I bought a second hand car which had clocked above 60, 000 km. and today I have crossed more than 1.2 lakh km.
This car is really a value for money car. The breaks and stability are good. Straight line stability is excellent. Around corners not great at high speed. Body roll is a bit too much. But legroom and reliability is great.
Coming to mileage. Bangalore traffic - 15-17 kmpl with the ac running full time.
Highway - 22 - 26 kmpl with the ac running full time.
Dear TATA - Thank you for a fantastic car. But TATA please note two things of importance for the success of your car business.
I have never given this car to your dealers for service. Reason? They just try to rip you off. I have been studying this engine even before this engine came to India. And I am well aware of its reliability.
Once when they engine glow sign came on, I took it to the showroom and the so called senior engineer, says since the car has crossed more than 80, 000/- km, it due for an engine work. When I asked him for a estimation, he said 25k for opening the engine block and then only he would be able to tell the fault. When I asked him this kind of engine has a reliability of 22 million km on a test track, shouldn’t it last at least 3lakh km in real world? He casually said, track test are all marketing gimmick and TATA cars are not reliable. When I told him that this news has not come from any advertisement but through reliable sources in the industry, he thought I knew someone and not the product.
I left the TATA service station near Bhomanahalli and went to a local mechanic and he checked the glow plugs and said two of them are blown out. cost 900/- plus 100/- labour. Car was as good as new after that.
The showroom guy kept calling me the next day and giving me the good concerned doctor treatment, " Sir, your car will breakdown in the middle of the road and at night time you will have a tough time, bring the car immediately for your own good." Seriously? My own good?
I gave him a piece of my mind.
Honestly I think you guys makes great cars. But your dealers literally ruin your brand and make existing customers hate your brand. I think its time you guys start cracking the whip on them.
Secondly do follow what Toyota follows. The showroom service cost is very low. Hence they get volumes of customers getting their car serviced at the service station instead of local mechanics. Also please work on your steering balance like the swift.