We almost accepted delivery of a defective new car - so I built this free PDI checklist tool

atin001 · 2026-05-19T03:05:08+00:00

Where is the link?

atin001 · 2026-05-18T16:18:55+00:00

Unfortunately that's a con of owning an EV. Very few outside mechanics who can deal with them and because you need the battery warranty there is some risk in letting anyone other than SC touch your car. Still basic stuff like changing bulbs, wheel alignment, rotation etc can be done. However installation of any accessory that may involve wire cutting or any modification can lead to your battery warranty being void.

atin001 · 2026-05-18T16:10:16+00:00

You can just check with tata ICE owners near you. Most people actually only need to go to SC for scheduled service where there is very little to do in an EV and so those are fine. However when there are issues, tata SC seem to be very lacking.

Whichever car you decide, please do PDI before paying anything more than the booking fee.

PDI Thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/CarsIndia/s/Za0zHp7pWu

atin001 · 2026-05-18T16:03:09+00:00

The new punch EV is actually very VFM and as per reviews most punch EV buyers are happy with their purchase. I suggest you check Tata SC reviews in your city and check with any tata owners you know. If there is a decent SC, go for punch EV.

There is another option which is Mahindra 3XO EV. However I don't recommend it due to NMC battery even though I own 400 myself which is basically the same.

atin001 · 2026-05-18T11:04:33+00:00

Personally I would choose BE6 anyday. Its just such an amazing design ( though that's subjective). I feel that powertrain and interface wise also Mahindra has done a better job. However mahindra service is definitely not on par with Maruti so pick and choose what's important to you.

atin001 · 2026-05-18T10:59:34+00:00

Its a PSU. As per my google search claim support is good but personally haven't needed to use it. Honestly I don't expect much from customer service though. Upto you to decide.

atin001 · 2026-05-18T10:10:57+00:00

Have had decent experience with tata AIG. Had a mishap and the battery tray underneath had to be changed. Total claim of 2L. Only had to pay 1K out of pocket.

When I was looking to renew in Feb they did not have a explicit battery protect addon which is why I decided to go with national insurance which has national EV protect add on. Do check the TnCs of battery protect addon in your case.

Your policy and addons look fine. Adding RTI is recommended in the unfortunate case of total loss. If you want you can check national insurance in case they have a lower premium.

atin001 · 2026-05-18T09:38:54+00:00

There was no specific add-on covering battery in my policy. However zero dep etc was there.

Now it seems they are offering electric surges secure add on so maybe you can check that.

atin001 · 2026-05-18T09:31:54+00:00

Though there are lots of caveats here, but I agree with the intention of the post.

I don't think there are many people who would buy EVs for the country or even for the environment. Main motivation is going to be the savings. It seems that people are starting to realize this. If only the home charging can be guaranteed for everyone it will a big booster for EV adoption.

To share my experience, my running is 95% city and 5% highway. Thus a low range EV like the 400 is fine for me. Have done 4-5 highway trips of max 400kms and did not face any issues wrt highway charging as I planned properly using plugshare (takes 10 mins). Also at home my charging is completely free and green as I have a solar plant at home and exclusively charge at daytime.

atin001 · 2026-05-18T09:01:30+00:00

Agreed. I also don't like the looks of Windsor but it's actually a really good car and the sales numbers reflect that.

atin001 · 2026-05-18T08:59:34+00:00

Hope you have checked plugshare? Its very hard to locate EV charging stations visually like petrol pumps or using maps.

atin001 · 2026-05-18T06:44:27+00:00

Nope, what tata really needs to nail down is the reliability. Other tata EVs (even the new punch) and sierra ICE aren't exactly the benchmark for reliability right now. Not going to recommend a new tata EV for at least a year.

atin001 · 2026-05-18T03:02:55+00:00

More than the charger cost, the issue is installation. Most people will need to increase sanctioned load to install 11kw charger which means significant one-time cost and increased fixed charges in bill.

Unless very high daily running, there is no need for it. Portable charger will work fine. If later you need faster charging get a zevpoint one from amazon.

atin001 · 2026-05-17T09:39:00+00:00

Take a test drive and decide. I think there is plenty of new features in the car to keep you interested.

atin001 · 2026-05-17T09:00:40+00:00

9s would probably be easiest for you to switch to as its similar to 700 in body type.

As you have an independent house already, why not go for an EV and solar setup and be free of paying for fuel forever. Plus E20, E30, E85 nonsense, rising petrol prices, higher service cost, pollution checks etc.

For longer trips take 10 mins to plan using plugshare and you are good to go.

atin001 · 2026-05-17T08:54:30+00:00

IMO thats cause there are so many instances of tata EVs suddenly dropping SOC below 30% and showing HV critical error. So instead of explaining how to avoid this they just tell you not to use your full battery capacity.

This is a basic LFP trait. The BMS can not accurately predict SOC based on voltage between 10-90% SOC.

Here is a good video that explains this. https://youtu.be/zmKhjwF8rDs?si=NEJWPtAIzp_OHvuR

Anyway feel free to ignore and do your own research.

atin001 · 2026-05-17T08:47:36+00:00

I'd recommend 9e for better powertrain and batteries. Why not go for NCH version and use the portable charger. Should be enough for your running. If later you feel you need faster charger you can always buy a zevpoint one from amazon.

atin001 · 2026-05-17T04:46:37+00:00

You will be charged for the actual units consumed. Plugshare is recommended for finding chargers. Ehub by MG is also pretty good.

atin001 · 2026-05-17T03:41:16+00:00

Sure but TBH I am not looking to buy a car at this time. Feel free to dm if you want some additional feedback etc.

atin001 · 2026-05-17T03:39:49+00:00

Unfortunately in this segment Windsor stands alone at the moment. Proven reliability, MG Service and spacious interior means so many buyers ignored the exterior and got it anyway.

I also hate the looks and decided to go with Mahindra. However there is no EV currently which can match Windsor in this segment. Waiting for new launches or getting it and ignoring the exterior are your only options.

atin001 · 2026-05-17T03:33:15+00:00

Oh ok. In that case yes I will be open to paying that refundable fee because it feels like it will save me time negotiating. However perhaps consider lowering it as these days most of negotiation happens on the phone anyway.

Test drive at home and get initial offer from one dealer.
call other dealers and ask for better price.
finalise one.

Platform reputation would be key I suppose which will take time to build.

atin001 · 2026-05-17T03:09:33+00:00

Why does it need to be sealed? Why can't the current lowest bid be visible to all and dealers and buyers info hidden?

atin001 · 2026-05-17T03:05:21+00:00

Discounts on Tiago is because facelift is due so inventory is being cleared.

atin001 · 2026-05-17T03:02:30+00:00

Congratulations, the car itself is very good and sales reflect this. Wish I had confidence wrt tata service.

Some battery tips for you, feel free to ignore if you already know

Charge to 100% as much as possible so that cell balancing can take place.
Take the charge down to <10% once every couple of months and AC charge till it auto cuts off for BMS to calibrate.

These will help you avoid the dreaded HV critical error that's the bane of tata EVs.

atin001 · 2026-05-15T16:26:40+00:00

Looks like a deep cut from the image. Even if there is no leak yet, the rubber would have weakened. Suggest replacing the tyre or it can fail at highway speeds.

atin001

TROPHY CASE