[amvj]

^ That must be a page rendering issue or something else but it is not the actual photo.

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On a different note, I will be going to Srikalahasti temple, Andhra pradesh on end of April with my family. As a precautionary measure, today I have taken my car to Surakshaa service center in Attibele, Bangalore for Engine oil topup, Radiator fluid topup, brake fluid topup, Windshield fluid topup, checked air pressure and water washed. Also they vacuum'ed the car's interior. Charge was Rs.500, little bit more expensive than road side water wash but they did it well and when you consider they topup the fluids as well.

The service advisor suggested me to opt for below. For price 2,683 I can avail wheel balancing, alignment, PMS & MOS charge (not sure what these are) and vehicle washing. Since I don't have much idea on this, I did not opt for it. Please let me know if this is worth or not. BTW, this is not Nexa service center.

[Dr.Naren]

Originally Posted by amvj

^ For price 2,683 I can avail wheel balancing, alignment, PMS & MOS charge (not sure what these are) and vehicle washing. Since I don't have much idea on this, I did not opt for it. Please let me know if this is worth or not. BTW, this is not Nexa service center.

I would say it is not worth, you are saving just 600 bucks. It's better to get WA and WB done at reputed tyre shops.

PMS is labour charge
MOS is Maruti roadside assistance

[Abhi_abarth]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

Thank you for the advise. I feel the car comes in mineral oil only unlike your experience. To confirm the same, I wrote to Nexa and even called them as they weren't replying. The lady politely asked me to call the nexa service for this as they aren't technically skilled to answer this question. Sign ! I will be finding this out and will come back with update.

UPDATE !!!
Received an email from the Territory Service head confirming that Baleno doesn't come with fully synthetic oil from the factory.
Thank you guys for all your advise.

[sandsun7]

Got my 13K run November 2016 Baleno (P) suspension replaced today. The following parts were changed:
1. front struts ,L&R
2. Rear coil spring
3. Rear shock Absorber assembly
4. Rear Suspension beam assembly

Had raised the issue on 18th April with Bimal Yelahanka. The SA took a short test drive and post that spoke to his manager. Within half an hour I was told the change has been approved and parts have been ordered. The parts arrived on Saturday and I got the replacement done today.

Have just driven 4-5 kms post the change, but could not really identify any remarkable difference. Truly speaking, sitting in the driver seat, I really never had any issue with the old suspension. It was pressure from the people who travel seated at the back (Wife, parents, etc) which forced me to approach MASS and get the change done.

[Dieselritzer]

So I test drove the Baleno CVT, my current drive is a Ritz VDI. Below are my observations:

- initial pickup was jerky, might be coz I was driving an automatic for the first time in my life.
- ride quality was horrible. I even asked the SA to check the tyre pressure to which he said that as it's a light car, this is how the ride quality is. Now I drive a Ritz which already has a stuff suspension and I felt the baleno to be horrible. Might be I should drive another car.
- build quality is better than Ritz. There weren't any rattles in the car, although the suspension was noisy.
- in the hot afternoon, the lack 9f an rear ac vent is definitely felt at the rear. For many people Including me, I want the air from the vents to hit my face else even if the cabin is cold, I'll feel uncomfortable.
- The SA had poor knowledge as he had no clue on the right side sports button on the gear knob.

One question, with 5 onboard does the car bottom out ?

I'm looking to replace my Ritz, so either it would be a petrol automatic or a manual diesel as an auto diesel will be way out of my budget. I haven't yet driven the swift AMTs, so that's next in line.

[Added_flavor]

Originally Posted by Dieselritzer

So I test drove the Baleno CVT, my current drive is a Ritz VDI. Below are my observations:

- initial pickup was jerky, might be coz I was driving an automatic for the first time in my life.
- ride quality was horrible. I even asked the SA to check the tyre pressure to which he said that as it's a light car, this is how the ride quality is. Now I drive a Ritz which already has a stuff suspension and I felt the baleno to be horrible. Might be I should drive another car.
- build quality is better than Ritz. There weren't any rattles in the car, although the suspension was noisy.
- in the hot afternoon, the lack 9f an rear ac vent is definitely felt at the rear. For many people Including me, I want the air from the vents to hit my face else even if the cabin is cold, I'll feel uncomfortable.
- The SA had poor knowledge as he had no clue on the right side sports button on the gear knob.

