be component failure from bad casting.....

In the end Coolraoul I am not a engineer or even near, so I hope that Opel - in the midst
of it's crisis with GM etc. they resolve these problems wich can make them loose customers. These problems could create a reputation that could take decades to rectify and recover from a 'poor build quality' reputation.