Re: Tata Nano AMT (Automatic) : Official Review It's been exactly a week since our GenX XTA came home. The rate of clocking up of kms has drastically come down from the first 2 days. Work responsibilities are keeping me away from enjoying the car. Got my second full tank yesterday and the DTE read 277 km. This is frankly not a very big jump from the older nano which used to show 220 km with its 15L fuel tank under the same conditions. So the GenX will last me 9 days with a full tank whereas the old one used to run dry in 7 days. I guess this is a small price to pay for a more well rounded and more comfortable car. Hope this improves with time. Where the older nano used to feel very zippy and frisky like an excited puppy, this one feels kind of more refined and composed more like the puppy's mum. Performance wise the twist or for that matter even the older nanos will smoke the GenX (Can't comment on the non AMT one though). It feels lesser agile than the twist too somehow. Users who upgrade from the twist should immediately notice the difference in handling. That was truly a point and shoot vehicle. It could be that I am missing the control offered by the clutch pedal and I keep getting the nagging feeling that it has a mind of its own that is not fully under my control. Maybe I should have opted for the manual but the AMT was the only reason for my upgrade. So I have decided to cut off on the aggressive driving in city and go along with the traffic flow now instead of trying to fill in unthinkable gaps. I am unable to gather confidence or courage to do those moves in this car. Maybe these differences are a good thing after all. Also I had planned for the following accessories:
1. Alloy Wheels
I was out in the market searching for black finish alloy wheels with the TATA Y-spoke design. All the dealers had the aluminium coloured V-spoke design (The one that was present from Tata Nano Special Edition onwards). Managed to find a set of black wheels yesterday for a good deal after a bit of haggling. Just for the information, the silver wheels are priced cheaper than the corresponding black ones for reasons known only to them. A few months back both were priced same and cheaper than now. Anyway looks have sort of changed and I am happy with it. Tyres remain the crappy JK Ultima LXT and did not do balancing due to the small rim diameter and the lower speeds this car can do.
2. Bosch Clear Advantage Flat Blade Wiper
Installed this myself and wiping has been excellent and smooth. Looks upmarket too and does not stick so much 'in your face' compared to the thick stock blade. The stock wiper blade used to chatter loudly and leave marks on the windscreen while wiping. Got the 26 inch Bosch ones for Rs 400 from JC Road.
3. 3M Underbody Coating
This is not really needed but I have done it for an extra layer of protection in case the stock sealant has gaps. TATA car after all. It costs only 1500 for the nano at 3M for the 2 year solution.
4. Day/Night IRVM
Installed this myself. It is a simple affair as in just slide out the old mirror from its holder and slide in the new one. Driving at night has become so much easier now with the anti glare setting.
5. Double Horn
The stock horn is meek and does not make even a stray dog stroll out of the way let alone our cyclists. I have a pair of Denso Compact Fullpower Tone which will be going in this weekend. This horn does not require a relay but is sufficiently loud at the same time. Now the chore is to find an ideal place in the front to install them. The bumper might need to be removed so am not trying a DIY install. It was easier on the older nano.
6. Philips Xtreme Vision or Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited Bulbs
This was on the list but was pleasantly surprised by the headlamps on my first night drive back from work yesterday. These were good to say the least! The beam was full and thick with a clear focus into the distance. Tried looking at the bulbs after reaching home but there was no make written on them. It was kind of comparable to the Philips Xtremevisions that I have installed on my other car. So decided to give this upgrade a miss for the time being at least till these bulbs start fading. Left Side - Bosch wiper visible too Right Side - The lack of mudflaps is glaring The Day/Night IRVM Look at what's mentioned on the radiator. Found this while hunting for a place for the horn! |