Time to take the plunge - Baleno or OHC???

ashish22 · 20th January 2009, 12:44

IMO its unfair to compare Aveo with OHC & Baleno. Both of these are outright driver's car which are good handlers and can be pushed to limits. Aveo on the other hand is more for sedate driving and not much to talk about performance.
Having said that most of the OHCs and balenos you'll find in market would be pretty old now and hence would require more maintenance. Cant say much about aveo as i dont have any experience with chevy but whatever i've heard from this forum it doesnt looks too bright. I guess GM spare parts are not cheap.
I can completely vouch for OHC's reliability. Their engines are bullet proof and built to last. Have seen couple of them even continuing after 3L kms.
Out of all the OHCs you've listed, i guess OHC 1.5 should be most reliable. Also its more mod friendly.
If your friend is a spirited driver then ask him to stay away from aveo. Its a decent city car though with good interiors.

narayan · 20th January 2009, 13:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

hello guys, i am looking for a second hand sedan after a friend of mine and the recent TV show "The used car show" showcased the Aveo as best second hand car to buy.

now i want answers to a few questions below:

1. Mileage of OHC - Baleno - aveo(someone said OHC gives 16kmpl) - my OHC before i upsized tyres and fitted FFE used to give around 9-10 in city and 14 in high way. ( with maybe 50% a/c usage )
2. Cost of spares OHC-Baleno- Aveo - am not sure about Aveo - but OHC/Baleno is quite reasonable and if the car is good, you would have to only change the usual wear and tear parts.
3. Problems per vehicle (reliability) OHC/BALENO/AVEO - again not sure about Aveo but other two are extremely reliable. I have never seen an OHC/Baleno break down in middle of road. But I am quite sure Aveo would not be far behind.
4. Which one is better to buy/use/reliable OHC1.3 , OHC1.5 or OHC1.5 Vtec - no doubt OHC 1.5 !

5. Engine life in KMS of the above 3. - very very subjective but all being same, OHC/BALENO there are examples in the forum which are 1.5 lakh plus and going strong

Which of the above shall be a good buy. Please recommend me the car, year of make and kms done on the odo.

answers alongside ur questions..

I think you should share some info on what is your requirement. that makes it easier to get opinions from the forum. many will tell you about the superb "driver oriented" nature of the OHC/Baleno etc etc. but be clear what ur expecting out of these cars. rear seat comfort in OHC is definetly not among the best of these 3 cars

supremeBaleno · 20th January 2009, 13:53

@amit, answers in Bold alongside to some of your queries

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

now i want answers to a few questions below:
1. Mileage of OHC - Baleno - aveo(someone said OHC gives 16kmpl)
Ans: No idea about Aveo/OHC, but the Chennai city FE of my Baleno is 12kmpl and highway FE is 16kmpl. Both figures with 100% a/c and normal driving - ie. not driven for FE.

2. Cost of spares OHC-Baleno- Aveo
Ans : Normal spares for Baleno are reasonably priced, but if you have to change SGP in case of accidents, the prices can be pretty high due to them being imported.

3. Problems per vehicle (reliability) OHC/BALENO/AVEO
Ans : A JD Power survey should help you here, but I dont know if there is one that covers all the 3 cars in question here because the Aveo is relatively a newer car in the market.

5. Engine life in KMS of the above 3.
Ans : All three should last pretty long under similar usage conditions. I would safely guess that 1.5lakh kms should be easy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashish22

Having said that most of the OHCs and balenos you'll find in market would be pretty old now and hence would require more maintenance.

A small correction here. Since Baleno continued to be sold till end-2006, while the OHC was discontinued in 2004, the chances of getting a newer car is more for the Baleno. Ofcourse a newer model does not necessarily translate into better maintained. So..

amit_mechengg · 20th January 2009, 15:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by narayan

answers alongside ur questions..

