[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by Ameya Janvekar

Finally

The Zest XMS RT Buzz Blue has arrived.

Many congratulations , but where are the pictures Sir. What is the on-road price? Any discounts?

[Ameya Janvekar]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Many congratulations , but where are the pictures Sir. What is the on-road price? Any discounts?

Hi AutoIndian

Thanks for your well wishes.

Sorry unable to upload via phone. Will do it via laptop soon.

It costed on road 6.75L after discount & free mudflap + mats etc.

Waiting for the RTO formalities to finish so that can drive it around.

Thanks.

[srvm]

Originally Posted by Ameya Janvekar

Finally The Zest XMS RT Buzz Blue has arrived......

Congratulations on the new car. Wishing you many happy miles. Looking forward to your ownership report soon
I too own a Zest XMS RT in Buzz Blue color. Bought it nearly a year ago.

Just got the 2nd free service done today at KHT Motors, Bangalore. ODO stands at 8800 kms.
Replaced Engine oil, Oil filter, fuel filter & Gear oil. Topped up Coolant and brake oil as well. I did not have Gold AMC. So total cost was Rs.3084.



So far the entire family is happy with the car. TASS experience today (yes, Sunday) was also a very pleasant one. SA was very polite, listened to my queries while preparing job card, and did not push for any unnecessary jobs. Car was cleaned very well inside as well as outside. Engine bay too was cleaned well.

I'd rate today's experience at TASS a 10/10

[iamdeva]

My Zest RT has completed almost 2.5 years with 25k on the ODO. Recently I had an issue with the central locking where the doors seemed to be getting re-locked every 2 minutes when the vehicle was in motion and the alarm used to go off a random when the car was parked. The noise was irritating to say the least. I also felt the clutch to be hard. So I took my car to the ASS on a Sunday. My car was kept for 2 days and am happy to state that the issues are resolved. The central locking issue was due to a relay prob. Initially the ASS said the clutch was okay. But after some testing, the clutch was replaced. All work was done under the Gold AMC so cost to me was zero.
I would definitely rate the ASS experience a 10/10.

[mayankverma]

I need to do exterior body & glass paint protection coating & scratch/paint removal on my blue Zest. 3M is quoting around 12K for the job . Anyone knows some other place in Pune which can do it cheaper?

[SAE40 in veins]

Originally Posted by mayankverma

I need to do exterior body & glass paint protection coating & scratch/paint removal on my blue Zest. 3M is quoting around 12K for the job . Anyone knows some other place in Pune which can do it cheaper?

3M has different types of coats. There is a basic coat available for a shade over 3K(this does not cover glasses). There is a representative of 3M based in Car art Pune (somewhere around Chinchwad) which is an accessory shop and they offer this. If you are interested to do a DIY, get Formula 1 scratch out for the scratches and then finish with a Carnauba Wax polish (brands can be 3M, Formula 1, Waxpol etc)

[drmohitg]

Guys any reviews on the Zest AMT? How is the gearbox in terms of long term reliability and Tata's after sales competency in dealing with any issues that may crop up. At 9L OTR, the Zest makes a very serious case for itself.

[Enobarbus]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Guys any reviews on the Zest AMT? How is the gearbox in terms of long term reliability and Tata's after sales competency in dealing with any issues that may crop up. At 9L OTR, the Zest makes a very serious case for itself.

I am using the XMA for the last 27 months.
It is totally reliable and comfortable. Rides extremely well and handling is more than adequate.
I get a mileage of 17+ Kmpl in winter and 16+ Kmpl in summer with 40% city, 50% outskirts and 10% highway driving, AC on for 90% of the time.
Mostly smooth gear shifts, but they are perceptible.
Very good ICE and connectivity.

The negative: No creep function, so it is jerky in bumper to bumper traffic. If you have the patience to drive with an extremely light foot, it gets better. But this allows all and sundry to cut you and further slow you down. If you can make peace with this, the rest is rewarding.

