I can't get ANYTHING done/manufactured....!!

[soterik HTH....! Find all posts View Profile Close soterik]

I'm almost 3 years into a new headlight assembly, and have a "final"(???) prototype piece coming to me so that I can do an assembly. One piece holds up the WHOLE project.....

Absolutely ZERO movement on the muffler tip.

It doesn't matter what country right now.... Ireland, Germany, Italy, India, Mexico, Taiwan, USA.... absolutely NO comparison to what I could do between 2009 and 2017(18).

And don't get me started on trade labor locally... F!!!!

My wife says to just "stop" trying.... sell out and call it a day.

My daily rant... sorry....

e

[jaudette3 Really? Find all posts View Profile Close jaudette3]

Sell to me and call it a day.

It IS a problem. I feel like I'm walking a tightrope constantly scouring the internet for product. And I suppose it will get worse.

John

[bob joyce 2.4L Find all posts View Profile Close bob joyce]

here is the deal....
the world is not coming to an end
there are very clear and real reasons for things being screwed up lately
that's a good thing because if things were this crappie and you had no idea why, that would be reason for worry.
really bad to the point of puking is normally the resolution and that is always followed by good times.
just the nature of things.........

[sebaroher Seabass Find all posts View Profile Close sebaroher]

here is the deal....
the world is not coming to an end
there are very clear and real reasons for things being screwed up lately
that's a good thing because if things were this crappie and you had no idea why, that would be reason for worry.
really bad to the point of puking is normally the resolution and that is always followed by good times.
just the nature of things.........

So what's the reason why things are so screwed up lately?

[JP aka LiveFromNY Find all posts View Profile Close JP]

I'm almost 3 years into a new headlight assembly, and have a "final"(???) prototype piece coming to me so that I can do an assembly. One piece holds up the WHOLE project.....

Absolutely ZERO movement on the muffler tip.

It doesn't matter what country right now.... Ireland, Germany, Italy, India, Mexico, Taiwan, USA.... absolutely NO comparison to what I could do between 2009 and 2017(18).

And don't get me started on trade labor locally... F!!!!

My wife says to just "stop" trying.... sell out and call it a day.

My daily rant... sorry....

e

I am EXACTLY where you are (hence, why I've owed you a call for 2 weeks). I've never seen anything like this in my entire business career. Sadly, I anticipate things getting even worse before they get better.

[70SATMan 2.2L Find all posts View Profile Close 70SATMan]

Lately it seems that half of my time is being devoted to sourcing alternative components on my programs. Lead times for some of my go to timing and reference systems are now past a year or are just not being quoted. It's crazy.

We are also scrambling on every shipment deadline not always because of system component shortages but, a shortage of ocean containers for our structural steel.

[jaudette3 Really? Find all posts View Profile Close jaudette3]

Do you think one of the reasons is that China is limiting their exports to the U.S.? I've read there is a huge manufacturing shift from China to the U.S. (semi-conductors for example) but of course that's going to take time.

[sebaroher]

Do you think this will be beneficial to the U.S. in the long-term to bring back manufacturing stateside?

[soterik HTH....! Find all posts View Profile Close soterik]

The issue appears to be global in nature. That being said, any component that comes from China can be the linchpin in getting a project done or not, which then affects the production wherever the final product is being assembled. So, it could be raw materials, or a finished item that's an integral part of the final item, but if China is part of the production chain "you're F'd" right now.

Insofar as domestic production moving back to the states? Possibly. But to gear up for that can be difficult; new production facilities, warehouses, training a labor force , just the groundwork of permits/fees/regulations to get moving would be daunting.

My roof racks were made domestically... the last quote was 4 times the original quote 10 years ago. The cost to manufacture a complete roof rack is now signficantly higher than my first retail price! To make a domestic run of horn grills is $60,000 (any of the 4 versions that I have had made). I tried to do them overseas, the cost difference was minimal and the proto product looked like... well, it looked like something you would buy from Sierra Madre or Stoddard that they call "concours" and doesn't fit. Retail cost on horn grills would have to be $380 to work,... but who's going to pay that price? It took me 7 years to sell my first round of LWB grills at a much lower retail than $380, and at that I was also selling them to retailers at a discount(ish') to get some cash flow.

