[Dr.Suraj]

Originally Posted by honeybee

Dr. Suraj, the LX Nano dashboard reflects very badly into the windscreen, a good 1/3rd of the useful screen area (I am excluding the top few inches which can only be used to watch the sky).

I am curious to know if the body kit would hamper the Nano's ability to tread on the bad roads. Do you think there's any chance it will scrape against the bad roads?

The glove boxes are of a very bad quality, and I have more storage space without the boxes on my dash. I can stow away my SLR onto it safely. This would definitely not be possible with the glove boxes. So my suggestion would be to get rid of them.

Reflection - reduced thanks to BLACK glove boxes as compared to the full beige dashboard on the LX.

Glove boxes of bad quality - TOTALLY agree. Plastic is hard. But fit & finish is PATHETIC. Even the hinge is horrible. Getting rid of it - not much a choice. It's included in the offer and already fit. So so be it.

Body kit - I have my doubts too about GC and scraping over speed bumps.
Would try to drive one before I decide to go ahead with it and shall post here about it.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by Mirage

A picture of the NEO wheels on my Nano

Have you changed the tyres to make it all the same size? Or got the same design alloy in 2 different sizes?

[avingodb]

Originally Posted by Mirage

A picture of the NEO wheels on my Nano

What was the price for the set of 4?

[Mirage]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Have you changed the tyres to make it all the same size? Or got the same design alloy in 2 different sizes?

Using the stock tires , The wheel sizes are the same.
These alloys were made specifically for the nano ( 3 lug nuts )

Originally Posted by avingodb

What was the price for the set of 4?

13k

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by Mirage

...Using the stock tires , The wheel sizes are the same.
These alloys were made specifically for the nano ( 3 lug nuts )....

Isn't the wheel size of Nano different in the front & back? So how can the alloys be same sizes? I am slightly confused.

[Mirage]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Isn't the wheel size of Nano different in the front & back? So how can the alloys be same sizes? I am slightly confused.

The wheel sizes are the same , Only the rear tires are slightly wider than the ones in the front .

Same with the company steel rims all 4 rims are the same , Only wider rubber at the rear .

[jacs]

Originally Posted by jacs

Excellent Review GTO, like Jkdas quoted "Its a big review for a small car" .

I was considering to buy a small car for daily home use which is nothing but short city drives. Predominantly used by dad and wifey, offcourse I would love to take it for a spin through the town rather than taking my tusker (xylo) searching for parking space.

Few things appealed me from this review are below.

1. Light on pocket. Easy EMI options make it as affordable as a mid segment bike.
2. Practically good ingress/egress which makes it a winner for short & quick commutes. Especially for parents.
3. Good AC without compromising on power delivery.
4. TATA's large service network. Have one just 2KMs away from my home.
5. 4 years and 60K KMs warranty is a remarkable investment protection.
6. Reasonable ground clearance for some occassional rural drives.

Few negatives I could register considering my use case are below.

1. No power steering would make tough parking for wife and dad? Dad drives a Alto1.1. VX and lack of power steering is a complaint even today.
2. Not so exciting FE as advertized? 16 to 18kmpl average is a must considering today's petrol price. 13kmpl is a strict no.
3. Absence of a front disc brake makes me feel bit uncomfortable though not very significant for a strict city/short distance/slow commutes.

Any trusted info on Diesel nano launch? And projected costing?

Guys,

Just thought of updating you all that, I test drove the Nano twice and my wifey and dad also drove once. Very honest response is "It has the bang for bucks but we wouldn't mind paying another 10K extra for a bit more refinement".

After two test drives, observations narrowed again.

+ My dad and mom or my 6 months preg wife or my 3 year old son, all found NANO's front seats the easiest to get-in and come-out in all the cars travelled till date
+ Need of power steering was never felt, thanks to the rear engine and tall stance.

- Brake is not responsive enough to stop in high-way speeds. Felt scary while trying to stop at 60kmph. I felt my old 800 stops better, may be we'll get used to it?
- Clutch has no life (as many already reported) and it ruins the fun of taking off from signals. Again we might get used to it?


