[suzuki san]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

How does one check the oil level? By unbolting the rear covers? Under warranty, I just don't bother;

Hi Sawyer,
Yes! That is exactly what I did as I did not want to take a chance of running the engine without oil.

Basically, I have come to the conclusion that one has to compromise a lot if you own a Nano and after 4 years of compromising, I am tired of it.
I will never buy another Tata product again- unless they launch a Nano Turbo with 85bhp.

Cons :
1. Iffy after sales service with pathetic waiting room.
2. Having to drive 50 Kms each way for servicing. (My personal problem)
3. Not able to fit any additional accessories like foglights, amp etc.
4. Restricted top speed.
5. No rear wash/wipe. No rear defogger.
6. No internally adjustable mirrors.
7. Very difficult to disconnect the battery when we leave the car for extended periods. (My wife has to carry out this task as I can't reach the terminals)
8. Different size tyres. Pain when you have a puncture.
9. No possibility of upgrading tyres.
10. Have to remove the spare tyre to check the nitrogen.
11. Small fuel tank means more stops at the fuel stations (addressed in newer models).
12. Having to open the bonnet to fill fuel.
13. Wiper that does not clear the passenger side of rain drops. Also obstructs driver visibility to a certain extent.
14. Poor mileage. The maximum I have ever got is 16.5 Kmpl. This in Goa with relatively light traffic. In Bombay I don't think I would get even 12 Kmpl.
15. Reflections from the windscreen make the dashboard digital readout unreadable in the day.
16. Having to open 6 tight wing nuts to check the engine oil and/or coolant.
17. Hard OEM seats which need covers with extra sponge padding.
18. Noisy engine.
19. Poor rear visibility. (Can be solved with reverse sensors).
20. Poor resale value.
21. Parts can be expensive. (I paid Rs. 2300 for a second remote as the car only came with one. Broken windscreen cost Rs. 7000.00. Outside door mirror costs Rs. 700. Brake cleaning costs Rs. 450.00 and they start squealing again after 24 hours! ). Alto repairs would cost less.

Pros :
1. Small size with excellent power steering making it easy to fit into small gaps and to park. Ideal for the narrow village roads in Goa.
2. Effective A/C.
3. Reasonably good pick up (1st & 2nd gears) on level roads.
4. Easy ingress and egress.
5. Huge space inside for all 4 passengers. Every single one of my friends who has sat in the car is shocked by the huge space it offers.

As one can see the "Cons" far outweigh the "Pros" and I see no reason not to replace this with a Waggie.

On the other hand, if one considers it as a scooter with 4 doors and an A/C then it does the job.

Regards
SS

[Sawyer]

Lol. On the other hand, I don't use any other car in Pune these days; even my wife's Liva feels too big, let alone my son's Civic.

I have had no trouble with my car, not even a flat. And Concorde service, once I remind them of my connections in TML every time the car goes for its annual service, is fantastic.

[ps_abhijith]

Hi All,

I recently purchased a used nano twist XT. The car was used by a disabled person and hence there was no road tax paid. Now that I have purchased the car, I need to pay road tax for the remaining years.
The original user has lost the invoice for the car. The RTO requires an invoice to calculate the road tax.
If anyone here has the invoice for a nano twist XT brought in kerala, request to kindly let me know of the same. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[Nissan1180]

I would be grateful for inputs about solving the following issues in my Nano Twist (2015, 36k km).

1. Vibration while starting the engine: the entire car shakes violently while starting sometimes. Could it be the spark plug cable?

2. Vibrations and judder while reversing: it is again an abnormal vibration. It does not happen when a bit of throttle is applied, but reversing without a throttle input makes the car shake like a Tata Ace. Is the clutch nearing its end of life?

3. Rattles. I know that this is expected from a Nano, but are there any ways to reduce this? Most of it comes from the doors I believe. One mechanic said that the door rubber seals need to be replaced, but "adjusting" the doors to fit better can reduce it.

Overall, the vehicle is doing fine. These minor issues need to be addressed but they are usually glossed over by service folks who say that "this is normal for a Nano".
Thanks.

[ph03n!x]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

I would be grateful for inputs about solving the following issues in my Nano Twist (2015, 36k km).

1. Vibration while starting the engine: the entire car shakes violently while starting sometimes. Could it be the spark plug cable?

2. Vibrations and judder while reversing: it is again an abnormal vibration. It does not happen when a bit of throttle is applied, but reversing without a throttle input makes the car shake like a Tata Ace. Is the clutch nearing its end of life?

3. Rattles. I know that this is expected from a Nano, but are there any ways to reduce this? Most of it comes from the doors I believe. One mechanic said that the door rubber seals need to be replaced, but "adjusting" the doors to fit better can reduce it.

