Jumbo CHR Shopping CART (Narita Trading NTC001-CH)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EBO8QG/ref=pe_175190_21431760_3p_M3T1_ST1_dp_1I really like this cart. I hope this experience and comparison with a previous similar cart, and information, help. I think this is a really good buy at $50, especially with shipping and handling included. The cart arrived in good time. The box cardboard was rather flimsy, with punctures and tears, but everything was present and accounted for and undamaged. I think some reviewers received another manufacturer's product, not Narita's.No offgassing that I noticed. If I stick my nose right up to the rubber handle or wheels, they smell like rubber, but faintly, nothing strong. And my cart's UPS shipping label read Narita Trading Co., Inc., Clifton, NJ, and has the metal 'Easy Wheels' plate welded on the front of the cart. The packing slip is headed Stacks and Stacks in Richmond, CA (as indicated in the description of Amazon's listing when I ordered); technical inquiries phone number of 800 775-CART, email [email protected], and mailing address to Narita in Clifton, NJ.It is a little bit nitty gritty to put together, but not really difficult. Study the illustration a bit first, until you understand the order in which the cotter pins, washers, springs, and wheels go on. Then it's not difficult. Best lay out the parts on the floor or table in the order shown, and lay the cart down or lean it upside down against the table in proper relation to those parts. Be sure to insert the cotter pin, in the form it comes, into the hole on the axle; THEN pry the two sections apart and wrap them in opposite directions around the axle. I was able to do this with my fingers, no pliers or other tool needed. I found one cotter pin put on by whoever assembled the basic frame; the pin was straightened out and the single wire stuck through and just wrapped around the axle, leaving very little to stop whatever from sliding off. Think of it as a bobby pin (remember those?). The rounded bend will not pull down into the hole and so remains sticking above it to prevent sideways motion of whatever is being secured (like a wheel). Once the two ends are poked through the shaft hole, they are bent back to secure the pin in place. Optimally, one should use pliers to be able to bend each end a little way from the point of emergence back toward the shaft before curving it around the shaft, thus providing another protruding nub to stop sideways motion. You need a bit of strength in your fingers to compress the spring with one hand while you put on the washer and then insert the cotter pin with the other hand. That's about the hardest part.The only thing I can say I didn't like was that the rubber cover around the handle portion was too short; I found it uncomfortable to hold and push the cart with my hands relatively 'too close' together. So, I took a razor blade, cut it around the middle, and pushed the separate pieces apart, with the outer ends just over the first bends on each side. Much better. I would just as soon have had black, but the chrome is blingy (possibly more attractive to thieves?).I'm not sure why rotaing front wheels would be needed. If tight turns are needed, the cart is very maneuverable when tipped up on the back wheels only. It also does best tipped back over grass and bumpy terrain.After reading some of the previous comments it seems that some people try to turn the cart with all four wheels down. I can see how they might eventually pop the cotter pins that way, by putting sideways pressure on them. Just tip the cart back on the back wheels and it is VERY maneuverable. Zero radius turns, like those lawn mowers. Tip back, turn, set back down on all four wheels and proceed. Truly. No need to pick the whole thing up and put it down in the direction you want to go! I'm 70 and can easily tip this cart back to turn it, even with a load of 4-6 large and full bags of groceries. I guess as I get older, I might get more decrepit and become unable to handle this, but then I'll try to purchase less at one time and make more trips. I have a ride to the grocery store every two weeks, which is the reason for the large loads which I cart back from my neighbor's house (one block up and one block over). I also occasionally make grocery trips and other shopping trips by bus with this cart. And I go (at least once a month) to and from the library by bus, usually with at least two, sometimes three, full bags of books.My old cart vs this new cart:I bought and have used a cart similar to this (except black) about 15 or more years ago, from Target. I believe that one was built by a company called 'Trimmer', in imitation of the Narita Trading Co. 'Easy Wheels' cart. It was on sale for $18, if I recall correctly. (the Target store was moving to a new location). I have used it for 20-40 library books plus other baggage at a time, a 50 lb bag of chicken feed, 4-6 heaped bags of groceries. I think both the old cart and the new one could indeed hold 150 pounds if the weight were properly spread over the bottom of the basket. Not if all that weight were on a smaller area (did that other purchaser have someone stand in the cart!?).For about the last 6 months, the wheels on my old cart became increasingly 'drunk' and the cart was becoming difficult to steer, and the wheels were finally beginning to warp. The wheel hubs are metal tubes about 7/8ths of an inch in diameter and 1" long, plugged at each end with a hard black plastic of some sort through which the 'axle' fits. This plastic material has worn down over time so that there is now a great deal of play as the wheel rotates.This new Narita Trading Co. cart looks to be perhaps a tad more heavy duty. In particular, the wheel rims and rubber are wider and the rubber a bit thicker than on the older cart. I hope it will last at least as long. I expect some of the same wear on the wheels, as they are made in the same manner as on the older cart; that is, the hubs are plugged with a hard black plastic of some sort through which the 'axle' fits, and this will be subject to the same wear.The cotter pins on the new cart appear to be the same gauge as on the older cart, so presumably will hold up as well as those have. They don't have that much stress. It's the wheel hubs, or the plastic plugs in them, that bear the most wear. It would be nice, but surely a great deal more expensive, if there were ball bearings packed in the hubs.The rest of the old cart is still in pretty good shape. A few of the welds of the grids broke (I used wire bread bag twistems to hold them together:-). One of the side wires fell out and was lost along the way. I pulled on all the side wires on this new cart, and they seem more securely fitted into the frame.I ordered a liner this time (separately from the cart, different source). Don't waste your money. It doesn't look at all waterproof -- maybe it would serve in a brief light drizzle -- maybe. The liner is made out of that non-woven material used in those $1 grocery store bags. Among those offered by the store I go to were a few that were plastic coated; I snapped them up. Those are lasting quite well, except for an occasional popped seam (which I can repair). But I wouldn't pay for the non-coated kind, and this cart liner is not coated. And they sent the wrong color. I'll call about returning it, but if that costs too much, I may try painting it with a clear vinyl.If you don't need a waterproof liner, just use a cardboard box, or cut and bend part of a large piece of cardboard to fit the basket, to keep things from falling out. Though you'd need to take it out, I suppose, to compress the cart for storage.

