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Old 3rd June 2006, 16:16   #61
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boom Shiva
...especially when compared to Lancer (japanese) and then Optra (korean). Even the engine doesn't seem very refined. I think the only reason Baleno is fast is because of its light weight, not because the engine is particularly good.
Both Lancer and Optra are 33% to 75% more expensive than the Baleno and don't deserve to be compared to it. Otherwise we can bring in the Octavia and Corolla too for comparision.

To be fair, we should compare it with closely priced products like the Accent, Accent-Viva, Fiesta and Aveo.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boom Shiva
...about the looks, Baleno looks are pretty debatable. I don't like tall boys either, but I still find Fiesta and Aveo to be leagues ahead in terms of refinement...
To be objective, we must quantify refinement. What refinement are we talking about? Linearity of Acceleration? Cabin decibel limits? NVH?

Frankly, I was shopping for a new car and I drove these vehicles on identical terrain at identical speeds and came to a subjective impression.

I learned that we can expect unit to unit variations.

In the process of my testing, I found one red Aveo to be way noisier and jarring than another identical silver Aveo. Also one Fiesta turned out more sluggish in pick-up than another one. Just for fairness, I tested three Baleno VXis, two new ones in Pearl Silver and Beam Blue and an older Baleno VXi in Silky Silver. I could not discern appreciable difference in car feel, other than upholstery odors. Just for taste, I also checked out a model more expensive than my expenditure-intent. I found a big difference in acceleration between two Hyundai Elantra GLS cars. What does that tell of manufacturer quality control?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boom Shiva
...I've had a black Gypsy King, a black Lancer and now a black Optra, all of which have been painstakingly loved and cared for by me. I'm not sure what you mean by personality of someone who drives a black car.
I've purchased from the Pilot showroom in Chembur, Mumbai a brand new Jet Black 1999 Cielo GLE and a 2001 Majorica Black 2001 Daewoo twin-cam Nexia. I've even used a Satellite black Mercedes W210.

No generalized slur on all our personalities!

I was merely alluding to the fact that a lot of scoundrels I've personally met and been warned about, turned out to be black car choosers. I liken them to the Lord Darth Vader ( of the dark side ) ;-)

Psychologically speaking, can we build a case for two kinds of opposite personality -- those that choose black cars and those that don't?
I have some experiential data that suggests this pattern.

That's all! Once again, I never meant to "blacken" all black-car personalities.
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Old 3rd June 2006, 16:34   #62
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Originally Posted by RX135
Ram, I just realized that myself as well as two other respected old men T-BHP (Rudra and Samurai) are careless insensitive people, since we all own black cars. Alright, I am just kidding and I hope, you were too
Apologies in advance to you, Rudra and Samurai, if you are indeed, black car people.

As I said in an earlier post, I've had three large black cars too and so am part of your crowd. No generic slur on all our combined personalities!

That said, it is my painful reality to have encountered a bunch of dirty businessmen, and corporate villains who always chose black cars and SUVs and drove them very roughly.
Was shocked to see some very asinine driving in the snow-bound mountain highways of Austria. Again similar experience in Sweden. And back home in Mumbai too!


Experience insinuated that there was a pattern to this!

I don’t mean to "blacken" all black-car personalities. But ask any dealer. People avoid second-hand black cars! Apartheid is very much there among car colors!

Last edited by Ram : 3rd June 2006 at 16:37.
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Old 3rd June 2006, 17:44   #63
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Originally Posted by ram
Apologies in advance to you, Rudra and Samurai, if you are indeed, black car people.
No offense taken. In fact Rudra has two black cars including the best maintained Amby in India. Do have a look at my black Baleno snaps.
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Old 4th June 2006, 01:00   #64
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Originally Posted by Samurai
No offense taken. In fact Rudra has two black cars including the best maintained Amby in India. Do have a look at my black Baleno snaps.
Unfortunately, I can not say the same about my car in last couple of days. It has been storming NH4 in wet muddy conditions for last 2 days. Yesterday, we stopped at a road side dhaba in late evening. The overzealous and over courteous dhaba owner ordered hotel boy to clean car, which was smeared all over by dirt and mud sprayed from highway vehicles. I politely pursuaded him not to do so, but the boy wont listen. I checked the car in morning today. It has uniform coat of mud all over it. My tomorrow morning is reserved for car cleaning.
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Old 4th June 2006, 23:34   #65
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Ram, while I was checking out cars a few months ago, Lancer cost 6.7 lakhs OTR, while Baleno was coming up to about 6.35 for the base models. Hence the comparision. You're right about Optra though.

About refinement, I was referring to the fit and finish of the car, including the interiors, quality of materials used. Aveo and Fiesta are pretty good, while Baleno just seemed tacky. Just my own opinion I guess.

I didn't know about such vast unit to unit variations, that's news to me.

Good luck on your black/non black survey. I'm black and I'm proud!
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Old 6th June 2006, 07:26   #66
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i'm also black..................:d and love my baby....
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Old 6th June 2006, 13:49   #67
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@prem : Where do you live in trivandrum ? Cos i just saw a black baleno (KL 01AN regn )near my home at murinjapalam . Do you live somewhere near by any chance?

And congrats for the new car.
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Old 6th June 2006, 23:31   #68
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mistakenguy
@prem : Where do you live in trivandrum ? Cos i just saw a black baleno (KL 01AN regn )near my home at murinjapalam . Do you live somewhere near by any chance?

And congrats for the new car.
i stay @ vattyoorkavu and yes my car is AN registration........ yu might have seen me on my way to office....:d
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