[fourwheels]

Inspite of a fairly large garage, it’s a big joint family that ends up using the various cars. The cars that were used by me were mainly the Toyota Corolla HE (2006 September) and the Maruti Swift Lxi (2007 November). The Swift was the daily driver-driven workhorse and the Corolla was used at nights and for sporadic long drives. In about 9+ years, the Corolla hit around 78xxx kilometers. The Swift on the other hand hit about 60xxx kilometers. Yes, they barely have any running. I’m one of those fortunate Mumbaikars who can pretty much walk to work.

Both the babies were ageing. I don’t really have the time or mental bandwidth for visits to the repair shop, although its something I earlier loved to do personally. Reliability and tension-free existence is stuff that I would now happily pay a premium for. The suspension in the Swift had pretty much flattened and a set of new tyres last year was the little life extension that I gave her. The Corolla also got a new set of Yokohama Earths but given that she was sparingly used, I plan to keep her around for a while longer. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it!

So the search for a Swift replacement began. It was a frustrating process. Given that cost of acquisition wasn’t really an issue, I found that the option list was unnecessarily large. I also had a bunch of intangible factors to deal with. From my perspective, it had to be:

1. more powerful than the Swift;
2. better interior room and overall luxury feel;
3. better suspension;
4. same reliability;
5. same cost of maintenance / operation / repairs would be a bonus;
6. fuel economy was a non-issue – although always welcome;
7. although substantially driver driven, preferably automatic;
8. had to be a petrol;
9. I have an elder brother who drives pathetically (lived abroad for the longest time and never really took to driving). We as a family always share the cars so it needs to be something that he is comfortable with. He likes them small and zippy – can’t handle the heavier cars.
10. My dad is also driven around (always driver driven) – rear seat legroom and comfort was non-negotiable.

As you can imagine, bringing all these things together, added to a particularly choosy and fussy set of individuals, was always going to be a challenge. I’m happy to admit that we’re really fussy and particular on our requisites

Now in addition to these, I also briefly flirted with the idea of picking up a new Corolla Altis or even a Skoda Octavia but then I would have made the existing Corolla into the daily runner. Didn’t really make sense since we anyway needed one small car for rough use. The nature of the beast we desired was a reliable daily commuter for short distances which was non-stressful, easy and cheap on maintenance and headache. We weren't very spirited drivers and in fact, took extra care to be cautious. A fast drive was out of the ordinary.

Cars considered over the last 6 months:

1. Honda city:

Absolutely loved the car. Significantly improved suspension with the same bullet proof reliability and reasonable maintenance costs. Fantastic to drive and class-leading rear legroom. This car had something for everyone. I think the reason we didn’t go for it was because it was too much of a jump from the Swift. Basically, dad felt that this was more of a replacement for the Corolla. Yeah, I know that the thinking was kind of warped and essentially killed a wonderful opportunity but can’t really argue too much there. Stay small, stay focused.

2. Skoda Rapid/VW Vento:

While I enjoyed the overall maturity of the suspension, especially the stability they offer at say 100+ kmph, these twins are a generation old and insipid when compared to the other choices out there. Add to that the age-old issues with reliability and costs and the stories that one hears especially out here, these options were quickly discarded out of the window. We also already have a Rapid in the family – getting another one was ruled out.

3. VW Polo GT Tsi:

The only variant in the Polo that was, according to me, worth a dekho. The engine and gearbox combination make for a mad drive. This was a car that I would enjoy driving personally. The problem was that this was not a car that one would enjoy being driven in. Rear seat comfort was a serious concern. This alongwith the general VW cost/reliability concerns pretty much ended this car as a viable option.

4. Hyundai i20:

What a deliciously stunning looker. Makes you drool even so many months after her launch. Lovely build quality and overall aesthetics. Generally well loaded with features although things like ABS and airbags are only available in the higher versions. One would have expected that by now, these would have been available lower down the variant list too (matter of time before it becomes law). Rear seat legroom and comfort were so so. An absolutely pathetic dealer in Bombay (near Prabhadevi) ensured that I never ended up test driving the petrol variant and checking out the ride quality (although I suspect it would be better than the Baleno given the extra weight). Apparently test drives cannot be given on Sundays!