[racingmachine]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Guys any reviews on the Zest AMT? How is the gearbox in terms of long term reliability and Tata's after sales competency in dealing with any issues that may crop up. At 9L OTR, the Zest makes a very serious case for itself.

Having driven the Zest AMT for 30k+ kilometres, I can say it is one of the best AMT’s out there.

Please refer my earlier post on the pro’s & cons of the Zest AMT. These points still hold true.

Originally Posted by racingmachine

Having driven the Zest XTA for over 15k Kms in 6 months, I definitely vote in favor of it.

From high ground clearance, to all around seating comfort, to powerful engine, and convenient AMT, this car has never failed to impress me.

The car till date is rattle free, and absorbs the road bumps really well at high speeds. At low speeds, you may feel some bumps, but nothing significant. High speed mannerisms are top-class, inspiring you to carry on with those speeds.

I have driven many times on Del-Chd-Del & Del-Jaip-Del route, sometimes returning on same day. I have never, not even once, felt fatigued after my journey. Thanks to it’s seating comfort & convenience of AMT.

AMT does have it’s pro’s & con’s:

1. Sometimes in the middle of driving, once in a blue moon, AMT loses it’s cool, & the RPM shoots to 3000 revs, but settles down when I pull back from the A-pedal.
2. Sometimes, the AMT does not shift to a higher gear, and continues to accelerate on in the same gear. A little nudge of gear lever to manual & back to auto does the trick.
3. At times, when in extreme bumper-to-bumper traffic, you are braking and accelerating every second. When applying the brakes, the car will try to pull ahead a fraction of second more, but eventually comes to stop safely. It does gives you heart in mouth scenario for that fraction of second.

Also, AMT in general is sluggish. If you are a spirited driver, you will not find the AMT very efficient. However, if you are a sedate driver, you will never have problem with the AMT.

Don’t get me wrong, the car can reach higher speeds in a timely manner, but don’t expect it to shoot at the push of an accelerator.

Air-conditioning is excellent, and at level 6, the air throw is sufficient to reach and cool the rear cabin.

HK Music system, from a non-audiophile’s perspective, is more than what you could bargain for from a company fitted music system.

Fuel efficiency is always depending on the way you drive. Personally, I have got 25/26 KMPL when I drove within 80-90 kmph range, and I get anywhere between 17-20 KMPL with AC on full time, and usual bumper to bumper traffic.

Other than lack of cubby holes, I don’t see much wrong with the car. People crib about re-sale value, which is true. But if you are buying to drive the vehicle for 5-6 years, I don’t think it should matter that much in the long run. Even if they discontinue the Zest, they have to carry the spares for at-least 10 years after discontinuing the model.

Regarding TATA’s dealership & service experience, it is a hit and miss. Try visiting different showrooms, see how they interact, how willing are they to negotiate, etc. I personally visited 3 different showrooms before finalizing on one, who gave me a good deal, were interested to sell, and answered all queries swiftly. I remember from the moment I bought the car, till after my first service, I got regular calls from the dealership checking on my ownership experience, any issues I might be facing, and reminder for the 1st service. I had small niggles in the car, which the service centre resolved very promptly. Overall, I am very happy with the after-sales experience.

I was advised by everyone I know to NOT go for TATA vehicle. However, I listened to myself, understood my priorities (Diesel+Automatic, under 10 Lakh), and was left with only 2 choices at the time- Zest & TUV300. I guess in hindsight, I made the right choice.

Hope this helps you in making your decision.

[Cool_leo_guy]

Originally Posted by rambo1o1

Hey guys.
Is there any concrete news about a refreshed Zest being launched this year? My aunt is on the lookout for a compact petrol sedan in about 4 months time, since she plans to keep her car for 10 years, she would prefer the newer model.

Coming to the car, i took a very short test drive today. It was the petrol model.
Test drive car dint seemed to be maintained well, it was dirty on the outside, had very low fuel(hence the short test drive).It had rust on the body and the clutch setting was too loose. This could all be attributed to the dealer attitude, they were under renovation so it was totally deserted with no proper workshop, just a small sales team that was not interested at all.

