[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

OTR price in Pune, all included, including the current special edition accessories is Rs 2.49 lakhs, LX version. Does that sound right?

Yep, it's right. Per location and per dealer you may be able to squeeze out a few grands here and there, but more or less the price is what you have quoted.

Visibility is a big challenge in the Nano, specially after I made the switch from the Santro. The A pillar beautifully obstructs any pedestrians or bikers approaching you at 90-degrees at an intersection. Taking sharp turns to the right is a peril in populated areas, unless you crane your neck around. The ORVMs are set closer to the driver and so you have to turn your neck more to get an all round visibility. This, in my one year of experience, has been the biggest letdown.

On all the other fronts, the Nano scores well. Even the engine noise will die down after running it in, and there are certain spots in the powerband where you will actually struggle to hear the engine. I actually check the dashboard to see if the engine accidentally switched off, as the car is rolling forward.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by honeybee

Yep, it's right. Per location and per dealer you may be able to squeeze out a few grands here and there, but more or less the price is what you have quoted.

Visibility is a big challenge in the Nano, specially after I made the switch from the Santro. The A pillar beautifully obstructs any pedestrians or bikers approaching you at 90-degrees at an intersection.

On all the other fronts, the Nano scores well. Even the engine noise will die down after running it in, and there are certain spots in the powerband where you will actually struggle to hear the engine. I actually check the dashboard to see if the engine accidentally switched off, as the car is rolling forward.

Ok, thanks.

Re the A pillar, I didn't find it to be a big issue in my short drive. Doesn't the quarter glass help? I would worry about the Nano disappearing in the blind spots of some other cars I can think of!

The engine noise - good to know. Maybe the 12000k test drive car did not have a well treated engine? Would you say that the engine noise/AC noise will not be intrusive enough to drown out the music in city use?

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Re the A pillar, I didn't find it to be a big issue in my short drive. Doesn't the quarter glass help? I would worry about the Nano disappearing in the blind spots of some other cars I can think of!

Well, good for you. Maybe I cannot get the right seating position.

Originally Posted by Sawyer

The engine noise - good to know. Maybe the 12000k test drive car did not have a well treated engine? Would you say that the engine noise/AC noise will not be intrusive enough to drown out the music in city use?

Once you start driving it everyday, you will soon forget the noise. With windows rolled up and the AC on speed 1, you do sometimes hear the engine, but it just reminds you it's running. And if you do want to hear it, you just have to go pedal to metal. You will hear one of the best factory-made exhaust notes.

[sujay bhandare]

If any one hear (as I see) has complains about engine noise inside cabin, try using Shell regular petrol (not the high octane one). Engine noise inside cabine is drastically reduced. Also engine becomes more peppy with this petrol. I am using this one since 6 months and I have seen these changes in my nano. Also average is improved with the use of shell petrol. For normal petrol it used to deliver me 17 to 19 kmpl, that to inconsistently. But with Shell I am actually getting 20 to 21 and that to in city. I have checked it many times, and she is delivering it consistently.

[Sawyer]

On the grounds that the lesser the equipment, the less that can go wrong with it, and to minimise the spend, I am thinking of the CX version, and that because I need the AC. I don't like the black bumpers, but I can get those painted outside to match. As to black interior trim, I prefer that to beige anyway.

Does anyone know if the increased dia steering wheel will be available on the CX? From a drivability point of view, I don't think I will lose anything by going the CX route.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by sujay bhandare

try using Shell regular petrol (not the high octane one). Engine noise inside cabine is drastically reduced. Also engine becomes more peppy with this petrol. I am using this one since 6 months and I have seen these changes in my nano. Also average is improved with the use of shell petrol. For normal petrol it used to deliver me 17 to 19 kmpl, that to inconsistently. But with Shell I am actually getting 20 to 21 and that to in city. I have checked it many times, and she is delivering it consistently.

Good inputs. Where are the Shell pumps in Pune and what is the price difference per litre?