5. Honda Jazz:

New kid on the block. Superbly mature ride. Good, simple CVT. This was a good no-nonsense car with Honda reliability and build quality. I seriously considered her but at Rs. 8.5L OTR with basic features and Rs. 9.5L OTR for the loaded automatic, I didn’t feel that I was getting that much value. The manual too didn’t really excite enough to look back at her more seriously. The car would do the job just fine but she wasn’t for me. Probably missing the oomph factor.

6. Enter ze Baleno!

I heard that Maruti were due to launch her. Daily searches on team-bhp were the order of the day. The timing was a bit iffy though but worked out well. The introductory pricing was pretty much predatory, especially for the lower variants. One was getting significant bang for the buck in the Delta variant, which would fit our needs. Automatic was also available. Then came the shocker – automatic only available in the Delta variant and a four month waiting for pretty much any variant. I did a couple of test drives (manual variant). The reduced weight ensures a better power-to-weight ratio, which in turn ensures that she’s usually flying out of the block first. The brother now put his foot down on the manual variant – he loved the pickup. The father agreed on the car, trusting the Maruti brand (blindly). So automatic was discarded with and the manual was agreed upon. Now came the only issue, which variant! I wanted top of the line with all the features, for which, I was told to wait 4 months!

The Mumbai Lower Parel Nexa dealer (good, responsive chap) then threw in a googly. He had a White Zeta (one variant from the top) available for ready delivery, if I paid immediately. Turns out the person who the car was allotted to switched his booking to some other model. According to me, the only major glitch, no reversing camera. To my mind, this was enough of a deal-breaker until the salesman pushed me to accept the reversing camera sold through Maruti Genuine Accessories (Rs. 8,500). He represented that (i) if I installed it from outside (less than half the cost), I’d lose my warranty; (ii) it would have the exact same features as the top end variant, albeit on a smaller screen. Losing warranty was a strict no no even though I was paying more than double the cost for the camera (what a mistake as I realized – see lower down to understand the issue this has thrown up . So we went ahead and picked her up. No discounts offered. They didn't even give floor mats! Got delivery on December 30, 2015 (I don’t really care on the year etc. since we keep our cars so long).

The car itself: My initial views

The good stuff:

First up, the car is a beauty. Light to drive, stunning to look at. The effort that the manufacturer has taken in the product is visible to the naked eye. She certainly stands out in a crowd of her contemporaries. Yes, she doesn't come across as too loud but she makes her presence felt. Works for me! We've had a number of strangers stop us on the road and start up conversations on her. Everyone has been amazed at her look and presence.





ABS and airbags are standard so not really going to take much time there. It was important to me since i keep the car for a long time. Who knows when i need to take longer drives on a regular basis. In today's day and age, safety first!

The chrome highlights and the grey alloys contrasting the white paint make for a beauty – certainly not over the top or too blingy. I’m evaluating red faux leather seat covers but I kinda like the black fabric seats they’ve given so maybe in some time. Works fine with the all black interiors.

Automatic lights, push button start-stop, bluetooth connectivity, automatic headlights, auto-folding rear view mirrors with turning indicators, footwell lights, those focus lights below the door to avoid puddles, auto-dimming rear view mirror, driver seat height adjust and all the little toys one wants. First time i'm playing with keyless entry and i've loved it. The key only leaves my pocket when i want to lock the car after the drive! Also, enough cubby holes for odds and ends including the litre size water bottles in each door for long drives. i've not had any problem in finding a comfortable driving position. I'd say that the seat goes back even farther than the corolla (being 6 ft tall, i drive with the corolla driver seat taken as far back as possible). In the Baleno, there is still room to go. Good for taller people.

The audio system is adequate. Offers up bluetooth, CD, Aux, USB and is a no-brainer to us technologically challenged users. Speakers though don't deliver enough bass and the high volume performance of the system is insipid. If this car were my daily commuter and i were spending quality time in her on a daily basis, a speaker upgrade and an amplifier install would be done immediately.



Automatic AC with the usual buttons are a step up from my Swift lxi/Corolla days but don't really make too much of a difference to me besides the optics. AC performance itself is fine. I'd probably say that its significantly better and cools faster than the AC in the Rapid. Maruti AC's are usually good.



