[supremeBaleno]

@low_rider, couldn't agree more. Nothing is more frustrating than a/c issues. Not only is debugging tough, fixing the issue is mostly a pain. In the case of my Baleno, after dismantling the dashboard and replacing the cooling-coil element, the a/c is back to normal operation. And I sincerely hope it stays this way.

[supremeBaleno]

And today early morning, while on an airport drop, the Odometer rolls over to 1,00,000 kms at Cochin International Airport. Snapped the magic moment.



I know guys who put in 1-lakh kms in 3-4 years, so this is no big deal. But across all our cars since 1985, this is the not only the first car to hit this figure, but its also special because all of these kms were put down by me, as no one else drives the car.

[supremeBaleno]

Total running costs incurred in ~14 years & 1,00,000kms of ownership :

In brief :
Total fuel bought till date ------------: Rs.4,79,169.14
Service & maintenance till date -----: Rs.1,26,035.00
--------------
Total running cost ------:Rs.6,05,204.14

With the car costing me just Rs5.8 lakhs new in 2005, this means that the cost of maintenance has exceeded the cost of the car itself.

Expenses in detail :
Total maintenance expenses for the Baleno since it was bought in Mar-2005 :

Scheduled Services :
1st Free Service at MASS @ 1020kms - Rs.604
2nd Free Service at MASS @ 4218kms - Rs.0
3rd free Service at MASS @ 9705kms - Rs.634
4th Paid Service at MASS @ 20224kms - Rs.2919
5th Paid Service at MASS @ 30767kms - Rs.2385
6th Paid Service at Elektra @ 38357kms - Rs.4337
7th Paid Service at Ignite @ 50100kms - Rs.3800
8th Paid Service at Ignite @ 60100kms - Rs.4183
9th Paid Service at Ignite @ 70331kms - Rs.4814
10th Paid Service at Ignite @ 77715kms - Rs31880
11th Paid Service at GulfAuto @ 87760kms - Rs2330
12th Paid Service at GulfAuto @ 97160kms - Rs2120
-------
Sub-Total-1 : Rs.60,006

Unscheduled repairs :
4 tyre punctures : Rs.260 ------> in 13 years
Battery charging: Rs.119 ------> twice drained due to boot-light being on.
Breakdown repair: Rs.10155 ---> RHS drive-shaft, inter. shaft, bearing etc
Brake shoes (rear-right) replacement + labour - 1550
Disc-brake pads -> 1600
Front-left Wheel-stud gas-cutting and replacement ; 400
K&N filter cleaning - 100
Rim-swap between alloy & steel wheel : 150
O2 sensor change - 2700
Timing-belt change - 4200
AC fan issue, windshield washer pump - 500
Rear brake shoes (L&R) change - 1300
AC fan issue, radiator fan relay connection, waterHose leak fix, RL PW - 900
AC gas topup : 800
Overheating issue : Rs800
Water seepage in Boot - 100
AC- topUp, leakFix etc - 1700
A/c Cooling coil replacement - 8300
-------
Sub-Total-2 : Rs.35,634

Other part replacement expenses :
2nd Battery (replaced in 3rd year) : 3500
3rd Battery (replaced in 7th year) : 3345
4th Battery (replaced in 10th year): 3500
4# Tyres (replaced in 10th year) : 18,400
Fitting 100/90 lights with Philips relay : 1650
-------
Sub-Total-3 : Rs.30,395

Grand total : Rs.1,26,035
Rs.9002 per year (~14yrs old)
Rs 1.26 per km (odo @ 100000kms).

At 10years and 80000kms, the corresponding figures were :
Grand total : Rs.95,035
Rs. 9500 per year (10yrs old)
Rs 1.18 per km (odo 80000kms).

At 8years and 70000kms, the corresponding figures were :
Grand total : Rs.44755
Rs. 5425 per year (8.25yrs old)
Rs 0.63 per km (odo 70331kms).

[shelby GT]

@supremeBaleno

congrats for your 100k mark, and need to say it is a incredible effort to log all those in such a manner. really appreciate the effort you have put for this.

We also have an 2004 Baleno Vxi logging in 90k in odo. Enjoyed every minute of the drive. But as she is in its 14th year she started to show of the age slowly.

