April 2005, lancer review

Boom Shiva · 2nd November 2005, 14:36

Hey guys, I did drive the 1.8. I've driven BMWs and a Mitsubishi Chariot abroad which have a similar gear system, but quite frankly I hate it. You might as well sit in the back of the car and let some driver move it around for you. The Lancer 1.8 transmission, I found, was pretty much useless for "spirited driving", as you lose a lot of time and power through the gears. I think even a Baleno would kick its ass.

Quite frankly, I'm put off by Mitsubishi and their HM mentality. Unless they do something fast, I'm going to look elsewhere. Let's see what the Fiesta is like.

lamborghini · 2nd November 2005, 22:24

Boom,
like i said, go to Fortpoint and other places.
Metro was and still is quite crap.
Try another 1.5 out.
The spare tyre is still rattling in the trunk and it is getting quite irritating. Anyone know what i can get done to stop it from rattling? The tyre size is 195/60R14.
Thanks

devarshi84 · 3rd November 2005, 01:54

Hey Boom It takes time to get used to the gearbox but baleno is faster in straight line I believe.

In the 1.5 lancer and baleno competition baleno is moer powerful but lancer handles way better at high speeds and hence both end up togather if not speeded in a straight line

lancer 0-100 in 12.00secs
baleno 0-100 in 11.13 secs

if I remember correctly and FE as lamborghini mentioned is just a difference od .1

Hey Lamborghini how come you have the 195/60 R14???
about the tyre rattling I had this problem in the beginning when I removed the spare to see how It will fit in any of the four places (Confused with the alloy left-right thing).It started rattling later on but Autonova showed me how to tighten it in place. The thing is the tyre should fit in properly before fastening the screw lock. try it and see.

shuvc · 3rd November 2005, 11:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by devarshi84

In the 1.5 lancer and baleno competition baleno is moer powerful but lancer handles way better at high speeds and hence both end up togather if not speeded in a straight line

Approximately at what speeds would one begin to feel this difference ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by devarshi84

lancer 0-100 in 12.00secs
baleno 0-100 in 11.13 secs

I think ACI mentions 12.9 secs for the Lancer. Don't have the mag handy right now.

Boom Shiva · 3rd November 2005, 12:08

Hey Devarshi, I'm pretty aware of how the Lancer 1.5 stacks up against the Baleno, since I've had one for 5 years now. The Lancer's pick-up is pretty dismal, but the high speed handling is leagues ahead of the Baleno.

However, I don't see the point of introducing a new, bigger 1.8 engine, if at the end of the day it's still getting its ass kicked by the same cars, in the very same department (i.e. acceleration).

I suppose it's a matter of personal taste, but I am pretty familiar with tiptronic transmissions, and I was so disappointed by the Invex that I couldn't wait to take the car back to the showroom and give it back to them. You lose too much time and power waiting for the gears to change. I got damn bored

Also, I found the build quality not up to the same mark as my 2000 model Lancer. In fact, the mechanics at Metro told me that the pre 2001 Lancers have the best engines and build,and the following models are definitely not up to the same levels.

I really love the Lancer as a car, and I've loved Mitsubishi for years (used to drive a GTO twin turbo when I was studying in NZ), but HM is pretty much killing my affection.

shuvc · 3rd November 2005, 14:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

Hey Devarshi, I'm pretty aware of how the Lancer 1.5 stacks up against the Baleno, since I've had one for 5 years now. The Lancer's pick-up is pretty dismal, but the high speed handling is leagues ahead of the Baleno.

I'm repeating my Q. At what speeds is the difference in handling felt ?

Since you are driving a Lancer ... could you give your assessment on how it compares with the Baleno, considering 100% city driving - gears changes, short bursts of speed (with A/C on), low speed ride, NVH etc ..

Boom Shiva · 3rd November 2005, 15:22

Hi Shuvc,

1. The Indian Lancer is based on the Evo platform, so it has great balance at high speeds and around corners etc. At around 140km/h, the Baleno starts feeling light and skittish, while the Lancer pretty much stays planted. And no, it's not just the tyres that make a diff, I believe that the entire dynamics of the Lancer makes it a better handling package.

When I drove the Baleno, I had to seriously think twice before cornering at high speeds. The car felt very twitchy and light. No such problems with the Lancer. The car goes exactly where you point it. Also, the Baleno looks plain damn ugly when you compare the two. That's a personal opinion, so Baleno owners please don't hate me.

2. The one major problem I have with my car is the lack of outright power and straightline speed. It's enough for city use, but don't enter any drags (especially against a Baleno) because you'll be badly embarassed (I've SEEN, not experienced

).

3. The gearshift is alright, but here again, don't bother racing because the gears are too tall, and the throw on the gearshift is too wide. I've had major problems trying to downshift quickly - the damn gears just won't slot fast enough!