The UV cut glass windows have a greenish tint. It sounded like a good-to-have but i actually realized its benefits on the Pune drives. When in direct sunlight, the difference is distinctly perceivable. It works to improve cooling and reduce the sunlight's hard burn on the skin. An interesting incident was when a cop mistakenly pulled me over (entering the freeway at the Chembur side) thinking that i had sunfilm installed! It was resolved in less than a minute though.

The dashboard computer and display is extensive. While i'm still playing with it and understanding what it offers, multiple choices are given to the users. For example, one can choose to link the footwell lights to either the door lights or the parking lights (ambient lighting). The FE computer can be instructed to reset manually or with the Trip Meter A. The headlights can be changed to be follow me lights or lead to the car lights and the timing can be changed per one's preferences. There are some lovely party tricks such as the amount of torque and engine power being used (you'll get bored of it soon enough but its a lovely party trick). To have this level of choice at your disposal in this level of car is, in my view, pretty commendable. I think Maruti have tried hard and kudos to them for this.





Rear seat legroom is class leading. Only the new Honda Jazz is anywhere close. Seating three abreast on the rear seat is no issue at all, but we rarely do that. Front seat comfort is good too. Seat offers enough shoulder and side support. I've not had any issue after my 2 Pune drives.

It’s been a little less than 2 months now with about 2,000 kms done. First service was done in about a month (900 odd kms) – totally free since no consumables. Was careful not to exceed 80-90 kmph during that run-in period. After the first service, I’ve taker her to Pune twice. Performance on the expressway itself is adequate, although I did miss the extra cc and torque of the Corolla on the ghat section. There is no problem reaching and maintaining triple digit speeds on the straights. RPM would hover close to 3k for a speed of around 120 kmph.

Engine noise is bearable but better noise insulation could certainly be considered. I did not encounter any surprises at higher speeds and she was quite well planted. If i had to look out for something, i'd say the steering could have weighed up a bit more. I think the 16” alloys with the wider wheels (the Zeta and Alpha have larger, wider tyres than the lower models) do their job reasonably well. Was never really an Apollo fan but they work ok for practical usage. (Surprisingly, the spare tyre is an MRF!!!). I may consider an upsize at 40k kms but that’s some time away. I have also ensured that i have put nitrogen in the tyres.

The headlights are very powerful. Now i've had lasik less than 2 months ago (eye number was almost 8 in each eye - makes for very sensitive eyes) - i had absolutely no discomfort in doing a night Pune-Bombay expressway drive - for those of you who dont know, the road has no streetlights and can be daunting given the length and number of cars whizzing by with lights. The Baleno lights were powerful and had a superb throw. Quite frankly, more than adequate. The foglamps are a different story - they're weak and pointless. I don't even bother using them.

Fuel economy is about 12.5 km per litre in the city (with a reasonable amount of night driving and about 85-90% with the AC on) and 20 km per liter on the Pune drives (100% AC on).

The light overall weight and same 1.2 kappa engine (carried over from the swift) ensure that she's far more responsive than her competitors. Zippiness in the city thanks to a better power to weight ratio is superb. My earlier swift was the 1.3 litre engine - i find the responsiveness of the 1.2 far better. To compare, i'd say that 1.2 offers better low end grunt and responsiveness while the 1.3 seems to have a better top end. Again, preliminary thoughts since i'm still playing.

Clutch is light and the gears shift very smooth. Couple of fingers can do it - its actually that light. Its a long throw compared to the swift atleast but its actually as smooth as butter (makhan). Steering feedback is direct. Swift was better but i think this is more mature - its certainly a bigger car. The brakes are now beginning to bite better. My experience so far on the brakes has not been the best with the ABS coming into play often enough. I'm not sure whether its because the pads are new or the car is just so much lighter. That issue has resolved itself and I will have to give them some time before commenting on them.

I've never had an issue with pickup or cruising speeds. She's ready to deliver any level of performance you need. I've enjoyed a few spirited drives too. Engine, tyres, brakes and suspension work in tandem to ensure you aren't left in an uncomfortable position. All in all, when you consider the cost of acquisition, she's a good balance between a daily city drive and the occasional weekend trip. Also, i've never scraped her on any of the speed breakers so the ground clearance is sufficient i.e. she doesn't ride low. This makes it easy for the seniors to climb in and out easily. Its a good balance.

