Test-drive a Nissan, win a lead-laced mug

[kurth]

TOKYO (Reuters) - Chinese merchandise took a fresh knock Friday when car maker Nissan said it was recalling tens of thousands of mugs it gave away in Japan because the paint contains excessive lead.

It said it took the action after a hapless car-shopper fell ill after drinking from one of the mugs and complained.

Nissan Motor said the cups, which it was giving to anyone who test-drove one of its cars in Japan during a sales initiative that started on August 16, had a lead content that was more than 30 percent above the permissible level.

Japan's third-biggest carmaker said it would recall the mugs, which it said could have reached as many as 87,000 potential customers. It did not know the identity of the manufacturer in China.

Chinese products have come under intense scrutiny over safety concerns in recent months, prompting recalls of products from toys and toothpaste to seafood and tires.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070907/od_nm/nissan_mug_china_odd_dc;_ylt=Ao8ES10z76QWO367Bwl8jKSs0NUE

[qanda]

1. Buy a Nissan, get a free lemon

We had a Murano that was just bought back under the lemon law. Don't ask me why my husband just purchased a Pathfinder after that experience but he really likes their cars.

[ReverendDeuce]

4. Yup, one bad experience so damn the whole product line!

Some people are amazingly fickle. Lemons are extremely rare... from ANY manufacturer.

[qanda]

5. I guess that's what my husband figures

I didn't want to go with them more for their customer service than the thought of getting another lemon. Anyway, he's tall and Nissan cars fit him well.

[high density]

6. The Renault alliance is enough for me to avoid Nissan

(This is not a French bashing thing, just a dislike of Renault.)

[fasttense]

2. When the Japanese were first producing products

their goods, radios and some toys were considered of poor quality. People made jokes about how bad the products from Japan were. But I never heard of any of their products being poisoned or actually hurting people. Why on the other hand, are Chinese products so deadly?

[Deja Q]

3. And why does China build up its nation, pull its people out of poverty, and play political games?

Corporations gave China their new status on a silver platter. China has NO right to complain, much less anything else, whatsoever.