[Agarwal_Aayush]

Originally Posted by avi550m

a component called 'Suzuki Connect' (picture attached) which cost 9,999 and was apparently compulsory to take. It is a vehicle tracking system. Also, Basic accessory kit costing 9,599 is apparently compulsory

The sales executive is trying a quick one on you by saying these are mandatory. Both the Suzuki Connect and Basic Accessory kit is non-mandatory.
You can ask him to show you the circular from Maruti stating that these two are mandatory.
Having said that, please have a look at what all is being provided in the Basic Accessory kit. If you find it useful then go with that otherwise ask him to only bill you for the accessories of your choice.

[Highh5]

Originally Posted by avi550m

I dont need all the basic accessories just the mats and mudguards. I also do not really want the vehicle tracking system. Is this just a one off dealer or is Nexa Maruti making it compulsory (according to the sales executive).

Absolutely, just a trick from the dealer to get the most out of a deal. None of the items are mandatory, even you can get away with the rubbish mats they provide at such atrocious prices.
You can easily find aftermarket and good quality mat within the same price.

[Kpzonwheels]

'Suzuki connect' is not a compulsory accessory. The basic accessories kit is also not compulsory, you can easily choose which accessories you need and pay for the respective items only. I think dealer is trying to fill their pockets as margins for these accessories are more. You can send an email to MSIL citing the above and they will easily budge.

Originally Posted by avi550m

I was doing some preliminary research on Altroz vs Baleno vs Amaze as my cousin is looking to buy a car around Rs. 8 lakhs. When i went to Varun Nexa in Hebbal there was a component called 'Suzuki Connect' (picture attached) which cost 9,999 and was apparently compulsory to take. It is a vehicle tracking system. Also, Basic accessory kit costing 9,599 is apparently compulsory. Can someone shed some light on this. I dont need all the basic accessories just the mats and mudguards. I also do not really want the vehicle tracking system. Is this just a one off dealer or is Nexa Maruti making it compulsory (according to the sales executive).

[Abhi_abarth]

Did anybody get the steering assembly replaced recently ? Maruti service centre folks have quoted 30 to 45 days for the part to arrive. While this is not a fast moving consumable but still considering it's Maruti Suzuki I am stunned !

[Horizon85]

How much tyre pressure are you all maintaining in petrol Baleno Zeta and Alpha 16 inchers? I took to the highway this week and could feel the car get bouncy at speeds of 100 kmph and beyond. Also, slightest undulation like rumble strips made the car go wavy.

I am maintaining the company recommended tyre pressure of 29 psi on all 4 tyres.

[RoadMonkey]

Originally Posted by Horizon85

How much tyre pressure are you all maintaining in petrol Baleno Zeta and Alpha 16 inchers? I took to the highway this week and could feel the car get bouncy at speeds of 100 kmph and beyond. Also, slightest undulation like rumble strips made the car go wavy.

I am maintaining the company recommended tyre pressure of 29 psi on all 4 tyres.

The car isn't made to be doing speeds in excess of triple digits. In my 40k with the car, whenever I took it above 100, I felt pretty insecure about the handling. Even the steering becomes a bit vague as you push it up. I only ever did it on near perfect straight roads of Punjab so ride quality wasn't an issue. I maintained 30psi in all 4 tyres, no issues with them.

[adv.yzr]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

Did anybody get the steering assembly replaced recently ? Maruti service centre folks have quoted 30 to 45 days for the part to arrive. While this is not a fast moving consumable but still considering it's Maruti Suzuki I am stunned !

Greetings,

I recently got the steering column replaced on my 1.3 Baleno Alpha (2016); it was done under warranty as it came with a faulty one. Special thanks to multiple posts here at the forum which made me aware regarding the issue and I could get it replaced else the service centre would have charged me for the same.

Regarding the time frame, I placed the request somewhere in mid January and got it done on 15th February. It took them almost 25-30 days to order the concerned part. The reason for the delay given to me pertained to the fact that there are manufacturing delays and so on and so forth.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Horizon85

How much tyre pressure are you all maintaining in petrol Baleno Zeta and Alpha 16 inchers? Also, slightest undulation like rumble strips made the car go wavy.
I am maintaining the company recommended tyre pressure of 29 psi on all 4 tyres.

Greetings,

Please check for the faulty suspension that was there in initially manufactured Baleno. The ride was bouncy initially and got my suspension replaced after a year or so and since then the ride quality has improved and it no longer feels bouncy which was the case earlier i.e prior replacement. Also, maintaining 30psi all around.

Thanks.

[Agarwal_Aayush]

Originally Posted by Horizon85

How much tyre pressure are you all maintaining in petrol Baleno Zeta and Alpha 16 inchers? I took to the highway this week and could feel the car get bouncy at speeds of 100 kmph and beyond.

I maintain 30 in all the 4 tyres.
Can't really comment on bouncy nature as I rarely do triple digits as most of my rides are with family and we maintain 80-90 when with them. On rare occasions when I stretched my car into triple digits, the steering became super light.

Also, slightest undulation like rumble strips made the car go wavy.

