Monthly Archives: February 2008

Beware of Fake Cars

9
Police rounded up a gang of 15 people involved in making fake cars in Rome, Italy. They were involved in making fake blood red Ferrari cars with counterfeit parts and few original parts. They sold the cars at a fraction to the cost of the original. Change the name of the car and country and you can find that it is a very Indian-type crime news.

Many garages are known to make cars with some fake and some original parts. They also make fake papers that look real. But if they are selling it at really low prices, one can be sure that it is a car without the manufacturers stamp. When we drive in cars, our complete safety depends on the manufacturing of the car. A glitch in the brakes or engine could prove disastrous to users.

People looking for cheap used cars must make sure that the cars are certified by authorized dealers or workshops.

Article Submitted by AT

    SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend     Add to Technorati Favorites                 Add New Post

Toyota should bring in small cars

8

Toyota has had a long successful run in India since its arrival. I am surprised that even though small cars constitute to a major percentage of the Indian auto market share, Toyota has not ventured into this segment in India. Toyota has a partnership with Daihatsu Motors, which is a leading mini car manufacturer in Japan and Toyota holds 51 percent stakes in this partnership.

Toyota’s products have usually been universally accepted. Even the SUV Qualis (which I really thought was a Tin Drum) was in high demand when its production stopped at the Indian plant.

Maybe India will get a taste of Japan’s favourite small cars in the near future. After all, Indian narrow roads and crowded streets will make these small cars feel perfectly at home!

Article Submitted by KnowAutos

    SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend     Add to Technorati Favorites                 Add New Post

Luxury Cars: Comfort or Confusion?

5
Get into any modern luxury car and the first thing that catches the eye is the array of buttons on the dash. Even the steering wheel gets paddle shifters and audio controls. Added to this, there are cars with a GPS facility and an LCD screen.

Get into any Merc or BMW and be amazed by the number of functions being packed into the small space. It will require the genius of a race car driver or a professional mechanic to actually understand the functions of all the buttons. A person will need to study the car manual for over a week to understand the various technological marvels that a luxury car comes with.

Only the cockpit alone of a luxury car like the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, and Mercedes S-Class could cost up to $20,000 to $30,000 (Rs. 8 to 12 Lakh). The question, however, is why so many gadgets when most of these luxury cars are driven by chauffeurs? Wouldn’t it be better to concentrate more on the rear seat comforts of a luxury car? Maybe luxury car makers should concentrate more on rear comfort and less on cockpit confusion!

    SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend     Add to Technorati Favorites                 Add New Post

Online booking for Nano

7
Online booking for cars is, surprisingly, a new revolution in Indian car retailing. A grapevine has it that Tata has plans to accept bookings for its upcoming hot car Tata Nano through the internet. Tata Motors is also thinking of calling for suggestions from prospective consumers on how to implement this process using the Tata Nano website.

The website already provides online customization of the world’s cheapest car. If this move comes through, Tata will start a new chapter in the auto dealership industry in India. One may no longer have to go to a dealer and struggle to get the information required. Online booking will indeed be a new beginning in the right direction.

    SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend     Add to Technorati Favorites                 Add New Post

New Honda Accord will trot in this summer

6
This summer you can witness some heat in the D+ mid-size car segment. Honda is going to launch the new Honda Accord car this summer. Accord is an impressive car with great driving dynamics and majestic interiors. Now, it’s going to become even better.

The current Accord has some unique car features like dual-zone automatic climate control, plush leather seats, wood inserts on the steering wheel and doors, and an in-dash 6-disc CD changer system. The sophistication of the engine adds more punch to the performance. Don’t forget… It also has a powerful V6 engine variant. It would be great to see the current attractiveness retained in the new car.

    SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend     Add to Technorati Favorites                 Add New Post

Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm Rally is going to start soon

2
The car enthusiasts’ sporting season seems to have just started this year. The Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm Rally 2008 will kick off on March 15. The event is going to be pretty exciting as it’s going to be one of the biggest car rallies to be ever held in the country. The rally is a pure test of nerves for the rally participants who will have to brave the scorching heat and the desert storms. The participating cars will also be pushed to the limit. But more than car performance, the rally will test the driving skills of drivers.

The event will be kicked off at New Delhi from where it will not only cover dry deserts but also scenic roads at Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Khimser and Jaipur. This car rally is really something to look forward to.
    SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend     Add to Technorati Favorites                 Add New Post

Car exhaust fumes are big health hazards

6
I read recently that the fumes from a car’s exhaust could trigger heart disease and increase the risk of strokes. That has got me worried about the scene here with Indian cars.

I know that most new cars in India comply with the Bharat stage 3 emission norms, but there are still those few cars that are not in this bracket. The scary ground reality is that pollution levels are soaring beyond average safety levels. Just a small ride through a traffic-congested road in a metro leaves you with a tarred face. And its not just metros that are affected by this! Even smaller cities and towns are now reaching that stage.

I think it would be best to have all cars fitted with LPG/CNG kits compulsorily. In that way, it would reduce the dependence on petrol/diesel engines which are more polluting.

Submitted by Keep-Your-City-Clean

    SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend     Add to Technorati Favorites                 Add New Post

i10’s mileage scores a perfect 10!

1
I give the Hyundai i10 a ‘perfect 10’ score when it comes to mileage. It gives 16 kmpl even with the AC on. It’s impressive because other small cars like Maruti WagonR and Hyundai Santro Xing manage to give just 15-16 kmpl without even having the AC on. Looks like Hyundai has planned ahead for the hot summer in India with this new car. I think this could be a good selling point for the car in the coming few months.

I also find that the car has just the right comfort that one would expect for its segment. It also comes in some magnificent colours that only Hyundai offers. It’s a car that one can take on enjoyable long drives without worrying too much about re-fuelling.


Submitted by Jaggesh

    SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend     Add to Technorati Favorites                 Add New Post

Verna Lights are a Hazard!

17
Hyundai Verna headlights are very dim for driving on any road. It is so dull that I nearly collided with a stationary mini truck while driving my friend’s Verna to my residence two days back. I feel that the Verna, though a beautiful car with good driving dynamics, has paid little attention to headlights, which are the best safety devices in a car.

In India, when people and small vehicles keep crossing your path it is important that the headlight highlights the path ahead of you properly so that collision is avoided, but a dim headlight compounds the problem. I am surprised that an international company like Hyundai has paid little attention to such regular details.

I recommend that whoever brings home a Verna, change the headlight to a better one as soon as possible. It is a necessity.

From KL Poonawala

    SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend     Add to Technorati Favorites                 Add New Post

Spark has No Spark of Imagination

2
The other day I chanced to see a Chevy Spark on road. I was taken aback by the car design. From what I had seen in papers and magazines, I had imagined it to be a beautifully designed car. But what I saw was completely different.

The whole car looked like it has been designed in a hurry with no attention to aesthetics. The front looks pathetic as the bonnet slides down on an already low platform. The sides of the car are uncomfortably shaped giving it a vague bulgy look. The most awfully designed round shaped taillights seem to be jutting out of the boot.

After seeing the car, I have decided that I will never buy this car or recommend it to anybody. I wonder what Chevy was thinking!

Article submitted by BC

    SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend     Add to Technorati Favorites                 Add New Post