[honeybee]

I too had my Nano's fuel pump replaced under warranty. Mine is a 2012 LX model. The car was in Pune with my brother who informed me in the night that the car wouldn't start. I called up the 24x7 helpline and they arranged a flatbed truck in about half an hour. Imagine the Nano on a flatbed!

I too had to wait for around 10 days to get the car back as the part was not in stock. Wondering if this is a weak link in the design.

[Nissan1180]

Great to see a happy Nano owner loving the car despite the niggles.
I have a 2010 LX which has done 21,000 kilometres. There have been a couple of unpleasant incidents with the vehicle (reliability related) and I have often considered selling it off and going for something else.
However, other than buying a new Nano twist, there is little available below 3.5L which offers the same kind of space, practicality and ease of driving in the city. In fact, I am driving with a faulty combination switch (out of stock at the dealer) and a broken AC recirculation switch (again, not available with the dealer). Yet, I'm happy for what it offers- space, FE and a very manageable size.
The Twist feels like a different car altogether. NVH is controlled. The stereo is decent. Plastics (especially the piece where A pillar meets the dash) do not appear to have been cut with a knife. It is well worth the price that the company is asking for.
However, the used car market will not appreciate the improvements. Re-sale value for the Nano will be a disappointment forever, thanks to the zealous efforts of the Tata Motors marketing team.

[freakmuzik]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

Great to see a happy Nano owner loving the car despite the niggles.
I have a 2010 LX which has done 21,000 kilometres. There have been a couple of unpleasant incidents with the vehicle (reliability related) and I have often considered selling it off and going for something else.
However, other than buying a new Nano twist, there is little available below 3.5L which offers the same kind of space, practicality and ease of driving in the city. In fact, I am driving with a faulty combination switch (out of stock at the dealer) and a broken AC recirculation switch (again, not available with the dealer). Yet, I'm happy for what it offers- space, FE and a very manageable size.
The Twist feels like a different car altogether. NVH is controlled. The stereo is decent. Plastics (especially the piece where A pillar meets the dash) do not appear to have been cut with a knife. It is well worth the price that the company is asking for.
However, the used car market will not appreciate the improvements. Re-sale value for the Nano will be a disappointment forever, thanks to the zealous efforts of the Tata Motors marketing team.

Yes i'm still loving the car. Going to be 5 years and the space, ease of use and the peppy engine still makes me love the car. But yeah, I'm waiting for the latest Nano with an openable boot and maybe a tad powerful engine and might go in for that if found good. Regarding the parts availability, it's the lethargic attitude of the dealers that I've observed. Kindly report to tata head-office and you can see the parts reaching you quickly. Try asking your dealer for the order number saying you want to escalate the matter and then contact the Head-office. Should help. Has worked for me many a times.

Resale better not to speak about it. There are lots of Nano's in the used market. Once I test drove the Nano Twist and asked that sales rep to evaluate my car and he quoted 80k ! I was literally shocked. But as you mentioned, I feel the Nano is more practical than the Alto anyday for the price. Waiting for the updated Nano!

[freakmuzik]

So finally after a long wait, i've installed an audio system in my Nano! It's out of warranty and so there's no lack of mental peace hereafter (Usually it's the other way around lol)

Ordered the system through Snapdeal and the service was okay. Not great, but not bad either. I looked through many options, had a budget of 10k and needed good SQ. With such a budget, there's no question about components. So decided on a set of 4 inch speakers for the front and two ovals in the rear.

I checked through most accessory shops in Trivandrum and the selection was extremely poor and most of them weren't even willing to listen to what I had to say in detail. They were contended with their own options. Hence, I decided to stick on to the online route.

Head - Unit

Needed the Usual stuff - USB, CD and aux. Went with the Pioneer 1790UB since that was the most commonly used model and had pretty good reviews too. Got it for 3.65k (MRP 5.99k)

Speakers

Front - Wanted to fit in 6 inches for good SQ but had to settle to 4 inch as the shops here weren't confident of fitting proper spacers for the 6 inchers in a Nano. Sony Xplod - 210W - Rs. 1150/-

Rear - Had lots of confusion between Round Oval. I'm not too much of a bass fan but the 51/4 round JBL CS series speakers in my Sisters Eon lacked good bass. So I decided to stick on to Ovals (6x9). Initially, thought of the JBL S699, then the GTO949 and finally stumbled upon the JBL 950IS and saw pretty good reviews and specs. Got that for Rs.3.7k.


I didn't go for the SnapDeal free install especially since the process was a bit too complex for me. So, I got the system installed at BoomTown, Mannanthala, Trivandrum. I went there because a friend of mine just installed a system in his Santro and was happy. The work looked good too. The install took one hour. He first removed the Plastic panel on the central console. The factory wire for the Audio system was hidden somewhere inside. He pulled that out. Next was the front door install. The door pads in the Nano are fixed using a special type of two-sided clips. These might break while removing the pad. After that, he took the wires and installed the 4 inchers. Was pretty neat. I asked him to put back the door pockets though they cover the speaker partially, since there’s no other storage space.

