[Tech]

If you spend too much time driving (3-4 hrs daily) then VXI comforts are good but in Bangalore, I doubt if AC is an absolute need even. But if not then LXI is a better bargain. You can get a good IPod and DVD player etc frills for the Baleno LXI if you need them.

[Floyd de Souza]

Hi Premanshu,

I probably am one of the newest owners of a Baleno in this forum. I checked out all the cars in the segment right upto your budget of 8L(on road?) except the Aveo and could'nt find a better car than the Baleno. Though I went for the LXi, since you are from Gurgaon, I would suggest the VXi as the demister would be helpful in cold weather. And don't worry about FE, I've been comfortably getting 10+ in Mumbai city traffic with a/c on all the time and the car has only done 700kms. Go for the Baleno VXi with your eyes closed and as someone mentioned in this thread, try to bring the difference with the LXi down to 60-70K. As the ad goes "Surprising Performance" and "Owners Choice".

[kgc_cool]

If you are lazy, then VXi is a good bet..

You get the Climate Control , alloys and a music system in the package..
Of course, the added advantage that insurance covers everything (since they are all part of the package)..

That was the clincher for me.. I am not really good with getting deals on other stuff from the outside and was happy with what the car came with..

And so far as your comparison with other cars goes.. I think it all boils down to your comfort factor.. Different people.. different cars! So, if you are happy with what Baleno offers, then go for it.. the A.S.S from Maruti is pretty good.. and spares are quite cheap.. Apart from that, you can get Maruti service almost anywhere in the country..

My FE: With A/C in city around 11.. Without A/C in city around 13 (using power petrol all the time.. And I do commute roads that get jammed quite often... Im in Bangalore.. see.. :P )

[naveendhyani]

if the cost of VXi is within ur budget go for it. nothing better than the climate control feature. my friend bought a baleno VXi in bangalore and its giving 13.5 with 80% a/c in city. i guess that makes it a wonderful car. u can SMS me on 98111-35883 and mayb we can talk. i live in DLF only and wud b goin for a second hand baleno mayb in a week's time.

[supremeBaleno]

Premanshu, even at the risk of being called BBA [Baleno Brand Ambassador], let me try answering your questions.

Originally Posted by premanshu

Thanks Team-Bhp to help me compare NHC ZX Vtec and Baleno....

First of all, I guess, the Baleno can be compared to the NHC (but comparing it with the NHC Vtec is not really correct as the Vtec is in a different class altogether).

Originally Posted by premanshu

I then checked NHC. Interiors were superb and so is the car.

It definitely is a nice car. If you have no problem about the looks (though the Baleno is not exactly a great looker), it should be a nice choice.

Originally Posted by premanshu

But while checking its reviews I visited Team-Bhp and found about Baleno. With so many happy owners of Baleno, the forum seems to be a brand ambassador for Baleno.

Well, this does seem to be a big Baleno fan club. I guess, Maruti should pay tbhp for promoting the Baleno. If the Baleno has today reached the stage where it is called a everyone-has-one car (yes, someone on this forum called it that in a post), I guess tbhp can take most of the credit for that.

Originally Posted by premanshu

I then checked out my local dealer for maruti Baleno and he was offering about 70K discount on the same.

I am sure you can squeeze more out of the dealers. You can PM prince of this forum - I think he got around 1lac off on his Vxi.

Originally Posted by premanshu

I test drove Baleno and engine performance is amazing.
With about 2.5L difference in price of Baleno and new NHC Vtec (on road), I think interiors and rear does not matter much to me now.

Well, its your call.

Originally Posted by premanshu

Milage is just about 9 Kmpl (city with AC) for most of reviews I have found on net. Is that what I have to compromise with this price difference or miracle do happen??

I get 12kmpl in Chennai city and 16kmpl on highways. Always with AC on. Most Baleno owners on this forum have reported good FE - infact 2 owners in B'lore report 13-15 in city, without AC. One member (Venkatrx) did report low FE in city (but great FE on highways).

Originally Posted by premanshu

Is Baleno Vxi worth spending extra 80K.

Well, varies from person-to-person. Shuvc and others got the Vxi - they feel it is worth the extra dough. I got the Lxi as I felt the goodies offered were not worth the extra cash. It is for you to decide - list down the extras you get with the Vxi, compare the price difference and make your decision.

A question for Baleno owners/users :
Since the Vxi comes shod with wider tyres and marginally more weight (due to extra stuff thrown in), does this have a serious effect on the FE or is it negligible ? Reason for asking this is that, we have been seeing quite some varied opinions on the Baleno's FE - most say they get great FE, a few say FE is low. I mean, does the Lxi / Vxi difference have anything to do with this ?

[Floyd de Souza]

Supreme,

I don't think there would be much difference between the VXi/LXi FE. The VXi comes with alloys and Goodyear Eagle NCT5 tubeless tyres which have low rolling resistance. This more or less negates the additional weight of the spoiler (the other additional equipment would not make a difference at all). When I took the test drive of the Baleno, I remember asking the sales guy the same question and he said that Maruti claims that there is no difference. When I asked him what mileage would I get in city with a/c on 100% from a stock LXi, he replied 9.5-10kmpl. And I am getting in the region of 10.5 after upgrading to 185/65 tyres and 14" slloys as well as a spoiler. I understand that Maruti dealers have been told to inform customers of lower mileage, especially of the swift where they claim 10.5 in mumbai city whereas people have reported 11+. This apparently results in customer delight. And I'm definitely delighted.