The gear shift indicators are a boon for the driver and other who aren't that anal about being in the right gear at the right speed (i.e. fuel economy oriented driving). I've instructed the driver to blindly follow that and the FE figures speak for themselves.

The stuff i was ok with:

Overall, while the Baleno is a tad lighter than I would have liked her to be (thats a twin-edged sword) and the ride quality is a shade hard, this was a conscious decision I took with my eyes open.

No central armrest at the back;

No aircon vents at the back;

The driver's armrest storage is negligible - not even functional;

No space to keep the sunglasses;

When purchasing this kind of car, be alive to the fact that you will never get the high speed stability / maturity / comfort that a European suspension (e.g. VW Polo) offers. The overall design and look was a significant step up from Maruti and I, like many Indians, am very comfortable with the brand and what it brings to the table. My swift was bullet proof for 8 odd years and to me, that speaks enough.

I was clear in my head that this was a car for the head and not for the heart.

The issue: Given the factual nature, I will be as descriptive as possible

Now, on to the faux pas. Relying on the dealer’s promises and the thought of a car within a week, I took the Zeta with the add on of a Maruti Genuine Accessories Rear View Cam. I can look back with absolutely no regret and say that this was a stupid decision. Shouldn’t have believed such misrepresentations and should have waited and stuck to the top end variant. The con game that car manufacturers play now comes to light. The performance of the MGA Rear View Cam that was installed is pathetic. Its features were nowhere close to the top end version demonstrated in the test drive car, as was represented by the dealer. The major concerns were (i) The picture captured from the camera is pathetic. (ii) the camera installed in the rear bumper appears to be an outdated and huge eyesore (installed an aftermarket product in my corolla a few days after at half the price and half the hole in the rear bumper). (iii) the screen installed in the cabin is unnecessarily thick compared to far better and newer camera screens with better picture quality are now widely available in the market. (iv) most importantly, the revering camera does not provide the yellow and red lines that indicate that the car is reversing in a particular direction – no gridlines / guidance. What is the point of providing such an aftermarket product, which does not even give the result that is being sought to be achieved? It is a substandard product being sold at an inflated cost. My view is that not only does Maruti force us to purchase their MGA aftermarket product at over double the market cost, they provide a substandard product which is clearly a few generations behind the times. This was unethical behavior and I took it up with Maruti / Suzuki.






After relentlessly chasing for a while, I received calls from one Mr. Patil from Nippon India, who i understand manufacture and supply the reversing camera sourced by Maruti / Suzuki as a Maruti Genuine Accessory. Maruti probably passed on my complaint to their vendor without bothering to understand the issue in its entirety. Mr. Patil was kind enough to explain that the camera size was large since it had night-vision installed. He attempted to explain to me that rear parking sensors were also installed (nothing to do with the accessory purchased by me). I informed him that was not even the subject matter of discussion. The issue at hand was the sub-standard and mediocre reversing camera being sold by Maruti / Suzuki as a Maruti Genuine Accessory.

After a fair amount of discussion where he was kind enough to understand my perspective as a customer, he offered to (i) replace the camera with a newer version with better picture capture / colour capture (my apologies if i am not capturing the exact technical term accurately - i am not a technical person); and (ii) change the internal screen to a newer, sleeker one. He stated that this new camera and screen would still not show the yellow / green / red guidance grid that is (a) demonstrated in the version of the Baleno that was given to me as a test drive car; and (b) is available in every aftermarket product installed. Mr. Patil explained that the grid was based on a particular car size and calibration, which was not done for the offending accessory.

When we engaged in some protracted discussions, my understanding from our conversation is that while the grid guidance feature with the reversing lines can be enabled by Maruti / Suzuki (it is a function that is technically available in the product supplied by the vendor), they have chosen not to do so for reasons best known to them. The reversing camera which they force us to purchase as a Maruti Genuine Accessory FOR THE BALENO at double the price from aftermarket products, has not even been CALIBRATED for the Baleno (defeats the very purpose of being a Maruti Genuine Accessory for a certain vehicle if you ask me!).