He then installed the rear speakers on the tray. He put the drill through the hole of the speakers and made a hole on the tray. I was literally shocked. Thankfully, he didn't damage the speakers. I dont know if people generally do it this way but I was literally shocked. Finally the HU was installed and all the wires concealed.

He wanted my existing parcel tray but I didn't want to give it since i don't want to sell this car with a parcel tray having a whole. Hence, he charged 1.2k. I wasn't so happy about that. I wouldn’t exactly recommend this place to others since it’s away from the city and the other shops have better overall reputation and they have dealt with more vehicles which gives the customers a better confidence.

But, the SQ is just amazing. I listened to may minute bits of music so clearly than never before. Amazing set of speakers!!!! Though I feel the 4 inchers are pretty useless, especially since they are partially covered.

There goes some low-res pics:

[freakmuzik]

In the meantime, my Nano's A/C was not chilling well for the past few months and even after re-fillling the gas, the cooling, though immediately better, started going down. We do Air con repairs with a long-time known shop named TechnoFreeze in Muttathara. On taking to him again, he said the pressure was down and the system needs to be checked for leaks. After a couple of days, I gave the car early morning and they dismantled the entire dash assembly and pin-pointed the leak to the Cooling coil.

He said genuine parts were available at a nearby shop and took me there. The shop guy took out a box and said it costs Rs.3700. I said i'l pay him later while I bill the entire work and came back. I tried checking this part through various other sources and since this happened on a public holiday (easter I suppose), most shops were closed except Mohandas motors, where my dad connected to an SA. On inquiring, I got to know that the part costs just Rs.2450 there. So that's a huge difference.

On talking to this technofreeze guy, he was acting shocked and had talks with the shopkeeper who was boasting that he was the one who supplies to Mohandas, Focuz and all and this was never possible and stuff. In the meantime, we also found a website - 99rpm.com, where the spare was immediately available. i sent the link to that guy showing the price to be Rs.24xx. And I got suspicious on him too since he said he'l order one piece himself and give it to the parts shop and get the money back.

He came back home yesterday with the excess Rs.1200/- saying he ordered through the website and stuff but we got sure he never did when he said he opted for COD since the website doesn't have a COD. So we finally realised that the spares shop either might be his own or he's got some tie-up with him for sure. Now i have to find someone more reliable i guess. Sad world.

Anyways, got the car back and it works great now.

Nano owners kindly note
Pre-2012 Nano came with BEHR units
Post 2012 Nano comes with - SUBROS unit (costlier at Rs. 4700/-)

The SUBROS one is said to be more reliable than the BEHR units.

Parts - A/C Evaporator coil - Type BEHR - Rs. 2600/-
Labour + Gas filling - Rs. 1850/-

Total - Rs. 4450/-

Mohandas motors quoted around 7k for the same job!

Here are few pics for reference.

The the label of the old one with the connector


Look how dirty it is after nearly 5 years. Built of Aluminium, it's quite flimsy.


The car's front stripped completely. Thankfully, no extra rattles after re-fitment.



Cheers!!

[freakmuzik]

Crossed 36,000 mark two days back. Yes, the odo is moving pretty slowly thanks to the total of three cars in here. Nano's doing all good except for a couple of issues.

1) Gear shift - it's going crazy at times! Once I shifted to first and on releasing the clutch, it automatically came back to neutral! I never installed an AMT in my car . Plus at times it's butter smooth but at times it's really hard to shift the gear and while using, it feels as if it's a mechanical issue (like something's holding it from shifting).

2) Rattles - Thanks to the Air Con work and the Audio system fitment, the car's having quite a number of rattles. Waiting for my exam to get over and need to check where it's coming from and get it corrected.

3) Cranking - Once in a bluemoon, it takes ages to crank. I mean, i'll have to hold the key for a few seconds before the car starts.

Any possible advice regarding points 1 and 3?

I'l be taking my car to Chennai for six months, so thinking whether to do the next service beforehand or after going to Chennai. Since I'll be driving down to chennai in three weeks, need to check the Wheel Alignment and all other stuffs anyways. Otherwise, the car is all good.

Cheers!

[freakmuzik]

Visiting TASS today for the following reason -

1) Tyre wear - front tyres have reached the wear mark in just about 18,000 kms yet again! People who have gone through my thread would know that I had my first replacement at 18,995 km! So there is seriously something wrong with my suspension that hasn't been found by any of the garages I visited!

Rear tyres fare way better and at 37,000 kms, they still have around 4,000 - 5,000 kms to reach the wear indicator.