4. FE is pretty good. I get about 10.5 in city traffic with the AC on, but I don't rev over 3000 except on weekends.

5. The ground clearance is a real bitch. If there are people in the back, prepare to kiss lots of speedbreakers. I guess that's the compromise you make for a low centre of gravity.

In conclusion, I'd say that the Lancer is a damn good city car and highway tourer with awesome handling. You can commute, cruise around, and go for nice long interstate drives, but don't bother racing with it unless you're planning on doing mods. And here too, the 1.5 has a lot of catching up to do before it's even on par with the Baleno's power. And if the Baleno also has mods...well then you're pretty much screwed.

Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion, based on my driving experience.

devarshi84 · 4th November 2005, 02:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by shuvc

Approximately at what speeds would one begin to feel this difference ?

I think ACI mentions 12.9 secs for the Lancer. Don't have the mag handy right now.

handling comes in handy at any speeds above 40kmph. turn the car at 40kmph suddenly and you will know if the car is balanced or losing grip.

no I dont have the mags handy. My stock of mags since 2000 of bsmotoring, auto india, overdrive and autocar is lying back in India.

Boom the 1.8 is actually not brought for performance as lancer is pegged as a luxury car and not a performance car. I personally found it meaty though. yes there is loss of power but then this is invecs II and not invecs III which you have probably driven.It is better than the automatic corolla and optra though and I dunno how it compares against the CVT as I have not driven one.

and lemme guess why the mechanics told you the 2001 pre models were the best. HM started assembling the engines themselves from 2001. But I have the 1.5 sfxi for 3 years now. Not even a single dime on maintainence yet and the engine is still as silent as the first day I sat in. I dont say that baleno and NHC are bad car.

some gripes though are present such as weak power window motors and the dash gets shiny which doesnt look good. And the sunglass holder always expands in the heat and opens up.

Shuvc in my last year of the college 1 of my friends had a baleno and corolla. He liked the baleno over corolla for some reasons known to him only. I have driven the baleno and my lancer. We all used to go on pretty long drives(one of the girl in our group had a vtec which she never raced to our frustration). to be frank the engine is a gem but the old 13" tyres suck. I hope the 14" shoes help it a bit. Both the cars reamin extremely competitive.

for the rest let BoomShiva tell you about it as I have already put up a detailed report.

lamborghini · 5th November 2005, 15:48

Devarshi,
I got the 175/80R13 exchanged from one tyre dealer for 195/60R14 Falkens which sucked. The tyres made noise in the trunk and later afer tightening it from Metro Motors, They irst tyre guys, the second tyre guy (when i changed to goodyear because i was not happy with the Falkens) and finally Fortpoint but it still rattles which is irritating. Also after service, the rear speakers go off alternatively i.e one at a time which is wierd.
Boom,
as you do plan to do mods, the lancer would be a good buy for you.
Now,
if you guy excuse me, i have to call my good friend at Fortpoint (sarcasm) to do something about the tyre

devarshi84 · 6th November 2005, 01:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Devarshi,
I got the 175/80R13 exchanged from one tyre dealer for 195/60R14 Falkens which sucked. The tyres made noise in the trunk and later afer tightening it from Metro Motors, They irst tyre guys, the second tyre guy (when i changed to goodyear because i was not happy with the Falkens) and finally Fortpoint but it still rattles which is irritating. Also after service, the rear speakers go off alternatively i.e one at a time which is wierd.
Boom,
as you do plan to do mods, the lancer would be a good buy for you.
Now,
if you guy excuse me, i have to call my good friend at Fortpoint (sarcasm) to do something about the tyre

It think it is because the tyre is not fitting in place. why not try out the authorized people?? they certainly wont charge you for this

lamborghini · 6th November 2005, 01:36

I have already tried out Metro Motors and Fortpoint.
Guys, some help here.
My jijaji,
who also has the same size Goodyears venturas is however not facing a problem.
Think rim size has anything to do with it?
Should i try 14 * 5.0J/5.5J

shuvc · 6th November 2005, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

2. The one major problem I have with my car is the lack of outright power and straightline speed. It's enough for city use, but don't enter any drags (especially against a Baleno) because you'll be badly embarassed (I've SEEN, not experienced

).

3. The gearshift is alright, but here again, don't bother racing because the gears are too tall, and the throw on the gearshift is too wide. I've had major problems trying to downshift quickly - the damn gears just won't slot fast enough!

4. FE is pretty good. I get about 10.5 in city traffic with the AC on, but I don't rev over 3000 except on weekends.

5. The ground clearance is a real bitch. If there are people in the back, prepare to kiss lots of speedbreakers. I guess that's the compromise you make for a low centre of gravity.