[premanshu]

Well I was looking for spares on net for Baleno and did not found any price for the head lights and tail lights for Baleno 2006. Though I found a thread by Venkatrx http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/what-c...iesta-nhc.html

Venkatrx Bro now you definately scared me...

My mother likes driving and I am now scared seeing the costs of the spares for Baleno. You should see the Zen(1999) I have... even used Maruti 800 looks far better than that.

Are you sure that price of spares quoted here are actual???

[GTO]

The lowest I've ever got (when new) was 10.9.

You must be a calm driver. I once got 4 kmpl on my Vtec. When, where and at what speed - Keep guessing.

GTO

[supremeBaleno]

Well, venkat does seem to have a point there about the spares. But, then he listed only a few parts. At the Maruti service centre, I have a seen a list of spare prices for commonly replaced parts, for different Maruti cars. I am assuming that other manufacturers will also have a similar list. It would be a nice idea to get pricing for these parts for other cars in the Baleno class and do a comparison. Then we can get to an idea about which is relatively cheaper.

[premanshu]

4 Kmpl in VTec GTO Bro.... Are you into Fast and Furious kind of stuff....

[venkatrx]

Originally Posted by premanshu

Well I was looking for spares on net for Baleno and did not found any price for the head lights and tail lights for Baleno 2006. Though I found a thread by Venkatrx http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/what-c...iesta-nhc.html

Venkatrx Bro now you definately scared me...

My mother likes driving and I am now scared seeing the costs of the spares for Baleno. You should see the Zen(1999) I have... even used Maruti 800 looks far better than that.

Are you sure that price of spares quoted here are actual???

Hi Premansu,

Lets accept the facts, I got the prices by calling up the dealers and phone numbers have been mentioned.....Sad but its true.

You can do the same in Delhi.

NHC Vtec v/s Baleno question
AC : Baleno is great, and with climate control wow is the right expression.
Power : NHC Vtec any day.
Interiors : NHC all the way.
GC : NHC Zx series GC has been increase by 13 mm and the suspensions have been made a lot stiffer hance great GC. [but this is at the cost of ride quality at back seat]. With Baleno you will scrape a lot speed breakers.
Suspensions : Baleno has all wheel independent suspensions, so NHC cannot compete.
Seating Comfort : Baleno seats are more comfortable.
Headlights : Baleno is poor. NHC is OK.
FE : with 100% AC city driving - Baleno (9 kmpl) NHC (13 kmpl)
highway driving - Baleno (15 kmpl) NHC (17 kmpl)

NHC FE I have quoted is of normal NHC and not NHC Vtec, and the FE figures are for Bangalores traffic which is probably the worst in india.

Baleno Lxi v/s Vxi question
Climate control is found only in D segment cars with BAleno/swift being the only exceptions.
I found Defogger a very helpful safety-feature which i was told cannot be fitted in Lxi.
If money is not a concern, then Vxi definitely.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by venkatrx

NHC Vtec v/s Baleno question
FE : with 100% AC city driving - Baleno (9 kmpl) NHC (13 kmpl)
highway driving - Baleno (15 kmpl) NHC (17 kmpl)
NHC FE I have quoted is of normal NHC and not NHC Vtec.

You could have left out FE from the comparison (due to lack of Vtec FE figures) because comparing the Baleno with Vtec on all factors except FE and then using the NHC's FE is not correct.

Also, I know that you have done the comparison based on your experience and thus listed your city FE (9kmpl). But ain't that a little unfair, considering the fact that most owners report city FE anywhere between 10 to 15.

Anyone has FE figures for the NHC Vtec ?

[goldie_malhotra]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

You could have left out FE from the comparison (due to lack of Vtec FE figures) because comparing the Baleno with Vtec on all factors except FE and then using the NHC's FE is not correct.

Also, I know that you have done the comparison based on your experience and thus listed your city FE (9kmpl). But ain't that a little unfair, considering the fact that most owners report city FE anywhere between 10 to 15.

Anyone has FE figures for the NHC Vtec ?

Sure - here-we-go .. so far I have driven around 3500 km and had the second service after 3 months.

City : 12-13 kmpl with A/C on all the time - I usually shift between 3k-4k rpm - love to keep the engine high-revving

Note: just to test the FE, I drove around for some time shifting around 2k rpm, and it gave me 14kmpl with A/C !!!
(Though this is not definitely the way that anyone would wish to drive a VTEC - guys, please excuse - I have immediately reverted back to my usual style)

Highway : 16 kmpl with A/C 50% - mostly around 80-100 kmph in 2nd or 3rd gear, sometimes 4th gear (have no idea what driving in 5th gear would give me)

[goldie_malhotra]

Originally Posted by GTO

You must be a calm driver. I once got 4 kmpl on my Vtec. When, where and at what speed - Keep guessing.

GTO

Considering that its most fun-to-drive at ~ 50kmph in 1st, ~ 100kmph in 2nd and ~150 kmph in 3rd, shouldnt be difficult to guess

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by goldie_malhotra

Sure - here-we-go .. so far I have driven around 3500 km and had the second service after 3 months.

City : 12-13 kmpl with A/C on all the time - I usually shift between 3k-4k rpm - love to keep the engine high-revving

Note: just to test the FE, I drove around for some time shifting around 2k rpm, and it gave me 14kmpl with A/C !!!

Highway : 16 kmpl with A/C 50% - mostly around 80-100 kmph in 2nd or 3rd gear, sometimes 4th gear (have no idea what driving in 5th gear would give me)

Thanks, goldie. BTW, considering your driving style, the FE figures look great.