2) Hard gear shifts! The gear gets back to neutral on its own once in a while!

3) Changing the lock set since I lost the duplicate key and key duplicating hasn't given me good results after two or three tries. Heard the entire lock assembly costs just Rs.400/-.

4) Change wipers - mostly on my own.

5) Sometimes the car doesn't crank as if the battery is dead! But everything gets normal after 5 to 10 tries!God knows what!

6)Wheel alignment and balancing but only after checking the suspension for any other issues.

7) Adjust the clutch since it's really tight.

8) Might do the fifth service prematurely (by two months) since I'l be driving all the way to chennai on June 9th.

Will update once I reach back. In the meantime, analysis and suggestions are utmost welcome

Cheers!

[Nissan1180]

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

Visiting TASS today for the following reason -

1) Tyre wear - front tyres have reached the wear mark in just about 18,000 kms yet again! People who have gone through my thread would know that I had my first replacement at 18,995 km! So there is seriously something wrong with my suspension that hasn't been found by any of the garages I visited!
2) Hard gear shifts! The gear gets back to neutral on its own once in a while!
3) Changing the lock set since I lost the duplicate key and key duplicating hasn't given me good results after two or three tries. Heard the entire lock assembly costs just Rs.400/-.

4) Change wipers - mostly on my own.

5) Sometimes the car doesn't crank as if the battery is dead! But everything gets normal after 5 to 10 tries!God knows what!

6)Wheel alignment and balancing but only after checking the suspension for any other issues.

The Tire should not wear out so early. There is a picture here giving indicative causes of tire wear- do check the pattern of wear to understand an indicative cause.
I had the gearshift issue in my old car too. I lived with it. In case the gearstick became tight, I pumped the clutch 2-3 times and it became smooth again You could ask the TASS to check the shifter forks because they do get worn out. That should solve the issue.
Rattles: I feel for you. I had faced this in my old car. Hours of patient analysis revealed the following rattle origination hotspots-

• Door pads- as you mentioned, the clips need to be fixed or replaced. It costs Rs. 20 at the service centre and eliminates the major rattles.
• Parcel Tray- Check if the seat is closed properly . The rubber should touch the metal below the rear glass. Sometimes the parcel tray is not set properly and keeps moving up and down!
• Jack: Yes, if the jack is not fastened or the Velcro is not attached, the Jack will also cause lots of rattles.
• The door lock handles- the tiny locking button on the door has a tendency to become loose- just put that washer in place in case it is loose.
• Dashboard screw- I have attached a picture encircling the screw that you could tighten yourself.
  
• The roof lining. Did the audio install involve the installation of an antenna or any other work done by removal of the roof lining? If yes, please get that pasted again using an adhesive. TASS should do it or any shop that works on seat covers would do it for a small fee.
  Other than these, I could not locate any other source for interior rattles. In order to keep it rattle free, I think a good step would be to reduce the tire pressure a bit while travelling on really bad roads- I keep it around 26-28 psi (both front and back). Drive very slowly over rough patches because the suspension might take the hit, but the interior components become the victim and start rattling.
  

All the best !

[freakmuzik]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

The Tire should not wear out so early. There is a picture here giving indicative causes of tire wear- do check the pattern of wear to understand an indicative cause.
I had the gearshift issue in my old car too. I lived with it. In case the gearstick became tight, I pumped the clutch 2-3 times and it became smooth again You could ask the TASS to check the shifter forks because they do get worn out. That should solve the issue.

Yeah that's how it's been with me two! Pump the clutch twice or thrice, and things are okay! Very weird and irritating for me though. Right in the middle of the road while I'm planning to build up speed and intend to shift to second gear from first, the gear just wouldn't come to neutral!

Rattles: I feel for you. I had faced this in my old car. Hours of patient analysis revealed the following rattle origination hotspots-[list][*]Door pads- as you mentioned, the clips need to be fixed or replaced. It costs Rs. 20 at the service centre and eliminates the major rattles.

Yes. Will be done!

[*]Parcel Tray- Check if the seat is closed properly . The rubber should touch the metal below the rear glass. Sometimes the parcel tray is not set properly and keeps moving up and down!

I've never faced this issue and right now since I changed the parcel tray with MDF ones and JBL speakers, they're rock solid and wouldn't rattle! It provides music with no rattles haha.

[*]Jack: Yes, if the jack is not fastened or the Velcro is not attached, the Jack will also cause lots of rattles.

Haven't thought about that! Will check.

[*]The door lock handles- the tiny locking button on the door has a tendency to become loose- just put that washer in place in case it is loose.

Exactly. I've been observing the noises for over a month now and have narrowed down to the Left Front Door Handles and locker. That should be a very simple DIY job. The rattle is annoying though!

[*]Dashboard screw- I have attached a picture encircling the screw that you could tighten yourself.

