Thread Starter
#16
Got 94 Japanese Horses - 2005 Baleno LXi
- Thread Starter Mr.Boss
- Start date
![[:)]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Smile.gif "Smile [:)]")
Congrats. Remember that Baleno parts are really expensive. However it shares a lot of parts with the Alto. The same part is sold at different prices depending whether you ask for it for an Alto or Baleno.
Hope , your diy end well, All the best, always use shink insted of tape .. :)
Thread Starter
#20
Thread Starter
#21
Dear Satish,
Hope you are doing good. Well, by buying a pre-owned Maruti Baleno after much R & D at your end, you have re-instilled the fact that even though phased out yet the car has the looks and comfort of a premium sedan of 8-10 years back. Baleno, if you ask me, was genuinely one of the cars by Maruti which had a charm of its own and that time it was one of the most sought after car. Before Maruti ventured into futuristic designs, Baleno and Esteem were 2 of the most elegant sedans in their stable. Keep it in best of shape and I wish it serves you and your family for good period of time.
Congrats!
Akash
Hope you are doing good. Well, by buying a pre-owned Maruti Baleno after much R & D at your end, you have re-instilled the fact that even though phased out yet the car has the looks and comfort of a premium sedan of 8-10 years back. Baleno, if you ask me, was genuinely one of the cars by Maruti which had a charm of its own and that time it was one of the most sought after car. Before Maruti ventured into futuristic designs, Baleno and Esteem were 2 of the most elegant sedans in their stable. Keep it in best of shape and I wish it serves you and your family for good period of time.
Congrats!
Akash
Thread Starter
#23
Thanks Akash.
100% agreed on your comment, those days Baleno was something beyond our budget and finally we settled for a Wagon-R and later upgraded to Civic. This car gave us a recap of good old memories. I wish this car should travel with us for ever.
100% agreed on your comment, those days Baleno was something beyond our budget and finally we settled for a Wagon-R and later upgraded to Civic. This car gave us a recap of good old memories. I wish this car should travel with us for ever.
Thread Starter
#24
Short term ownership review:
Covered around 1k km in mixed traffic conditions and below is the observation.
Likes:
1) Low Posture:
I’m a big fan of shorter cars and love to be close enough to the ground. Unfortunately none of my previous cars were of Low posture (compared with Baleno) This makes the Centre of Gravity to fall further below and improving the stability of the vehicle. The only downside I could see is low GC will result in belly scrapping, but I got used to the low GC of Civic & Linea and I hope this shouldn’t be a problem. On the other hand I was little worried my old aged parents may find it difficult on a low slung car, though they were very much satisfied with previous generation Elantra and Esteem. During TD they confirmed it is not that difficult and they are still satisfied.
2. Engine Response:
I don’t have much to write here, it is known to everyone that the 1.6L Suzuki engine is a gem among the competitors and also a reliable work horse. Engine was very much responsive at every rpm band. Thanks to the better low end torque (compared with Hondas) it makes City driving a pleasure. Even with 3 on board 2nd Gear is sufficient enough to pull without much stress on B2B traffic. On highways post 2.5k rpm is a different story altogether for this rev friendly engine. I haven’t taken her to red lining yet, but the engine made me understand it’s capability within 5k rpm.
3. Ride & Handling
If I compare with my other car and the previous cars that I owned, it is a class apart. It isolates each and every bad patches and small pot holes from the cabin. Dampers do their job pretty well. Coming to the handling department, steady speed cornering at 3 digits is just mind blowing (for a 1.5L paid car) At certain flyover exits I couldn’t do over 60kmph on my Sunny and with this car I managed to do at 85kmph (I don’t encourage high speed driving on flyover exits, but to understand the vehicle behaviour I tried once confirming there is no traffic ahead or behind me) Only area where I could feel a little body roll is during a double lane change, but again it is far better than the cars from this segment.
4. Brakes:
Braking is not that inspiring on this particular car. Brake pads are due for change and let me update the experience after cleaning the brakes and changing the brake pads.
5. Steering:
Hydraulic power steering makes City driving (slow speed) blissful and gives much confidence on highways. It is neither too heavy nor that light. I should say it is very much balanced. Horn pad reach is far better than Sunny and the effort to press the horn pad is also lesser. I love the 3 spoke steering wheel over the 4 spoke design (for no reason) Tilt adjustment is very much useful but the range is limited.
