Baleno / Swift / Getz / Esteem

[s0uljah]

Hello BHP Bhai's

Its finally happened. S0uljah's getting a new ride!!

I hope my starting a new thread is not a criminal waste of server space since there exists threads discussing similar topics. Iv scoured the forum these last few days and have read the existing, "Should I buy a baleno" / "Should I wait for the new baleno" / "Swift vs Getz" threads.

Some points to consider :
* Car will be retained for atleast 5 years
* Mostly city use (occasional long distance, weekend off roading )
* Average daily running 25-30kms.
* Not for family use (rarely more than 2 - 3 occupants)
* Purchase under finance (car registered in the Company name)
* Minimal Mods (Performance, and some cosmetic for Swift) - Rubber/Rims/Airfilter and maybe a FFE at some point.

First off I have driven the Getz, Swift as well as Baleno. Just for kicks I will go for test drives again. hehe.

Even though I feel the Getz is a better vehicle (family / VFM). Iv ruled it out based on looks/mod worthiness.

The car is pirmarily for my use and my brothers. Rarely will it be the case that it will be used for family outings. I do the occasional long distance every few months, but if I have managed with a Santro for the last few years I guess the space in the swift wont be much to complaing about !!


Swift -

So having dropped the Getz, Swift would be the remaing option (as my dad wants a small car). Im aware of the issues that many of our T-Bhp owners have addressed here :

Rattling / Mileage / Lack of loq torque / Inferior Build Quality (yes a few have said that) / Claustraphobic rear seating / Lack of boot space (really?) / Difficulty parking (due to rear glass) etc etc. Phew !

Like I mentioned earlier, the Swift is being chosen for looks / mod worthiness. Also it would win over the getz in FE (though I didnt list this as the main criteria it obviously does make a difference).

Baleno -

Spoke to my dad about this, asked him to consider if budget was not an issue. He will consider and probably let me know in a week if its feasbile or not.

Like someone said, Baleno is the "official" T-Bhp car it seems like !! Always thought its a great car, but after becoming a T-Bhp member the hype seems to have bitten me even more !!

Ok so now the drawbacks of buying the Baleno :

Outdated (ancient, old, etc..) / Looks (subjective) / Build quality (yes some have stated) / Resale value / Lack of spare parts (again some have voiced their concern) / Launch of New Baleno shortly

Now I have to wait till my dad takes a decision based on price. It is most likely that I will go for the VXI (ABS) if Swift is decided upon. In the case of the Baleno it would be the LXI.

I also know that stocks are running dry for the Baleno. So choice of colour might be limited.

In the Baleno I think black looks stunning. But recently I had a heartbreaking experience when Id left my car parked on the road in Koramangla (outside my girlsfriends house). Someone had taken a stone and scraped the ENTIRE LHS & REAR of my BLACK Santro. All I could was helplessly look and groan. Aaaaaaaaargh !!!!!! So I really dont know if I have recovered emotionally to go in for a black car again. Had considered white for the swift, but they dont have the superior white and its more an off white so I dont know yet. White car with black alloys isnt HOT but then I think its got a different look. Im aware the white is equally painful to maintain as Black !!

Anyway I think I will end this RANT for now. Feel free to comment / criticize / Flame !!

[speedzak]

Swift ZXI with new 15" alloys, K&N extreme filter, Psyched/Automech Freeflow, sport steering wheel and decent Hertz ICE.
PERIOD

[aZa]

Some points to consider :
* Car will be retained for atleast 5 years

S0uljah i think this is the main point here ... Getz and Baleno are to be reintroduced with a new look. You wont get anything after 5 years with the type1 body!!!

I'd say go for the Swift Diesel and save moolah for ECU remap!!!

cheers

[benbsb29]

I guess Swift would hold good for you, depending on how much u would be willing to splurge on the Swift. Do go in for the ABS enhanced Vxi.

As far as color and associated maintenance are concerned, guess all dark colors are difficult to maintain, as i have learnt the hard way, and also as Rudra has mentioned on another thread on washing and maintenance. As far as ur fears regarding a black car are concerned, there's not much we can do about such anti-social elements who try to make the most of their lack of education by using any available means as a blackboard.

All the best in deciding, pal.

[mclaren1885]

Anirudh , just pick up the diesel swift man ... That car has a good potential , bucket loads of torque and one can take care of the power by putting a air filter and i am sure peter will come up with a box for it real soon .. You got excellent performance added to the mileage .. Also the car is such a pleasant one to drive in city or on the highway .. Practically it makes more sense since you shall not be going all out on the mods front anyways ?

[shuvc]

The Swift seems to be the only option left ! Unless you want to consider the U-VA, or the Palio 1.6 (read it's going cheap at 4.5L) or the Fusion.

Originally Posted by s0uljah

I also know that stocks are running dry for the Baleno. So choice of colour might be limited.

I spotted a Baleno VXi with Pratham motors stickers on the headlights this week in Kolkata. Saw it from the front. What struck me was that it looked brand new with the new VXi alloys and NCT5s and had the Metallic Wine Red colour that the Esteem comes in !!! I thought that colour used to come during the pre-Lxi, Vxi era !
Bangalore guys please clarify whether it could be a new car .. the registration is KA-01-MC ...

[mclaren1885]

Originally Posted by shuvc

had the Metallic Wine Red colour that the Esteem comes in !!! I thought that colour used to come during the pre-Lxi, Vxi era !
Bangalore guys please clarify whether it could be a new car ..

