Team-BHP - Tata Nano AMT (Automatic) : Official Review

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Any discounts on the AMT yet? Mohandas Motors at Trivandrum says 40K discount for Manual Nano, but absolutely no discounts for AMT nano (and 3 months waiting for 25K booking, OR 1 month waiting for full upfront payment).

Quote:

Originally Posted by hybridpetrol (Post 3805036)

You see how Maruti is able to get the customers? They seem to understand what a prospective customer is looking for in a car, when coming for test drive.
Just introducing an AMT variant is not enough, but they need to keep a test drive car. In India, many of us are driving an automatic for the first time, and we need to make sure we get a good sense of it, before we book.
Just this one aspect would have sold them many more Nanos. Who knows, a person who takes a test drive of AMT, might settle for a manual Nano. However, if you turn them off in the first place, they would go elsewhere. Here is where Alto gains the most. Competitors turn blind eye to A segment buyers' needs. Even if you enter a Hyundai showroom looking for an Eon, they just try to up-sell the Grand i10 or Elite i20.

Exactly !
In our case, even though we were not willing to pay 1.4/1.5 lacs extra for Alto - and were looking for cheapest AMT, we still went ahead with Maruti.
Can you imagine a sales person saying "Sir try Manual Version - they are same, except its just without clutch " lol:

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinojohnt (Post 3805043)

I had visited Concorde Motors, Baner, Pune about 3 weeks back for a Zest AMT test drive.

It was clearly written in the reception area that Nano AMT had a waiting period of 8 weeks. I wonder if Tata motors is proud of 8 week waiting period or feeling ashmed about it.

I have heard numerous stories how Japanese cars were readily available in UK in 70s and British cars had a waiting period of more than a month. Its not hard to guess what the customer will like to buy.

Toyota are still going strong and British manufactures are either shutdown or changed ownership to foreigners.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinojohnt (Post 3805043)

No discounts, no test drive vehicles, waiting period of 3 months.

On the same lines, got no discount on Alto K10 AMT as well. ..

Quote:

Originally Posted by freedom (Post 3805062)

I have heard numerous stories how Japanese cars were readily available in UK in 70s and British cars had a waiting period of more than a month. Its not hard to guess what the customer will like to buy.Toyota are still going strong and British manufactures are either shutdown or changed ownership to foreigners.

I don't think Tata is doing this on purpose, because if we are to believe the newspapers, there is a delay from Magnetti Marelli for providing the AMT units. In one of the earlier posts, Tata tried to compensate for the wait by providing consolation gifts.

In 2008, the Dzire waiting period was 11 months in Kerala. One of my uncles had to use contacts as an ex-MLA to get one within 2 months. The Dzire has not lost steam yet.

If this same situation happened with Maruti, sorry Suzuki, we would have attributed it to the 'selling like hot cakes' phenomenon and waited for it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nijelj (Post 3805203)

Yes, I am aware that AMT box itself is the real bottle neck for Nano AMT. I don't think the customer cares about the reason.
A customer has made up his mind to buy a car, its always better to sell it to him right away. More waiting period means greater chance of the customer trying out something else and cancelling the booking.

Totally agree with you the 'selling like hot cakes' comment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by freedom (Post 3805262)

Where is the so called inventory of few thousand cars before massive launch/adverts ??!!!

People would have loved to wait for delivery, but its appalling that dealers don't even have test drive vehicles ? Imagine 500 odd vehicles across India ?!

Those 500 vehicles may have been sold to customers waiting for their cars. With the gearbox supply crunch and the market dynamics as they are today, I doubt if Tata Motors can afford to carry an inventory of a few thousand cars.
Mostly if the gearbox consignment arrives they are fitted to cars waiting in line and the cars rolled out, methinks.