I am waiting to get some lights on the maintenance part for the 90k service. We though of selling her but heart say a big NO to it. So thought of doing a good service, for that need much advise from all the TBHP experts to start off. I am in Kannur district(north Kerala) and the first advise is needed for a good garage to start the maintenance works. we have been doing all the regular service at a nearby garage but because of less no of Baleno in our region, the mechanics are not showing that much of a confidence.

To start of with the issues:

1. Our car has always having showing problems with AC, we have worked so much that even we have forgot what all we have done with it. And the latest issue with AC is that from cold start it chills quite well, when we moves on and logs few kms the chilling stops and it only the fan blowing. (Ours is a midnight black colour car so needless to say the priority of AC).

2. RPM fluctuations. There has been rpm fluctuations being observed. If the AC is ON rpm fluctuates and also brings in vibration.

3. We faced some incidents, to be correct 3 times. Like after doing some 150+ km drive with AC in ON the car showed the engine lights ON and stopped while running ( the speed was slow so didnt have any major incidents). But when we tried to start right after with it started and we were able to drive normally with AC in off for initial stages. Don't exactly know what was the issue as we don't have a reliable mech to work together.

4. Some sounds started to come from the front side and suspect it to be a suspension when hit pot holes or uneven roads.

5. Recently like supremeBaleno faced we noticed green fluid leaked in the floor and it never happened again. Fear that coolant levels are decreasing and not predictable.

Kindly shed some light on the above . I was waiting for this post to go up to start the maintenance

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I know guys who put in 1-lakh kms in 3-4 years, so this is no big deal. But across all our cars since 1985, this is the not only the first car to hit this figure, but its also special because all of these kms were put down by me, as no one else drives the car.

1L mark is always special! Congrats!

The service details and log is really meticulous indeed! I used to visit Ignite during the 2011 - 2012 period when I was in Chennai and had my WagonR. Did their service quality come down recently, or Gulf Auto is an even better choice nowadays?

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by shelby GT

congrats for your 100k mark, and need to say it is a incredible effort to log all those in such a manner. really appreciate the effort you have put for this.

@shelby : Midnight black, a/c issues, one-time green fluid leak etc. Sounds almost like my Baleno, just that mine is 2005 and crossed 1 lakh on the odometer.

Inspite of being from Kerala, I haven't ever been to Kannur (will change that soon) so ofcourse no idea of good mechanics there. Do check up the team-bhp directory - maybe someone has put up details of a garage in your vicinity.

Coming to the issues, will share what info I have from my car experience :

1. A/c : Recently I have had a host of issues with the a/c and spent around 10K or more & lot of time. Its working great now and I hope it stays that way. I don't think I had the issue you mentioned, but hope you checked for any gas leakage etc in the pipelines. Don't know if it will help, but do check out the a/c issues I had.

2. RPM fluctuations : There has always been some rpm change when the thermostat kicks in after the cabin has cooled. Eg while waiting at a signal, if without a/c on, the car will always idle at around 750rpm. But if a/c is on, it will go 1000-1100 rpm and when thermostat kicks in, come down to 750rpm. And this cycle repeats.
Is this what you see ?

3. We faced some incidents.... :
Did you check where the engine temp needle was at ? Any signs of overheating ?
When engine temp is higher than normal (overheating, due to low/no coolant or fan not working), the ECU will reduce load by cutting of a/c. So even if you miss the temp-gauge, the a/c not working is a signal.

4. Suspension : Need to get it checked to know what exactly. I had a thud sound on small potholes on left side. Turned out the lower arm was damaged - replaced it.

5. Green fluid leak : I also had it once, but never after that. Do check coolant level. As in my case, one of the pipes had a minute puncture, which wont leak in short runs, but on long runs when temp/pressure builds up, it was leaking. Check for such cases.

Like you, I also sometimes think of replacing her, but the fun of driving it makes me change my mind.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

1L mark is always special! Congrats!

The service details and log is really meticulous indeed! I used to visit Ignite during the 2011 - 2012 period when I was in Chennai and had my WagonR. Did their service quality come down recently, or Gulf Auto is an even better choice nowadays?

Thanks CrazyDriver !!! Nothing wrong with Ignite's service, just that the car has been at Kerala for couple years now & hence get it serviced at Gulf Auto.

[mail4ajo]

What, wow!! You still have the Baleno staying true to your handle. I think we last met on a Kodai trip.

Is it still a daily driver? You have really documented it well. All the best for more kms.

[shelby GT]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

@shelby : Midnight black, a/c issues, one-time green fluid leak etc.

