Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Long Term Ownership Review

[AbhisekVerma]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

Just joined the Tiago Owners club!! Booked Tiago XZ Sunburst Orange (P) today!

Congrats Satya! Sensible decision I must say ! You booked from KHT? You opted for alloy or w/o alloy one? What is the waiting period they quoted?

 

[Satyabsahoo]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

Congrats Satya! Sensible decision I must say ! You booked from KHT? You opted for alloy or w/o alloy one? What is the waiting period they quoted?

Thanks Abhisek!

Yes KHT! With Alloy. They gave me choice like if I want 2017 then have to wait till March! If 2016 manufactured vehicle register in 2017 then mid/end January! I am Ok with 2016 as I am going for a long term ownership!

-Satya

 

[Prabhagar]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

Second Service Update ~ 7500 km

​

Driving Experience:
It was a mixed experience driving my Tiago for the past 6 months. There were some days I regretted buying this car and some days with a big grin on my face. Some of my initial concerns were:

• Sporadic rattling from dashboard and driver side AC vent.
• Gear lever vibrations.
• Body and seat vibrations at idle RPM, especially with AC.
• Not so good power delivery.

However, the rattles were all gone after ~3K on the ODO. Gear vibrations were considerably arrested by TASC and it is within my tolerance level. I have learned to live with idle RPM vibrations on body/seats, it may be asking for too much from the humble 3 pot. Besides, I don't drive a lot in B2B traffic. Average fuel efficiency hovers around 15 kmpl, calculated by tank-full method. The overstates FE, often up to 15% giving a false sense of FE satisfaction to owners.

As for the power delivery issue goes, it could be due to my novice manual transmission skills (unfortunately my first car was an AT). I am getting better at learning the engine's manners. Nowadays, I either stay in 2-3K RPM band (for power) or use very light throttle below 1800 RPM (for mileage). This helps avoid vibes as well as extract better FE. I have also suppressed my urge to up-shift and learned to coast in the current gear (typically 3 and 4) to avoid frequent up/down shifts in city limits.

My only grief is the drop in power/FE when AC is powered up. It just sucks up a lot of juice from the engine and makes me crave for power, given that 90% of my driving happens with family on board (3 to 4 of us). I wish there is a way to reduce the compressor's power so that the drop is not obviously noticeable.

Mileage Stats (Tank Full Method):


Mileage on MID since first service:


Service Experience:
I drove up to TASC for the scheduled second service at 9am. This being a minor service,
I planned to stay there while they do their work. To my surprise, my SA and another senior technician (who attended my complaint for rattles & vibes) remembered me very well. After the initial hand shakes, we quickly finished the paperwork with my requests and complaints noted down.

I was then taken to their new customer lounge which was named Mini Theater . It was an air conditioned dark room with a wall projector and Denon home theater audio system. However, the content didn't justify the hardware, it was just the usual satellite TV channels. There were a couple of other people before me (cabbies, I suppose) and we were given chai and a few water bottles.

After spending a few boring hours, my car was ready by 1:30 pm. We reviewed the work done (on paper), finished payments and I got out of the place right away. Below are the work items that were requested and done (or not done?).

Please, No Car Wash:
Requested not to wash/clean the car except engine bay clean up. I already have enough swirl marks and interior stains from them. They happily returned the car in as-is condition even without cleaning the engine bay.

Cabin Air Filter:
I experienced foul smell for a few seconds when using blower so asked to clean out the AC air filter. Appears to be good for now.

ECU Firmware Update:
SA reviewed his computer and did not find any update for my VIN.

Harman ICE Software Update:
He acknowledged there is an update but I do not see the version number up-ticked after delivery. Did not bother going back for this as I don't have any critical issues with current version (except for pause/play issue with reverse gear).

Harman Music System Remote Control:
A couple of weeks back, I had requested my SA to procure the IR remote for audio system (got the part number from another owner, many thanks to him). After few phone call follow ups, I lost hope and interest in getting it. To my surprise, my SA stopped by the lounge with the remote control in his hand. It was priced reasonably at ₹539 so I instantly approved the purchase. Wife will be happy to use it from rear seats .



