[infallible79]

Hi,

I am in the process of finalizing a car for me in the 5.5-7L range. Upgrading from my 2003 Maruti Zen LXi. Here are the on-road prices I got from dealers in Pune.

Maruti Baleno LXi - 5.9L (After 70K discount)
Ford Fiesta 1.4 EXi - 6.47L
Chevrolet Aveo 1.4 - 6.6L (After 15K discount)

Now my question here is, why am I getting such a huge discount on Maruti Baleno? When I asked this question to the dealer he was unable to give me a convincing answer.

Is Maruti Baleno getting phased out and thats why the dealers are selling it by giving attractive prices?

As I dont want to go for a car which will be phased out in the near future (because of high spare parts cost in future), I really need to figure out the deal with Maruti Baleno. Help appreciated...

[GTO]

Maruti Baleno LXi - 5.9L (After 70K discount)
Ford Fiesta 1.4 EXi - 6.47L
Chevrolet Aveo 1.4 - 6.6L (After 15K discount)

Well, the Baleno has been around for 7 years, and is pretty much a decade old design. Competitive forces alongwith the cost component (old design = lower cost due to machine depreciation, localisation etc.) will result in the lowest price.

The Baleno has a huge fan following because it is the only 6 lac performance sedan available. Plus it has proven reliability, FE, ride quality and service backup. That said, it is also outdated in many areas.

[Boom Shiva]

A guy I know who works for Spectra Motors says the new car "Liana" will sell alongside Baleno, in two different price segments, like Octavia/Laura and Accent/Verna.

[islero]

My dad was asking me this same question, and I gave him the same answer: they might be phasing out the car in a few months, so it is better to avoid the car unless you are a performance freak or a Baleno fan.

[pastmaster]

You don't want to buy a car which has excellent, performance, reliability and maruti brand value?

Trust me, baleno commands awesome resale value simply because its a maruti.

Even if the car gets phased out, you shouldn't have any problem with resale or spares for the same reason(its a maruti)

Fusion and other ford's which have been referred to you will cost more in terms of spares even if and when Baleno is phased out.

I agree that space is a concern on the baleno; but the fuel effieciency is unbelievably good. Just check it to believe it.

That said, the Baleno does feel like an overgrown 800 when the speeds increase

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by pastmaster

I agree that space is a concern on the baleno;

That said, the Baleno does feel like an overgrown 800 when the speeds increase

Do you mind qualifying these statements? Doesn't make sense to me.

[himanshugoswami]

Trust me, baleno commands awesome resale value simply because its a maruti.

Are you sure about that? Last I checked, apart from teh Honda City, No midsizer in India has anything close to a good resale value.

The frequent price cuts and huge discounts on the Baleno really dont do much for resale value.

Having said that, if you take a car on merits, the Baleno is superb VFM. you really cant go wrong with it at this price!

[theMAG]

Originally Posted by infallible79

why am I getting such a huge discount on Maruti Baleno? ...

The Suzuki Aerio sedan is sold as the New Baleno in many SAARC countries. While the Baleno brand name will definitely not be buried by Maruti due to its fan following, the current model will definitely be phased out in the near future - and Maruti isn't going to tell you this for obvious reasons. Gone are the days when Maruti could sell the same car for 20 years.

[GTO]

and Maruti isn't going to tell you this for obvious reasons. Gone are the days when Maruti could sell the same car for 20 years.

Not really. Except for the Zen, Maruti really hasnt discontinued anything. They are still selling the 800 (20 years), Omni (20 years), Gypsy (close to 20 years) and Esteem (15 years).

[devarshi84]

The new ford fusion, fiesta and chevrolet aveo are among the better cars of today in this price segment.

[GTO]

I agree. I do like the Baleno and people are probably buying it for the right reasons (power, FE, reliability etc. )...but I would never buy the car today.

[kiranpashtakar]

Ford-------Ikon-Fiesta.... ????
Chevy--------Optra-Aveo ........?????
Fiat----------Sienna-Petra. ....????????
Maruti---------- Esteem-Baleno.
Observe the trends in evolution. What is the problem with Maruti, both offer value for money for the price you pay.

Not that the other cars do not provide value for money but Maruti will evolve like Amby's in India. They will never die.

[shuvc]

Originally Posted by infallible79

Maruti Baleno LXi - 5.9L (After 70K discount)
Ford Fiesta 1.4 EXi - 6.47L
Chevrolet Aveo 1.4 - 6.6L (After 15K discount)
......

As I dont want to go for a car which will be phased out in the near future (because of high spare parts cost in future), I really need to figure out the deal with Maruti Baleno.

Which of these three does your heart want to buy ?
How long do you plan to keep the new car ?
What other criteria are important for you ?

Cars will probably get phased out increasingly quicker in India in future, than what has been the trend in the past. Given a 5 yrs ownership window, I don't think spare parts availability should figure that high in your criteria. For eg.. Honda has spawned multiple versions of the city, yet spares, I believe are available for all the versions.

[filcord]

Originally Posted by pastmaster

That said, the Baleno does feel like an overgrown 800 when the speeds increase

Beg to differ, drove mine with three kids at the back from Pune to Goa. I touched 125 kph very often and stayed at 110-120 for long periods of time. Kids slept almost all through the way, Wife tried her best to stay awake only for fear I would get dozy by myself. That is real comfort and speed for you.

I had an 800 some years ago, and the quoted statement just makes no sense to me.

[GTO]

I agree. The Baleno is feels much more confident at a 150 kph than my Vtec.