Awesome! Noted.

[*]The roof lining. Did the audio install involve the installation of an antenna or any other work done by removal of the roof lining? If yes, please get that pasted again using an adhesive. TASS should do it or any shop that works on seat covers would do it for a small fee.

Nopz. They haven't been fiddled with ever. Will check that too.

Other than these, I could not locate any other source for interior rattles. In order to keep it rattle free, I think a good step would be to reduce the tire pressure a bit while travelling on really bad roads- I keep it around 26-28 psi (both front and back). Drive very slowly over rough patches because the suspension might take the hit, but the interior components become the victim and start rattling.

True that! Plus another place i noticed are my front left seats. I need to tighten them and try. And there's some little noise from beneath the dashboard and the sun visor I guess. All these are very minor noises that none of the other members in my house even notice. LOL So need to first check if it's my psychological issue or because we tend to care our car so much.



Thanks a ton Nissan1180. That was so much helpful and I was also able to confirm some of my assumptions too. Thank you so much and will update as soon as the work gets done!

Cheers

[Nissan1180]

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

And there's some little noise from beneath the dashboard and the sun visor I guess. All these are very minor noises that none of the other members in my house even notice. LOL So need to first check if it's my psychological issue or because we tend to care our car so much.


Cheers

This happens in every family. It is usually the driver who listens to a noise first and passengers are usually oblivious.
I must say that these rattles are actually the undoing of Tata motors. They are present in most of their cars. The cause is usually some very very minor fitting related issue. Take that screw for instance- there are screws available which do not get loose (sort of like riveting) and Maruti used it in all models right from the 800 and Omni! Why could this company not horizontally deploy this ?

You think that a car is shoddily built if it rattles-that's our psychology. Rattles are actually the result of the poor workmanship and not poor engineering. We had a rattle from the stereo of the Twist as well. You would not believe what the TASS did to rectify that- they opened it, put a piece of foam inside, and the car is silent again! That foam piece should have been there when the QA team checked the car in the factory itself.

To be honest, never have we faced any sort of rattle in our 20 year old 118NE (the one I'm posing with ) When my father drove the Nano for the first time, he was surprised at how loose the interior had become. He was even more surprised when he saw that the car had run for only 15000 km

[freakmuzik]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

To be honest, never have we faced any sort of rattle in our 20 year old 118NE (the one I'm posing with ) When my father drove the Nano for the first time, he was surprised at how loose the interior had become. He was even more surprised when he saw that the car had run for only 15000 km

Really true!

BTW, the Service Advisor just called back. He said the clutch plate and bearing needs replacement! But I couldn't find any other signs of clutch wear. There is no unnecessary revving of the car nor is there any other issue while the car is in motion! He seemed to be in a hurry to change it but I asked him to wait though. Then, regarding the tyre wear , he couldn't find any issue with the suspension. And he is yet to check the starting issue too. So any idea about that?

[freakmuzik]

Hello guys, wanted to update that my Sunshine Yellow Nano LX has been sold and I've purchased another Nano - a GenX Manual. It's been nearly a month so pardon me for the delay! Handed over the Service Manual, AMC book and the entire file having service records and documents right from the initial allotment and booking to the last serviced bill and what not!

It was an absolutely wonderful journey with the Nano - the one with which I began driving extensively, roamed around the entire city and done lots of fun with. The space, the ease, the AC, FE and the unique character - will never forget this and expecting these from my new GenX too.

Will be putting up a new thread Soon for my GenX diaries.

Thanks a lot for all the help and suggestions and guidance over these five years of ownership! And feel free to ask anything about the car as it's been bought by a friend of mine and I can definitely get things checked once in a while.

Cheers!

[sudev]

What price you got for the old Nano? Just curious to know purchase and sale recovery after five years.

[freakmuzik]

Originally Posted by sudev

What price you got for the old Nano? Just curious to know purchase and sale recovery after five years.

I had purchased it for 2.06 lacs

I sold it for Rs 85,000 to my friends mom after 5 years and 37,000 kms.

Condition - Very Good

1) New Battery, A/C condenser assembly
2) Tires were to be changed in another 5k to 10k
3) Mechanically speaking, the first gear had got a little hard, clutch was a little hard too and starting had some issue which appeared once in a bluemoon
4) Has Silver AMC till 2016 August (2 more yearly services)

The used car dealers offered around 60k, Tata Motors offered me 65k since they were very happy with my cars condition plus another 20k exchange bonus (net 85k). I might have got a few thousands more if I sold elsewhere individually but if it's with my friend, I'l also be seeing it regularly and know that its in safe (but new) hands.

[john doe]

^^^^^
Excellent price! Or perhaps the Nano has a somewhat better resale value in some parts of the South.
In Pune, you would have taken some weeks to sell the car plus got around Rs.55,000 for it.