[balenopower]

ok ok baleno petra bhai bhai......in fact lets have a petra baleno meet????
u guys in bangalore have lotsa petras and balenos...na
@mamaji------thnx for the opinion but we didn't need that now.....

[vivek.singh.73]

I suggest that we should have a standard template for any such discussions - so everyone knows what are the comparisons we are making..

like

1.handling

2. Performance

3. Build

4. Interiors

5. looks

6. A.S.S

7. personal opinion

etc

This would allow everyone to contribute and view the thread with more objectivity..rather then letting the discussion move into my car is better and everything else is carp.

However my twist to the discussion - what abt Fiat Adventure Sports vs Baleno?

[Hari]

I feel 'safety' part of the two cars havent been discussed enough. I mean in which car would you rather be in the event of a crash?

Another feature we have ignored totally is the 'security'....as in which car can be broken into more easily. We have all these costly music systems and speakers and all in our cars..in which car is it safer? A car mechanic once told me that the old steel ruler trick doesnt work with palios...is that true? Has any palio/petra owners ever been locked out of their cars? How did you manage to get in ( i mean without using the spare key ofcourse )

There you go two more parameters

8. Safety
9. Security

Hari

[merve_extreme]

Originally Posted by Hari

A car mechanic once told me that the old steel ruler trick doesnt work with palios...is that true? Has any palio/petra owners ever been locked out of their cars? How did you manage to get in ( i mean without using the spare key ofcourse )

In palio/petra there is only one way one can get locked out leaving the key inside if u have a habbit of closing all the doors from inside using central lock and exiting the car from the boot or if the driver has a habbit of getting out from one of the rear doors after locking other doors from inside and the comming out and locking the rear door using maruti style(lift the door
,press the lock and close the door).otherwise impossible.

[Hari]

@m_e...There's one more way you can get locked out, in the petra atleast. You lock the doors using the central lock, open the boot and take out the luggage, the keys which were in your shirt pocket falls in unnoticed and you shut the boot. Chances of that happening is pretty low i guess but still possible.

So 'the hardest car to get locked out of' award should go to the petra i suppose

Hari

[merve_extreme]

Originally Posted by Hari

@m_e...There's one more way you can get locked out, in the petra atleast. You lock the doors using the central lock, open the boot and take out the luggage, the keys which were in your shirt pocket falls in unnoticed and you shut the boot. Chances of that happening is pretty low i guess but still possible.

So 'the hardest car to get locked out of' award should go to the petra i suppose

Hari

yes this is possible.it even happens with the palio.infact it almost happened with me one time when i was refitting my speakers.

[Puffdamgcdragon]

Originally Posted by v1p3r

Have you been in a Palio GTX at high speeds. Or cornered in one? Then you would know what I'm talking about. Just because I own a Baleno doesn't mean all its rivals are bad.

Ummm, ok Viper, didn't know U'r one of us.

[Puffdamgcdragon]

Originally Posted by RX135

I hope you were just kidding, Mr. Dragon, because I doubt if Mr. Samurai will join you in such war BTW, if my memory is not failing me, are you not the one, who was about to go to Calcutta to buy a Petra?

Yup, I'm the same guy. Finally decided to book a Baleno from here itself as Cal was too far away for regular service and ther's no A.S.S around these jungles.

Guess I turned into a "grapes are sour" kinda guy!

[imjimmy]

For me the comparison is very narrow. BOth cars seem good..As a product in itself the Petra might nudge ahead coz it's more VFM..

But i would never ever go for a FIAT..simply because the company is in doldrums in India and abroad too..

Come tomorrow and FIAT can just shut shop and go away..

A Car is a very significant investment here - it's more or equal to what one earns in a year! Would you like to bet on a company.. Maruti(Baleno) offers peace of mind,good support and better resale.. And yes ASS,resale are very significant in the purchase decision!


I myself bought a Swift Silver Zxi recently....

Am planning to get a new car for my DAD..Coz it wud have to run about 80-120 Km per day - FE is a significant factor.. Considering NHC, Accent viva CRDI and the Baleno..

Almost about to get the Baleno Lxi, would get it a 5.45L in Delhi(very tempting)..a full 100K cheaper than the NHC and Accent viva crdi..

Can any existing Baleno owner comment on the Engine durability..(after 50K let's say) and the FE..(don't want huge Bills..NHC i heard is the most fuel efficient car in it's class)..I would want the car to last atleast 5 yrs so the engine shd be good..

[devarshi84]

Fiat wont stop anytime soon. The parent company has just invested some crores more. Infact they ar gonna bring in some new models too.

I would prefer the petra as it is a powerful as a baleno and also has strong build.

Baleno has a good ac but looks too bland against petra.

[Buffetfan]

Originally Posted by imjimmy

For me the comparison is very narrow. BOth cars seem good..As a product in itself the Petra might nudge ahead coz it's more VFM..

But i would never ever go for a FIAT..simply because the company is in doldrums in India and abroad too..

Come tomorrow and FIAT can just shut shop and go away..

A Car is a very significant investment here - it's more or equal to what one earns in a year! Would you like to bet on a company.. Maruti(Baleno) offers peace of mind,good support and better resale.. And yes ASS,resale are very significant in the purchase decision!


I myself bought a Swift Silver Zxi recently....

Am planning to get a new car for my DAD..Coz it wud have to run about 80-120 Km per day - FE is a significant factor.. Considering NHC, Accent viva CRDI and the Baleno..

Almost about to get the Baleno Lxi, would get it a 5.45L in Delhi(very tempting)..a full 100K cheaper than the NHC and Accent viva crdi..