Additional Power Socket:
I use a dashcam which occupies the 12v power socket all the time. The USB port doesn't supply enough juice to charge phones at a reasonable pace. So I requested to install another power socket, which they initially agreed to. However, half way through they refused doing it due to no existing wiring for the second dummy socket. I knew there is no wiring but can't they just tap the fuse box and route the damn wire? Besides, they were afraid of voiding warranty by adding additional wires. This will have to be a DIY for me down the line.

Tire Rotation & Wheel Alignment:
I insisted to rotate the tires but SA refused quoting they are done only at 15K service. I will get it done elsewhere shortly.

Wiper Blades:
Replaced on their own. Both wiper blades were found to be nearing their end of life so they were replaced free of cost (under AMC as per invoice).

Wiper Washer Liquid:
They had filled Wuerth wiper washer additive and charged me for that.

Remove Front Seat Covers:
Honestly, I wish I had not bought those stupid seat covers in the first place. I started having back ache at the exact line of contact with the horizontal seat cover stitching (pictured below). I asked them to remove just the front row covers as my daughter would spoil rear seat fabric if left uncovered. After removal, I feel like I am on a completely different seat. It is so comfy and comfortable that I won't trade in for any covers in future. Will give it a few more weeks to confirm if this was the root cause for back ache.



Wrong ODO Reading:
Either they are blind or there is something fishy in noting the ODO reading on the job card. I noticed it during first service as well but the difference wasn't large enough to be picky. The actual ODO on my car was 4726 but they entered it as 7121 in the service record. This is now screwing up my service history, the prior entry from last week's fuel neck replacement is 7252 which is higher than latest entry. Do you guys think I should get this corrected or is not a big deal to crib about?



Invoice Copy:


Promise To Protect:
My SA tried his level best to sell the new P2P plan on offer by Tata which covers parts & labor for wear & tear components. I argued that's what Gold AMC is for and what is the need for this P2P. He defended saying this one covers more than Gold AMC's coverage and for a longer tenure (up to 4 years / 60K km). The parts covered are:

• Clutch
• Brake Pad
• Brake Linings
• Brake Disc
• Wiper
• Wheel Cylinder
• Suspension Bushes
• Engine Mountings
• Hoses
• Ball Joints
• Auxiliary Belt (Alternator & AC)
• Window Winder

I politely denied the offer as I wanted to know my fellow TAIgers' opinions before shelling out another ₹5500 over and above the ₹9000 I paid for Gold AMC. I have attached pictures of the leaflet below, please let me know your views on this plan.









That's all for now. Happy motoring!

 

[furious_driver]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

If I remember correctly, AMC will not cover regular wear and tear components and labour. It can be better explained as, AMC will cover general parts and it still misses out on wear and tear, and most importantly, Labour costs. You would be surprised to see exorbitant labour costs for some part replacements and if given a chance, I would go for this P2P. If you drive like how you drive now, I'm sure you will need brake pad chance within 4 years and I'm guessing this will come in handy then! Just kidding!

I feel like this, you may give a try. And you may be surprised when it works.

Regarding body vibrations at idle, even my Xcent has tiny bit of it and I'm living with it. So I guess you should not blame a 3-potter. I didn't find it annoying during my TD!

 

[Prabhagar]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

If I remember correctly, AMC will not cover regular wear and tear components and labour. It can be better explained as, AMC will cover general parts and it still misses out on wear and tear, and most importantly, Labour costs. You would be surprised to see exorbitant labour costs for some part replacements and if given a chance, I would go for this P2P.
I feel like this, you may give a try. And you may be surprised when it works.

AMC covers regular wear and tear parts and labour as well. Below are the list of parts covered by Gold AMC for 2 years / 30K km:

• Suspension
• Drive
• Clutch
• Brake
• Brake Pads
• Oil
• Fuel Filter
• Air Filter

So the obvious added advantage of P2P over AMC is the additional tenure of 4 years / 60K km, plus the added parts it covers. Even if there is a 50% probability of using P2P claim within 4 years, I am in for it.