One question, with 5 onboard does the car bottom out ?

I'm looking to replace my Ritz, so either it would be a petrol automatic or a manual diesel as an auto diesel will be way out of my budget. I haven't yet driven the swift AMTs, so that's next in line.

I agree with all your points, except about AC vents as that's a personal preference.

AMT is an inferior transmission to CVT and is definitely jerkier.

Yes, the stiffly sprung suspension and the light weight of the car result in poor ride quality at city speeds. Ride quality improves with speed and weight in the car.

[silverado]

Originally Posted by Dieselritzer

One question, with 5 onboard does the car bottom out ?

No, my 2016 baleno had its suspension changed at 12k by MASS.
Suspension never bottomed out even earlier, inspite of 5 adults + kid + Full boot.

New suspension makes the car ride slightly taller.
Do take a ride in another car, suspension issues have been sorted from 2017 Baleno onwards.

[Abhi_abarth]

These insurance guys are pestering me. I have got quotes from Reliance, Bajaj Allianz and Bharti Axa so far and they won't stop calling.

This is my first renewal and I have taken Bajaj Allianz policy at the time of purchase with the Nexa guys (Maruti Insurance). I am interested in taking the 'Drive Smart' policy from Bajaj Allianz which has the telematic software but Maruti Insurance doesn't offer that.

The quotes I got from other companies are similar to what the existing policy has i.e. between around 15 K. Will the Maruti guys create any problems for claims incase I purchase insurance from outside ? I am currently on Zero Dep with Engine protection and shall continue with the same add-ons. Question is which insurer to go with.

I am unable to renewal the existing from the Bajaj Allianz website hoping the premium might further come down but it says it's been blocked by the franchise (i.e. Maruti insurance).

Any inputs as which company is recommended ?

[skyrocket003]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

Any inputs as which company is recommended ?

I will try to answer your queries in bullet points and hope it will be helpful:

1. You need not be stuck with Maruti for renewing your car insurance. You can choose any other company as you like.

2. I had got a Bajaj Allianz policy from VW when I got my Polo. At renewal time, I got calls from Bajaj and VW both. But I went ahead and got renewal from Tata AIG. Claimed for the first time recently and the process was a breeze.

3. You might want to check with the insurance company if they have a tie up with the car manufacturer or not. There are some companies who have city specific tie up with Car manufacturers, while there are some that have a PAN India tie-up.

4. Getting insurance directly from insurance providers will be costlier. A friend recently got his Swift insurance renewal done by Maruti guys. Costed him Rs. 1600 less than the quote from the insurance company and he also got 2 coupons worth Rs.1000 each that he could use for car detailing at Maruti.

5. My insurance renewal was done by an agent who kept calling me a month before the expiry of my insurance. Actually had 3 different agents following up with me. In the end, i went ahead with the 1 who gave everything written on paper along with a proper breakup of the premium, and had the lowest quote. My recent claim (Zero-dep) was just amazing, so I can say this was a really good decision.

6. If you have not claimed in the last year, you will also be eligible for a no claim bonus. Irrespective of the insurer you choose, everyone should give you a discount for no claim bonus.

[Waspune]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

Any inputs as which company is recommended ?

Of course you can opt for any insurance provider and not necessarily through Maruti but I would advice you to choose a provider who has a cashless tie up with the Maruti service station from where you get the service done regularly. This would translate into a smooth operation during an insurance claim.

[swiftdiesel]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

Any inputs as which company is recommended ?

The first tip with insurance is never give out your phone number anywhere. These agents will start hogging you after that. Don't renew your insurance with agents as their commission will be added to your final payment. It is cheapest to buy your insurance online. Use price compare websites like bankbazaar.com or some other to compare quotes. Never key in your phone number on any of these websites because if you did, in a minute you will be bombarded with calls. Use a dummy number if need be but never your own mobile number.

The quotes you see on the website can still be brought down if you go to the actual website. For instance, if you see a quote from 'abc insurance' for a certain amount on the price comparison site, go to 'abcinsurance.com' to buy or renew your insurance. The actual insurer's quote on their own website will be much lower than the quote you see on price comparison sites.

And finally, the most important step: check for cashless settlement facility. If you have a favourite dealer you go to, make sure the insurer you're buying from has a cashless settlement agreement with your dealer. You can find their list of cashless settlement garages on their website. Even better, just call your dealer and ask about the insurance companies they're dealing with. Sometimes you may find a very cheap quote but if they don't have a cashless settlement facility with your dealer it's gonna be cumbersome for you if at all you make a claim.