Bangalore at the moment has stock of only wine red balenos..The colour has been re-introed.. Getting other standard colours is a pain and subject to availability..

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

Bangalore at the moment has stock of only wine red balenos..The colour has been re-introed.. Getting other standard colours is a pain and subject to availability..

They introduced a new color for the Baleno ? When the car is set to be getting a replacement ? And that too without any advertisements ?
They should have added more color options atleast 2 years ago when they did the price-cuts. But then, thats MUL-style of functioning, I guess.

BTW, I love the colors the Baleno initially (pre-Lxi Vxi) used to come in - red, green and a nice shade of blue.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by s0uljah

So having dropped the Getz, Swift would be the remaing option (as my dad wants a small car).

Since you are looking at a car for city use primarily, I can see the logic in what your Dad is saying. A small car makes sense in the city.

Originally Posted by s0uljah

In the Baleno I think black looks stunning. I really dont know if I have recovered emotionally to go in for a black car again.

It does look stunning, but along with that pleasure comes the huge responsibility of taking the extra effort to keep it looking that way. And as you said, scratches, dirt etc are all the more visible on black.

[esteem_lover]

I have seen this colour here too. It is a fantastic colour on any car, IMO. And the baleno looks stunning in this.

[v1p3r]

Anirudh, there is a nice used Baleno going for 3.5. Problem is, it's a 2000 or so car. Not done too many miles, but if you're buying it under a company name, I don't think you could buy one.

The head says Swift diesel. The heart says Baleno. Both are equally good, the Swift gives better mileage, but then again, one day when you find an open road and you want to pile on the revs, you'll miss the Baleno. Very tough choice.

[s0uljah]

Originally Posted by speedzak

Swift ZXI with new 15" alloys, K&N extreme filter, Psyched/Automech Freeflow, sport steering wheel and decent Hertz ICE.
PERIOD

Hey looks like my search has ended !!! Zak has generously offered to sponsor my ride, performance mods, rubber & ice!!!

Oh and can you buy me 16" instead...puhleeeze Zak???

Jokes apart... do you feel ZXI is worth the extra $$$ ?

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Do go in for the ABS enhanced Vxi.

Yeah Id planned for VXI-abs.

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

Anirudh , just pick up the diesel swift man ... That car has a good potential

You got excellent performance added to the mileage ..

Originally Posted by aZa

You wont get anything after 5 years with the type1 body!! I'd say go for the Swift Diesel and save moolah for ECU remap!!!

Interesting you both suggested Swift-D. I guess it would have to be the VDi since the LDi is lacking in most of the goodies (tacho etc). Am I right in assuming about 5.5lakh OTR for VDi ?

Regarding resale value I think none of these cars would fetch much after 5 years. but yeah Type1 model would fetch next to nothing.

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

Bangalore at the moment has stock of only wine red balenos..

Okay this I didnt know Not that its a bad colour or anything... but not what I had in mind.

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I can see the logic in what your Dad is saying. A small car makes sense in the city.

Without doubt... especially in a city like Bangalore. These days parking is nothing short of a nightmare.

Originally Posted by v1p3r

If you're buying it under a company name, I don't think you could buy one.

The head says Swift diesel. The heart says Baleno. Both are equally good, the Swift gives better mileage

Your right, company purchase means no used vehicles.

Baleno mileage doesnt seem to be too bad judging from a lot of the posts... of course no comparison with the Swift-D there.

Definately very hard to decide here!

[Buffetfan]

Swift Baleno Mileage comparison..
Just some mileage comparisons... I and a friend of mine recently went on a 800 km drive in the countryside...bad roads/traffic and a small 100 km stretch where we ripped the cars to 160kmph plus..in general we drove the cars almost back to back..so driving conditions almost similar
I had a Black Baleno Lxi with Goodyear 185/65R14...aftermarket League lg194 alloys ..26000 kms on the car
He had a Black Swift ZXi with JK 185/70R14 tyres..OEM Alloys...6000 kms on the car

similar weights in the car...I had 3 adults and a toddler/car seat...he had 2 adults and 3 kids.. overall I might have been carrying a bit more weight (20 kgs or so) in the Baleno.

He got 13.36kmpl... I got 13.31kmpl.(all mostly AC on)....a far cry from the 15kmpl that I got on the last tankful in the Baleno in the city drive...(But then I use the AC sparingly in the city and rarely cross 1500 rpm).
So the mileages between Swift and Baleno are not that different....of course driving a smaller car is easier in the city...but on the highway the bigger car may feel a bit more stable...
Either way you dont lose since the maruti service is pretty good..!!

[speedzak]

Me? Sponsor? Man! Wrong number. I'm completely broke now dude. Myself looking for a sponsor for my next car. :(

There isn't much difference between the VXI ABS and ZXI except climate control. That's a nice feature though. I'd opt for it if I had a Sponsor.

[rahul_intlad]

Sadly have to say you should overlook the current baleno and consider the swift[The diesel variant with ABS] especially when you are considering a companion for the next five years.If however you are not in a hurry to buy a car then why not wait for the new baleno,if you do not like it or it is unaffordable you could consider the swift diesel at that point too.

Pictures of cars are not expected on a what car thread but because of the usage of the term Black baleno beauty... just could not resist:



The following picture is taken from http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/364169-post22.html (The Auto-Image thread)