Mr. Patil came back with an offer to enable the gridlines function (without the reversing guidance though). He impressed upon me to try it. If I still was dissatisfied, he remained there to resolve the issue. With a view to resolve the impasse, I have tried the new camera and find that it does not provide reversing guidance as has been demonstrated in the test drive cars.

Quite frankly, I ensured I have given enough time and effort to solutions offered up but I have not been able to do so. My contention is that I have paid for and must receive the latest camera with the features that were demonstrated, which includes the gridlines with reversing guidance. I have written to Nexa on this. They have taken up the issue internally and I expect them to revert shortly. They are slow but they appear keen to resolve the issue. I will probably bear with them for some reasonable time. If not, I will evaluate legal options available to me then including shoving the car back to them. I do appreciate that this is a very strong approach but I would not have opted for this car & variant had such misrepresentation not been made. I keep my cars for several years and a significant decision making factor was wrongly induced. To my mind, this wasn’t cool!

The larger issue I think this throws up, and I’m not sure how many of you have faced this:

1. Do you not think that the cartel-like practice of forcing sub-par accessories at inflated prices down a customer's throat is something that needs to be addressed?
   
2. While no one can grouse the vehicle manufacturers attempting to add a revenue source by selling genuine accessories through their networks, it requires some semblance of conscience on their part. The fact remains that the after-market products are far superior and more cost-effective.
   
3. The manufacturers are deliberately forcibly selling sub-standard products (which are significantly older models and thus cheaper) at inflated costs under the threat of a lapsed warranty. No consumer would risk a lapsed warranty and therefore, would bend to this unjust demand of the manufacturers.
   
4. Manufacturers deliberately demonstrate far better, newer products and features and incorrectly represent that the accessories have the same features, thus leading consumers down a garden path. For example, if I wanted to see the accessory in action, I would orally be told that it’s a sealed piece or that it’s the same as in the test drive vehicle.
   
5. All of this is, in fact, a softer way to push consumers to opt for the higher variants, where the manufacturers have better margins.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this!

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[ZMG]

Originally Posted by fourwheels

references.
First time i'm playing with keyless entry and i've loved it. The key only leaves my pocket when i want to lock the car after the drive!

Congrats on the Baleno! It is the next Swift!
Will go a long way in India.

Technically, you can lock the doors by pressing the request button on door flaps without removing the keys from your pocket at all.
You would want to remove them only to put them in the key bowl.

Thanks,
ZMG

[karansm4u]

Dealers are tend to scare off customer with warranty and try to make them purchase lower quality stuff at higher price.
Truth is if installation is done correctly from outside than it will not void any warranty.

I have recently purchased Elite I20 and have not opted for any accessories from dealer.

Apart from Gear lock i never purchase anything from dealer. In case of gear lock i get them do it because if somebody messes up anything and gear box has issues than its their responsibility to change it.

In the end congrats on Baleno and enjoy the car. Don't let the camera issue ruin your experience of purchasing a new car (Specially since you keep cars for long time).
Frankly I doubt they will change whole car however keep on pushing hard and see if its possible that they can install same touch screen system in your car which comes in Alpha variant.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by fourwheels

Do you not think that the cartel-like practice of forcing sub-par accessories at inflated prices down a customer's throat is something that needs to be addressed?

It is a big menace. Mind you and it is highly irritating the way these SA's deal. The level of arrogance is like "Take the vehicle if you want or else there are many waiting outside for deliveries."

Experience 1: When I went a few months back to get a quote for S-Cross I was shocked to see their Accessory Brochure. The auto dimming IRVM that they are selling as a accessory is just like the one I have and they are charging double the cost. Showed the SA my car's IRVM and he asked which MGP dealer did I buy.

Experience 2: JSP Honda, Jai Honda, Raam Honda, Fortune Honda - For the Activa 125cc that I went to enquire. Total OTR with accessories is 72K for the standard variant. They are charging 4500 for accessories. I put my foot down and was firm to get the delivery without any accessories except side stand and ladies foot rest. Went to 6 showrooms and finally left it because I was tired arguing. 2 days later I receive a call from the showroom that their manager has agreed to give without the accessories.

