Tata Nano

[vishkid]

The Nano has its purpose. The car is for the two-wheeler rider who wants to move to 4 wheels. That's the reason behind its creation. It was created by Indian engineers and by making the world's least expensive and most fuel efficient petroleum-fueled cars ready to run European roads with only minor modifications, we have achieved something phenomenal. There's no point in ridiculing it and calling us dumb. I would like to stress that the fire cases reported were stray incidents and there's nothing technically wrong with this car. I think Sri Lankans will change their perspective once they have driven the Nano. Even without driving one and seeing the space, comfort and value it offers, you can't ridicule it.

Right, now who is willing to drive a Nano to report about it?

I guess you .. will

Anyone else?

[Supra_Natural]

One question, if you are such a nano fan why do you have a profile pic that has a BMW and a Jag ?

Its what he hopes he can one day drive, if he sells enough Nanos.

[Pericles]

Right, now who is willing to drive a Nano to report about it?

I guess you .. will

Anyone else?

I haven't made my will yet.

[nexus]

I am pretty sure prison cells offer space, comfort and value too. But I can definitely ridicule it without getting in to one.

LMAO........

[nexus]

One question, if you are such a nano fan why do you have a profile pic that has a BMW and a Jag ?

i wonder the same thing maybe it his dream because he can see them only in pictures

[Tikiri]

Haven't other cars,buses, trishaws, motorbikes & even hoses caught fire ?

[Crosswind]

Haven't other cars,buses, trishaws, motorbikes & even hoses caught fire ?

The very first incident of Tata Nano catching fire was when the family who purchased was driving it home from the dealership. At first, Tata blamed the guy who bought the car saying that he had some electronic items in the car, which caused the fire. Later, when other cars started catching fire (including cars which were parked), Tata got back saying that they are investigating these 'isolated' incidents....

You be the judge!

[jdnet]

The very first incident of Tata Nano catching fire was when the family who purchased was driving it home from the dealership. At first, Tata blamed the guy who bought the car saying that he had some electronic items in the car, which caused the fire. Later, when other cars started catching fire (including cars which were parked), Tata got back saying that they are investigating these 'isolated' incidents....

You be the judge!

IIRC they did find the problem with the coolant lines and bottle. It was too close to the engine or something causing it to loose coolant and overheat, the fact that there isn't a temp guage made the situation worse. Eitherway it's pretty scary that they didn't test something like that beflre the cars hit the market.

[Crosswind]

IIRC they did find the problem with the coolant lines and bottle. It was too close to the engine or something causing it to loose coolant and overheat, the fact that there isn't a temp guage made the situation worse. Eitherway it's pretty scary that they didn't test something like that beflre the cars hit the market.

Yup that's what I read too. Afaik they found this design error, after many excuses, blaming the customers many times and quoting 'isolated incident' for every Nano that caught fire.

[jdnet]

Yup that's what I read too. Afaik they found this design error, after many excuses, blaming the customers many times and quoting 'isolated incident' for every Nano that caught fire.

Isn't it precisely what ford did with the pinto issue? they knew about the flaw with the fuel tanks before going into production and decided that it would be cheaper to fight lawsuits and pay settlements than actually change the design. Something tells me tata probably knew about this issue a lot earlier than they would like to admit. It would be impossible that they didn't notice any problems in their test cars, unless of course they didn't really test them as much as they say they did.

If they could miss something like that, it would leave me worried about what else they could have missed.

[rangerover]

The Nano is for the two-wheeler owner who wants to upgrade to a car. A car is safer than a two-wheeler and provides more comfort as well.

Jeez! thanks for clearing that out! was always wondering!

an image of the Nano in the Sri Lankan landscape would be good to see for Indian Nano fans

Pls dont confuse users with fans! E.g. just because u use a condom doesnt make u a fan of it

The Nano has its purpose. The car is for the two-wheeler rider who wants to move to 4 wheels. That's the reason behind its creation. It was created by Indian engineers and by making the world's least expensive and most fuel efficient petroleum-fueled cars ready to run European roads with only minor modifications, we have achieved something phenomenal. There's no point in ridiculing it and calling us dumb. I would like to stress that the fire cases reported were stray incidents and there's nothing technically wrong with this car. I think Sri Lankans will change their perspective once they have driven the Nano. Even without driving one and seeing the space, comfort and value it offers, you can't ridicule it.