[Sawyer]

I mentioned to a friend yesterday about my Nano plans, and the first question he asked me - doesn't it catch fire?
Now, I know that any car can, and Tata must have addressed this issue, but they haven't done anything to address public perception. I wish they understood these simple things...

[sujay bhandare]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Good inputs. Where are the Shell pumps in Pune and what is the price difference per litre?

To my knowledge there are two pumps in Pune. One is on Bombay-Bangalore bypass near Warze and other is on old Bombay pune highway about 500 mtrs ahead of Nashik phata.
The other one which is ahead of Nashik phata, you will find the shell pump on both the sides of highway.

For regular shell petrol it is only 2 Rs. costlier than our regular petrol.
And talking about the high octane version its almost 11 to 15 Rs. costlier.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

I mentioned to a friend yesterday about my Nano plans, and the first question he asked me - doesn't it catch fire?
Now, I know that any car can, and Tata must have addressed this issue, but they haven't done anything to address public perception. I wish they understood these simple things...

They did appoint a third-party team to investigate and report on whether it was due to any manufacturing defects (which the team found wasn't the case), and they did take some safeguards to prevent such things happening in future.

Isn't the lack of any such incidents for so many months proof enough? :-)

The engine noise, even with regular petrol (sold by other petroleum companies) is very much less. I don't feel any difference between the Nano and my earlier Santro, or for that matter even the Ikon. With windows rolled up it's actually pretty quiet.

[ahmad.007]

Brilliant little car, I even thought of getting one for my self too. But then if for 2 lakh someone can buy a Nano, he could also buy a used Wagon R, Spark, Alto, A-Star, etc, in good condition, even a Beat, a top model petrol beat with only 20k kms on odo sold out for 2.5 lakhs in front of my eyes, and I was like drooling.
These cars would offer immense practicality to the car buyer by sacrificing just a few kmpls.

[ahmad.007]

Originally Posted by avingodb

Few points on Nano since I am driving one for last 3 odd months
1) I am also getting an average of more that 17.50 Km these days after the first service, in city and without AC.
2) And mind you i am heavy footed, I enjoy the zip that Nano gives from the signal! So I think that my car can easily add another 1km to that figure if I decide to go slow.
3)Plus most of travels are short so I think that is another place where I could get better average with warm engine.

So the allegations of low average are not fair.

4)In my opinion, the 'status' aspect of car ownership and low price tag is killing Nano, add to it the rising petrol price which is chipping away the price conscious potential buyers.
5)Despite this, there remains huge amount of curiosity as well as ignorance about Nano out there. I have encountered too many funny questions wrt its efficiency, drivability, and also whether it stays on road at high speeds!

+1
FE depends upon driving style and traffic conditions.
GTO nailed it on the expressway and later on bad traffic nailed the FE :-P
I constantly get 17+ in city with 20% Ac from my 15 year old Matiz :-) (moderate/low traffic)
The highest I got in city was 21 kmpl w/o AC, and lowest was 13 due to awful traffic (I think which is the case of Mumbai). On highways, a sedate 80 shows 25+ easily.
And I am not the lightest footed around, but anywhere around 50-70 I slot in the 5th and start cruising. That does it for me.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by ahmad.007

Brilliant little car, I even thought of getting one for my self too. But then if for 2 lakh someone can buy a Nano, he could also buy a used Wagon R, Spark, Alto, A-Star, etc, in good condition

That is one very valid point, and I remember thinking this even when it was supposed to be a one lakh car, when a decent condition Maruti 800 was going for about 130000, which would be a better all around car if highway performance was to be thrown into the comparison.

Add to this the real price on road, issues such as inconvenient hatch access, the usual Tata niggles and mediocre after sales service, stepney issue because of different sizing of front and rear tyres, only marginally better FE - this killed Tata plans for the expected volumes. As did the fact that for lower income groups, the FE gets compared to that from two wheelers as a vital consideration. And the catching fire thing didn't do it any good either.