Finally got my nano AMT Sangaria REd delivered by Aadya motors on Saturday !!.
While the car is amazing, this is what happened as part of the delivery process :

1. I had asked them to replace the OM wheels with Tata black alloys for my nano and made the payment on Friday itself so that they get sufficient time to replace. To my horror, this is what happened :
I took the delivery of the car on Saturday and then went out in the evening for some shopping. To my horror, when I came back saw that the rear tyre was almost flat !!. Thankfully, it happened next to a MRF showroom and it was easy to remove the tyre. Finally, found that the pin was not tightened and there was no puncture. The folks when changing to alloys had not tightened the pin. The horror does not stop there.... the tyre guy mentioned that the rear and front tyres were interchanged... back is 155 and rear front is 135. such is the PDI of Aadya motors !!

My point is I am a seasoned car owner and possibly I could have changed the tyre on my own with jack but what about new car buyers and on first day. Most of the Nano owners are first time car buyers or ladies !! Imagine their plight. Still not a good experience on the first day.

I really don't understand what is wrong with tata dealers. They seem to have so many staff who don't do anything. For example if you walk into a Maruti or Hyundai showroom you see quite a few staff but very neatly dressed and courteous. However, you walk into tata showroom like Aadya you see 2 girls sitting at reception itself, but hardly look polished or knowledgeable. There are too many people but no quality is what I think. What prevents Tata from quality people ? Do they pay less and get lower grade people or do they don't educate them on the product ? Its really sad to see the state of things at dealers. But, that said we all are forced to buy tata because the VFM that they offer in the segment. For me 1 lakh plus difference between my nano amt and alto k 10 amt was huge !! So, we have no choice but to endure such pain. When will things improve ? Will they improve at all ?

2.All prospective nano buyers please ensure the front and rear tyre sizes are appropriately fit when you take delivery, especially if you are replacing the factory fit alloys !!

3. Coming back to the car itself, it is amazing to drive in the city. Great relief from geared vehicles. The AC and other stuff work flawlessly. Will keep my ownership thread updated !!

Quote:

Originally Posted by power ranger (Post 3806707)

I really don't understand what is wrong with tata dealers. They seem to have so many staff who don't do anything. For example if you walk into a Maruti or Hyundai showroom you see quite a few staff but very neatly dressed and courteous. However, you walk into tata showroom like Aadya you see 2 girls sitting at reception itself, but hardly look polished or knowledgeable. There are too many people but no quality is what I think. What prevents Tata from quality people ? Do they pay less and get lower grade people or do they don't educate them on the product ? Its really sad to see the state of things at dealers. But, that said we all are forced to buy tata because the VFM that they offer in the segment. For me 1 lakh plus difference between my nano amt and alto k 10 amt was huge !! So, we have no choice but to endure such pain. When will things improve ? Will they improve at all ?

Let alone regular Hyundai/Maruti showrooms - step into the new NEXA showroom - you'll be totally amazed with the difference !!

I have been a victim of substandard dealing by Tata - forcing me to go ahead and shell out additional $$$ for Alto K10.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptaneja (Post 3806719)

I have been a victim of substandard dealing by Tata - forcing me to go ahead and shell out additional $$$ for Alto K10.

I am confused with this statement. How did a TATA dealer forced you to buy an Alto K10??? Or were you exchanging your Alto K10 for a new Tata vehicle. please:

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute (Post 3806799)

I am confused with this statement. How did a TATA dealer forced you to buy an Alto K10??? Or were you exchanging your Alto K10 for a new Tata vehicle. please:

May be he means that he chose the Alto over Nano due to the sub par dealership experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMar (Post 3806828)

May be he means that he chose the Alto over Nano due to the sub par dealership experience.

Exactly.
Even though we were not interested to pay extra, but still were very much disappointed with TATA "before" buying the vehicle - imagine a scenario "after" signing the papers.

Update: Test drive vehicle for Nano AMT is available at Mohandas Motors, Trivandrum. One of my friends had a test drive and was impressed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinojohnt (Post 3806922)

Update: Test drive vehicle for Nano AMT is available at Mohandas Motors, Trivandrum. One of my friends had a test drive and was impressed.

Well, that is just to experience the vehicle. As a owner of AMT I can vouch that it is great city car. The problem starts after that...... delivery will take 2 - 3months after booking !!