6. Features:
This car is feature loaded when compared with the current gen cars except for the safety features ABS & Air Bags (Though it was sold in other markets with those features) To list a few,
- Power Windows with driver side 1 touch down
- Power adjustable ORVMs
- Front Centre arm rest with storage compartment / Cup holder (though it is small)
- Rear centre arm rest
- Height adjustable seat belts
- Tilt adjustable Steering
- Variable speed intermittent wiper
- Boot lamp
- Dead pedal
Other regular features like Power steering, Day/Night IRVM, Centre locking, remote boot & fuel lid opener, etc
Front Center arm rest and space for additional switches
Cup holder / small utility space
Clock
Height adjustable seat belts
Steering tilt adjustment lever
7. Comfort and Convenience:
Rear seat offers a neutral support all over (there is nothing much to complain) Good ride and handling package coupled with a comfortable seats gives a fatigue-free journey. Excessive body roll in my Sunny was sometimes bothering the rear occupants and there is no such issue in this car. About the Air Conditioner, it's best in class I must say. Cools the cabin in few minutes even under hot sun. Blower noise is within the acceptable range.
8. Fuel Economy:
Got 14.7kmpl by Tank full method
Driving Pattern : 40:60 City & Highway driving
AC : 100%
Occupancy : 3 on board 60% with completely filled boot and 5 on board with partly filled boot for 20 and 10% solo driving without any luggage
Speed : Less than 60kmph inside City & 90~120kmph on highways (Even more occasionally to understand the vehicle behavior)
Odo Reading (Between tank fill) : 82971 - 83709
Fuel Consumed : 50.06 liter (15.44 + 34.62)
Covered around 1k km in mixed traffic conditions and below is the observation.
Likes:
1) Low Posture:
I’m a big fan of shorter cars and love to be close enough to the ground. Unfortunately none of my previous cars were of Low posture (compared with Baleno) This makes the Centre of Gravity to fall further below and improving the stability of the vehicle. The only downside I could see is low GC will result in belly scrapping, but I got used to the low GC of Civic & Linea and I hope this shouldn’t be a problem. On the other hand I was little worried my old aged parents may find it difficult on a low slung car, though they were very much satisfied with previous generation Elantra and Esteem. During TD they confirmed it is not that difficult and they are still satisfied.
2. Engine Response:
I don’t have much to write here, it is known to everyone that the 1.6L Suzuki engine is a gem among the competitors and also a reliable work horse. Engine was very much responsive at every rpm band. Thanks to the better low end torque (compared with Hondas) it makes City driving a pleasure. Even with 3 on board 2nd Gear is sufficient enough to pull without much stress on B2B traffic. On highways post 2.5k rpm is a different story altogether for this rev friendly engine. I haven’t taken her to red lining yet, but the engine made me understand it’s capability within 5k rpm.
3. Ride & Handling
If I compare with my other car and the previous cars that I owned, it is a class apart. It isolates each and every bad patches and small pot holes from the cabin. Dampers do their job pretty well. Coming to the handling department, steady speed cornering at 3 digits is just mind blowing (for a 1.5L paid car) At certain flyover exits I couldn’t do over 60kmph on my Sunny and with this car I managed to do at 85kmph (I don’t encourage high speed driving on flyover exits, but to understand the vehicle behaviour I tried once confirming there is no traffic ahead or behind me) Only area where I could feel a little body roll is during a double lane change, but again it is far better than the cars from this segment.
4. Brakes:
Braking is not that inspiring on this particular car. Brake pads are due for change and let me update the experience after cleaning the brakes and changing the brake pads.
5. Steering:
Hydraulic power steering makes City driving (slow speed) blissful and gives much confidence on highways. It is neither too heavy nor that light. I should say it is very much balanced. Horn pad reach is far better than Sunny and the effort to press the horn pad is also lesser. I love the 3 spoke steering wheel over the 4 spoke design (for no reason) Tilt adjustment is very much useful but the range is limited.
6. Features:
This car is feature loaded when compared with the current gen cars except for the safety features ABS & Air Bags (Though it was sold in other markets with those features) To list a few,
- Power Windows with driver side 1 touch down
- Power adjustable ORVMs
- Front Centre arm rest with storage compartment / Cup holder (though it is small)
- Rear centre arm rest
- Height adjustable seat belts
- Tilt adjustable Steering
- Variable speed intermittent wiper
- Boot lamp
- Dead pedal
Other regular features like Power steering, Day/Night IRVM, Centre locking, remote boot & fuel lid opener, etc
Front Center arm rest and space for additional switches
Cup holder / small utility space
Clock
Height adjustable seat belts
Steering tilt adjustment lever
7. Comfort and Convenience:
Rear seat offers a neutral support all over (there is nothing much to complain) Good ride and handling package coupled with a comfortable seats gives a fatigue-free journey. Excessive body roll in my Sunny was sometimes bothering the rear occupants and there is no such issue in this car. About the Air Conditioner, it's best in class I must say. Cools the cabin in few minutes even under hot sun. Blower noise is within the acceptable range.