I think you should share some info on what is your requirement. that makes it easier to get opinions from the forum. many will tell you about the superb "driver oriented" nature of the OHC/Baleno etc etc. but be clear what ur expecting out of these cars. rear seat comfort in OHC is definetly not among the best of these 3 cars

my basic requirement is driving pleasure. secondly the most important thing is there should be no niggling issues like jerks, vibrations etc popping up.
a moderate rear set comfort will do. mostly i will drive in city, but when on long routes there will be 3 people at the rear.
the car should be mod friendly. i.e parts like sporty bumpers, headlamps, engine mods(response of car to mods) etc.
the plastic inside the cabin should be of good fit and finish and should not look flimsy.

Proxima · 26th January 2009, 12:44

I am looking to pick up a baleno as well. Saw some threads on the high price and non-availability of spares for the baleno. Is it true? Baleno owners, please advice.

kailashnj · 26th January 2009, 13:44

Prices for Baleno spares are on the higher side if you go to maruti ***. But if you approach a local part reseller you might still get the same MGP parts much more cheaper.

Example that I would to give you is the cost of changing clutch plates at MASS is 8.5K with SGP and the same SGP taken outside at a local spare parts shop and give to MASS for installation the total cost was 5.5k only - that is saving of 3k.

As far as parts are concerned - the cost is very much comparable to the cost of parts for other cars like Accent but it is still cheaper than the Honda city by a huge margin, Hence dont worry about the spares and if you find a good baleno go for it. I seriously love the way it handle and the responsive engine is always ready to be pushed to its limit. Also the FE of Baleno is very consistent. I get around 11.32kms (100% ac) in city and 15.12kms (100% AC) at highways. With out ac this might go up a little.

Car is really easy to drive in bumper to bumper traffic especially the ones you see in Mumbai.

zenx · 26th January 2009, 16:03

Have a nearly 8-year old OHC and was considering upgrading - TD'd the Linea and loved it. Just did a weekend trip to Wayanad after a service and oil change - didnt drive too wild but 3 digit speeds on the better stretches and 80-90 elsewhere (except Wayanad's narrower roads where 50-60 was the norm, with a few quicker stretches) - and got a phenomenal 16kmpl+ unless the pumps' auto-cutoffs were really really out of whack. This from a driver who's rarely seen 15kmpl earlier even on highways.

The drive, driving, and comfort inside the car convinced me to drop all upgrade plans for now

Yes, the doors don't shut as nicely and there's a bit of higher wind noise compared to the newer sedans, but nothing that would make me think of a change. Love the car.

OHC - all the way.

narayan · 27th January 2009, 00:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

my basic requirement is driving pleasure. secondly the most important thing is there should be no niggling issues like jerks, vibrations etc popping up.
a moderate rear set comfort will do. mostly i will drive in city, but when on long routes there will be 3 people at the rear.
the car should be mod friendly. i.e parts like sporty bumpers, headlamps, engine mods(response of car to mods) etc.
the plastic inside the cabin should be of good fit and finish and should not look flimsy.

OHC/BALENO score well on driving pleasure

OHC - will show issues like vibrations etc. its not a very "tightly" put together car if u understand wat i mean

rear seat comfort is just about moderate. Long routes/3 ppl at the rear is gona be really painful for those 3 ppl in the OHC !

mod friendly - OHC/BALENO

plastic quality inside car - OHC is quite good for its age. good quality feel in the steering wheel and dash board. Baleno from what i have seen has very poor interior plastic and trim quality

alias · 28th January 2009, 00:16

Hi all,
Well this is what I am going through now a day’s let me tell you people how it started.
A few days ago a close friend of mine bought himself a 06 manufactured 07 registered baleno.
The car is in very good condition, not even a scratch and done 29k with following added goodies.
-15 inches lenso’s with good year eagle f1’s.
-alpine hu with 4 components, 2 speakers ,2 subs and 1 amps.
-header from leela Krishna, short shifter.
-knn filter, original sparco steering (worth 12k)
-remus exhaust (worth 30k)
-ecu from race dynamics.
-central locking and a lot of minor details
Makes it a very tempting package.
Any ways within 10 days of purchase he calls me and tells me that he wants to sell it due to some personal issues.
He bought it for 4lacs spend 5k for a tire (according to him) and some 5k for transfer and all
When I asked him how much he wants for it he said 4.25lacs and since he is a frined we came to a conclusion (na mere na teri 4.15lacs done)
I applied for a loan got an approval of 3.65lacs but it took 2 weeks and this friend of mine was in hurry to sell it & in the process of getting the loan approval we just lost touch.
I assumed that he must have sold it and moved on since I had planned on buying a new car now I started looking for one.
Saw a few ads on the tbhp market place.
Found the lion heart’s getz crdi met him a very nice car with a very nice owner.
Came to know that he was a friend of my friends.