Anyways, coming to the drive, even with the way the test car was presented, the drive was pretty good. There were no rattles for the 15k km old car. Ac chilled well, all the features worked. I couldn't stretch its legs since it was hardly a 2km drive. Suspension was good and those drive modes really work!
Will need a proper test drive but initial impressions are good.

Not much offers on 2017 models. Just 10k discount and 30k exchange bonous, no freebies at all. I guess a different dealer would be better but this dealer should stop selling cars until their renovation is complete, really gives a bad picture of tata in general and can scare off many customers.

Only major and usual worry about tata cars are their reliability and service.We used to have an indigo till 2011, the service that time was pathetic.I heard that the service has improved slightly but still about average, People prefer to service their tata's outside once their out of warranty,so its going to be difficult to see the zest in my aunts garage but lets see what happens in 4 months.

Regards

The Tata Tigor should be out by the end of March.
It is a later generation car with better fit and finish than Zest which is saying a lot as Zest also has good fit and finish. The rust etc which you saw in TD vehicle were a result of poor maintenance.
I own a Tiago XZ diesel and find it's finish and interior quality better than the Zest so same must carry over to Tigor.
Although Zest is a supremely reliable and competent product, the petrol variant isn't frugal by any means. A fuel economy of 11-12 kmpl in city and 15-17 on highways is what an average Joe usually gets.
As far as reliability is concerned you need not worry as it is very reliable.
I can say this from my personal experience as my friend owns a Zest diesel which we drive regularly on our thrice weekly commute which is about 160 kms per trip. Never had any issues in 80000 odd kms we have driven in 31 months apart from a clutch replacement under warranty at 75000 kms service and brake pad replacement twice and these too were the courtesy of the drivers who have a habit of slipping the clutch to gain speed in higher gear.
The Zest petrol is with two of my friends and also my sister. Apart from a bit lower fuel economy there are no issues at all. Service is also satisfactory.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by Cool_leo_guy

Never had any issues in 80000 odd kms we have driven in 31 months apart from a clutch replacement under warranty at 75000 kms service and brake pad replacement twice and these too were the courtesy of the drivers who have a habit of slipping the clutch to gain speed in higher gear.

They replaced the Clutch under warranty at 75000 kms? How did you manage to achieve that. A wear and tear part and after those many kms!

Originally Posted by racingmachine

AMT does have it’s pro’s & con’s:

1. Sometimes in the middle of driving, once in a blue moon, AMT loses it’s cool, & the RPM shoots to 3000 revs, but settles down when I pull back from the A-pedal.
2. Sometimes, the AMT does not shift to a higher gear, and continues to accelerate on in the same gear. A little nudge of gear lever to manual & back to auto does the trick.
3. At times, when in extreme bumper-to-bumper traffic, you are braking and accelerating every second. When applying the brakes, the car will try to pull ahead a fraction of second more, but eventually comes to stop safely. It does gives you heart in mouth scenario for that fraction of second.

Thanks for a very informative post specially since there are very few reviews of the Zest AMT available ( Please consider putting an ownership thread as I don't think there exists one as yet for the AMT variant).

Are these issues that you have listed above inherent to the AMT set up? The point number 1 and 2 sound particularly alarming. Can you please elaborate more on the same.

[Cool_leo_guy]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

They replaced the Clutch under warranty at 75000 kms? How did you manage to achieve that. A wear and tear part and after those many kms!

The car is under 100000 km /4 years extended warranty.
Just confirmed from my friend the clutch was charged for parts and labour. Approximately INR 11000.
Thanks for correcting me.

[Enobarbus]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

The point number 1 and 2 sound particularly alarming. Can you please elaborate more on the same.