Overall, the vehicle is doing fine. These minor issues need to be addressed but they are usually glossed over by service folks who say that "this is normal for a Nano".
Thanks.

Seems to be the engine mount - have you checked that?

I have a similar model XTA, and do not have much of a rattle - in fact unless there are stuff in dash or near the gear shifter console, the car is relatively silent.

[Nissan1180]

My 2015 Nano Twist is 6 years old and I thought of sharing my review here.
I bought it after trading in another Nano which was from the first production batch. Yes, I really like the Nano.

Likes:

• Small turning radius
• Very precise steering. 1.5 turns on each side and it can be operated with one finger. The return to the center is also very fast.
• Good space for 4 well-built adults. It has more space than many of the newer hatchbacks.
• Small size makes it much easier to squeeze into lanes which would be daunting in bigger cars.
• I find the dashboard practical. Anything can be quickly kept into the two glove boxes very easily. The central speedometer releases a lot of storage space in the dashboard.
• Contrary to public opinion, the stock music system sounds really good for a car of this segment. FM sound quality is bad, but Bluetooth is good.
• Very good mileage on the highway. I have touched 26 KM/L.

Dislikes:

• Noisy, vibrating engine.
• Poor mileage in the city. I get around 12-13 KM/L depending on the traffic. A Swift or WagonR gives more than this. I think this was one of the main reasons why the car failed.
• Rattles. Tata used poor quality fasteners on the door panels which lead to rattles and people feel that the quality is not good. A Rs. 20 part could solve this issue and they change the door clips in every service. This was shortsightedness by Tata. The product is well built. But the rattles spoil the reputation.

Overall, if you can live with the negatives, it is still a fantastic car for the city. In fact the best I would say. If you are looking for a used car on a small budget, please consider the Nano. Look for models made after 2013. The ones made before had quality issues.

Here's a pic of my car with the new Nano by its side.

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

My 2015 Nano Twist is 6 years old and I thought of sharing my review here.
I bought it after trading in another Nano which was from the first production batch. Yes, I really like the Nano.

Likes:

• Small turning radius
• Very precise steering. 1.5 turns on each side and it can be operated with one finger. The return to the center is also very fast.
• Good space for 4 well-built adults. It has more space than many of the newer hatchbacks.
• Small size makes it much easier to squeeze into lanes which would be daunting in bigger cars.
• I find the dashboard practical. Anything can be quickly kept into the two glove boxes very easily. The central speedometer releases a lot of storage space in the dashboard.
• Contrary to public opinion, the stock music system sounds really good for a car of this segment. FM sound quality is bad, but Bluetooth is good.
• Very good mileage on the highway. I have touched 26 KM/L.

Dislikes:

• Noisy, vibrating engine.
• Poor mileage in the city. I get around 12-13 KM/L depending on the traffic. A Swift or WagonR gives more than this. I think this was one of the main reasons why the car failed.
• Rattles. Tata used poor quality fasteners on the door panels which lead to rattles and people feel that the quality is not good. A Rs. 20 part could solve this issue and they change the door clips in every service. This was shortsightedness by Tata. The product is well built. But the rattles spoil the reputation.

Overall, if you can live with the negatives, it is still a fantastic car for the city. In fact the best I would say. If you are looking for a used car on a small budget, please consider the Nano. Look for models made after 2013. The ones made before had quality issues.

Here's a pic of my car with the new Nano by its side.

Congratulations on completing 6 years with the small Wonder! Having owned a January 2014 initial batch Tata Nano Twist XT for 51K kilometres and 5 years 8.5 months, before selling it off to a family friend (details on https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-...ip-report.html (Tata Nano Twist XT: 4-year ownership report)), I fully agree with you on most of the likes and dislikes shared by you. It was a gem of a car, and my wife and I loved it every time we went for a drive. I still feel that it had a better pickup than my current ride, a Renault Triber. Would love to drive it again some day just to enjoy that wonderful feeling of driving around in a Nano!

[Nissan1180]

Our 2015 Nano was sent for a service yesterday. The following estimate was shared verbally:
1. Routine service
2. Brake drum and liner on all 4 wheels
3. Left drive shaft
And there will be other components that need replacement and will be found out later. The total bill is likely to be around 10-15k excluding the clutch and drive shaft. The car has done only 40k kilometers and mostly within the city. I was surprised to see things like the driveshaft failing at such an early stage. Tata never improved the quality of components in the Nano despite it being in the market for almost 10 years.

My question is if it is worthwhile to retain the car for a longer time. I am afraid that the suspension and steering would need attention next, and both are expensive replacements. Is it a better decision to sell the car for 60-70k, or can reliable repairs be performed to enable the car to last for at least 5 more years? I also see rust spots at many locations and am surprised that this is happening in a relatively dry city.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

My question is if it is worthwhile to retain the car for a longer time. I am afraid that the suspension and steering would need attention next, and both are expensive replacements. Is it a better decision to sell the car for 60-70k, or can reliable repairs be performed to enable the car to last for at least 5 more years? I also see rust spots at many locations and am surprised that this is happening in a relatively dry city.