Can any existing Baleno owner comment on the Engine durability..(after 50K let's say) and the FE..(don't want huge Bills..NHC i heard is the most fuel efficient car in it's class)..I would want the car to last atleast 5 yrs so the engine shd be good..

I get around 12 kmpl in Baleno with AC generally on most of the time. But the service guy told me that my car is pretty new (1000 KM only) and the limeage can go up to 15 kmpl if my driving is restrained...dont believe him but remember an old ACI/Overdrive study where owners reported 13.1 kmpl...
However, the mileage depands on how is one driving....a baleno owner...friend of mine claims that he gets 13-14 when he is driving and 10.5-11.5 when his driver drives the car. I have muyslef seen the mileage of my Uno 1.2 vary betweem 11.5 to 14.5 depending on how I have driven the car...and between 14.5 (when you really give it the stick) and 20.2 (Use AC only if about to get a sunstroke and tie a hydogen baloon to your right foot) .
Dont know much about engine durability though....have seem esteem engines clock over 2 lacs without rebores...was told the Baleno will be similar...any comments from anyone...?

[hellspawn]

Originally Posted by shuvc

Which of these 2 would you buy based on a 6L budget ?
Have compared these two versions as they cost almost the same.

Lets just focus on voting for the better car on the following parameters (I have deliberately left out A.S.S / Maintenance from the parameters).

Performance
Ride
Handling
FE
Space
Interiors
Build
Looks
Comfort

ps: Mods, if this poll has already been covered please close it.

i wud (actually have recently bought a petra 1.6 elx) n am very happy with it.i tried the baleno too but it didnt give me that tank feel which u get wen u get into a fiat.i read a 7lac comparison of all the midsized sedans in overdrive n the petra(earlier named siena-no difference otherwise) won the comparison.it consisted of cars like ikon,baleno,accent,indigo petrol.look at the balenos rear ,looks like somebody banged the rear.the front looks pretty similar (especially the headlights)to the alto.n u have to stoop to get into a baleno unlike the petra.the only reason y somebody wud recommend a baleno is 'cos of its 0-100 time.but then u shud be comparin the engines n not the car.as a whole package i wud buy the petra again if i have to.baleno sucks.period.no offense to baleno owners but thats my opinion.

[papaboost]

A baleno would be easier on your pocket in the long run I think.

[imjimmy]

I get around 12 kmpl in Baleno with AC generally on most of the time. But the service guy told me that my car is pretty new (1000 KM only) and the limeage can go up to 15 kmpl if my driving is restrained...dont believe him but remember an old ACI/Overdrive study where owners reported 13.1 kmpl...
However, the mileage depands on how is one driving....a baleno owner...friend of mine claims that he gets 13-14 when he is driving and 10.5-11.5 when his driver drives the car. I have muyslef seen the mileage of my Uno 1.2 vary betweem 11.5 to 14.5 depending on how I have driven the car...and between 14.5 (when you really give it the stick) and 20.2 (Use AC only if about to get a sunstroke and tie a hydogen baloon to your right foot) .

Thanks buffetfan - those figures are helpful.
Those figures look cool. FE of 12 in the city is pretty decent for a new car. Are you from one of the metros? Perhaps some other Baleno owners in this forums can also comment..

I guess these figures would mean that the mileage difference between NHC and Baleno would only be about 1-1.5 Km with the NHC being more Fuel efficient.

But considering the Lower cost of nearly 1.4 Lakh - i might go for the baleno Lxi.. That much money would compensate for many years of the extra mileage that NHC churns!

Dont know much about engine durability though....have seem esteem engines clock over 2 lacs without rebores...was told the Baleno will be similar...any comments from anyone...?

I would not worry about the reliability. The odds are stacked for the engine being reliable long term. I have owned 4 maruti's (the latest one being swift).. And I have never had to complain about the engine at all for any of these cars. Perhaps some other people might be able to shed more light on this.

[Buffetfan]

We cannot leave A/S/S out...it is a peace of mind factor...you get a 4 years warranty on the Baleno...on the other hand if you get your Petra Serviced outside..the warrnty is void...and believe me...A/S/S is a horror story in all Fiats..I tell it from experience....

Rattles...have seen a lot in Palios and my 5 year old UNo 1.2...so dont believe Petra will be any different...
Baleno handles better surely once you upgrade the tyres and sips less fuel...the less said about the cornering performance of the siena...(ooops..Petra) the better....

Yes, Petra may help better in a crash probably but then so will an ambassador without any crumple zone to talk of ...(with every car around you having a crumple zone..why do you need one :-) _...do you want to go for an amby then????

I also believe that Petra is better on a pothole littered road compared to a Baleno....but most of us do not buy cars to test them on potholes....

I have had heard persons so disappointed with the build quality of Fiat that one of them made Fiat replace the complete car....My own uno was delivered to me from the showroom in mint condition with
1. Non functional wiper (in August)
2. Loose exhaust bracket (happily made a racket all the way to home ....after all people should know I bought a new car)
3. Horn went kaput the next day...fuse loosly fitted and came out...

....A/S/S shows the quality policy of a company...how a company services cars is an indication of the manufacturing practices that they adopt in their own organisations.....so a bad A/S/S is, is some way correlated to bad manufaturing practices. Since Top management is same....if you cannot do support right...chances are (and exceptions prove the rule here)...you cannot manufacrutre right too....

there are other horror stories on this board posted by persons who have taken delivery of petra with rusted Bolts et al.....

net net... I agree...buy what you like since only that will give yous ome satisfaction...but ....having owned a fiat for 5 years now (and three of my other friends own fiat palios/unos..I persuaded them to buy)...I do not believe that I will buy another fiat in India again...you buy a car to serve you....with Fiat A/S/S the tables are turned....and unfortunately I find myself incapable since I already have a job and a family to serve...