he already had someone who was interested in buying his car in full cash but he said he’ll get back to me ,the chances were less so I thought of looking for a few other cars too just in case.(met him yesterday the option is open and i love the mixture of milage and power the car offers).

Saw a couple of cars an accidental swift vdi for 5lacs.

And a fully supped up city 03 for 3.5lacs, which I almost finalized however it already had 3 owners so I couldn’t get the loan so not point thinking about it.

And then silver swift 08 vdi with 2.5k on odo with blaupunkat hu with 2 speakers for 4.75lacs.(but no insurance,that was confusing the RC says its an april 08 mfg with means the car should have a valid insurance till april 09 but upon asking the owner said he has tranfered the insurance on the other car he bought. is this possible)

Now this is what happens my friend calls up.

Friend:what happened
I:nothing I am going for a different car.
Frined: why? What about the baleno?
I:I thought you sold it.
Friend: I am waiting for your loan to be processed.
I:its already done and since I was not sure I asked the agent to remove the baleno docs.
Frined: I am interested and i held it for you.
I:okay,let me think about it.

So this is the scenario ,so guys please guide me what I should do.
Heart says baleno( have used baleno's since a few years now and in the last 4 years i had 3baleno's and not any other cars) mind says either the swift or the getz.
Since internally I cannot decide I am looking for your advices.
I use the car for every day travelling to office from home which is 15kms one way.
And once in a while drive down to mysore for a weekend drive.
Apart from the above I will also use it for my day to day commuting which even includes going to the next lane shop to fetch smokes and etcs so it basically the only thing ill use when i am on road.
Thanks for all the inputs guys in advance.

shantyrocks · 28th January 2009, 00:53

since your driving is not going to be much i would suggest to go for the petrol option that is the baleno..
but since you have alredy driven 3 balenos in the last 4 years,arent you sick of them?
variety is the spice of life my friend!
in that budget you could get a 05 city exi or even a new i10 .

speedzak · 28th January 2009, 02:14

My vote goes to Baleno!
Out of all the car mentioned above, that is the proper driver's car (for me) other than a nicely rubbered Swift VDI.

To buy it for 4.15L or not is something you should decide.

Proxima · 28th January 2009, 10:17

I am struggling to find a good Baleno in Chennai. People quote unreasonable rates mostly. Among the cars that have been sold, 06 Baleno LXIs done from 20k to 60k go for between 2.9 to 2.2 depending on condition and the mileage clocked.

Anyone who knows a good, low mileage (less than 25k) Baleno for sale in Chennai (or Thirunelveli), please let me know.

supremeBaleno · 28th January 2009, 10:45

@Proxima, why a Baleno, if I may ask ? I mean, you already have the Safari, why another car ?

DieselFan · 28th January 2009, 10:46

If you are getting Swift VDI (Diesel) for 4.75 lacs with just 2.5K on ODO then go for it. That is a steal. You will never regret this. It is a great drivers car. whole loads of fun.

supremeBaleno · 28th January 2009, 18:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proxima

I am struggling to find a good Baleno in Chennai. People quote unreasonable rates mostly. Among the cars that have been sold, 06 Baleno LXIs done from 20k to 60k go for between 2.9 to 2.2 depending on condition and the mileage clocked.