Depends on utility, if usage is relatively less, hold on to it. If usage is high then sell it off.

I sold my GenX XT much earlier than I thought as it became 'loose' in just about 2 years typical of older tata vehicles we had, reliability was a suspect too although warranty coverage is there, the number of visits to Tata ASC increased and no one except me wanted to drive it after a while.

[ph03n!x]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

...
The following estimate was shared verbally:
1. Routine service
2. Brake drum and liner on all 4 wheels
3. Left drive shaft
...

Question - is it TASS or FNG who gave this estimate? If it is TASS, I suggest you do just the regular service there, and get the car checked at a trusted FNG.

I own a 2015 XTA, got a similar recommendation 1 year and 5k KM ago about the brake drums. My FNG didn't find anything alarmingly wrong about them - I was there too to examine the drums, and they'll last another 25k KM if not more is our assessment.

I did have a damaged drive shaft in 2018 though, a visual inspection or the grinding noise will tell you if you have one too.

Don't trust TASS - the lockdown seems to have pushed their targets per car beyond any logical sense.

[Nissan1180]

Thanks for the input.

The car overheated and stopped in the middle of the road, and caused us a lot of inconvenience in getting it back to a safe parking spot. It spent over 2 weeks at the service center for a radiator and cooling sensor replacement. The bill was around INR 3900.

This incident made me realise that it is really dangerous these days to drive over long distances in a Nano. If there is a problem, no one can assist you on the road because parts are not readily available. It took 2 weeks to get the parts and this is in a TASS that is less than 40 km from the Sanand factory of the company where the car was made.

The total maintenance cost this year has been around Rs. 11000 so far, including a service and this repair.

[Nissan1180]

I would like to request suggestions from the members here about the topic of maintaining the Nano.

In the last 1 year, the car has incurred expenses of close to 15k. I’ll have to replace the clutch and the suspension within the next 1 year. That’s another 20k. The AC fan is making a noise, and it would need replacement soon. I foresee expenses of another 30-40k within the next 2 years.

Does it make any sense to spend so much on a car which won’t sell for more than 60k in the used car market? Also, I am always worried that something would break in the car. I have been stranded once recently. All this is despite the best efforts for maintaining the car.

[Nissan1180]

Our 2015 Nano Twist did not start and it was lying unused for over a month. A good garage named Mari Gaadi in Ahmedabad helped to restart the vehicle and take it to their workshop. The starter motor needed repairs. The owner is one of the few who still touch a Nano. Spares are impossible to get and the the authorised service centres are not interested in repairing it.

The total cost of this repair along with some minor electrical works was Rs 5000.

Service is a big concern for the Nano. While customers of new vehicles are treated well, the company is not interested to attend to its older models. Zest, Bolt, Hexa, Safari Dicor, Indigo etc. owners will face the same issues.

Total cost of maintaining this car in the last 1 year: Around ₹20,000
Current market value: ₹60,000 despite being in mint condition

I would be wary of ever purchasing a TML product in the future. Their value chain does not prioritise the customer. All TML product owners will face the same challenges when their cars are older and out of warranty.

At a more fundamental level, the failure of critical components like a starter motor signifies that this company does not do enough long term testing of its components to identify the potential failure modes.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

I would be wary of ever purchasing a TML product in the future. Their value chain does not prioritise the customer. All TML product owners will face the same challenges when their cars are older and out of warranty.

At a more fundamental level, the failure of critical components like a starter motor signifies that this company does not do enough long term testing of its components to identify the potential failure modes.

Its not just hearsay, that is the fact Tata will be the most expensive to maintain.

I have had that experience with a few vehicles as well as that is what the Autocar report from 2020 also said. They also tend to age quickly and become 'loose', this is true for their newer vehicles also.

[padmrajravi]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

At a more fundamental level, the failure of critical components like a starter motor signifies that this company does not do enough long term testing of its components to identify the potential failure modes.

Tata cars does get expensive to maintain once the extended warranty period runs out. Their quality control is nowhere near Hyundai or Suzuki. That said, in your case, the car lying idle for longer duration may have also played a part.

About waiting for parts, even the newer Tatas will face the same problem if a uncommon part suffers failure. Be it Dicor Safari or the Multijet/Kryotech Safari, if a part like started motor goes, two weeks wait time will be there. The only difference is that their customer support may speak in a more polished manner for the newer cars. The wait time will be there. They are not doing much to optimize the supply chain of parts availability as per my experience.