Sounds almost like my Baleno, just that mine is 2005 and crossed 1 lakh on the odometer.

1. A/C : Will surely check on the AC issues you had. But what I think that the probability of any leakage should be minimal as the AC works quite well after cold start. Will check and update the observations.

2. RPM fluctuations: Yes, it is kind of same as what you have mentioned. But will it bring much vibration and even the sound from engine bay increases when AC is ON. And we can observe the car now jerks quite a lot now.
I have gone through most of the threads related to similar issues and found that it might be an issue with the CAM sensor. How do you see the chances for CAM Sensor issues for this car?

3. Any signs of Overheating? The temp-gauge needle was in the middle region during the incidents. Again any chances for CAM sensor failure for car stalling?

4. Suspension: Will check the suspension. And just for reporting, we have already replaced the lower arm previous year.



Note:
1.@supremeBaleno I fear that I am hijacking your wonderful thread. Kindly let me know if it so.
2. @everyone If someone could timely support me during the repairing process it would be great so that with combined effort, the diagnostics and spares sourcing could be a less tedious task and car will only lie at the garage for less period. Do PM me so that I can start the maintenance work as soon as possible with Team BHP backed support & confidence.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

What, wow!! You still have the Baleno staying true to your handle. I think we last met on a Kodai trip.

Is it still a daily driver? You have really documented it well. All the best for more kms.

Nice to hear from you, Ajo. Been a long time. And yes, the last time we met was at Trichy while on to Kodai.

The Baleno is still my only daily driver. Kids would like a new car, but I am not able to bring myself to sell it - the first car attachment & the fact that it's such fun to drive.

You still have the black Alto ? That was the last good looking Alto. Maruti really screwed up the looks of later editions.

Originally Posted by shelby GT

@supremeBaleno I fear that I am hijacking your wonderful thread. Kindly let me know if it so.

No issues, Shelby. But I think you will get better responses if you create a dedicated thread for your car's rework. And all the relevant info will be at one location for later reference.

[mail4ajo]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

The Baleno is still my only daily driver. Kids would like a new car, but I am not able to bring myself to sell it - the first car attachment & the fact that it's such fun to drive.

Did you try the new Baleno? Its a different car though. I am sure there must be something you will like.

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

You still have the black Alto ? That was the last good looking Alto. Maruti really screwed up the looks of later editions.

No I sold that and upgraded to a Jazz in 2010 and later sold when I left India in 2015. I tried to buy the same for my wife here and found its way more expensive.

[supremeBaleno]

Couple other repairs / issues :

1) Since last few months, I used to hear a hard sound from left front of car, only when the car hit a pothole. My mechanic at Gulf Auto traced it to the front-left lower arm gone bad. Replaced it and the sound is gone. Cost - 2700 + Labour - 300 = Rs3000

2) The JVC MP3 CD player has been acting erratically for quite some time now. On a Chennai trip, it suddenly decided not to power up (tiny light on power button was lit, indicating power to the unit). And after many days, it powered back up, just like that. Since then, I hadn't been using the power button anymore, fearing it would act up. And all was well.

Few weeks ago, it again wouldn't come up. And this time, the tiny light on the power button was also off. So I guessed the fuse has gone. But strangely, the Eject button alone would work - no other buttons worked. Press Eject and FP will display "EJECT" and the CD would be spit out. Press Eject again and it will take in the CD, show "LOAD" on FP and then nothing - all off. If fuse is blown, how Eject alone worked ? No idea.

Anyway I leave it at that. Then I notice that the electrically operated ORVMs aren't working. Hmm. And then a week later when I try to operate the compressor from the cigarette lighter, that also has no power. Hmm, now it's clear that the fuse is at play - all of these can't go kaput at the same time.

I check the fuses in the engine bay, but all are good. Then check the ones under the driver dashboard - a pain to access. And yes, one fuse is blown. Replace it with a spare fuse and ICE/cig-lighter/ORVM start working fine.

My question : Inspite of the fuse being blown, how come the Eject button alone worked fine on the ICE ? Does it have a small button cell inside just for emergency purpose to eject stuck CDs ? Like the button cell that powers CMOS in a PC?

Originally Posted by shelby GT

Will check the suspension. And just for reporting, we have already replaced the lower arm previous year.

As mentioned above, I had to replace the left lower arm, due to a thud sound. And this was last replaced only 20000kms ago on 17-Dec-2014 during the 80K service @ Ignite, Chennai.

