India Rolls Out $2500 Car

It was an unusual thing to do on a Sunday, but during the afternoon of December 23rd, after our morning Christmas service had ended, Jerry bought a car. He had taken me to the motor home so that I could finish packing for we would be going to Crestline…as soon as he brought home the new car.

Because we live in the mountains 🙂 part of the time, for several years now we have driven four-wheel drive cars–actually Jeeps. The one we were driving had more than 130 thousand miles on it, and during the week before this memorable Sunday, in the Wal-Mart parking lot, it had refused to start. The failure to start was under Jerry’s watch, he had forgotten his cellphone, and had to traipse around and find a place where he could call Mike to come help him.

“Time to get a new car,” Jerry told me when he got home.

He had been telling me that for some time, but I had not waxed enthusiastic about the subject. Why?

1. Cars are expensive.

2. I hated to part with the cash (since at our age our savings accounts are spiraling downward and not mounting upward!)

3. Although I recognize we must have a dependable car, and we drive many miles a year, I am not much interested in cars…can’t identify many brands. If the car is dependable and has a decent appearance and is reasonably comfortable, I would just drive the same one forever.

4. Cars must be the worst investment in the world. Pay $30,000 for one…in ten years, it’s ready for the bargain second-hand lot. Compare that to buying real estate, where years after paying for a house, and having the joy and protection of living there, the property is worth more than when first purchased. (At least that has been our experience with houses in California. I know that is not the case everywhere.)

Anyway, by Saturday we had narrowed the car choices down to a couple. “You choose,” I told Jerry on Sunday. I packed. He bought, and came home with a beautiful 2004 white Grand Cherokee Jeep, which we have now traveled in for hundreds of miles. It has proved to be a good car.

Take a look at this one, though. Next time Jerry wants a new car, I’m going to send him to India. 🙂 Save us lots of money.

(Money Sharma/EPA)

A team of 500 people worked on creating the Nano – Tata aims to prove that India can compete on the world market as an innovative car maker

It is a little over 10ft long bumper to bumper, can seat four passengers comfortably, has reached speeds of 65 miles per hour and is set to transform the concept of travel for the masses in India and in poorer parts of the world.

This is the People’s Car, the world’s cheapest car at a starting price of 100,000 rupees ($2,500) or the equivalent of a DVD player in a Lexus.

I love the line: “the equivalent of a DVD player in a Lexus.” Okay, okay, no rotten tomatoes, please. I know I have friends and family who drive Lexus’ . Just pickin’.

Happy trails, everybody…whether you’re driving a Jeep, Lexus, Nano, Cooper, VW, an Oldsmobile or a Chevy.

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