I saw this ad and something JUMPED out at me. Look at the emblem box, MADE in TAIWAN. Got to love it. Porsche is continuing to go Wal-Mart on us. Just adding this to the long list of Porsche parts that has gone that way.

They weren't making enough money on parts.

I'm restoring a 1971 bmw airhead

ordered the expensive... brand new tank emblems (porcelain i think)
straight from BMW in Germany
but upon opening... made in china

it would have cost more if hand made by German artisans.. and NO one would buy one at those prices

We complain when things are expensive.. and then complain more when we buy one cheap and then learn why it was so cheap. Silly Globalization

That said, that crest looks nice!

Time will tell......

The die has been cast.

The decions which have been made over the last 50 years are now coming to fruition.

Staying in context with respect to Porsche. How many Boxters were made in Finland? Wasn't it obvious as far back as 1997 that production capacities would eventually be moved out of Germany to lower cost countires?

One way or another, this is a trend that has been in the works for a very long time.

So.... if it wasn't made in Stuttgart it isn't real Porsche?

Maybe globalization is the reason the 914 is no longer NARP?

Considers "problem" of "globalization" vs Taiwan parts for a vintage German car that's in the U.S.

Then considers fact said German car manufacturer started making cars in Austria, and has also sold "German" sports cars made in Finland as well as South Africa.

Then considers some of the very best parts ever bolted onto a Porsche were from companies based here in the USA, making parts in the USA, the UK, and Japan among others. Parts to include optional upgrades offered by Porsche for factory GT3 race cars.

Maybe "globalization," or merely the ability to buy things made elsewhere, isn't so bad?

And then there are all of the aftermarket parts for Porsches made around the world, some to an incredibly high standard. SSI of old, and so many more today (with some of their purveyors being members here). Key is that parts are available, whether from PAG or others, and for prices we can afford.

Don't get me wrong: All original is the highest bar, then comes OE/NOS, period OEM, OEM, great repro, etc in roughly that order. And, yes, some of Porsche Classic's parts disappoint when it comes to visuals, function, quality, and value (I'll point to my failing window seals as Exhibit A). Others I've purchased were as good as the original stuff. Would I like for all Porsche Classic parts to be made in Europe, and made in the old way? Sure. But as others have said, it's unrealistic—and, for most of us, I'll take cars that run and drive and can be maintained as they continue to be used.

Tesla...made in the Republic of California!

That combined with the modern trend of cross branding and lack of clear ownership of brands confusing customers. Peugeot/Fiat Chrysler/DaimerChrysler/Chrysler etc.?

Chrysler has made minivans for VW. Ferrari and Maserati sharing engine platforms.

List goes on.

Maybe people don't see a Porsche 914 manufactured by VW as a net negative anymore?

As far as I'm concerned, Elon Musk can take his crazy self and go elsewhere. He's such a freak.

One man's freak is another man's genious.

Disagree, the horse image looks mottled.

Ansbacher

I've got an old German made one in it's faded original package. Never thought much of it but maybe it's finally worth something.

big bucks , if its red enamel, not glassy look,..911S registry

If Porsche sets the materials specifications, dimensions etc and then do quality checks does it really matter where it's made? Spec is Spec.

Yes it does, in particular on older or classic cars.

I’m guessing here, but I’m certain that pre 1985
cars were mainly made by German or at least
European parts.

If we are going just by performance (ie it’s the
same spec globalization blabla), why not just drive
a high performing Lexus, Nissan or Acura?

The question/point that would me shut down, was
the Made in Taiwan part priced accordingly, or with
a Sauerkraut price stamp?

Bought my replacement crest off eBay and I don’t care where it was made
It looks great on my car.

But for clarification if my car didn’t come with a crest on it, I would have never put one on the hood-trunk-boot.....whatever you call it
Click to view attachment

This is a good discussion.

To each their own, but I generally prefer German or European parts on my German car—simply because that's what it is: a car from that part of the world.

However, that's tempered by my budget as well as my desire to improve the car. Back when SSI was here, I went with SSI heat exchangers over factory stuff because SSI was plainly superior. So, if there's a better part made here in the USA (or wherever), I may well go that way.

I have mad respect for the preservation and survivor cars, and those who keep them, but my 914 is a driver first...

Frunk

IIRC The ebay badges are real, old ones that have been striped and painted black.
There's a guy on the bird who buys old and broken badges.

Good thing ther3 ar3 other options

In theory. In practice, you write a spec w/ quality checks that you hope cover all the bases, then a manufacturer is likely to take that spec and find corners to cut that you did not think of or maybe assumed would be a given. If you've ever read Donohue's racing book "The Unfair Advantage", think of that but applied to manufacturing and you see what sort of game is being played.

As an engineer, you really learn to value a vendor that takes pride in quality and leans towards the "spirit of the law" rather than the "letter of the law" when looking at your specs. Their price is always a little higher for reasons that you cannot point to on a piece of paper, but the parts work better and last longer and have few to no rejects. But you are just as likely to get blindsided by your own accounting department who will tell you to switch to the cheaper vendor - which never ends well.

OK, sorry, off my soapbox.

In general I tend to agree that the resulting quality is more important than where it is made, but if there is any part on a Porsche that is sacred, it has to be the crest. Kind of makes this seem like a big lie now.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu2T85LNlrQ

I knew some people that would fly over to china and do random checks before they allowed the production run to be shipped. If Porsche does not do quality control then Porsche is the problem. You don't put your name on something if you don't want the reputation.

I thought it was noted somewhere that NONE of the 914's came from the factory with the 'frunk' badge, they were all dealer installed.

Almost true. At least two 914s rolled out of the factory with hood badges but neither of them were for sale. One of the more interesting factoids in the 50 Years Porsche 914 book for me was that the 914 program committee proposed a recommendation to put the crest on the hood of the cars and it was approved. However, they were already being marketed as VW-Porsche in Europe so our cars never got their badges. Among all the other NARP nonsense, I've often heard people claim that Porsche didn't badge the car to make clear it wasn't a real Porsche. Historical documents indicate it was VW who found the car kind of a PITA but Porsche was happy with what they had made.

Porsche also has the hood badges made in main land china.

What is really funny is that the original german supplier of the hood badges is now considered a counterfeit badge maker

I must add that if you are not having your Porsche worked on by a mechanic of German descent, like me, the repairs or mods cannot be considered legitimate.

At its worst, aren’t marketing and lying synonymous ?

BTDT

Forgive me for reviving this thread, but i suppose being only a few months old, isn't too much of a crime. But, where are Porsche reproduction parts made (seals, tail lights, battery trays)? I'm sure Uro is China, but what about 914Rubber, and AutoAtlanta?