Effects of Japanese Earthquake/ Tsunami

[bobthebilda]

Listening to some of the news reports on the weekend, some of the guests suggested that Australian Manufacturers may be disrupted due to part supply issues. You would have to assume the camry Hybrid may have to be put on hold (altho due to poor sales, they may have thousands of engines sitting idle), but has anyone heard of any other issues that may affect Holden or Ford in the near future. Cruze is 75% imported from Korea, so should be OK, but i guess it only takes a $10 piece of electronic equipment from Northern Japan to be taken of the market, to throw everything into chaos.

[RedHotGT]

I'd say they've got a few more issues than exports at the moment...

When that Nuclear Reactor goes bang... the last thing they'll be concerned with is the car market...

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by loftie

I'd say they've got a few more issues than exports at the moment...

When that Nuclear Reactor goes bang... the last thing they'll be concerned with is the car market...

The japanese dont work that way. The Nuclear Reactor may cause untold devastation, but right now, those who arent dealing directly with the reactor, are more concerned with getting the economy back on track. If it means pulling back all resouces from overseas / or limiting parts exports to overseas customers, to ensure continual supply to their own factories, then they will do that.

You only have to see the Japanese lining up for kilometres to get food and water (without a single whinge), to know they work diffrently to other people.

[billy302]

Just give them a chance.
This is devastation on so many levels.
We need to think, how can I help, not how will this effect me.
This has no quick fix and will take a long time to sort out.

[SM1DY]

This gives a good summary of the situation - http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25785300204DE8

[Bossxr8]

Doubt it will have any impact. Especially with the lead times for stuff that comes from overseas.

[xy500]

Originally Posted by loftie

I'd say they've got a few more issues than exports at the moment...

When that Nuclear Reactor goes bang... the last thing they'll be concerned with is the car market...

not the most carefully considered comment...

[galaxy xr8]

Originally Posted by xy500

not the most carefully considered comment...

Like some of your comment's in the other thread about the Nuc reactor/Japan quake or even house prices thread are any better

[fangq]

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

Like some of your comment's in the other thread about the Nuc reactor/Japan quake or even house prices thread are any better

Personally,I've been buying uranium shares ( kept that generic ) etc for my self managed super fund. Nothing like a good old media misinformed science scare campaign.
Steve

[Linkachu]

Originally Posted by loftie

When that Nuclear Reactor goes bang... the last thing they'll be concerned with is the car market...

ZOMBIE CARS!

[mik]

its probably less of a problem at car manufacturers and more of a transport infrastructure problem at the moment.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by fangq

Personally,I've been buying uranium shares ( kept that generic ) etc for my self managed super fund. Nothing like a good old media misinformed science scare campaign.
Steve

Rio tinto shares took a bit of a hit. Might be good buying soon.

[Rev28K]

I know that DJR had trouble getting tyres (Bridgestones?) for their Sierras after the Kobe earthquake. I'd say that 2nd hand imported cars and bits would take a hit as well.

As previously stated this is just small potatoes compared to the carnage and human toll that has been taken so far (& hopefully it won't go further downhill).

[Bossxr8]

Ford have contacted most of ther suppliers in Japan and no problems so far, there are still a few who need to be contacted but it looks like they all escaped the carnage.

[Papa Smurf]

Well, Suzuki won't be so lucky. Most of their parts are produced in that area, we got a letter today from them so, Suzuki owners will be miffed.

[Rev28K]

I recieved this email from one of the importers of 2nd hand cars today -

Since the earthquake last week Japan has obviously been suffering all sorts of crises, besides the terrible human impact there are also power outages and fuel rationing. This is naturally causing disruption to the auction and transport systems. At the moment we are taking it one day at a time, some auctions are still operating, others are closed. Some have temporarily moved to another day of the week.

Transport from auction is likely to be delayed once cars are bought.

We will endeavour to operate business as usual, however given the scale of the devastation we expect it will take some considerable time for things to get back to some form of normality.

As for the ongoing implications, we expect vehicle numbers at auction to fall significantly, this is likely to impact on prices which were already rising in some cases due to low vehicle numbers reflecting the struggling Japanese economy. Exchange rates and finance markets are also jittery with the Yen to AUD dropping from 83 to 80 currently. All this is likely to be very volatile in coming weeks, and could swing either way.

We have some challenging times ahead but as always will continue to do our best to assist customers to find their special vehicle.

Naturally we wish anyone with friends and family in Japan all the very best.