Experience 3: A better one at aaaMahindra showroom when another BHPian and I went to TD the XUV 5OO W10, the official price list contained a column saying Standard Accessories costing 92,000/-. I was like.. Too Much. My next question to the SA was is it compulsory to buy these accessories for the delivery to happen? He replied a NO. It is upto the customer if they need it or no. I was relieved.

This menace is similar to what we are customers are facing regarding the handling charges imposed by dealers for their benefits.

[rajeev k]

Hope you are enjoying the Baleno except for the one issue of the accessory. Any day, it is better to go factory fitted accessories which are part of standard features for that particular model than opting for sub standard after market options.
What really happens is that dealers try to make money out of our haste to get a much sought after car which has a long wait list by selling sub standard items in the guise as OE Accessory.

The cars that were used by me were mainly the Toyota Corolla HE (1996 September) and the Maruti Swift Lxi (1997 November). The Swift was the daily driver-driven workhorse

Kindly recheck the Swift model year. Swift was launched in 2005.

[fourwheels]

Frankly I doubt they will change whole car however keep on pushing hard and see if its possible that they can install same touch screen system in your car which comes in Alpha variant.

Thanks for your message. Yes, that does sound like a logical solution to the issue. The guy from Nexa called yesterday and offered that up subject to me paying about Rs. 80,000. Made no sense since the 80k could have taken me up to the highest variant with several more features. Thoughtless suggestion on their part actually but i guess they had to throw it up.

Might consider some sort of public interest litigation against this menace, since it affects the entire vehicle purchasing community. May not be a bad idea to think up appropriate proceedings which could help bring some semblance of respect back into this process.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

It is a big menace. Mind you and it is highly irritating the way these SA's deal. The level of arrogance is like "Take the vehicle if you want or else there are many waiting outside for deliveries."

Thanks - i agree its a nasty menace. Can consider filing some sort of public interest litigation (since it affects the entire vehicle purchasing community). That might work towards resolving this issue going forward.

Originally Posted by rajeev k

Hope you are enjoying the Baleno except for the one issue of the accessory. Any day, it is better to go factory fitted accessories which are part of standard features for that particular model than opting for sub standard after market options.
What really happens is that dealers try to make money out of our haste to get a much sought after car which has a long wait list by selling sub standard items in the guise as OE Accessory.


Kindly recheck the Swift model year. Swift was launched in 2005.

Couldn't agree more! One learns from such experiences. I will also rethink my earlier view of Maruti. Thanks for the correction - you're right! The Corolla is 2006 and the Swift is 2007. I got it wrong by a decade each - brain was warped at work i guess

[Visaster]

In my own opinion the Baleno is over priced. Coming to accessories of maruti especially the rear view camera, I got the same nonsense on my Ertiga an year back. Thankfully the display was on the rear view mirror itself. It is a total waste in day light as the display is too light to be seen and even worse in dark with its poor camera quality. I have learned not to use it.

All Nippon products are equally average in quality. Nexa showroom does not demand any better customer service. The customer care of maruti never responds to any mail. All they do is triage it to the concern department and its forgotten. Till date i have never even got an acknowledgement for the complaints I have written to Maruti, but sometimes the problem solved.

I found that the MGA sonax is cheaper than the same sold at SHELL.

[CDM]

@fourwheels, sorry to sound different from the others (and you) but don't you think you need to share some, if not all, the blame for the current situation?

Why only blame the salesman for telling you that the camera quality was as good as the factory installed one on the top model? Did you seriously believe that? No one stopped you from checking the resolution or the screen size of the after market unit. Please understand that the salesman is just that - a salesman. He will try to project his product as being the best. It is for the customer to also make the effort to verify such claims.

I do not have a Maruti product anymore but believe me that the service and response you can get from Maruti will put many high end car manufacturers to shame. Here also the dealer and the camera vendor are trying to resolve your problem.

Don't spoil your mood. You just bought a new car. Enjoy!

CDM

[joe_antony]

Originally Posted by fourwheels

Inspite of a fairly large garage, it’s a big joint family that ends up using the various cars. The cars that were used by me were mainly the Toyota Corolla HE (1996 September) and the Maruti Swift Lxi (1997 November).

Sorry, but the years next to the cars looking wrong here. is it 1996 corolla and 1997 Swift, don't know about corolla but am sure Swift was launched in 2005.