At this time (and I don't see this changing) not only are costs of manufacture (and shipping from wherever... domestic or anywhere else) has increased exponentially and the minimum orders have also gone up. No more making 300 to 500 of an item... it's now 1000+. A lot of risk!! I have plenty of mistakes in my warehouse...

Climbing back down off my soapbox (for now). Todays rant is over (but the day isn't over yet.. so stay tuned!

e

[Steven S. RUFRS 2.0L Find all posts View Profile Close Steven S. RUFRS]

Eric, as usual........(I hate to say this....) Tami is correct....might be time to sell....and join your old friend (me) in retirement....

[jaudette3 Really? Find all posts View Profile Close jaudette3]

Movement in manufacturing to U.S. - Legislation provides $52.7 billion for semiconductor industry, looks on track to become law in days

[soterik HTH....! Find all posts View Profile Close soterik]

Eric, as usual........(I hate to say this....) Tami is correct....might be time to sell....and join your old friend (me) in retirement....

Yah... probably. I can think of 5 cars that I have that I would move through just to free up space, but doing that is "difficult" for me. Tammy is not retiring anytime soon, so I guess just getting it manageable for me for the next 3 to 5 years is probably what I need to do. Parts are taking up too much space at the time as well, long story, we'll talk soon. If I had a facility here in Seattle it would be a lot easier, but finding space (or building) is off the charts expensive.
E

[Frank Beck Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Frank Beck]

Yah... probably. I can think of 5 cars that I have that I would move through just to free up space, but doing that is "difficult" for me. Tammy is not retiring anytime soon, so I guess just getting it manageable for me for the next 3 to 5 years is probably what I need to do. Parts are taking up too much space at the time as well, long story, we'll talk soon. If I had a facility here in Seattle it would be a lot easier, but finding space (or building) is off the charts expensive.
E

I always wonder when someone says "real estate is crazy expensive".
We're at $300+/ft in North Scottsdale for properly zoned automotive. Curious where pricing is in Seattle.

[soterik HTH....! Find all posts View Profile Close soterik]

I always wonder when someone says "real estate is crazy expensive".
We're at $300+/ft in North Scottsdale for properly zoned automotive. Curious where pricing is in Seattle.

There's an automotive facility within Seattles boundaries thats for sale at $1.2 and it's 2400 sq ft.
https://www.cityfeet.com/cont/listin...126/cs19597612

4800 sq. ft of salvage yard, in city, value in the dirt (again). $1.0
https://www.cityfeet.com/cont/listin...107/cs23570943

Another land play, in city, $1.4
https://www.cityfeet.com/cont/listin...103/cs25111527

That's pretty commensurate with all the listings. Anything within city limits (or just outside) is considered a land play for future gentrification of another multi-family over mixed use ground floor.

[J Schiavone a.k.a. John912 Find all posts View Profile Close J Schiavone]

After 22 years of restoring Porsche's as a hobby gone out of control, my spirit is broken -- I wish I had an interest is paint and body work, but I don't. I've had it dealing with these guys but don't blame them, they can't find the help they need. It's been a fun run! One car left to do - -after that it's changing oil, checking tire pressures, and tune ups ... and of course driving!

[sebaroher Seabass Find all posts View Profile Close sebaroher]

After 22 years of restoring Porsche's as a hobby gone out of control, my spirit is broken -- I wish I had an interest is paint and body work, but I don't. I've had it dealing with these guys but don't blame them, they can't find the help they need. It's been a fun run! One car left to do - -after that it's changing oil, checking tire pressures, and tune ups ... and of course driving!

Seems to be the hardest stage of any build is finding a good paint/body shop that will do restoration work. Collision seems to be mainly 95% of the shops as the work is quick in and out. Not much desire for them to do restoration as it's slow and tedious (no money).