Got my Insider Br53 Borsig today.

Nice model, runs smoothly, finely detailed - but alas made in China. Kind of takes the charm off of the high quality German craftsmansship I thought I was buying .. originally.

I understand that all Marklin products made in China imported through the distributor in North America have to be relabelled with a large white sticky that says "Made in China". Country of origin labelling is apparently required under NAFTA (North American Free Tade Agreement), strange that the EU doesn't have this requirement.

What I find funny is that I ehave ended up with duplicate models (gifts from overseas, actually) ... where the North American purchased model has "Made in China" on the box - and the German acquiredis not labelled as such ... so is Marklin trying to pass off Chinese goods in Europe as homegrown German product? I certainly hope not - the German term for that would be "beschiss".

Anyway, I think the Big Boy will be next year's 2008 Insider model in Z - and I think that will be the last Chinese Marklin (Chaerklin?) Z model I acquire.

Admittedly the chinese z models are of a high quality - but given country of origin - they are likely only worth half of the retail price ..... hope they didn't use lead based paint in these - and that they won't be recalled.

I guess the Chaerklin z models go nicely with all of the Hungarian 1 gauge models (Magyarlin?) , which are only marked with country of origin on distributor import to North America as well (I still find that very strange).

Do our european friends now have clearly identified Chaerklin and Magyarlin models or am I off base?

Is the world coming to an end. As another thread we've had has clearly stated we are produceing "world products" cars are assembled in many places with parts from all over the world tv's the same and model trains and toys mostly from China with a high level of recalls in the toy market. If you like the product and the detail and quality meet your needs and the price is right , you buy it. It is the only way a company like Marklin will turn a profit for its investors. They don't look at the impact of "Made in Germany" as their major concern. The bottom line is their only concern.

I don't think "country of origin" is such a big deal for Europeans, to be honest. That's probably why it doesn't have to be displayed on the product.

I'm more worried about whether the quality is good, and whether I can afford it. The chinese have been making quality models for a long time. They also make cheap rubbish, but then, so do many countries.

I would prefer a well made Chinese product to a badly made German one any day.

All this assumes, of course, that they are paying their workers a fair wage.

Ray

Right. All of this world's customers who buy in the EC might get the totally wrong impression they still would receive traditional German craftsmanship for their hard-earned cash - what this is definitely not. What they really get is a simple China job. And for what M's cost are way less today than for the genuine, precious German counterpart, earlier ...

On no one of my expensive new M locos you can see <u>where</u> she is made ...
Way better for the business to declare this. Than playing hide & seek with the customers [xx(]