BHPian Deadskyi recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Hey folks! It’s been about three weeks since I brought home my new Tata Altroz Racer R1, and what a journey it’s already been. From dealership drama to satisfying fixes, to modding it just the way I like-here’s my thread chronicling this early adventure with the Racer. Buckle up-there’s plenty of nerdy detail, DIY, and a healthy dose of enthusiasm ahead!Delivery And The Squeaky Suspension SagaLike any car enthusiast, the day I took delivery was pure excitement. But three days in, I started noticing a rather annoying squeaking noise from the suspension. Not what you want to hear on a brand-new car, right? Quickly booked a slot at the dealership’s service center. Unfortunately, my faith in Tata after-sales took an early battering: despite a prior appointment, I sat in the waiting lounge for a good six to seven hours before they even touched the car. The diagnosis? “Bushings need lubrication”, The fix lasted about as long as their service bay coffee-half my drive home and as luck would have it, the squeaking returned. Patience running thin, I tried a different service station-and what a contrast! The team there genuinely cared. They stripped down the suspension, re-lubed everything, and did a proper wheel alignment. The result: Silence! No more squeaking, and finally, some confidence in Tata’s service network. An honest shoutout to the guys at Alcon Tata. City Driving, Gearing and… The QuirksNow that the suspension gremlins were sorted, I started getting a feel for the car. Let’s talk about the gearbox. The racer comes with a TA65 from the nexon. Tata pitches this as a sporty setup, and no-the throws are nor short nor mechanical. There’s no denying that it’s notchy in operation. First gear feels like it’s holding something back. There’s a definite torque-limiting sensation-as if the ECU steps in to prevent a surge of power at low speeds. I guess it helps with wheelspin and overall drivability, sure, but it does dull the “seat of the pants” excitement when you floor it off the line. Slotting into reverse can occasionally be a game of Russian roulette: every few shifts, there’s a telltale scrub. I’m hoping this notchy behavior will smooth out as everything beds in, but it’s a reminder that the Altroz, for all its strengths, still has a touch of old-school Tata quirkiness.The Mod Bug Bites: Mods and UpgradesFirst Up: Tinting Fifty percent tint all around-for both sides and rear-was the first thing I got done. It makes a big difference in the Goan sun, helps the car stay cool, and if you ask me, enhances that mean, racer aesthetic. Kept it legal enough not to court unwanted attention, but dark enough for peace and comfort. Dashcam: Blaupunkt BP 5.1 Tata included a Blaupunkt dashcam billed as “4K” (if you squint hard enough…). Still, it does the job. Tata’s standard fitment is just a USB-C to USB-C cable, so I went for a proper hardwired install for that clean OEM look. Installation was straightforward, and everything powers up with ACC. Feel safer now, especially for those late night drives. Had to buy a hardwire kit separately which cost about 2k. Images attached below Lighting Up: Headlight And DRL ModsThe factory halogens did the job, but let’s be honest, that car should’ve come with LEDs from the factory. My local FNG recommended MyTVS LED bulbs. I went for 200W H7s in the headlights, and 152W H8s for the fogs. Plug-and-play, super bright with a crisp cutoff-easily one of the best VFM upgrades! All three sets are 6000 kelvin. H7 per set were 7000 INR. H8 were 4500 INR. Beam PatternFor anyone interested in the beam pattern. Here are the images. Fog Lamps Only (152w H8) Low Beams Only (200w H7) Low Beam+ High Beam+ Fogs (200w, 200w, 152w resp.)SwitchBack DRL And IndicatorOne of the slickest, yet understated mods-switchback DRLs from Durvient. The guys at Durvient were incredibly helpful through chat. The kit is well-designed, completely plug-and-play, with a single wire to tap into the stock DRL line. The white-to-amber sweep when indicating is chef’s kiss-clean & premium. NOTE: PY21W BAU15S is the standard Atroz uses Blaupunkt 8 Inch Subwoofer and LOCMusic matters to me, especially on commutes or winding ghat runs. I already had a Blaupunkt sub from my previous car, so I paired it to the factory Harman head unit using a Blaupunkt 2-channel LOC. The wiring was done by my local FNG with a lot of patience, but the end result is totally worth it-tight, punchy bass that doesn’t drown out the rest of the system, just adds to it. Moreover, as it is an active sub, I have Phase, Gain and LPF control. Something I need to fine tune in the future. For the curious, here’s a shot of the LOC ready for wiring and of the Harman unit’s rear connections. Brakes: Pads and FluidA fast car is only as good as its stops. Inspired by my friend Cannedshroud (his i-Turbo runs similar hardware), I ordered a set of Brembo P85121 pads (originally for Skoda Rapid-turns out they’re a direct fit for the Altroz diesel/Racer too). Paired the install with DOT 5.1 fluid for some extra thermal headroom. Had both fitted by my FNG. All in, cost 6000 INR with install. Both the pads and fluid was acquired from United Motors Chennai. Initial bite is sharp, gives a lot more feedback than the stock pads-though I’ll reserve final verdict until they’re fully bedded-in and I get a few thousand km under the belt. What’s Next for my Altroz Racer?I haven’t yet decided on further performance tuning (stage 1 remap perhaps?), but that might be down the road. For now, I’m content enjoying the car, learning its character, and making small tweaks. Lots more in my mind. Maybe upgrade to some fancy Michelins and new wheels, try a stage 1 tune, experiment with standard springs, and try to somehow improve the clutch feel. Stay Tuned! If you have any questions about specifics or any ideas or recommendations, feel free to ask! I’m always happy to talk and learn from the ever-helpful Team-BHP community.Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