In my case, I am fortunate enough to be in a place where it will be the third car in my garage - a Gypsy is my second - so I can indulge in my love for its looks, character and fun to drive in the city appeal to go for it now that the first lot of buyers have done being the guinea pig experiment population that Tata seems to need more than other manufacturers do. But even today, if it was to be my first and only car for some time to come, I would look to the used car market, if I could afford the petrol running expense of a car over a two wheeler. If many people think on these lines, building volumes for the Nano isn't going to be easy.

I also find that TML is remarkably responsive to direct approaches today - way ahead of any other auto company at this point in time. There is very clearly an intent to get things back on track. But when I compare them to Toyota, the difference is that in the latter case even service processes are so robust that things get done without escalation, using the same "right first time" approach they have for manufacturing. Which is how things have to be for a mass market product that has volume aspirations.

Originally Posted by honeybee

They did appoint a third-party team to investigate and report on whether it was due to any manufacturing defects (which the team found wasn't the case), and they did take some safeguards to prevent such things happening in future.

Isn't the lack of any such incidents for so many months proof enough? :-)

The engine noise, even with regular petrol (sold by other petroleum companies) is very much less. I don't feel any difference between the Nano and my earlier Santro, or for that matter even the Ikon. With windows rolled up it's actually pretty quiet.

Lack of incidents is proof enough for me, but the very fact that I was posed this question is a pointer to public perceptions. In such cases, memories are long, also no doubt fuelled by competitor moves.

But I have to point out the lack of manufacturing defects doesn't necessarily mean there wasn't a design defect, does it?! Anyway, I am not worried about this aspect of it, but it is something for Tata to think about. I have done my bit in pointing this out to them.

Good to hear about the engine note/noise. I have decided to get a new LX, once the 2013 models are on sale.

[ahmad.007]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

That is one very valid point, and I remember thinking this even when it was supposed to be a one lakh car, when a decent condition Maruti 800 was going for about 130000, which would be a better all around car if highway performance was to be thrown into the comparison.

Add to this the real price on road, issues such as inconvenient hatch access, the usual Tata niggles and mediocre after sales service, stepney issue because of different sizing of front and rear tyres, only marginally better FE - this killed Tata plans for the expected volumes.

In my case, I am fortunate enough to be in a place where it will be the third car in my garage - a Gypsy is my second - so I can indulge in my love for its looks, character and fun to drive in the city appeal to go for it now that the first lot of buyers have done being the guinea pig experiment population that Tata seems to need more than other manufacturers do. But even today, if it was to be my first and only car for some time to come, I would look to the used car market, if I could afford the petrol running expense of a car over a two wheeler.

Yes, TATA had originally targetted the first-time car buyers with the Nano. But the fact that the Nano is more of an icon than a practical little car is hurting the sales. First-time buyers would want an allrounder car if that will be the only car in the family, even though they won't go to extensive highway drives or use the boot much, but still the mentally of "having a thing and not using it" feels better than "not having, and can't use it". So for them a used better car would make more sense, and for those who do not have the open mind of buying a used car, Alto generally makes sense for a little extra money.
The Nano therefore finds more practicality as a second or third car for puttering in the city with no tension of parking, FE, going to market, office, movies where you don't need highway stability or a 500 litre boot, and where grocery bags are home at the backseat. That said Nano is the better city car one could find today, it would become the best with a diesel heart.
For one strange unknown reason I may go on to say, Nano is to Alto, what Beat is to Figo. Lol
Don't trash me guys for this. :-P

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by ahmad.007

That said Nano is the better city car one could find today, it would become the best with a diesel heart.

Diesel - in theory, yes. But I shudder to think of what a home grown Tata diesel engine will mean for a car of that size and weight, in terms of NVH and handling. The only decent diesel engine they have that is fit for passenger cars is the Fiat engine. I can't see Tata coming up with a diesel engine as refined as say the one in the Honda Amaze, cut down to size for the Nano. And then the pricing of the car will create further issues.

[avingodb]

Has anyone here done DIY for AC filters cleaning?
My car's ac is not chilling anymore at speed 1 and 2 is too noisy to operate all the time.
Plus my scheduled service is still 2 months away.