We, Us? if this is ur form of guerilla marketing, atleast can u be suttle about it. You don't even have to drive or see one to know that this car doesnt have space or comfort. they are not what its designed for.

I agree that the nano is a good form of transportation for the average sri lankan motor car user who doesn't have or want to spend too much on a car. For that reason we should be happy such a car exists. But your just going overboard

Edited March 15, 2011 by rangerover

[Ripper]

sheeesh!!! these marketing attempts always end up getting backfired innit

[jdnet]

sheeesh!!! these marketing attempts always end up getting backfired innit

They never learn.

[Crosswind]

They never learn.

Goes to show that they can't fool the Autolanka members easily.

Isn't it precisely what ford did with the pinto issue? they knew about the flaw with the fuel tanks before going into production and decided that it would be cheaper to fight lawsuits and pay settlements than actually change the design. Something tells me tata probably knew about this issue a lot earlier than they would like to admit. It would be impossible that they didn't notice any problems in their test cars, unless of course they didn't really test them as much as they say they did.

Yeah. In the Pinto memos, the estimated cost to rectify the flaws was $121mn, but to pay off accident victims and people who die from the collisions, the estimated cost was $50mn. Based on this, they decided roll-out the Pinto with the problematic fuel tank.

Tata had zillions of other problems with the production of Nano - shifting manufacturing facilities, public protests, delayed design, cost overruns, delayed production to name a few. So I bet they didn't even bother to test the damn thing.

If they could miss something like that, it would leave me worried about what else they could have missed.

Yeah... they would have definitely 'missed' a lot of things. And you really don't know how many cars really caught fire and how many owners were paid off by Tata folks to hush things up.

[Pericles]

Isn't it precisely what ford did with the pinto issue? they knew about the flaw with the fuel tanks before going into production and decided that it would be cheaper to fight lawsuits and pay settlements than actually change the design. Something tells me tata probably knew about this issue a lot earlier than they would like to admit. It would be impossible that they didn't notice any problems in their test cars, unless of course they didn't really test them as much as they say they did.

If they could miss something like that, it would leave me worried about what else they could have missed.

Could have. You test cars by running them on test tracks. Possibly when running on test tracks with no traffic, the air flow would allow the components to run a little cooler than a parked car or car in stop-start traffic.

[nexus]

IIRC they did find the problem with the coolant lines and bottle. It was too close to the engine or something causing it to loose coolant and overheat, the fact that there isn't a temp guage made the situation worse. Eitherway it's pretty scary that they didn't test something like that beflre the cars hit the market.

they dont want to test it because tata nano drivers will be more than happy to sacrifice they are life for it

[nexus]

sheeesh!!! these marketing attempts always end up getting backfired innit

this is why i love this site guerrilla marketing idiots can't fool the Autolanka members so easily

[The Stig]

sheeesh!!! these marketing attempts always end up getting backfired innit

A marketing budget for the nano is virtually non existing, i guess they didnt have enough money to pay someone who is actually smart

[Scooter]

From Times of Oman, 10/5/11 (possibly an ex-Bloomberg report)

Tata Motors to start selling Nano in Sri Lanka this month

NEW DELHI: Tata Motors will begin selling its Nano car in Sri Lanka from this month as the automaker seeks to expand sales of the world’s cheapest car outside India.

Diesel & Motor Engineering, Tata Motors’ Sri Lankan dealer, aims to begin sales of the car from May 28, Nadeesha Fernando, a spokeswoman for the Colombo-based company, said by phone yesterday. Diesel & Motor has started taking orders for the car, priced from Rs925,000 ($8,426), she said.

Tata Motors may expand Nano’s sales to other Asian countries such as Thailand and Bangladesh, Chief Executive Officer Carl-Peter Forster said in January. The automaker sold 10,012 Nanos last month, the highest after opening a factory with a capacity to build 250,000 models a year.

