[mayankk]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

True. But then those are 2 really big 'if's, especially the 2nd one.

Dude, forget about FE if getting FFE!!
trust me.
Physics says FE will go up if you get it done.
And it is this very physics which is used by people like us to convince parents/spouses/big brother to give moolah/permission to get FFE done!!
and once the green light is given, then we promptly dump this physics in the dustbin, get the FFE, and rev away to the redline/sunset!!
leaving the world and the fuel efficiency behind!!!

In other words(sorry about the diatribe), FFE to get FE, doesnt work in Real life.you wont be able to control your foot.
and god help you if you get even a slightly throaty exhaust!!

[sanagg1]

Originally Posted by nithin_86

I test drove three Vtecs today. And like yzfrj mentioned, a Vtec at 2.9 was indeed two good to be true. I went to the showroom and the owner brought in the car. The car had those cheap stickers here and there. Sports edition and all that kind of crap stickers were there on it. I got the feeling that the car is going to be crap but I thought what the hell and got in and turned on the ignition and suddenly a shrill Beep came up and I turned to the guy at the showroom and asked me what in the world was that. He had no idea and the owner then got in and he was like that is the indicator for the handbrake. I released the handbrake and the beep went off. I tried starting the car and it took me two attempts to get it started and the engine sounded as if someone was strangling its neck. I was taking it out of the parking lot and as I was reversing it the annoying reverse indicator came up. Some stupid song. And I have to mention the inside was not very well maintained either but ocnsidering it as a 7 year old car I let it pass. Now came the fun part, the gear shift. However I tried it wouldn't go to the first. Finally after struggling with it i managed to get it into the first. I thought I will give it a try now anyway and I turn the steering to the right and it wouldn't budge. I put in more effort and it finally turned making a sound like chains clanging together. By that time I had enough and I said I don't need to test drive it and I don't need it.

Then I test drove two more Vtecs. One was a 2001 Single owner and the other a 2003 Second owner. Both were Ok. The interiors in both were quite worn out. Too worn out for my taste. I felt the 2003 in a better condition than the other. Though both of them really didn't give me the "Yeah this is the one" feel. So still on the lookout for a decent Vtec. Todays experience actually gave me second thoughts on the Vtec. Now I am inclined a little more towards the Baleno as of now. Hopefully a better Vtec is waiting for me.

Have a serious rethink about pinning on sedan, Do you really have to have one ?
This thread may have some more insight for you

In any case happy hunting
cheers

[Unknownsatan]

Originally Posted by sanagg1

Have a serious rethink about pinning on sedan, Do you really have to have one ?
This thread may have some more insight for you

In any case happy hunting
cheers

I am quite sure he wont even read this thread and by chance even if he does i am sure he wont change his mind

Even i was looking for a 1.5, Vtec or a Baleno for sometime. Lot of people asked me to rethink and go for a Hatch. But sometimes its "what you want" or rather "what your heart says"

[nithin_86]

Its just like Unknownsatan mentioned. Its true that a hatch is the best option for city driving and daily use. But there is something about owning a Baleno or Vtec that gives you a certain satisfaction.

[rjstyles69]

Originally Posted by mayankk

In other words(sorry about the diatribe), FFE to get FE, doesnt work in Real life.you wont be able to control your foot.
and god help you if you get even a slightly throaty exhaust!!

mayankk have been there and even managed to fry my cars clutch within 2/3k kms of driving with the FFE. But then my driving style improved leaps and bounds, the biggest learning was the usage of the torque in the lower gears.

Well after the FFE was installed I have pulled off some real bad figures on the lines of 7kmpl. Reason was the simple fact that I had to redline no matter what in the initial days after installation of the FFE.

Originally Posted by Unknownsatan

I am quite sure he wont even read this thread and by chance even if he does i am sure he wont change his mind

Even i was looking for a 1.5, Vtec or a Baleno for sometime. Lot of people asked me to rethink and go for a Hatch. But sometimes its "what you want" or rather "what your heart says"

Yeah nothing to beat the feeling of driving a free revving car.

Originally Posted by nithin_86

Its just like Unknownsatan mentioned. Its true that a hatch is the best option for city driving and daily use. But there is something about owning a Baleno or Vtec that gives you a certain satisfaction.

You hit the final nail and am off. No matter what I know you will pick up a v-tec or the baleno . Good luck pal and I pray that you find a good example in the market..