First, it is large. Second, it is heavy. Third, I needed help putting it together. Overall, it is a nice cart and will carry quite a bit. So now I have a new BIG, HEAVY cart and will still need help bringing the groceries in.

I should have listened to the negative reviews. The basket's OK, but the rear wheels are pieces of crap. I used it twice and the wheels started to bend. I may have had 50 pounds of groceries in it.It was also slightly damaged in shipment, but it was only a slight curving bend to one long strut.I am buying new sturdy wheels and bushings to fit the axle shaft, and that should fix the problems, but this thing is still a ripoff.

This cart is nice, well built but a bit too big for me to use for my purposes. It would not fit into my trunck of my small car. I think I just needed somthing smaller. I gave it to my brother in law and he loves it. Uses it all the time

If you know the song by Bobby Mcferrin, It's kind of what I'm feeling. I haven't used the cart yet. I have to make about 1.5 mile trek to get my groceries. I wanted more relience on a cart that was held together by something stronger than a cotter pin. I'm going to buy extra pins just to be on the safe side, and take them with me. I feel the purchase was good, just a little concerned about the wheels falling off. I like the cart overall, and have to wait and see how this holds up over long distances. The size of the basket is just what I was looking for, so it seems worth the bargain. One thing I didn't like were the fumes. I basically fumigated my entire apartment with this product, so the cart is out on my deck. The good side of the story is I don't need to worry about an army of ants crawling up my bedpost, I'm sure this product killed them all. The bad thing is I was nausous to begin with, and the fumes of mothballs has made me more sick. I just hope this cart works out ok for shopping and travelling over long distances. I would have rather paid a bit more to get something held on by a bolt like a bike, or already assembled with a tack weld with a bearing. I'm under a lot of stress so I'm listening to "don't worry, be happy."Week one: I used it twice and no problems to report. After airing it out the smell has gone away. I did an inspection of the wheels and the pins seem to be holding up to the wear. One thing I noticed is the handle is short, I'm 6'2 , and this puts strain on my back. The plus side is its light and it folds for easy storage. I saw a friends cart today and his looked more heavy duty, wheel bearings and front wheels that swivel, mine looks like chicken wire compared to his, so there are better carts out there. I should have asked him where he got his.