The company exported 498 Nanos in April, according to data released by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers in New Delhi today. The industry group didn’t identify the overseas markets for the car. Debasis Ray, a spokesman of Tata Motors, declined to comment on the exports to Sri Lanka.

Sales of the Nano plunged to a record low of 509 units in November after at least three cars caught fire and customers faced difficulties obtaining loans to fund their purchases. Sales rebounded after the company offered lengthier warranties and easier financing.

Tata Motors fell 1.4 per cent to Rs1,183.5 at 1:25pm in Mumbai, after declining as much as 2.6 per cent. Diesel & Motor was little changed at Rs1,500 in Colombo trading.

The version with air-conditioning and power windows will be priced at Rs1.1 million in Sri Lanka. The same model retails at Rs211,902 ($4,744) in Mumbai, according to Tata Motors’ website.

Last month, the Tata group had said Tata Motors was "at a very high stage" in finalising a production site for its small car Nano at an overseas location, which could be either in Latin America, South East Asia or Africa.

"The work is at a very high stage," Tata Industries Managing Director Kishor A Chaukar had said when asked about a time-line to produce Nano in any of the proposed overseas locations.........

[NRX]

From Times of Oman, 10/5/11 (possibly an ex-Bloomberg report)

Tata Motors to start selling Nano in Sri Lanka this month

NEW DELHI: Tata Motors will begin selling its Nano car in Sri Lanka from this month as the automaker seeks to expand sales of the world’s cheapest car outside India.

Diesel & Motor Engineering, Tata Motors’ Sri Lankan dealer, aims to begin sales of the car from May 28, Nadeesha Fernando, a spokeswoman for the Colombo-based company, said by phone yesterday. Diesel & Motor has started taking orders for the car, priced from Rs925,000 ($8,426), she said.

Tata Motors may expand Nano’s sales to other Asian countries such as Thailand and Bangladesh, Chief Executive Officer Carl-Peter Forster said in January. The automaker sold 10,012 Nanos last month, the highest after opening a factory with a capacity to build 250,000 models a year.

The company exported 498 Nanos in April, according to data released by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers in New Delhi today. The industry group didn’t identify the overseas markets for the car. Debasis Ray, a spokesman of Tata Motors, declined to comment on the exports to Sri Lanka.

Sales of the Nano plunged to a record low of 509 units in November after at least three cars caught fire and customers faced difficulties obtaining loans to fund their purchases. Sales rebounded after the company offered lengthier warranties and easier financing.

Tata Motors fell 1.4 per cent to Rs1,183.5 at 1:25pm in Mumbai, after declining as much as 2.6 per cent. Diesel & Motor was little changed at Rs1,500 in Colombo trading.

The version with air-conditioning and power windows will be priced at Rs1.1 million in Sri Lanka. The same model retails at Rs211,902 ($4,744) in Mumbai, according to Tata Motors’ website.

Last month, the Tata group had said Tata Motors was "at a very high stage" in finalising a production site for its small car Nano at an overseas location, which could be either in Latin America, South East Asia or Africa.

"The work is at a very high stage," Tata Industries Managing Director Kishor A Chaukar had said when asked about a time-line to produce Nano in any of the proposed overseas locations.........

Saw a park full of fugly Nanos near Thotalanga

[notjustshrawan]

Minor modifications to the car are changing the engine from 2-cylinder to 3-cylinder, changing the braking system, changing the steering system and changing the wheelbase. Also changing the price tag from $2000 to $6000.

BTW, the manufacturers of tiny cars including the Nano, are getting in to Europe because of a loophole in the regulations. These are classified as quadricycles, not cars. The safety tests and regulations are pretty lenient for quadricycles compared to cars. But Europe is currently reviewing the laws for quadricycles because of the influx of tiny cars such as Nano, Chery QQ, Reva etc.

So u guys know that we ridicule you. I'm glad cos I thought you guys are too dumb to know that. What makes you think that Nano will make us change that perception, when u guys come up with one crap after the other? For example, did you know that one of the four powerset trains purchased from India last month, stopped right in the middle of its its very first journey and just wouldn't start? So much for Indian engineering.