I have zilch experience with used cars and going by tbhp posts, I usually use carwale.com as an approximate guide. Going by their estimates, I do not see anything unreasonable about the prices quoted by you above. Infact they look like super deals. For eg. as per the website, the individual value @ Chennai for 2006 Baleno LXis (I took month as Jan) is as below :

Condition | Excellent | Good | Fair
------------------------------------------------------------
Jan2006 20K kms | 4,30,000 | 4,14,600 | 3,93,500
Jan2006 60K kms | 4,14,500 | 3,99,200 | 3,77,000

Going by these prices, the quotes you got seem to be a real sweet deal.

Or is carwale.com really off the mark ?

20th January 2009, 12:44	#76
ashish22 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 598 Thanked: 100 Times View My Garage	IMO its unfair to compare Aveo with OHC & Baleno. Both of these are outright driver's car which are good handlers and can be pushed to limits. Aveo on the other hand is more for sedate driving and not much to talk about performance. Having said that most of the OHCs and balenos you'll find in market would be pretty old now and hence would require more maintenance. Cant say much about aveo as i dont have any experience with chevy but whatever i've heard from this forum it doesnt looks too bright. I guess GM spare parts are not cheap. I can completely vouch for OHC's reliability. Their engines are bullet proof and built to last. Have seen couple of them even continuing after 3L kms. Out of all the OHCs you've listed, i guess OHC 1.5 should be most reliable. Also its more mod friendly. If your friend is a spirited driver then ask him to stay away from aveo. Its a decent city car though with good interiors.
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 12:44	#80
Proxima BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 910 Thanked: 302 Times	I am looking to pick up a baleno as well. Saw some threads on the high price and non-availability of spares for the baleno. Is it true? Baleno owners, please advice.
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 13:44	#81
kailashnj BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 958 Thanked: 375 Times	Prices for Baleno spares are on the higher side if you go to maruti ***. But if you approach a local part reseller you might still get the same MGP parts much more cheaper. Example that I would to give you is the cost of changing clutch plates at MASS is 8.5K with SGP and the same SGP taken outside at a local spare parts shop and give to MASS for installation the total cost was 5.5k only - that is saving of 3k. As far as parts are concerned - the cost is very much comparable to the cost of parts for other cars like Accent but it is still cheaper than the Honda city by a huge margin, Hence dont worry about the spares and if you find a good baleno go for it. I seriously love the way it handle and the responsive engine is always ready to be pushed to its limit. Also the FE of Baleno is very consistent. I get around 11.32kms (100% ac) in city and 15.12kms (100% AC) at highways. With out ac this might go up a little. Car is really easy to drive in bumper to bumper traffic especially the ones you see in Mumbai.
	() Thanks

26th January 2009, 16:03	#82
zenx Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,161 Thanked: 158 Times View My Garage	Have a nearly 8-year old OHC and was considering upgrading - TD'd the Linea and loved it. Just did a weekend trip to Wayanad after a service and oil change - didnt drive too wild but 3 digit speeds on the better stretches and 80-90 elsewhere (except Wayanad's narrower roads where 50-60 was the norm, with a few quicker stretches) - and got a phenomenal 16kmpl+ unless the pumps' auto-cutoffs were really really out of whack. This from a driver who's rarely seen 15kmpl earlier even on highways. The drive, driving, and comfort inside the car convinced me to drop all upgrade plans for now Yes, the doors don't shut as nicely and there's a bit of higher wind noise compared to the newer sedans, but nothing that would make me think of a change. Love the car. OHC - all the way.
	() Thanks