In conclusion, I'd say that the Lancer is a damn good city car and highway tourer with awesome handling. You can commute, cruise around, and go for nice long interstate drives, but don't bother racing with it unless you're planning on doing mods. And here too, the 1.5 has a lot of catching up to do before it's even on par with the Baleno's power. And if the Baleno also has mods...well then you're pretty much screwed.

hmmm .. that was quite useful. I guess these are details that matter more for daily city use.

Say, which gearshift is better ? Baleno or Lancer ? I mean, not ratios , just the feel and shift quality.

Ground clearance - thats surprising, since the automags mention Lancer has 185mm clearance to the Balenos 170mm.

lamborghini · 6th November 2005, 19:22

Err
the ground clearance of the lancer is very very good.
We did a Mumbai Pune expressway trip with 5 adults and a kid in the car, the car was doing a constant 160 kmph and hit 180kmph (185+ on the way there) with luggage in the trunk and we didn't even scrape one speed breaker.
I would rate the lancer's gearbox better. It is the best amongst all the cars we have owned.

Boom Shiva · 7th November 2005, 00:49

Lambo: I've had the car for 5 years. The ground clearance has always been an issue. It scrapes where none of our other cars have a problem. Maybe because it's running on the stock 13 inch rims.

Shuvc: The Lancer gearshift feels much more refined to me. Baleno is a bit rubbery. The Lancer has a good shift, but it's just not meant for hard out racing.

devarshi84 · 7th November 2005, 11:17

Hey Boom and ShuvC

look at

www.marutibaleno.com for Groundclearence and wheelbase figures on the baleno

www.lancerinindia.com for Ground clearance and wheelabe figures for the lancer. Even with the 13" wheels lancers ground clearnace is pretty high.

185mm for normal lancers with 13" wheels
172 mm for lancer sfxi with `4" wheels and side skirts
wheelabse 2500mm

baleno ground clearance 170mm
wheelbase 2480mm

gearshift is better on the lancer anyday, anytime any moment of the year. I have driven both and I can bet on it.

2nd November 2005, 14:36	#46
Boom Shiva BANNED Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,055 Thanked: 18 Times	Hey guys, I did drive the 1.8. I've driven BMWs and a Mitsubishi Chariot abroad which have a similar gear system, but quite frankly I hate it. You might as well sit in the back of the car and let some driver move it around for you. The Lancer 1.8 transmission, I found, was pretty much useless for "spirited driving", as you lose a lot of time and power through the gears. I think even a Baleno would kick its ass. Quite frankly, I'm put off by Mitsubishi and their HM mentality. Unless they do something fast, I'm going to look elsewhere. Let's see what the Fiesta is like.
	() Thanks

2nd November 2005, 22:24	#47
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,112 Thanked: 5,760 Times View My Garage	Boom, like i said, go to Fortpoint and other places. Metro was and still is quite crap. Try another 1.5 out. The spare tyre is still rattling in the trunk and it is getting quite irritating. Anyone know what i can get done to stop it from rattling? The tyre size is 195/60R14. Thanks
	() Thanks

3rd November 2005, 01:54	#48
devarshi84 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ahmedabad - Tor Posts: 4,024 Thanked: 211 Times View My Garage	Hey Boom It takes time to get used to the gearbox but baleno is faster in straight line I believe. In the 1.5 lancer and baleno competition baleno is moer powerful but lancer handles way better at high speeds and hence both end up togather if not speeded in a straight line lancer 0-100 in 12.00secs baleno 0-100 in 11.13 secs if I remember correctly and FE as lamborghini mentioned is just a difference od .1 Hey Lamborghini how come you have the 195/60 R14??? about the tyre rattling I had this problem in the beginning when I removed the spare to see how It will fit in any of the four places (Confused with the alloy left-right thing).It started rattling later on but Autonova showed me how to tighten it in place. The thing is the tyre should fit in properly before fastening the screw lock. try it and see.
	() Thanks

3rd November 2005, 12:08	#50
Boom Shiva BANNED Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,055 Thanked: 18 Times	Hey Devarshi, I'm pretty aware of how the Lancer 1.5 stacks up against the Baleno, since I've had one for 5 years now. The Lancer's pick-up is pretty dismal, but the high speed handling is leagues ahead of the Baleno. However, I don't see the point of introducing a new, bigger 1.8 engine, if at the end of the day it's still getting its ass kicked by the same cars, in the very same department (i.e. acceleration). I suppose it's a matter of personal taste, but I am pretty familiar with tiptronic transmissions, and I was so disappointed by the Invex that I couldn't wait to take the car back to the showroom and give it back to them. You lose too much time and power waiting for the gears to change. I got damn bored Also, I found the build quality not up to the same mark as my 2000 model Lancer. In fact, the mechanics at Metro told me that the pre 2001 Lancers have the best engines and build,and the following models are definitely not up to the same levels. I really love the Lancer as a car, and I've loved Mitsubishi for years (used to drive a GTO twin turbo when I was studying in NZ), but HM is pretty much killing my affection.
	() Thanks