And the fun is my dad has decided to book the Special Edition since it comes with all the needed goodies. But my TATA dealer showed no interest to sell the car and dad called off the purchase plan .

[girishglg]

On the dealer apathy, just write to Tata motors in the contact form in their website and surely someone from their company will respond and fix the issue.

Getting your dad involved would be a good idea and if there is positive response then he may actually change his mind since it will be a loss not buying such a good package esp the special edition due to some uninterested dealer

Originally Posted by jacs

And the fun is my dad has decided to book the Special Edition since it comes with all the needed goodies. But my TATA dealer showed no interest to sell the car and dad called off the purchase plan .

[swiftnfurious]

Questions :

1. Could anyone tell me the price difference between the base model & top end (ex showroom)?

2. Can A/C & power windows be retrofitted on the base version?

3. Cost of the retrofitment?

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by jacs

And the fun is my dad has decided to book the Special Edition since it comes with all the needed goodies. But my TATA dealer showed no interest to sell the car and dad called off the purchase plan .

Which dealer? This should be brought to the attention of Tata Motors. Tata need to part with these dealers and recruit new dealers who love to sell and service Tata cars.
For the time being you should take the initiative and buy it for Dad. I am sure he will enjoy it...

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by jacs

- Brake is not responsive enough to stop in high-way speeds. Felt scary while trying to stop at 60kmph. I felt my old 800 stops better, may be we'll get used to it?
- Clutch has no life (as many already reported) and it ruins the fun of taking off from signals. Again we might get used to it?

Brakes do feel scary at the beginning before you get used to it. I drove extremele cautiously before I got used to them, and once I got used to them I have never felt unsafe. You do need to build the habit of braking a second or two before you would brake in other cars. This is thanks to the Nano having drum brakes all around, whereas most other cars (even the Omni!) have disc brakes at the front. Also you need to effectively use downshifting and engine braking. In panic situations you would be amazed at the speed lost by simply downshifting while braking.

Regarding clutch, my biggest complaint is the power delivery from stand-still is not uniform. Being a non-auto guy I don't know quite how to put it, but I feel the engine power comes in irregular bursts, both in first and second gears. Nothing alarming, just something different from the other cars. So far I haven't found the clutch would give up. And the Nano has a four year / 60kkm warranty. So you can expect the clutch to last till then at least.

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Questions :

1. Could anyone tell me the price difference between the base model & top end (ex showroom)?

2. Can A/C & power windows be retrofitted on the base version?

3. Cost of the retrofitment?

OTR difference between the base (Nano) and the top end (LX) could be around 50k. Don't know the ex-showroom price difference.

You may be able to get the A/C and power windows retrofitted at some neighbourhood workshop, however it would most likely void your warranty on the electricals. Also I am not sure the power windows are required. They do look convenient, but only after you break your neck while operating the switches.
Cost would be in the range of 30k, which is really equal to the difference in the ex-showroom prices of the models.
If you are tight on the budget, go for the CX model which comes with AC. I should have opted for one instead of the LX.

I would strongly advise against aftermarket fitment in view of the incidents of Nanos catching fire. Also being a technological innovation / nanovation of sorts, I am not sure if its alternator capacity and other parameters have been suitably tested for aftermarket fitments (I mean not many people have done it to know the effects of the same). Afterall the costs would work out the same, and in case of factory fitted AC you would get it covered under the vehicle warranty, whereas in the aftermarket case, you would lose the vehicle warranty and only have a limited (one or two years) warranty on the AC.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by honeybee

....I would strongly advise against aftermarket fitment in view of the incidents of Nanos catching fire. Also being a technological innovation / nanovation of sorts, I am not sure if its alternator capacity and other parameters have been suitably tested for aftermarket fitments (I mean not many people have done it to know the effects of the same). Afterall the costs would work out the same, and in case of factory fitted AC you would get it covered under the vehicle warranty, whereas in the aftermarket case, you would lose the vehicle warranty and only have a limited (one or two years) warranty on the AC.

I should have mentioned clearly, I meant retrofitment at the dealer itself. With Nano, it makes no sense to do anything in the neighborhood garages, especially electrical installations.

