[McLaren Rulez]

I'm finding it a little difficult to sympathise. Your posts on this thread and others show that you hate almost all aspects of the car - you even called it underpowered in the other thread! What exactly do you want in terms of advice aside from the obvious option of selling it and buying a different used car?

And as for the stickers, I'm sorry but that is just a load of needless drama.

[Guna]

Wow, a thread which is just started today is already running in to 5th page.
I haven't driven Baleno but based on what I have seen, I thought it is one of the better built cars from Maruti Suzuki. I did not get the same feeling when I was checking the new Swift.
I am also told that steering becomes lighter as it reaches higher speeds. I don't know how far it is true.

[Aaron:)]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

I'm finding it a little difficult to sympathise. Your posts on this thread and others show that you hate almost all aspects of the car - you even called it underpowered in the other thread! What exactly do you want in terms of advice aside from the obvious option of selling it and buying a different used car?

And as for the stickers, I'm sorry but that is just a load of needless drama.

I agree. While it's possible for a person used to solid and 'heavy-feeling' cars to dislike the Baleno, this is taking it a little overboard.

One thing to takeaway from this thread - ALWAYS take multiple test drives before you buy a car.

As I said earlier, if you can't live with it, get an i20. Hope you don't start hating that car too, due to its mediocre performance and soggy dynamics.

[KMT]

Once you are done throwing your tantrum just sell the Baleno and buy something more expensive.
If you spend Maruti money you cant expect a Porsche.
The Baleno is a good car, its a pity it did not work out for you.

[satyamkaushik]

Like all others, i too would suggest you to go the used car route.
You can easily find a used EcoSport or say a Honda City of decent vintage for nearly the same price that you would get for your #TinCan

The new gen honda city too has a thinner metal sheet as compared to the previous generations but it still seems better than what the Baleno offers.

[redcruiser]

Stickers are a way to get back at Maruti for producing cheap car and still sell it in India.
You are indeed venting out the anger on MSIL by giving it a negative publicity on the roads.
I can totally sympathaize with you. I mean how infuriating one would be feeling to see the numerous dings on the outer metal sheet that keeps developing as it ages. You won't even feel like waxing and polishing.
Being the number 1 car manufacturer it should atleast match the standards of Hyundai.

[landcruiser123]

amvj,
Seems to me that you are very frustrated beyond 'that' point where only selling your car will give you peace of mind.

Like all members said, sheet metal doesn't really define how safe your car is. The previous gen Innova also had very thin sheet metal, but it sold in huge numbers and served people reliably for lakhs of kilometers. I don't think you should keep the car, but just keep this fact in mind.

As GTO said, finding a used replacement is your best option. Please evaluate your options thoroughly this time around and remember that every car has its flaws.

[ruzbehxyz]

Sad to know that you dislike the car so much. If that's the case then get rid of it asap because as time passes it will keep depreciating. Next time when you buy a car get fully satisfied with all that you want and then take the plunge.
Coming to Maruti then we Indians need to get out of the shell of Maruti Suzuki. They may be the best selling and most fuel efficient but when it comes to safety then it's a big NO. The Swift which is the highest selling, is the most unsafe while the same car which sells abroad is a ton heavier with good crash ratings.
Whenever an average Indian goes to a showroom to buy a car one of the first question is 'Kitna deti hai' instead of the safety features. Safety features are discussed last. The lighter the car, more fuel efficient it is and more dangerous in proportion.
But now things have changed and people are aware of safety and taking keen interest on buying cars with safety features like airbags, ABS and stronger bodies.
With time flying and new super fast highways /expressways coming all over India, safety should be one of our major criteria in choosing a vehicle.

[lionell]

Echo your concern. Drove the Baleno auto and GT TSI back to back and it felt like a world apart. The build of the Maruti was at best ‘crappy’. Paid the extra moolah, skimped on that extra space and bought the VW that very next day.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by amvj

It has shockingly light weight metal and I am not at all feel safe to drive with my toddler in that crap. Also countless crash photos in Team-bhp and speaking with people who crashed Maruti cars now justifies what really they are made of. It is just 6.5Kms done and rattles are already started.


BTW this is my first car.

