I have always been a Maruti vehicle fan over the years... started with an M800 which I drove for about 30, 000 kms.. went in for an Esteem later which I drove for over a lakh kms ....Baleno was a natural choice as I was very satisfied with the service backup which Maruti has. You don’t necessarily have to go to a Maruti Authorized Showroom.. service is available at every nook and corner. There are various views expressed on Baleno’s looks... but the views on its performance and drivability have always been excellent......
Good aspects of a Baleno:
Stability at high speeds
Pickup
Mileage
Aircondtioning
Seating comfort
Disadvantages:
Baleno offers a brilliant ride quality and is very stable even at at 160 kms per hour. I have been driving this Baleno for 4 years now and the experience has been amazing. The Suzuki parts are Japanese make [reliable] and do not fail easily. But now that Maruti is not selling this car, it is a challenge to get parts even in a city like Mumbai. The spares are expensive [ a rear view mirror costs Rs 5000/- to replace ] so one needs to take care of this car while parking etc..
The Lxi version come with 13 inch radial tyres, one can upgrade to 14 inch radials or opt for a 185/70R13 tyres which give better grip and ride comfort.
One can fit in a LPG or CNG kit, but this will eat into the trunk space. Mileage about 12 with AC on in city and about 14 on highways.
Overall a decent car at a decent price provide you get used to its looks!
Update after 50, 000 kms
The car is doing great !! Its in great shape... However you need to take care of the following at this stage and I am sharing my experiences.
The AC compressor failed. My mechanic told me that compressors fail around 45-50000 kms especially in coastal cities. A replacement done at Rs 10, 000/- along with gas refill, although I am not too sure if the replacement was new. I understand SGA accessories are very expensive. I also got the cooling coils changed as they were corroded at Rs 5000/-.Anyways the AC works just fine.
The fuel pump was replaced at Rs 2500/- , again a routine expenditure considering the milleage done.
Mileage in city has dropped to 10... Highways I manage 13 with AC On
The door handle ( outside) was replaced at Rs 500/-.
The inner door opening handle was replace at Rs 80/-. The door handle of ALTO matches that of Baleno... so save money.
I understand that the glass of the rear view mirror is available in local markets at Rs 100/-... the quality of the same is reasonable although it is not a SGP or MGP.
Normal servicing and oil changes done as per schedule .
The ride is still silky smooth and the pickup is great...The suspension is as good as new.
I plan to do some rust proofing ( in the trunk) after the monsoons and plan to give the exteriors a polish. The existing paintwork is great but has become dull offlate because of pollution.
Use MAK engine oil specially formulated for LPG CNG engines or mix with your existing engine oil ... the engine runs much smoother then in heavy traffic conditions. They are available at all Indian Oil fuel outlets
Just a piece of advise: Keep some spare fuses [20 MA] with you when you go on long drives, they cost Rs 10-12/- and come in handy when a particular fuse blow off.. ask your meachanic how to replace your fuses. A 10 minute job actually .
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10th April 2011
Advise on tyre replacement and injector /airconditioner upkeep:
Recently upgraded to Appollo Accelere 175/70R13 tyres tubeless tyres, the ride quality has improved, also the road noise has come down drastically when compared to my earlier Bridgestone tyres.
Had my 4 fuel injectors cleaned which cost me Rs 125 per injector. The pickup has improved dramatically after that.
- Used ’Blue Star’ refrigrant from sealed cannisters for my air conditioner cost me Rs 950. The aircontioning has become just perfect. Earlier the mechanic used to fill in a/s gas from a cylinder which was not very effective as cost almost the same
Happy Driving