3rd November 2005, 15:22	#52
Boom Shiva BANNED Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,055 Thanked: 18 Times	Hi Shuvc, 1. The Indian Lancer is based on the Evo platform, so it has great balance at high speeds and around corners etc. At around 140km/h, the Baleno starts feeling light and skittish, while the Lancer pretty much stays planted. And no, it's not just the tyres that make a diff, I believe that the entire dynamics of the Lancer makes it a better handling package. When I drove the Baleno, I had to seriously think twice before cornering at high speeds. The car felt very twitchy and light. No such problems with the Lancer. The car goes exactly where you point it. Also, the Baleno looks plain damn ugly when you compare the two. That's a personal opinion, so Baleno owners please don't hate me. 2. The one major problem I have with my car is the lack of outright power and straightline speed. It's enough for city use, but don't enter any drags (especially against a Baleno) because you'll be badly embarassed (I've SEEN, not experienced ). 3. The gearshift is alright, but here again, don't bother racing because the gears are too tall, and the throw on the gearshift is too wide. I've had major problems trying to downshift quickly - the damn gears just won't slot fast enough! 4. FE is pretty good. I get about 10.5 in city traffic with the AC on, but I don't rev over 3000 except on weekends. 5. The ground clearance is a real bitch. If there are people in the back, prepare to kiss lots of speedbreakers. I guess that's the compromise you make for a low centre of gravity. In conclusion, I'd say that the Lancer is a damn good city car and highway tourer with awesome handling. You can commute, cruise around, and go for nice long interstate drives, but don't bother racing with it unless you're planning on doing mods. And here too, the 1.5 has a lot of catching up to do before it's even on par with the Baleno's power. And if the Baleno also has mods...well then you're pretty much screwed. Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion, based on my driving experience.
	() Thanks

5th November 2005, 15:48	#54
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,112 Thanked: 5,760 Times View My Garage	Devarshi, I got the 175/80R13 exchanged from one tyre dealer for 195/60R14 Falkens which sucked. The tyres made noise in the trunk and later afer tightening it from Metro Motors, They irst tyre guys, the second tyre guy (when i changed to goodyear because i was not happy with the Falkens) and finally Fortpoint but it still rattles which is irritating. Also after service, the rear speakers go off alternatively i.e one at a time which is wierd. Boom, as you do plan to do mods, the lancer would be a good buy for you. Now, if you guy excuse me, i have to call my good friend at Fortpoint (sarcasm) to do something about the tyre
	() Thanks

6th November 2005, 01:36	#56
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,112 Thanked: 5,760 Times View My Garage	I have already tried out Metro Motors and Fortpoint. Guys, some help here. My jijaji, who also has the same size Goodyears venturas is however not facing a problem. Think rim size has anything to do with it? Should i try 14 * 5.0J/5.5J
	() Thanks

6th November 2005, 19:22	#58
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,112 Thanked: 5,760 Times View My Garage	Err the ground clearance of the lancer is very very good. We did a Mumbai Pune expressway trip with 5 adults and a kid in the car, the car was doing a constant 160 kmph and hit 180kmph (185+ on the way there) with luggage in the trunk and we didn't even scrape one speed breaker. I would rate the lancer's gearbox better. It is the best amongst all the cars we have owned.
	() Thanks

7th November 2005, 00:49	#59
Boom Shiva BANNED Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,055 Thanked: 18 Times	Lambo: I've had the car for 5 years. The ground clearance has always been an issue. It scrapes where none of our other cars have a problem. Maybe because it's running on the stock 13 inch rims. Shuvc: The Lancer gearshift feels much more refined to me. Baleno is a bit rubbery. The Lancer has a good shift, but it's just not meant for hard out racing.
	() Thanks

7th November 2005, 11:17	#60
devarshi84 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ahmedabad - Tor Posts: 4,024 Thanked: 211 Times View My Garage	Hey Boom and ShuvC look at www.marutibaleno.com for Groundclearence and wheelbase figures on the baleno www.lancerinindia.com for Ground clearance and wheelabe figures for the lancer. Even with the 13" wheels lancers ground clearnace is pretty high. 185mm for normal lancers with 13" wheels 172 mm for lancer sfxi with `4" wheels and side skirts wheelabse 2500mm baleno ground clearance 170mm wheelbase 2480mm gearshift is better on the lancer anyday, anytime any moment of the year. I have driven both and I can bet on it.
	() Thanks