What I have experienced is that the car goes wavy when we are on rumble strips and on a turn, if on a straight road it maintains its line. What speed were you doing when you felt your car was wavy? I generally slow down to somewhere around 30 kmph on rumble strips.

[Horizon85]

Originally Posted by Agarwal_Aayush

What I have experienced is that the car goes wavy when we are on rumble strips and on a turn, if on a straight road it maintains its line. What speed were you doing when you felt your car was wavy? I generally slow down to somewhere around 30 kmph on rumble strips.

With two people onboard and luggage, I don't exceed 120 kmph. I'd have reduced from 120 kmph to 80 kmph or 60 kmph on the rumble strips I guess. I didn't notice the exact speed. But I did brake on approaching rumble strips.

[Agarwal_Aayush]

Originally Posted by Horizon85

With two people onboard and luggage, I don't exceed 120 kmph. I'd have reduced from 120 kmph to 80 kmph or 60 kmph on the rumble strips I guess. I didn't notice the exact speed. But I did brake on approaching rumble strips.

Try reducing the speed further and check. Rumble strips which have small elevation can be taken at any speed but the ones with higher elevation actually removes the cars contact from the road surface hence the wavyness(It has also to do with the fact that the car has less weight ).

[Horizon85]

Originally Posted by Agarwal_Aayush

Try reducing the speed further and check. Rumble strips which have small elevation can be taken at any speed but the ones with higher elevation actually removes the cars contact from the road surface hence the wavyness(It has also to do with the fact that the car has less weight ).

The less weight is something we can't do much about with all manufacturers now moving to thin high tensile steel. Suzuki is still lighter than the competition.

What I've learnt in my 1700 kms of highway driving last month is that the Baleno is most comfortable cruising at 80 km/hr. And then upto 110 km/hr it's manageable and anything beyond that is not at all comfortable and not recommended as well.

[Agarwal_Aayush]

Originally Posted by Horizon85

The less weight is something we can't do much about with all manufacturers now moving to thin high tensile steel. Suzuki is still lighter than the competition.

Just hope that it does what it is meant to do *Pun intended

What I've learnt in my 1700 kms of highway driving last month is that the Baleno is most comfortable cruising at 80 km/hr. And then upto 110 km/hr it's manageable and anything beyond that is not at all comfortable and not recommended as well.

I echo your sentiments. I did 3500 KM trip in 2019 and my wife and child were very happy with the comfort and space it provides. Also cruising on the long stretch was not at all tiring.
Yes the steering gets really light and does not inspire much confidence in doing high speeds.

[Abhi_abarth]

Exactly after a months time I got call that the steering rack has arrived and I need to bring the car for the replacement.

Gave the car on 4th March and collected on 5th March, I have only driven barely 2 KM which straight from the service station to my home and haven't taken out the car since then hence I am not able to find any significant changes in the steering behavior.

But yes, the steering is 30% lighter than the previous fit. I was initially charged the labour amount which was 900 odd but later they made it zero upon my insistence. I told them I would write a mail to MSIL seeking clarity on it.

Planned some long drives this weekend which will let me test the steering too.

Shall keep you posted on this.

[Highh5]

Even I ordered the steering rack replacement under warranty at Kalyani Service Center Horamavu, Bangalore. Part will be available at least after 15 days as per the communication I got from SA.

Car was idle for four months since I moved to my hometown and once I was back, there were two issues which I noticed. Clutch was very hard and again may be at the end of the lifecycle. And steering was acting like a dead meat, there was no life or say feedback from the steering at all. It is way too sticky and remains in whatever direction you move it to. Took me some time to get used to it, more so because I was driving Harrier from last couple of months.

I need to convince the SA for replacing the steering rack and making him understand the issue. Issue is instead of understanding your problem, they start giving you a tutorial on how Steering behaves on different speeds and how should you drive the car.

[Abhi_abarth]

Originally Posted by Highh5

Even I ordered the steering rack replacement under warranty at Kalyani Service Center Horamavu, Bangalore. Part will be available at least after 15 days as per the communication I got from SA.

Car was idle for four months since I moved to my hometown and once I was back, there were two issues which I noticed. Clutch was very hard and again may be at the end of the lifecycle. And steering was acting like a dead meat, there was no life or say feedback from the steering at all. It is way too sticky and remains in whatever direction you move it to. Took me some time to get used to it, more so because I was driving Harrier from last couple of months.

I need to convince the SA for replacing the steering rack and making him understand the issue. Issue is instead of understanding your problem, they start giving you a tutorial on how Steering behaves on different speeds and how should you drive the car.

My clutch too has become very hard. Mine is a 2017 model and run 27 K kms only.
Regarding steering issues I had the same problems you have mentioned. I took the approach to write to Maruti first before directly going to the service centre. Received a mail in 24 hours asking me to get the vehicle for inspection. The hardest part in this whole activity is getting them to convince there is a problem with our steering. The service centre guys did what not to convince me that the steering was fine and it was due to my tyres that that problem has struck. I patiently heard them and said you either call a Marut Engineer or I will take the car to Nexa service.
But waiting for the part is quite frustrating given it is a localised product (I am hoping since it’s Maruti) .