Regarding body vibrations at idle, even my Xcent has tiny bit of it and I'm living with it. So I guess you should not blame a 3-potter. I didn't find it annoying during my TD!

Totally agree. It isn't annoying to me as well, just that it is obviously noticeable.

If you drive like how you drive now, I'm sure you will need brake pad chance within 4 years and I'm guessing this will come in handy then! Just kidding!

You will be surprised to see my sedate driving. Lets take that XUV for a spin, shall we?

 

[furious_driver]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

AMC covers regular wear and tear parts and labour as well. Below are the list of parts covered by Gold AMC for 2 years / 30K km:

• Suspension
• Drive
• Clutch
• Brake
• Brake Pads
• Oil
• Fuel Filter
• Air Filter

So the obvious added advantage of P2P over AMC is the additional tenure of 4 years / 60K km, plus the added parts it covers. Even if there is a 50% probability of using P2P claim within 4 years, I am in for it.

^^ I never had AMC so no idea, but I just gave suggestion simply based on the leaflet image. Anyways, even still that P2P is best option. Just think what if Suspension decided to conk off one fine day. It may not be much but still 10-12k is a big money and I will be at peace knowing I don't have to worry about it.

Oh, how I wish Hyundai has something like this!

You will be surprised to see my sedate driving. Lets take that XUV for a spin, shall we?

Sure man, I will plan it sometime next week.

 

[Satyabsahoo]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

Second Service Update ~ 7500 km

View attachment 216764​

Driving Experience:
It was a mixed experience driving my Tiago for the past 6 months. There were some days I regretted buying this car and some days with a big grin on my face. Some of my initial concerns were:

• Sporadic rattling from dashboard and driver side AC vent.
• Gear lever vibrations.
• Body and seat vibrations at idle RPM, especially with AC.
• Not so good power delivery.

However, the rattles were all gone after ~3K on the ODO. Gear vibrations were considerably arrested by TASC and it is within my tolerance level. I have learned to live with idle RPM vibrations on body/seats, it may be asking for too much from the humble 3 pot. Besides, I don't drive a lot in B2B traffic. Average fuel efficiency hovers around 15 kmpl, calculated by tank-full method. The overstates FE, often up to 15% giving a false sense of FE satisfaction to owners.

As for the power delivery issue goes, it could be due to my novice manual transmission skills (unfortunately my first car was an AT). I am getting better at learning the engine's manners. Nowadays, I either stay in 2-3K RPM band (for power) or use very light throttle below 1800 RPM (for mileage). This helps avoid vibes as well as extract better FE. I have also suppressed my urge to up-shift and learned to coast in the current gear (typically 3 and 4) to avoid frequent up/down shifts in city limits.

My only grief is the drop in power/FE when AC is powered up. It just sucks up a lot of juice from the engine and makes me crave for power, given that 90% of my driving happens with family on board (3 to 4 of us). I wish there is a way to reduce the compressor's power so that the drop is not obviously noticeable.

Mileage Stats (Tank Full Method):
View attachment 216762

Mileage on MID since first service:
View attachment 216769

Service Experience:
I drove up to TASC for the scheduled second service at 9am. This being a minor service,
I planned to stay there while they do their work. To my surprise, my SA and another senior technician (who attended my complaint for rattles & vibes) remembered me very well. After the initial hand shakes, we quickly finished the paperwork with my requests and complaints noted down.

I was then taken to their new customer lounge which was named Mini Theater . It was an air conditioned dark room with a wall projector and Denon home theater audio system. However, the content didn't justify the hardware, it was just the usual satellite TV channels. There were a couple of other people before me (cabbies, I suppose) and we were given chai and a few water bottles.

After spending a few boring hours, my car was ready by 1:30 pm. We reviewed the work done (on paper), finished payments and I got out of the place right away. Below are the work items that were requested and done (or not done?).

Please, No Car Wash:
Requested not to wash/clean the car except engine bay clean up. I already have enough swirl marks and interior stains from them. They happily returned the car in as-is condition even without cleaning the engine bay.

Cabin Air Filter:
I experienced foul smell for a few seconds when using blower so asked to clean out the AC air filter. Appears to be good for now.