[Unknownsatan]

Originally Posted by nithin_86

Its just like Unknownsatan mentioned. Its true that a hatch is the best option for city driving and daily use. But there is something about owning a Baleno or Vtec that gives you a certain satisfaction.

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Yeah nothing to beat the feeling of driving a free revving car.
You hit the final nail and am off. No matter what I know you will pick up a v-tec or the baleno

We all belong to the same category

@ Nithin: When i was looking for myself,i have heard there is a good Vtec in Calicut. Not sure whether its sold or not,but can check out if you want to. But then ya have to go to calicut and check. If interested PM me.

[yzfrj]

Originally Posted by nithin_86

Now I am inclined a little more towards the Baleno as of now. Hopefully a better Vtec is waiting for me.

Originally Posted by nithin_86

But there is something about owning a Baleno or Vtec that gives you a certain satisfaction.

Good OHC Vtec's are pretty hard to find. All the best.
But if you can wait around maybe you'll find one.

Good Baleno's will be far easier to find. + you get climate control (in Vxi)

But let no one tell you what you need, you know that. Don't you ?

[nithin_86]

Dont worry yzfrj, whatever happens it's either a Baleno or an OHC Vtec. I found two good Baleno's. Both 2005 model. One here in Chennai and the other down in Kochi. I may pick up one of them if I can get to them in time. I have to sell of my Zen which I really hate to. But out of options coming to the money factor.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Was comparing it with a baleno and I have found the vtec to have a stiffer suspension setup than the baleno. Take a curve at 80+ and the baleno would be all around the place which wasn't the case with the Vtec.

Considering that either car is discontinued, and both the cars you drove were older examples, road behaviour would depend on the condition of the car. A badly worn out suspension can easily tilt the scales in the other's favour.

The Vtec is very nimble, and an awesome handler. As long as the speeds are less than 80 - 100 kph. The Baleno's high speed behaviour is way superior.

[yzfrj]

Originally Posted by nithin_86

I have to sell of my Zen which I really hate to. But out of options coming to the money factor.

Zen is KL or TN ?
If its KL better to sell it off in Kerala. I was offered peanuts for my KL Zen here. It was in very good condition (except for the tyres 5-7k left in them max)

I ended up getting 30k more than the price quoted here.
4 k for Petrol and 1k other expense, still 25k more.

On the flip side a vehicle of similar age will have lot less corrosion in KL than here, a thing to keep in mind when you are buying. but as we know it will be expensive too.

[ch.nathan]

How does the LANCER compare with OHC VTEC and the BALENO?

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

How does the LANCER compare with OHC VTEC and the BALENO?

Along the same lines,in my opinion,but(i'm talking about my own experience here, and restricted to NCR), its even harder to find a good used lancer than it is to find a 1.5....
I dont know why.
That is not saying that there arent any.
There are hundreds of them available(figures i heard went from 1.5L to 3L), but they were so shoddy and showing their age!!
I didnt even TD one.

[nithin_86]

@yzfrj - My Zen is a TN registered one. 2003 Lxi and perfectly stock. It should get a good deal here. Hopefully. I was considering buying from KL this time. Whichever car I will be getting I think I would be keeping it around for a couple of years and I wont be staying in Chennai for more than a year so I guess KL should be a better option. And the corrosion factor you mentioned is also considered. Two good Balenos slipped through my hands last week. One was in Kochi and the other here in Chennai. Now I am focusing a bit more on the Baleno.

[filcord]

Baleno interiors wear very well. My 2005 Baleno with 52k km on the clock looks like new inside. I used seat covers for the first three years, thereafter just the OE seats, with seat shampooing every six months.
The ride is still the smooth cossetting ride when new. Only thing I find the last month is the engine is sounding a wee bit louder than usual.

[rock18]

Sorry for hijacking this thread.Since i am in a similar dilemma i thought i can make use of this thread instead of opening a new one.
I saw some 2006 baleno's but not completely satisfied with any of those cars.

Found a 2002 OHC automatic 1st owner with 1.1L kms on the odo. Seems to be reasonably maintained. Price is 2.8L fixed.Should i go for this car?

Another interesting info i have found from the service record is, Camshaft has been replaced at 97k and car was in the showroom for almost a month.
Reason: to get the part shipped, it took almost a month.

Are these parts readily available outside in chennai?