[fourwheels]

Originally Posted by joe_antony

Sorry, but the years next to the cars looking wrong here. is it 1996 corolla and 1997 Swift, don't know about corolla but am sure Swift was launched in 2005.

Thanks - you're right. Corolla is 2006 and Swift is 2007. My bad.

Originally Posted by Visaster

In my own opinion the Baleno is over priced. Coming to accessories of maruti especially the rear view camera, I got the same nonsense on my Ertiga an year back. Thankfully the display was on the rear view mirror itself. It is a total waste in day light as the display is too light to be seen and even worse in dark with its poor camera quality. I have learned not to use it.

All Nippon products are equally average in quality. Nexa showroom does not demand any better customer service. The customer care of maruti never responds to any mail. All they do is triage it to the concern department and its forgotten. Till date i have never even got an acknowledgement for the complaints I have written to Maruti, but sometimes the problem solved.

I found that the MGA sonax is cheaper than the same sold at SHELL.

Well, i'd differ a bit here on both your points. Firstly, in my view, the Baleno is priced just about right. Couldn't really blame them for overpricing the car given the features. Also keep in mind, the brand itself comes with some serious pain-free heritage in maintenance in the long run - thats got to count for a lot!

Secondly, Maruti/Nexa certainly have responded and attempted to resolve the situation. The quality could certainly be better but that is the issue that i did raise - that of substandard accessories being sold at inflated prices and we consumers being forced to purchase them at the risk of a lost warranty if we go elsewhere. Btw, i've had the same problem with the display but thats par for the course as far as i'm concerned.

Originally Posted by CDM

@fourwheels, sorry to sound different from the others (and you) but don't you think you need to share some, if not all, the blame for the current situation?

Why only blame the salesman for telling you that the camera quality was as good as the factory installed one on the top model? Did you seriously believe that? No one stopped you from checking the resolution or the screen size of the after market unit. Please understand that the salesman is just that - a salesman. He will try to project his product as being the best. It is for the customer to also make the effort to verify such claims.

I do not have a Maruti product anymore but believe me that the service and response you can get from Maruti will put many high end car manufacturers to shame. Here also the dealer and the camera vendor are trying to resolve your problem.

Don't spoil your mood. You just bought a new car. Enjoy!

CDM

Many thanks and your inputs are well appreciated. I'm probably the first in line for kicking myself here so yes, i do share the pain and the blame. But, just for the sake of clarity, its not just about the camera quality, its also about the features of the product. I obviously don't expect the same resolution as the larger screen in the Alpha but what i did expect (or was given to expect) was that the features would be the same. That was not to be and that is the issue. To start from blatantly not trusting a salesman is, in my view, a bit much.

And the 'glass is always half full' approach is well appreciated and taken. I love driving her

[srinath.s]

Originally Posted by fourwheels

most importantly, the revering camera does not provide the yellow and red lines that indicate that the car is reversing in a particular direction – no gridlines / guidance.
...
He stated that this new camera and screen would still not show the yellow / green / red guidance grid

I may be wrong, but isn't the gridlines/adaptive guidance feature in a reversing camera dependent upon the steering input, for which it is necessary to have the camera software "talk" to the steering module? I have always been of the impression that after market fitments provide only a static view of what is behind and only factory fitted kits can have the guidance feature.

[fourwheels]

Originally Posted by srinath.s

I may be wrong, but isn't the gridlines/adaptive guidance feature in a reversing camera dependent upon the steering input, for which it is necessary to have the camera software "talk" to the steering module? I have always been of the impression that after market fitments provide only a static view of what is behind and only factory fitted kits can have the guidance feature.

Sounds logical but no idea. I think it might well be possible to have the guidance system enabled/installed. Nippon were able to enable the gridline function easily enough although they did mention that it's normally not done for MGA.

[yeleravee]

Kudos on your nice car! Enjoy the ride and I think, inadvertently you had mentioned that your Baleno is fitted with a 1.2l Kappa, kindly check as IMO kappa engines are found in Hyundai cars

[CDM]

Originally Posted by fourwheels

I love driving her

That's what matters doesn't it!

Forget this issue and look forward. Literally!

CDM