I have no immediate plans for the car, but was checking out the possibilities, especially if someone wants to grab a base version & add A/C or power windows to it. Add to it, hesitation of complete beige interiors for people like me.

[jacs]

Originally Posted by girishglg

On the dealer apathy, just write to Tata motors in the contact form in their website and surely someone from their company will respond and fix the issue.

Getting your dad involved would be a good idea and if there is positive response then he may actually change his mind since it will be a loss not buying such a good package esp the special edition due to some uninterested dealer

Yes Girish, fun is before we complaint itself the dealer is losing their contract with TATA and a new entrant would own that business it seems. Now it could be a transition phase probably.

And dad doesn't look positive now, may be he lost the pinch. I am not compelling him too much since my pocket rocket (Alto 1.1) is a fantastic car which might go away with a Nano coming in

Originally Posted by teamveevee

Which dealer? This should be brought to the attention of Tata Motors. Tata need to part with these dealers and recruit new dealers who love to sell and service Tata cars.
For the time being you should take the initiative and buy it for Dad. I am sure he will enjoy it...

I am talking about St.Antonys Motors, Vadavathoor. Looks like they are already losing the dealership for consumer segment and heard Kalarickal is coming in with a dealership for TATA.

Originally Posted by honeybee

Brakes do feel scary at the beginning before you get used to it. I drove extremele cautiously before I got used to them, and once I got used to them I have never felt unsafe. You do need to build the habit of braking a second or two before you would brake in other cars. This is thanks to the Nano having drum brakes all around, whereas most other cars (even the Omni!) have disc brakes at the front. Also you need to effectively use downshifting and engine braking. In panic situations you would be amazed at the speed lost by simply downshifting while braking.

Regarding clutch, my biggest complaint is the power delivery from stand-still is not uniform. Being a non-auto guy I don't know quite how to put it, but I feel the engine power comes in irregular bursts, both in first and second gears. Nothing alarming, just something different from the other cars. So far I haven't found the clutch would give up. And the Nano has a four year / 60kkm warranty. So you can expect the clutch to last till then at least.

Thanks for sharing the experience. Thats exactly what I was trying to convey too.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by honeybee

Brakes do feel scary at the beginning before you get used to it. I drove extremele cautiously before I got used to them, and once I got used to them I have never felt unsafe. You do need to build the habit of braking a second or two before you would brake in other cars. This is thanks to the Nano having drum brakes all around, whereas most other cars (even the Omni!) have disc brakes at the front. Also you need to effectively use downshifting and engine braking. In panic situations you would be amazed at the speed lost by simply downshifting while braking.

Good insight. Drums work, but the fade is awful. Not to mention the characteristic squeal that starts very quickly after each service, and stays till the next. At least it did on my Omni.

OT: I had an Omni in the late 90s, and it didn't have disc brakes in front. When did they start the disc version? Was it with the MPFI version (which came out a month or so before mine)?

[Dr.Suraj]

Originally Posted by jacs

Guys,

Just thought of updating you all that, I test drove the Nano twice and my wifey and dad also drove once. Very honest response is "It has the bang for bucks but we wouldn't mind paying another 10K extra for a bit more refinement".

After two test drives, observations narrowed again.

+ My dad and mom or my 6 months preg wife or my 3 year old son, all found NANO's front seats the easiest to get-in and come-out in all the cars travelled till date
+ Need of power steering was never felt, thanks to the rear engine and tall stance.

- Brake is not responsive enough to stop in high-way speeds. Felt scary while trying to stop at 60kmph. I felt my old 800 stops better, may be we'll get used to it?
- Clutch has no life (as many already reported) and it ruins the fun of taking off from signals. Again we might get used to it?


And the fun is my dad has decided to book the Special Edition since it comes with all the needed goodies. But my TATA dealer showed no interest to sell the car and dad called off the purchase plan .

Which dealer

Just log on to website and ask for a test drive.

You will have 5 people calling you directly from Tata motors and you can complaint about the dealer as well. Immediate action will be taken + better service offered all along the way!

The special edition is EVERY BIT worth it. Total VFM !

I just got mine home 4 days ago. Writing up the review in the assembly line as I type this.