8. Fuel Economy:
Got 14.7kmpl by Tank full method
Driving Pattern : 40:60 City & Highway driving
AC : 100%
Occupancy : 3 on board 60% with completely filled boot and 5 on board with partly filled boot for 20 and 10% solo driving without any luggage
Speed : Less than 60kmph inside City & 90~120kmph on highways (Even more occasionally to understand the vehicle behavior)
Odo Reading (Between tank fill) : 82971 - 83709
Fuel Consumed : 50.06 liter (15.44 + 34.62)
Thread Starter
#25
Dislikes:
1. Headlamps:
Headlamps were next to useless I must say. It does the job pretty well on City roads, but taking to highways leave us hopeless. As a first step I must upgrade the bulbs with 100/90W kit, if this doesn’t satisfy the need the other option is to fix auxiliary lamps.
2. Front Seats:
Front seats were little narrow (when compared with Swift, City, etc) though it within the acceptable range, a few inches more should keep us more comfortable.
3. Door Pockets:
I came around the car searching for a place to keep a water bottle but with least success. Door pockets couldn’t hold even a 300ml water bottle. I had a worst experience in past keeping the water bottle under front seats and during panic braking one of the bottle came under the driver foot. Little worried on this regard.
Wish list:
Few wish list items and future upgrades planned.
1. Remote Lock
This is something we got used to and badly in need of one. Please suggest a basic remote lock from Autocop / Xenos / Nippon or any other brand worth considering. I’m inclined towards the flip key type remote lock from Right Click (rclick.co.uk) but the shipping is much higher than the actual piece cost. Is there a source in India to get one?
2. Tires:
Alloy wheels + better tire upgrade planned. Please suggest
3. Parking Sensor:
Investing around 3k on parking sensor should save the much costlier Tail lamps I hope. Not mandatory, but to be on the safer side I planning to install one.
4. HU:
Current HU doesn’t have a USB port and we badly need one. Otherwise the JVC KD DV4404 is doing its job satisfactorily.
Adding few snaps
Exterior:
1. Headlamps:
Headlamps were next to useless I must say. It does the job pretty well on City roads, but taking to highways leave us hopeless. As a first step I must upgrade the bulbs with 100/90W kit, if this doesn’t satisfy the need the other option is to fix auxiliary lamps.
2. Front Seats:
Front seats were little narrow (when compared with Swift, City, etc) though it within the acceptable range, a few inches more should keep us more comfortable.
3. Door Pockets:
I came around the car searching for a place to keep a water bottle but with least success. Door pockets couldn’t hold even a 300ml water bottle. I had a worst experience in past keeping the water bottle under front seats and during panic braking one of the bottle came under the driver foot. Little worried on this regard.
Wish list:
Few wish list items and future upgrades planned.
1. Remote Lock
This is something we got used to and badly in need of one. Please suggest a basic remote lock from Autocop / Xenos / Nippon or any other brand worth considering. I’m inclined towards the flip key type remote lock from Right Click (rclick.co.uk) but the shipping is much higher than the actual piece cost. Is there a source in India to get one?
2. Tires:
Alloy wheels + better tire upgrade planned. Please suggest
3. Parking Sensor:
Investing around 3k on parking sensor should save the much costlier Tail lamps I hope. Not mandatory, but to be on the safer side I planning to install one.
4. HU:
Current HU doesn’t have a USB port and we badly need one. Otherwise the JVC KD DV4404 is doing its job satisfactorily.
Adding few snaps
Exterior:
Thread Starter
#26
Interiors
Front Doors open wide enough
Simple steering wheel
Front Seats
Rear Sear
Driver side door pad (with small door pocket)
Co-driver side door pad
Rear door pad
ORVM adjustment button and HL leveler
Front Center arm rest
Short gear lever
No non-sense dash
View from outside
Practical boot
Front Doors open wide enough
Simple steering wheel
Front Seats
Rear Sear
Driver side door pad (with small door pocket)
Co-driver side door pad
Rear door pad
ORVM adjustment button and HL leveler
Front Center arm rest
Short gear lever
No non-sense dash
View from outside
Practical boot
Thread Starter
#27
Thread Starter
#28
Audio System
JVC KD DV4404 HU
Pioneer Speakers in Front & Reat
Front - Door Mounted (Not sure about the spec)
Rear - 200W 6x9 Oval
Few LEDs
Japanese Parts
Most of the parts were Made in Japan.
HL rear cover
Air Filter Element
Tail Lamp
JVC KD DV4404 HU
Pioneer Speakers in Front & Reat
Front - Door Mounted (Not sure about the spec)
Rear - 200W 6x9 Oval
Few LEDs
Japanese Parts
Most of the parts were Made in Japan.
HL rear cover
Air Filter Element
Tail Lamp
Thanks for the detailed pics, enjoyed every bit of it. A Nice car Indeed. and the ownership review is also nice and crisp. all points covered.wish i could write like you. waiting for more to come.
so , enjoying the ride rit? ![[clap]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Clap.gif "Clap [clap]")
make some tea ride to , ooty, connoor, valparai. as we are blessed with many hills around cbe
make some tea ride to , ooty, connoor, valparai. as we are blessed with many hills around cbe