ECU Firmware Update:
SA reviewed his computer and did not find any update for my VIN.

Harman ICE Software Update:
He acknowledged there is an update but I do not see the version number up-ticked after delivery. Did not bother going back for this as I don't have any critical issues with current version (except for pause/play issue with reverse gear).

Harman Music System Remote Control:
A couple of weeks back, I had requested my SA to procure the IR remote for audio system (got the part number from another owner, many thanks to him). After few phone call follow ups, I lost hope and interest in getting it. To my surprise, my SA stopped by the lounge with the remote control in his hand. It was priced reasonably at ₹539 so I instantly approved the purchase. Wife will be happy to use it from rear seats .

View attachment 216770

Additional Power Socket:
I use a dashcam which occupies the 12v power socket all the time. The USB port doesn't supply enough juice to charge phones at a reasonable pace. So I requested to install another power socket, which they initially agreed to. However, half way through they refused doing it due to no existing wiring for the second dummy socket. I knew there is no wiring but can't they just tap the fuse box and route the damn wire? Besides, they were afraid of voiding warranty by adding additional wires. This will have to be a DIY for me down the line.

Tire Rotation & Wheel Alignment:
I insisted to rotate the tires but SA refused quoting they are done only at 15K service. I will get it done elsewhere shortly.

Wiper Blades:
Replaced on their own. Both wiper blades were found to be nearing their end of life so they were replaced free of cost (under AMC as per invoice).

Wiper Washer Liquid:
They had filled Wuerth wiper washer additive and charged me for that.

Remove Front Seat Covers:
Honestly, I wish I had not bought those stupid seat covers in the first place. I started having back ache at the exact line of contact with the horizontal seat cover stitching (pictured below). I asked them to remove just the front row covers as my daughter would spoil rear seat fabric if left uncovered. After removal, I feel like I am on a completely different seat. It is so comfy and comfortable that I won't trade in for any covers in future. Will give it a few more weeks to confirm if this was the root cause for back ache.

View attachment 216784

Wrong ODO Reading:
Either they are blind or there is something fishy in noting the ODO reading on the job card. I noticed it during first service as well but the difference wasn't large enough to be picky. The actual ODO on my car was 4726 but they entered it as 7121 in the service record. This is now screwing up my service history, the prior entry from last week's fuel neck replacement is 7252 which is higher than latest entry. Do you guys think I should get this corrected or is not a big deal to crib about?

View attachment 216732

Invoice Copy:
View attachment 216763

Promise To Protect:
My SA tried his level best to sell the new P2P plan on offer by Tata which covers parts & labor for wear & tear components. I argued that's what Gold AMC is for and what is the need for this P2P. He defended saying this one covers more than Gold AMC's coverage and for a longer tenure (up to 4 years / 60K km). The parts covered are:

• Clutch
• Brake Pad
• Brake Linings
• Brake Disc
• Wiper
• Wheel Cylinder
• Suspension Bushes
• Engine Mountings
• Hoses
• Ball Joints
• Auxiliary Belt (Alternator & AC)
• Window Winder

I politely denied the offer as I wanted to know my fellow TAIgers' opinions before shelling out another ₹5500 over and above the ₹9000 I paid for Gold AMC. I have attached pictures of the leaflet below, please let me know your views on this plan.

View attachment 216765

View attachment 216766

View attachment 216767

View attachment 216768

That's all for now. Happy motoring!

Sometimes Tiago ownership reviews forcing to rethink about decision to go for it!! Being a first time ownership, a wrong decision could spoil all fun! Booking done, hence.. fingers crossed..

 

[Murali_P]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

Sometimes Tiago ownership reviews forcing to rethink about decision to go for it!! Being a first time ownership, a wrong decision could spoil all fun! Booking done, hence.. fingers crossed..

Dont be bro..

You wont regret with Tiago. YES, it has some drawbacks, but overall its a very good car in this price range. If your budget is more, look for other cars.