28th January 2009, 00:16	#84
alias BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು Posts: 337 Thanked: 22 Times View My Garage	which car?? Hi all, Well this is what I am going through now a day’s let me tell you people how it started. A few days ago a close friend of mine bought himself a 06 manufactured 07 registered baleno. The car is in very good condition, not even a scratch and done 29k with following added goodies. -15 inches lenso’s with good year eagle f1’s. -alpine hu with 4 components, 2 speakers ,2 subs and 1 amps. -header from leela Krishna, short shifter. -knn filter, original sparco steering (worth 12k) -remus exhaust (worth 30k) -ecu from race dynamics. -central locking and a lot of minor details Makes it a very tempting package. Any ways within 10 days of purchase he calls me and tells me that he wants to sell it due to some personal issues. He bought it for 4lacs spend 5k for a tire (according to him) and some 5k for transfer and all When I asked him how much he wants for it he said 4.25lacs and since he is a frined we came to a conclusion (na mere na teri 4.15lacs done) I applied for a loan got an approval of 3.65lacs but it took 2 weeks and this friend of mine was in hurry to sell it & in the process of getting the loan approval we just lost touch. I assumed that he must have sold it and moved on since I had planned on buying a new car now I started looking for one. Saw a few ads on the tbhp market place. Found the lion heart’s getz crdi met him a very nice car with a very nice owner. Came to know that he was a friend of my friends. he already had someone who was interested in buying his car in full cash but he said he’ll get back to me ,the chances were less so I thought of looking for a few other cars too just in case.(met him yesterday the option is open and i love the mixture of milage and power the car offers). Saw a couple of cars an accidental swift vdi for 5lacs. And a fully supped up city 03 for 3.5lacs, which I almost finalized however it already had 3 owners so I couldn’t get the loan so not point thinking about it. And then silver swift 08 vdi with 2.5k on odo with blaupunkat hu with 2 speakers for 4.75lacs.(but no insurance,that was confusing the RC says its an april 08 mfg with means the car should have a valid insurance till april 09 but upon asking the owner said he has tranfered the insurance on the other car he bought. is this possible) Now this is what happens my friend calls up. Friend:what happened I:nothing I am going for a different car. Frined: why? What about the baleno? I:I thought you sold it. Friend: I am waiting for your loan to be processed. I:its already done and since I was not sure I asked the agent to remove the baleno docs. Frined: I am interested and i held it for you. I:okay,let me think about it. So this is the scenario ,so guys please guide me what I should do. Heart says baleno( have used baleno's since a few years now and in the last 4 years i had 3baleno's and not any other cars) mind says either the swift or the getz. Since internally I cannot decide I am looking for your advices. I use the car for every day travelling to office from home which is 15kms one way. And once in a while drive down to mysore for a weekend drive. Apart from the above I will also use it for my day to day commuting which even includes going to the next lane shop to fetch smokes and etcs so it basically the only thing ill use when i am on road. Thanks for all the inputs guys in advance. Last edited by alias : 28th January 2009 at 00:21.
	() Thanks

28th January 2009, 00:53	#85
shantyrocks BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: thane Posts: 741 Thanked: 5 Times	since your driving is not going to be much i would suggest to go for the petrol option that is the baleno.. but since you have alredy driven 3 balenos in the last 4 years,arent you sick of them? variety is the spice of life my friend! in that budget you could get a 05 city exi or even a new i10 .
	() Thanks

28th January 2009, 02:14	#86
speedzak BANNED Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: India Posts: 4,347 Thanked: 27 Times	My vote goes to Baleno! Out of all the car mentioned above, that is the proper driver's car (for me) other than a nicely rubbered Swift VDI. To buy it for 4.15L or not is something you should decide.
	() Thanks

28th January 2009, 10:17	#87
Proxima BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 910 Thanked: 302 Times	I am struggling to find a good Baleno in Chennai. People quote unreasonable rates mostly. Among the cars that have been sold, 06 Baleno LXIs done from 20k to 60k go for between 2.9 to 2.2 depending on condition and the mileage clocked. Anyone who knows a good, low mileage (less than 25k) Baleno for sale in Chennai (or Thirunelveli), please let me know.
	() Thanks

28th January 2009, 10:45	#88
supremeBaleno Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chennai / Kochi Posts: 5,546 Thanked: 2,698 Times View My Garage	@Proxima, why a Baleno, if I may ask ? I mean, you already have the Safari, why another car ?
	() Thanks

28th January 2009, 10:46	#89
DieselFan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,584 Thanked: 259 Times	If you are getting Swift VDI (Diesel) for 4.75 lacs with just 2.5K on ODO then go for it. That is a steal. You will never regret this. It is a great drivers car. whole loads of fun.
	() Thanks