[vztrt]

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/18/g...e-parts-delay/

GM plant shut down due to Japanese parts delay

by Zach Bowman (RSS feed) on Mar 18th 2011 at 1:31PM

General Motors has announced that the automaker is stopping production at its Shreveport, Louisiana assembly plant next week due to a parts shortage caused by the ongoing tragedy in Japan. The facility is responsible for building both the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado pickup trucks, though GM says that it currently has enough vehicles manufactured to meet consumer demand for the time being. In an issued statement, GM doesn't make mention of exactly which parts are being delayed due to the earthquake and tsunami events, but as Kicking Tires points out, however, both trucks are available with a five-speed manual transmission built by the Japanese manufacturer Aisin.

As of right now, there's no indication as to when the Shreveport facility will resume operations. No other U.S. manufacturing plants have been shuttered as a result of supply problems from Japan so far, though some have scaled back production slightly. Hit the jump for the full press release from GM.

[vztrt]

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...323-1c5rw.html

Toyota and Honda further delay production
March 23, 2011 - 8:33AM



Carmakers Honda and Toyota on Tuesday said they have delayed plans to restart assembly in Japan because of a shortage of necessary parts, with supply chains hit by a huge earthquake and tsunami.

Toyota said it had delayed plans to restart car production until after March 26.

The automaker lacks parts such as electronics devices and rubber and resin products. The halt to auto assembly will affect 140,000 units, a spokesman said.

Toyota started producing replacement parts for the domestic market on Thursday and parts for overseas production on Monday, but has idled vehicle assembly operations since the massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami on March 11.
Advertisement: Story continues below

The disruption to supply chains had previously led Honda to suspend production until Wednesday, but it has now extended the suspension of finished cars and motorcycles at three plants to March 27.

As to whether operations will resume on March 28, Honda said it will "make decisions based on the status of the recovery of Japanese society as a whole as well as the supply of parts".

Around 22,000 people are confirmed dead or listed as missing in Japan following the country's biggest ever quake and the devastating tsunami it unleashed, which ravaged swathes of the northeastern coast.

The disasters have plunged Japan into what Prime Minister Naoto Kan has called its worst crisis since World War II, exacerbated by a nuclear emergency at the stricken Fukushima plant.

Infrastructure along the northeast coast has been shattered while leading companies have shuttered plants amid rolling power outages, hitting output.

Exports of key components and crucial equipment used in the assembly of goods abroad, such as silicon wafers, liquid-crystal displays and electric machinery, have also been hit sending shockwaves across global markets.

AFP

[IDT]

There is no reliable electricity so how can manufacturers make cars or components?

[2011G6E]

I remember after the Kobe earthquake many years back when you couldn't buy motorcycle tyres of most kinds for quite some time. I bought the last set of Bridgestone tyres to suit the Z1000J I was riding at the time that were in the state in that size. These sort of things can affect things you wouldn't even consider.

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by loftie

When that Nuclear Reactor goes bang... the last thing they'll be concerned with is the car market...

Theyve already gone bang about as bang as they get. They can probably do that a few more time though.

the fear is/was the fuel will melt through the containment built into the architecture and pollute the earth below, thus leaching into the groundwater, seaside etc. They dont blow like a nuke does. Theres no atom splitting, they simply harness the energy released in the natural decay process (half life).

or something like that anyway.

[MexicanBatman]

Well lucky for me I drive a VE commodore and that's Australian built from Chinese parts


So nothing to worry about ;)

[BHDOGS]

Rumour i heard is that holden is having a 3 week shut down due to not being able to source parts from japan can anybody confirm?

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by BHDOGS

Rumour i heard is that holden is having a 3 week shut down due to not being able to source parts from japan can anybody confirm?

"Unconfirmed" rumours currently going thru the supplier base is that it is going to be 7 weeks. The other rumour is that Cruze production is being severly affected by part shortages, and they are making barely 30 a day. But that could also be affected if they still have imported cruzes to go thru first.

[vztrt]

GM seems to be getting hit the most out of this.

[Gobes32]

I was always of the opinion that most auto acessories are produced in China? It would appear I was wrong......

[Jesmol]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

"Unconfirmed" rumours currently going thru the supplier base is that it is going to be 7 weeks. The other rumour is that Cruze production is being severly affected by part shortages, and they are making barely 30 a day. But that could also be affected if they still have imported cruzes to go thru first.

We're hearing 5 weeks and our plant contacts are being VERY cagey.

btw our rumours are coming through the truck drivers , who to be honest have typically always given us the most accurate rumours.

[2011G6E]

One possible saving grace is that even Japan uses manufacturers in Taiwan, China, and other Asian countries to make thier parts for them cheaply...might not make that big a dent apart from, unfortunately, some really important parts that they like to keep making "in house".

[starkersEB]

I know there may be some wait on mitsubishi parts, we have some cloth in our new lancer that needs replacing. There is none in Australia and the dealer has said unless there is some on a ship already the waiting time is "unknown" at this stage.

[BHDOGS]

I dont think its so much of most cars being made from Chinese bits even if u only need one japanese part to make the car u cant fully build it so its kinda pointless.