Your first car and you already know about other cars? Don't let your mind be tricked by hearsay, just decide to either stick on or move on. You are doing no good to yourselves by putting up such stickers and driving on.

Even I do not totally love my New Figo, especially the high engine braking and the gear box and shifts and a rattling while upshifting in lower gears which the ASC couldn't identify still. But I have driven almost all the cars in this segment and owned quite a few across segments to arrive at this discontentment. Though I like few aspects of the Figo especially on the highway. Would have exchanged it with your Baleno had it been a diesel. I, for a difference, love the MJD and not the 1.5 TDCI from Ford, against popular opinion on the forum.

What I'm trying to convey is that the truth is there is no perfect car that matches our expectation, especially down the hatchback segment. Car purchase is mostly similar to a marriage, nothing is that perfect, you need to compromise on some aspects to have a happy relationship, the only difference being you can in fact ditch a car if it's too bothersome but not your spouse that easily. Imagine you buy an i20 and later you might think why you ditched your Baleno for some other reason you hate about the i20. Don't think most other cars in the segment are too safe than the Baleno.

As GTO and others told try damping or tire change or adding accessories that keep you happy. And if you just cannot live with the Baleno after reading all the advice on the forum, don't think twice. Go for a used one to reduce your loss.

First decide between the two and close this thread. See you on another thread either asking for advice on improvements to your Baleno or on what used car you need to buy. There is no both ways to it.

[Venkat_Figo]

Light necessarily doesn't mean weak, Kevlar is way lighter than most metals but it has better impact absorption. May not be applicable to the Baleno, but if the Hearttech structure which Maruti is using across models is anything close to a good one, I think you need not part with the Baleno.

Speaking of rattles, its something fixable, the 1.2 K series is peppy & most of the folk, including us Bhpians like it, if you feel the need for more power, try remapping it.


If you cant get it out of your head, then maybe you should pat with it, cause at times the heart just doesn't listen. Peace out.

[Added_flavor]

Originally Posted by ruzbehxyz

The Swift which is the highest selling, is the most unsafe while the same car which sells abroad is a ton heavier with good crash ratings.

Are you talking about the latest gen swift? This post is truly an eye opener for me. Can you please share some factual data on what is the weight of the current swift sold in India vis-à-vis the one sold abroad? And when you say abroad, which country are you actually referring to?

[drmohitg]

I still don't understand why everyone is badmouthing Maruti here. On the other hand in a parallel thread about the monthly sales figures, there are posts congratulating them for achieving such staggering sales figures month after month. The have a connect with the customers and it is the competition's problem to solve. As far as ethics are concerned, none of the other car makers are better either. All of them sell stripped down versions of their vehicles in India and multiple threads exist documenting the same. Infact some stoop so low as to advertise their car as 5 star NCAP rating and yet offer the airbags in only the top trim without informing the customer that he is only sporting the sticker for the same on his car and nothing else. Please stop singling out Maruti here. And i cannot believe that the OP was so innocent in not knowing about the strengths and weakness of the Baleno. You cannot blame the apple if you wanted to have an orange instead.

[mayankk]

Anytime someone says "tin-can" on the forum, I understand why the SMS acronym "smh" came about.
Don't believe the hype that buying a European budget brand will give you a European car. Or Korean. Or Japanese.
Ford, Volkswagen or Suzuki, they all make "INDIAN" cars for INDIA.
Can i suggest taking a drive of another baleno of similar vintage, and see if this is a car problem, or a your-car problem. Then maybe some of us can help you out identifying and fixing what is wrong.

[2000rpm]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

I'm finding it a little difficult to sympathise. Your posts on this thread and others show that you hate almost all aspects of the car - you even called it underpowered in the other thread! What exactly do you want in terms of advice aside from the obvious option of selling it and buying a different used car?

And as for the stickers, I'm sorry but that is just a load of needless drama.

Hey, I think he is just sharing his feelings on the forum where he expects to be understood not necessarily agreed with. If people can buy expensive crowns for cars they love (read accessories) he can definitely put up stickers.

Everyone has their own way of expressing.

The situation he is in as a first time buyer is understandable, agree that more test drives should have been done prior to purchase. Buts thats how we learn the world of cars, dont we?