TATA Nano's No Thanks

[Guest]

The World's cheapest car, the Tata Nano is under fire in India as reports emerge of some models literally bursting into flames recently due to suspected electrical problems. Three fires have been reported spontaneously occurring in the steering columns of Nanos in India, where 7,500 vehicles have been delivered since July.

 

Tata announced on 26th October that they will inspect all new cars and those already delivered to customers, conveniently avoiding the dreaded "recall" word. The Indian auto-maker blamed the problem on a short circuit in the switch that controls the headlights, windshield wipers and dashboard indicators.

 

The tiny Nano is labeled "The People's Car" because of its groundbreaking price of just 115,000 Rupees (£1,500). The car has already had 200,000 pre-orders in India and changed the way the World looks at low cost automobiles. Tata plans to sell 100,000 Nanos in India in 2010 and export a higher spec Europe in 2011 subject to NCAP safety testing.

 

 

http://uk.mc236.mail.yahoo.com/mc/welco ... nd=5194239

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

If you spend £1,500 on a car don't complain when it catches fire.

[RedSparrow]

Well, you would expect a little bit of fire in a new car that cost £1500, wouldn't you?

[Dukestar25]

If Indian-built citycars are your thing, how about the lovely Nissan Pixo/Suzuki Alto? Mmmmmmmm....

[Guest]

If Indian-built citycars are your thing, how about the lovely Nissan Pixo/Suzuki Alto? Mmmmmmmm....

Can I get one for £1500?

Only if its a fire risk

[Station]

Surely 3 cars out of 7500 is a bit of a non-story? That's -three- cars, 0.04 of 7500. And what is 'bursting into flames' exactly - a few sparks and a puff of smoke, or the whole wiring loom, plastic and metal becoming a flaming conflagration? I doubt it!

 

Are they ten inch wheels? Bet it's less refined than my Whizzkid!

 

 

 

These little cars all look the same, I think I'd prefer this one out of the whole bunch:

 

[Dukestar25]

If Indian-built citycars are your thing, how about the lovely Nissan Pixo/Suzuki Alto? Mmmmmmmm....

Can I get one for £1500?

Sadly no, but I wouldn't buy a Nano either, it's hideous and reeks of environmentalism !!.

Electrical fires seemed to happen to a lot of new cars years ago, particularly Italian ones so this is probably one of those situations where the cars would be recalled or, as some do, pretend there isn't a problem at all. Furthermore, a car that only tops out at 43mph would be no good here anyway. Just buy a Scooter instead.

[Dukestar25]

 

 

Sadly no, but I wouldn't buy a Nano either, it's hideous and reeks of environmentalism !!.

 

Furthermore, a car that only tops out at 43mph would be no good here anyway. Just buy a Scooter instead.

43mph!?!

 

Imagine how slow it would be with an average Indian extended family(lets say 14 people) in it.

...as I said . Could be futureshite but it's just not my cup of tea by a long chalk

[STUNO]

To be serious for a moment, you have to compare the Tata Nano to the 2CV and even the Model T . Will it be better for it's purpose than them ?And no. I don't want an Aston Martin minicar, It's just not right, but every pretentious prat will buy one The Suzuki Alto seems to have arrived here to very good reviews, I haven't heard a journalist say anything negative about it yet.

[Station]

OMG NO AIR CON OR ELECTRIC WINDOWS!

[Dukestar25]

Looking at the annotated picture of the Nano, most of those things descriptions could apply to a Lotus Elise...The Alto still looks reasonable though...

I'd prefer an Alto TBH, but for what they cost these days, you're in Fiat Panda territory and they are even better still

[garycox]

What?!Oh no, the body's made of sheet metal!

[Mr Lobster]

Altos are superb! We had a 99/T Alto until April this year and as far as doing what it was supposed to, it was probably one of the best cars I've ever had! Reliable, cheap to run, dependable, the whole lot.The new Alto / Pixo is ok too. Drove a Pixo yesterday as it happens and they are ok. Engine sounds a bit overworked but it seems reasonably well screwed together and goes ok. Radio sounds bloody awful though.

[RedSparrow]

Looking at the annotated picture of the Nano, most of those things descriptions could apply to a Lotus Elise...

 

I was thinking the whole package is rather more reminicent of:

 

 

[ChinaTom]

Need to keep this in perspective - 115k rupees is £15k to us relatively speaking given the market they are targeting. Sure, there are middle class Indians that look at this as many of us would value a salvage-yard Myvi, but for the "ordinary folk" out there, this still means a bloody long bank loan.I am not sure this will succeed in the long run - they appear that they will fall apart before its paid for. They needed to crack the reliability / robust / fix anywhere by anyone factor. The Chinese had a crack at this idea and sensibly used an old Daihatsu Charade with home grown mass produced engines. It kind of worked - many of them are still going and any roadside puncture repair man can take a hammer to it to fix it. Next was the old VW series' (Passats and Jettas), all very solidly proven and long lasting.That Tata Nano will, I am sure, crumble into a million pieces as soon as one of those trolley wheels hits a slight pothole.I base this entire opinion on the Indycars that I drove and was driven in. They last about a year before major surgery is required. On the other hand, the Suzuki Alto (Mekari I think) cars seem to be OK even after a few years. They sold for very similar prices. Won't be long until they realize it is a false economy and then Jaguar will be sold again, this time to a Russian consortium who need a new Zil.

[wuvvum]

I've seen that before - I seem to recall it was in an American car mag - and the top speed thing is wrong. The Nano's top speed is 70 mph, or 112 km/h - the mag just did the conversion the wrong way round.

[Gompo]

These little cars all look the same, I think I'd prefer this one out of the whole bunch:(IQ pic..)

Really? I think they look horrid. Expensive for what they are too.

[Rusty Pelican]

70 mph in that , no fugging way , not with me in it anyway

[Mike D]

BAH! whats with all the hating? I'd drive one, I imagine it'd have a certain charm only a 1500 quid new car could muster

[Lankytim]

I quite like it. I wouldnt mind a go at driving one round for a week or so anyway.I take it they will never be sold in the U.K, what with the lack of an airbag and probable terrible crash safety.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yeah give em a break! I reckon a £1500 car is a winner, i'd love one. I'm sure its as 'safe' as a hillman imp or whatever!

[RedSparrow]

Don't get me wrong, I am all in favour of it in principle. I just think its incredibly ugly, and probably will be deemed not suitable for motorway driving.

[Lankytim]

I just think its incredibly ugly, and probably will be deemed not suitable for motorway driving.

Prize autoshite then!

[FredTransit]

I make a point of not driving anything I could fit in the back of one of my lutons.....

[Mr Lobster]

I'd certainly like to have a go in one, just to see what they are like.However, I imagine thy'll be fuggin awful and that I'd rather ride a cow the 75 miles to work.

[Milford Cubicle]

Hundreds, maybe thousands of people in the UK have bought those crummy French micro cars, which often cost 6 times as much (or more than) the Nano - they perform worse and are less practical. Bring on the Nano, it seems to be a pretty well thought out little thing and performs well in crash tests.

[dollywobbler]

I've seen that before - I seem to recall it was in an American car mag - and the top speed thing is wrong. The Nano's top speed is 70 mph, or 112 km/h - the mag just did the conversion the wrong way round.

Windows wind down by HAND?! Won't somebody think of the children!! They'll never understand how they work!