I am pretty sure prison cells offer space, comfort and value too. But I can definitely ridicule it without getting in to one.

Good. so what caused the fires?

If this guy is from the agent, I wonder if I can take him to Consumer Protection Authority, for giving out misleading information

I'm not an agent. I came here to source an image of the Nano on Lankan roads. You seem to have taken what I said very personally. I run a blog (indianautosblog.com) and I thought I would source an image from this forum with a link back. That was my intention.

But since you've had to say so many things, I thought I might put in the correct facts for you.

1) Well there was no change in wheelbase or engine configuration, braking system, steering system, etc. This is the report from a reputed (non-Indian) magazine - http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Tata-Nano/241500/

Video -

compare it to Chery QQ (under similar conditions, since you've uttered it in the same breath as Nano) -

2) So u guys know that we ridicule you. I'm glad cos I thought you guys are too dumb to know that - Can't you do better? This is how you treat someone who comes asking for help?

3) What caused the fire - The investigation conducted by an "independent" team proved that there was a foreign object in the affected car's exhaust system. Of the three Nanos that went up, two of them were apparently due to a faulty switch. If there was a design fault with the Nano, then all Nanos should have gone up in flames.

I lauded the Nano, but then I never knew it would prompt you and some of the other respected members here to launch personal attacks against me. My only point was you have to drive the Nano before drawing to conclusions. I would say this in the case of any vehicle. I came here looking for some help, but this is what I get instead.

Edited May 25, 2011 by notjustshrawan

[Crosswind]

I'm not an agent. I came here to source an image of the Nano on Lankan roads. You seem to have taken what I said very personally. I run a blog (indianautosblog.com) and I thought I would source an image from this forum with a link back. That was my intention.

But since you've had to say so many things, I thought I might put in the correct facts for you.

1) Well there was no change in wheelbase or engine configuration, braking system, steering system, etc. This is the report from a reputed (non-Indian) magazine - http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Tata-Nano/241500/

Indian Nano - 2 cylinder 600CC engine, hydraulic brakes, wheelbase 2230mm, mechanical power steering, no airbag, no crumple zone ~$2000 price tag

European Nano (Nano Europa) - 3 cylinder 900CC, ABS brakes, wheelbase 2280mm, electric power steering, airbags, crumple zone, ~$6000 price tag

(Source: wikipedia, autocar magazine and autoblog.com)

Video -

compare it to Chery QQ (under similar conditions, since you've uttered it in the same breath as Nano) -

The crash test for Nano is done at 56km/h with 40% offset. That's because the car is in the 'quadricycle' category. If u claim it's a good indication of safety of nano, why don't u try driving one head-on to a brick wall at about 80km/h?

2) So u guys know that we ridicule you. I'm glad cos I thought you guys are too dumb to know that - Can't you do better? This is how you treat someone who comes asking for help?

I lauded the Nano, but then I never knew it would prompt you and some of the other respected members here to launch personal attacks against me. My only point was you have to drive the Nano before drawing to conclusions. I would say this in the case of any vehicle. I came here looking for some help, but this is what I get instead.

We have had trolls from car importers posting marketing messages in this forum. That is why we are usually arrogant at any posting that 'lauds' any vehicle without a reason, especially 'lauds' a pile of junk like Nano. My apologies if you are not that. However, you need to get your facts straight about the Indian and the so-called export version of the Nano.

Finally, we've had enough of the crappy maruti and three-wheelers on sri lankan roads. Hope we don't see many nanos to add to our misery.

Edited May 26, 2011 by Crosswind

[terrance]

i just got an invite for the launch of the nano on the 28th at the convention center

The first 5 cars have been bought by

Bri Ponnambalam

Nigel Austin

Asgi Akbarally

Siddath Fernando

Dr Harsha Cabraal

i am sure they must have seen something more than you guys after test driving the cars !!!

[jdnet]

. My only point was you have to drive the Nano before drawing to conclusions. I would say this in the case of any vehicle.

How exactly am I to drive a nano if I can't even get one leg inside it? Just curious.

[Anjo]

we've had enough of the crappy maruti and three-wheelers on sri lankan roads. Hope we don't see many nanos to add to our misery.

AMEN!