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

Did you try the new Baleno? Its a different car though. I am sure there must be something you will like.

The Baleno RS 1.0litre turbo-petrol is fun to drive, is what I hear. I drove a relative's CVT Baleno and it was a decent AT.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I noticed that sometimes, when I brake, the pedal seems to travel more than usual, with the feeling of lacking brakes, then usual braking kicks in.........the mechanic said that this is due to the Brake Master Cylinder going bad

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

...While no braking issues at hi-speeds, the issue could be seen now and then at low speeds, eg when slowly approaching a hump. Looks like I need to get the Master Brake Cylinder replaced for complete peace of mind.

While the above brake issue was initially only seen at low speeds, I almost crashed the car when I didn't get braking action at a mere 60kmph - incident detailed in this link.

So I ordered Part No: 51100-61G01 (CYLINDER ASSY BRAKE MASTER) through my friend Muthu of ExpertSpanners garage, Chennai. The list price is Rs.12295, but he passed on his discount to me. Thanks, Muthu.

30-Mar-2019 :
Got the BMC assembly replaced at Gulf Auto, had the brakes bled and adjusted.
Cost of part -Rs.11435 + Courier -Rs.115 = Rs.11550
Labour - Rs600

This is the part. I really don't know what is in it to cost 12K.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

@low_rider, couldn't agree more. Nothing is more frustrating than a/c issues. Not only is debugging tough, fixing the issue is mostly a pain. In the case of my Baleno, after dismantling the dashboard and replacing the cooling-coil element, the a/c is back to normal operation. And I sincerely hope it stays this way.

Looks like I spoke early. :(

Few weeks ago, I noticed that there is a strange loud sound from the bonnet - only when a/c is engaged. While no issues with a/c cooling, the sound was disconcerting. The guy at Devi Electricals said that it is due to issue with the compressor and it needs to be replaced.

Possible reason for this, according to the a/c guy is that due to a/c fan working only intermittently, the compressor got overloaded and damaged.
This means the fan also would need to be changed with the compressor.

The Baleno's compressor isn't available locally. The parts-store guy said that the Tata Safari's a/c compressor is a direct fit, just that the belt width/teeth are different. So, the pulley from the old compressor would need to be used with the new compressor.

Meanwhile based on Leoshashi's suggestion, I called up Subros dealer in Cochin, who have the compressor in stock. They also said that it need not necessarily be that the compressor is bad - could be other issue like a/c clutch etc. Will take it to them this week and then go from there.

I was pissed off that the compressor lasted only 14 years and 1lakh kms (all of it driven with a/c) when my friend called up last week to say that his 3-yr old Creta stopped just like that while driving. Hyundai service said the compressor & condenser have gone kaput and need to be replaced. Don't know how that led to car engine dying and not starting again though.

[supremeBaleno]

11-Apr-2019 : As planned with the Subros Kochi dealer the day before, I arrived at their Edappally office at 9AM. They took the car in and started work immediately. The compressor was gone and needed to be replaced. The a/c fan was also replaced as it had a known issue of working only intermittently (which not only affected the cooling, but might have put strain on the compressor leading to its failure). Also replaced was the Tank receiver. The lines were flushed, system vaccumised and refrigerant charged.

Parts :
A/c compressor -: Rs.12,500
A/c condenser fan -: Rs.3,900
12 O-Rings etc -: Rs.240
Tank receiver -: Rs.950
450 Refrigerant gas : Rs.900
2# Flushing chemical : Rs660
-------------
Rs.19,150

Labour :
Flushing, all parts R/R, Leak Test, Vaccumising, Gas charging : Rs.3,150

Total : Rs.22,300

As promised, I got the car by 5PM with the a/c chilling like the day I bought the car. Very impressed with their service - need to add a team-bhp Directory entry for the benefit of tbhp-ians in & around Kochi, if one doesn't already exist.

The old compressor, fan & tank receiver were returned to me.

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

11-Apr-2019 : As planned with the Subros Kochi dealer the day before, I arrived at their Edappally office at 9AM.

Glad you went with the Subros way. You got the entire work done for a price which was little higher than the cost of a new MGP compressor. And the MGP one is also made by Subros and is the exact same thing which you sourced directly from them. For companies like Subros and Denso, it doesn't matter if the part is sourced as MGP or OEM. Their quality is same.

Regards,
Shashi