I don't think you get better car than this in this price group

 

[GautamJ]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

If I remember correctly, AMC will not cover regular wear and tear components and labour. It can be better explained as, AMC will cover general parts and it still misses out on wear and tear, and most importantly, Labour costs. You would be surprised to see exorbitant labour costs for some part replacements and if given a chance, I would go for this P2P.

Bro I was told in gold AMC the following is excluded :-
1. Tires
2. Battery
3. Bulbs
4. Outside body shell
5. Problems created by rats
6. Damages done by the customer (accident, scratches, etc)

Have also attached a leaflet (sorry for poor quality pic)

 

[Satyabsahoo]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

Came across a video claiming 26.2 KMPL milage in highway on Petrol !! Surprising!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFzkzDg3Zso

 

[Prabhagar]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

Came across a video claiming 26.2 KMPL milage in highway on Petrol !! Surprising!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFzkzDg3Zso

Thanks for sharing this Satya. A couple of points to note:
1. The MID mileage is not accurate. Actual tank full method would be somewhere around 23 kmpl, which is still great IMO.
2. Several members from our owners club have extracted even 30kmpl on the MID. So it's not surprising at least to me.

 

[Murali_P]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

Thanks for sharing this Satya. A couple of points to note:
1. The MID mileage is not accurate. Actual tank full method would be somewhere around 23 kmpl, which is still great IMO.
2. Several members from our owners club have extracted even 30kmpl on the MID. So it's not surprising at least to me.

Yes, MID is not accurate.

I have done 5000+ KM, I had some 28 kmpl on one trip 200 km trip on highway also, but ovreall I can clearly say in reality Tiago gives 14-16 in city and 20-22 on highway in all circumstances (AC, city more, eco mode, full 4-5 passengers all mix)

 

[AbhisekVerma]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

Yes, MID is not accurate.

I have done 5000+ KM, I had some 28 kmpl on one trip 200 km trip on highway also, but ovreall I can clearly say in reality Tiago gives 14-16 in city and 20-22 on highway in all circumstances (AC, city more, eco mode, full 4-5 passengers all mix)

I am getting 11.8 kmpl on odo display in city in my new car (around 143 kms done). Should be around 11 kmpl in real I guess. Mostly City mode and 95% AC.
But this is Bangalore city and 11kmpl in Bangalore equals around 12kmpl in other cities as I have driven in traffic and lot of signals.
Will it increase after first engine oil change?

I am planning a long drive (around 164kms total (up and down) visiting temples on Mysore road) and would note whats the FE display during this trip.

One minor issue I have noted is in door mode, the lights don't switch off immediately when door is closed. I think it happens after sometime or if we press lock button on remote.

I am in love with the Instantaneous FE display on my car. Its fun to watch and drive sedately and achieve more FE.

Till now quite satisfied with the car.

 

[Prabhagar]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

I am getting 11.8 kmpl on odo display in city in my new car (around 143 kms done). Should be around 11 kmpl in real I guess. Mostly City mode and 95% AC.
But this is Bangalore city and 11kmpl in Bangalore equals around 12kmpl in other cities as I have driven in traffic and lot of signals.
Will it increase after first engine oil change?

I do not believe mileage will increase after first service (which is nothing more than a car wash). However, as your car runs in for ~2000km and you getting to know the engine better, you will see more consistent FE numbers. Please limit your revs to 2500 RPM for the first ~2000 km (user manual recommends up to 1800 km). And enjoy the ride .

One minor issue I have noted is in door mode, the lights don't switch off immediately when door is closed. I think it happens after sometime or if we press lock button on remote.

Yes, it takes a few minutes to power down.

 

[Rautela]

Re: Tata Tiago Petrol XZ - A Layman's Review

+1 with Prabhagar.
Talking with reference to MID, I too did get around 12-13 kmpl during initial few kms. However, this has increased to about 17 now. The only highway trip I have done till now is to Airport and another drive to Nandi Hills. Rest all has been in city. I don't use the eco mode(feels frustrating). ODO stands at 2400 Kms. Reset your B trip meter after say 500 kms and check the difference with A trip meter(I don't reset A meter).
Also, as Prabhagar says, 1st and 2nd services aren't much. The 1 yr service might tell the difference though.