I already addressed your car analogy. It's a fallacy.
Car = Multi thousands $$$
Bindings = Couple hundred $
Furthermore, cars have to go through vigorous testing and quality inspections. Don't be fooled though, plenty of parts come from Chinese factories or other countries. Even precious American cars. Ford focus being the perfect example. It's a redressed Mazda 3.
So yes, having spent thousands and thousands on my car, I would be pissed if the paint just chipped off on its own or if the bumper fell off. Then again, warranty takes care of that so as long as the thing drives the way it should, and they give me a rental while they re-paint, I'm good (actually happened to my Mitsubishi by the way, one of the outside aesthetic panels came loose).
It seems you are the one reading what you wish out of my post. My question remains, why are we talking about Chinese quality control? Because a mis-step in the paint department means the plastic sucks? So by your logic, one failure means more failures down the line? It can't be just that one failure?
Even further, what's your experience with Chinese quality control anyway? I've had tons of shitty American made products, yet everyone and their mom seems to want American made stuff. I've also had good American made stuff though. It's the same with Chinese made products. The real problem here is people's subjectivity. They view China as being this horrible way to produce products because of all the negative media attention foreign manufacturing gets. Also, to knock American made products makes you an anti-patriot so it's a sort of taboo.
People overlook the fact that imports actually stimulate our economy increasing our standard of living. Americans are so quick to blame the Big 3 automobile company failures to outsourcing/off-shoring, but no one wants to point out all the flaws and poor decisions they made that led up to their failure.
So no, I'm not reading what I want to read. I know exactly what you are trying to get at. And that is what I'm attacking.
So they had toe strap issues... then they join the ranks of Ride, Flow, Burton, and Union. What else you got? Maybe the "ROME SDS" lettering was crooked on a particular model so that means something else must be wrong with it structurally?
EDIT: Just thought of a way better analogy for you...
I remember when I bought my iPhone 3GS when it came out. I was soo stoked. Cost more than the Bosses by the way... I paid, got it set up, put it in my pocket and went on my merry way. Got home and found tons of scratches on the back of the phone. OH NO! MY BRAND NEW $299 IPHONE HAS SCRATCHES ALREADY! Damn, shouldn't have worn jeans I guess. But then I forgot all about it after I started to play with the phone. The made in China thing never crossed my mind since the thing worked great other than being super sensitive to scratching.