In a gist, these are the 3 steps:

1. Use price comparison sites to find the cheapest quotes
2. Go to the actual insurer's website to get the best deal
3. Ensure your chosen insurer has a cashless settlement facility with your dealer. You can find it on the list of network garages they support.

Never hand out or key in your phone number anywhere!

[d_himan]

Finished my 6 month servicing - costed Rs.108/- for PUC (I thought PUC was waived for 1 year but did not bother arguing). The update to Android Auto was also done. The car has held up surprisingly well - a buzz somewhere on very bad surfaces, but otherwise rattle free. The ride (I put 29 psi - Nitrogen) is very good as well.

One question - is there any way of getting auto folding activated on key lock/unlock? The car cleaning guy/kids keep fiddling around with an open mirror and it's tough to always remember to close it..

Originally Posted by Dieselritzer

So I test drove the Baleno CVT, my current drive is a Ritz VDI. Below are my observations:

- initial pickup was jerky, might be coz I was driving an automatic for the first time in my life.
- ride quality was horrible. I even asked the SA to check the tyre pressure to which he said that as it's a light car, this is how the ride quality is. Now I drive a Ritz which already has a stuff suspension and I felt the baleno to be horrible. Might be I should drive another car.

Reg. the ride quality, it's definitely due to an old, abused TD vehicle. I had a similar experience in Sai Service's TD vehicle, but my Oct 17 Baleno (Alpha CVT) is very different. Absorbent ride quality, silent, gobbles up ruts, stable at speeds.

Initial pick-up is pretty aggressive for a CVT. Needs a bit of practice for a smooth launch.

[Dieselritzer]

Originally Posted by d_himan

Reg. the ride quality, it's definitely due to an old, abused TD vehicle. I had a similar experience in Sai Service's TD vehicle, but my Oct 17 Baleno (Alpha CVT) is very different. Absorbent ride quality, silent, gobbles up ruts, stable at speeds.

Initial pick-up is pretty aggressive for a CVT. Needs a bit of practice for a smooth launch.

How does the CVT Baleno perform on highways? this is something that i can never test in Mumbai, hence asking your view. Can it cruise in a relaxed manner at 120/130 on the expressways?

[d_himan]

Originally Posted by Dieselritzer

How does the CVT Baleno perform on highways? this is something that i can never test in Mumbai, hence asking your view. Can it cruise in a relaxed manner at 120/130 on the expressways?

Hardly drove on the highway. However, can confirm that 100/120 in short bursts was absolutely fine in Eastern Express/Freeway. There is a bit more roll compared, say, to a Polo due to the car sitting higher, but definitely manageable. So, relaxed cruising should be easy. However, aggressive lane changes etc, may not be so relaxed.

[amvj]

Baleno Petrol Alpha manual:

I did a 600KM (round) trip to Srikalahasti - Bangalore. My car is now approaching 5700KMs. I did engine oil replacement twice, oil filter and engine air filter replaced twice in total. The car completed two free services so far.

Regarding the trip:
I find the car does not have much power in the highway especially during overtakes. Maruti need to replace this with higher power engine and move this engine to lower segments such as WagonR. During the trip, I have filled air in a road side shop and the guy filled around 39psi in the rear tyres. I come to know about this during the return trip where I checked the air in Reliance petrol bunk. I have reduced the air pressure to 32psi. Lesson is never fill air in road side shops, they don't have proper calibrated instruments.

I find the AC cooling was not that great despite I have cleaned the AC air filter before the trip.

Brakes are not adequate. There are quite lot of speed breakers in the Andhra highway. Quite idiotic I would say. Also they are laying new roads.

Gear shift is not smooth especially from 2nd to 3rd and while shifting to 1st (not from standstill).

Boot space is just adequate for my needs.

I am a short guy. I find the gear lever is placed bit behind. Also the arm rest is completely unusable.

Height adjustable seats and rear camera are a god send.

Head lights in my car (alpha variant) is just amazing.

I find the fuel economy in the MID shown 18 - 19kmpl. No issues on this one. I have maintained speeds 80 - 100 and occasional 120kmph till Andhra border. There after speeds were below 60kmph.