First impressions Got a Summer blue, CS BS II, NANO last week on 28th nov 09.
A Rs 1 Lak car! Still, it IS a CAR no doubt. Not a rikshaw.
Landed cost first-A CX-BS II model:basic+A/C+slide/tilt front seats etc.
Rs. 148k ex-showroon plus about 22k, RTO, Insurance, Octroi, handling.
In Aurangabad Maharashtra, at home 170k. Add some accessories and it would+10k [Floormats[!][~500], cover[~1200], number plate[~500], centrl lock or whatever[~4k] etc ]
[car comes with no original number plates, not even proper screws for them! and no mats!]
Space Front seats are very fine. A 6ft+ driver will be comfortable. A normal height 5ft6in driver, can’t reach pedals, with seat pushed full back. Rear is better than rikshaw.Needs cushion covers. Rear seat can seat 3 adults.
Rear foot space good even with front-seats-pushed-full-back.Like Maruti van.A petrol, 2 cylinder, water cooled, rear engine, Sounds somewhat like a diesel from outside Sound level inside, ok, tolerable. A/C blower makes more sound! The A/C is excellent. Idling is so silent[inside], that one has to look at the panel lights to confirm that engine has ’not stopped’. Else one may operate starter when it is running. Single wiper with spray mounted on it. Runs like a squirrel, Turns like a rikshaw. Turns full, tight around a minor traffic island. No, wrongly parked car, will ever trouble you when U-turning. Very light steering [no engine load on front tyres]. Power steering redundant. Lots of usable luggage volume, though not apparent. No space in front boot; it has spare tyre, wiper motor, brake oil, A/C radiator with FAN, a/c blower etc.Don’t risk loose items or shopping bags there. Plus the rains would have free entry in this space! Space is under front left seat, like in bus, [10+inches],
Below driver seat is the battery! Engine under rear seat, and rear boot.Boot at rear, is above engine, behind rear seat. It can take two full size air-cabin luggage bags.HUGE leg area in front & rear, usable for luggage. Overall height touching 6 feet, gives lots of vertical space.One can fold the rear seat and may put 4 large travel bags. Backseat comfortably wide for 3 adults. Pickup very good, much much beyond expectation. Runs very light. Does not vibrate much at wrong gears/speed. Forget the costs and some clumsy mechanicals. Forget comparisons.
The experience is fantastic. Definitely, a neighbour’s envyThe novelty value is high today.
People, on road, stop, shout to each other, turn around, to see it. They are excited and ALWAYS SMILE at the cuteness of Nano.
p.s. after usage for over 400km and 1 month I removed and kept aside the long wiper. We wont need it much in aurangabad. Driving pleasure as much or more. Milage appears close to 20km/ltr with a/c. Does strain wuth 4 passenger load, more on inclines. With 2, very fine pickup etc. Take care in handling any screws/rivets/etc [in front dicky]. Or anywhere. They get easily lost.And the front dicky is all open to sky and ground[many holes. The stepney presses badly on the a/c duct. So put a rubber bumper. Rear behind-seat engine cover has 6 bad wing bolts with 20 odd threads that are really bad. [Even the kinetic honda had lesser trouble opening side covers. ] Same with too many threads on the spare tyre wing bolt. Fitted remote lock and security. Though, hated the raping-of-door-panels, door sels etc, the feature is handy. Costed 3.5 k all inclu.13/3/2010 done aprox 900km, problems- nil so far, milage aprox 17km/ltr around city with ac. Had the front mud flaps rubbing on left tyre making serious sounding noises while turning left [like differential noise]. Since it happened only at certain angle, the workshop found no noise on full round turns. Located later by self. Bent/cut the flap. OK.
First service- only some 5 or checks they do and wash body, but no washing or blowing in the engine. Official work. Engine remains dirty. Back seat one side latch never locked so far. Jack is defective, very hard every half turn[eccentric]. They shoild take maxi 1 hour for 1st service. Took 3!