Quote:
Originally Posted by Alchem
A lot of ignorant posts in this thread.
Lets clarify a few things:
1. This is for the Chinese market ONLY just like the 5er Long Wheel Base.
2. BMW has been making cars in China and India for a long time for the local market in order to reduce import tax from 110% to 60% (in India).
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China has a similar tax; they call it a luxury tax. Basically, any goods that aren't Chinese brand goods are deemed luxury goods. As a result, many things are as much as 35% more expensive than if we buy them here. Also, this is a large driver to why there are so many copies of international products.
Having lived and worked in mainland China, I have certainly used "bootleg" products made there and I haven't had any issues with them. My fake iPhone, for example, worked perfectly fine. (BTW, your real iPhone is made there, indeed in the city I worked in in China.) My fake iPod Nano still works fine.
I admit that my fake Tumi 32" suitcase had all its handles, wheels and pulling apparatus ripped off by the baggage handlers...but then that bag weighed around 250 pounds. The actual case that held the stuff I was sending back held up just fine; and as I had porters man-handling it (and my 7 other suitcases) through the airport and into the car, I didn't care too much. Moreover, considering that I paid just $40 for it; it performed at least as well as I expected it to.
In short, the Chinese make perfectly fine products. They are no different than stuff made anywhere. Some things are made to higher standards of quality and durability, and other things are made to lower standards. And the fact is that the cost of labor in China is still far lower than it is here or in Europe.