My experience on these points:

1. If I was driving spiritedly for a while and I stop for some reason (like a traffic light), and I start driving sedately this time, the RPM shoots up. I think this is because the AMT downshifts quickly. I read somewhere that there is some program in the AMT software that tries to match your driving style. Since I was driving spiritedly a short while before, the AMT is trying to push (this is just my guess). This never happens if I drive sedately throughout the drive.

2. It happens early on in the morning. The AMT accelerates without upshifting. I drive in manual mode for a short while and then shift to auto. That solves the problem. It doesn't happen during the day.

One more observation: I start for work early in the morning when the roads are clear and I drive spiritedly. In the evening there will be heavy traffic so I drive sedately. At the start of the evening drive, the AMT will try to hold on to gears for longer. It also tries to downshift and push when I slow down. It behaves like this for a short while (first 500 to 1000 meters) and then it settles down.
If I drive sedately in the morning, it behaves normally even at the beginning of the evening drive.

So it is best to drive sedately throughout and the AMT will be smooth and the experience will be nice.

[racingmachine]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Thanks for a very informative post specially since there are very few reviews of the Zest AMT available ( Please consider putting an ownership thread as I don't think there exists one as yet for the AMT variant).

I remember starting a thread in assembly line long back. Haven’t gotten to completing it yet. Let me give it another shot.

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Are these issues that you have listed above inherent to the AMT set up? The point number 1 and 2 sound particularly alarming. Can you please elaborate more on the same.

It’s pretty much inherent to the AMT system. You get used to it over time, and it stops bothering you after a while.

Sudden acceleration happens very rarely. You are driving around normally, and suddenly the revs go up to 3000-3300 rpms. Lifting off the acceleration pedal for appx one second does the job. It got me worried in the beginning and I checked with service centre. They ensured it is a known drawback of AMT, not necessarily a fault in the system. From what I understand, the gearbox disengages for that fraction of a second, causing the engine to rev higher, as our foot is pressed on the A-pedal. Removing our foot allows the AMT to engage with gearbox again & pressing the A-pedal again we carry on ahead in the same gear and speed. It might seem a bit scary to read, but it all happens within a fraction of a second. Someone who is used to driving AMT will shrug it off and carry on. It will happen 1 out of a 1000 times, but will happen for sure.

AMT not shifting gears is again a rare occurrence, but it does happen.

You’ll be driving around nonchalantly and suddenly you see the gearbox is not shifting to a higher gear at appx 2200 rpm (where it usually shifts gear), but continuing to rev above 3000 rpm in the same gear. Again, I checked the same with TATA service centre and got a similar reply as above. A simple solution is flicking the gear lever left & right (Auto to Manual & back to Auto). This helps shift to higher gear and things go back to normal. Again, it happens rarely. But it does happen.

Now that I’m writing this, I remember a couple of more niggles with the AMT:

1. Cold start: I always start in the manual mode. Always. Doing a cold start in Auto mode will make the gears shift@ 3000+ rpms. I personally do not like to over-rev a cold engine. Hence, for a couple of kilometers, I drive using manual mode, shifting the gears at appx 2000 rpm, and then shift to auto mode, after which it works fine.

2. Downshifting: Usually, the downshifting occurs at appx 1000-1200 rpm, which is fine. On rare occasions, the AMT will start downshifting @ 1500 rpms, which is plain annoying in a normal traffic situation, especially between 3rd & 5th gears. Switching off & restarting the car at next traffic signal usually does the trick for me. Though I haven’t asked service centre an explanation for this, I have a fair idea what they might say.

Having said all of the above, I still wish to emphasize that above issues are all a rare occurrences (except cold starts). They do happen every once in a while, but you get accustomed to it pretty soon. Though it has these drawbacks, I still believe it is still one of the most value for money (& under marketed) product from TATA stable.

Hope this helps.

[Rama Naveen]

Today visited Brindavan motors Authorized service centre and found this car lying outside in this devastated condition.
Manager confirmed all car members survived with minor injuries and this proves how safe is Zest.