My Tryst With Cars - and my Baleno

rjstyles69 · 30th July 2009, 13:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by filcord

Nice looking car. How much was the bumper re-painting? I need to do the same, and my MASS is quoting 5000 for both bumpers.
What bumper guards are you going to use, the stick-on strips or those monstrous bull guards?

filcord bangalore is relatively a tad bit expensive, paid about 3500 or so. Regarding the bumper guards, you are right its the same stick on strips.

Word of advice for you Sowmya, the car had oodles of torque which you would seldom use. I would say spend wisely and if you are really keen go in for a suspension upgrade. Check Mohit's(crazydiablo) thread on the suspension upgrade with the Koni's.

Ok that was my 2 cents, I know its your car now and Darshan good luck pal

.

SowmyaHariharan · 30th July 2009, 13:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

filcord bangalore is relatively a tad bit expensive, paid about 3500 or so. Regarding the bumper guards, you are right its the same stick on strips.

Word of advice for you Sowmya, the car had oodles of torque which you would seldom use. I would say spend wisely and if you are really keen go in for a suspension upgrade. Check Mohit's(crazydiablo) thread on the suspension upgrade with the Koni's.

Ok that was my 2 cents, I know its your car now and Darshan good luck pal

.

Riju, the quote he has mentioned is for painting both bumpers. You got one or two bumpers repainted?

And you know for a fact I will always give a hearing to what you have to say about the car.

JVH · 30th July 2009, 13:37

Congratulations Sowmya!

Happing motoring and racing (with your Hubby)! Will look forward to the second episode of the Baleno.

GTO · 30th July 2009, 13:56

Neat writeup, very interesting buying experience. A car girl really can't go wrong with buying a BHPian's well-maintained car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SowmyaHariharan

Dad decided to hide the car key whenever he went out of station.

Been there, done that in my teens

. Got in trouble so many times that Dad got fed up and stopped hiding the keys.

Quote:

I used to stand near the driver and watch him using the clutch, brake and accelerator and pester them with questions.

Quote:

I looked up all ads for OHC Vtec(2003 model old shape), Mitsubishi Lancer, Hyundai Elantra and any big car I could find. I was not sure what I wanted initially.

Quote:

All the Corolla's I test drove were Pearl White and I felt nice sitting in it compared to driving it. Driving it didn't give me the kick.

Quote:

I did not want to sit in a car and make her feel unloved just because she was not the car I had picked.

Petrolhead if I ever saw one! Nice taste in cars.

Quote:

After the movie, we both decided to have a friendly drag on a long empty stretch. My baby gave tough competition, but he being more skilled than me, got ahead and home by few meters.

You & your husband had a friendly race? Not fair, he's got all that torque helping him. Wait till you get the racedynamics treatment. But before that, you need to get your car a Team-BHP sticker!

Congratulations & Drive safe.

rjstyles69 · 30th July 2009, 14:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by SowmyaHariharan

Riju, the quote he has mentioned is for painting both bumpers. You got one or two bumpers repainted?

The front one actually and that's why I mentioned its a tad bit expensive in bangy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

You & your husband had a friendly race? Not fair, he's got all that torque helping him. Wait till you get the racedynamics treatment. But before that, you need to get your car a Team-BHP sticker!

Congratulations & Drive safe.

Rush thanks again for your help earlier with the registration thingy. I have an extra set of stickers which I picked up to be handed over to the car's new owner. Apparently forgot to hand it over.

black12rr · 30th July 2009, 14:19

Ho congrats for getting the car . Next time I see a Baleno with a girl on the wheel here , I will think twice to have a drag with it .

.
Now I know .

OT: On my way to office on inner ring road ,I regularly see a black accent and OHC( with nice alloys) beautifully maintained and driven by girls . And they do drive it good .

SowmyaHariharan · 30th July 2009, 14:35

Hi GTO

I am ahead on that

I have used the TBHP stickers on the number plates(front and back) respectively. I like things more subtle so I used the small thin ones.

Inside my car, I have one just above the Glove Box. I know its a strange place, but I love looking at it. This is the big black 'Got BHP' sticker.

Fordmanchau · 30th July 2009, 14:36

Wah wah wah!!! What a story!! how did I miss it for 3 full pages.
Wonderful car search there sowmya. You must be enjoying every bit of the ownership.
So your husband has competition now at home

I hope Riju must be at peace now seeing that the car is doing good with u .

Jaggu · 30th July 2009, 14:59

Welcome to the forum and excellent write up.

Enjoy the car! go for the suspension set up first as Riju suggested, tad bit expensive. But sure will take your Baleno to the next level WRT handling.

d3mon · 30th July 2009, 15:38

Nice story and brilliantly put.

Having come across one too many emails depicting women's driving skills in not quite what I'd call a positive light, it's glad to know that some girls do have petrol coursing through their veins, and can teach their male counterparts a thing or two about cars! Do get that RD ECU and get back at your husband!

And that selective amnesia thing had me in splits

Gilead · 30th July 2009, 15:45

Loved the write up. :-) Congrats! What kind of an ICE have you got in there?

Ramsagar · 30th July 2009, 15:53

Sowmya:you luckily had laid ur hands on one of well maintained Baleno i.e from Riju.
pls don't go for any mods imm.,understand the vehicle and later upgrade the necessary.
RD-ECU is must for putting your hubby Verna to dust.cheers on this.

Riju had maintained it very well,I personally don't like adding protectors to bumpers.

Samurai · 30th July 2009, 16:19

This is one of the finest account of used car buying saga. Congrats Sowmya on a great buy. Baleno is a special car, even two years after selling mine, I still miss the free revving nature of that car. My current car feels sluggish compared to the Baleno.

Don't plan for mods so fast, understand it's stock ability first, it is quite a lot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SowmyaHariharan

I have attached a few images that Riju lent me generously. I plan to get the old grill fitted.

So you did inherit the images. I didn't handover my images to the new owner, he got the car, that's enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Check Mohit's(crazydiablo) thread on the suspension upgrade with the Koni's.

And he is the guy who got it. So, the car is very much in the Team-BHP family.

desigNation · 30th July 2009, 16:19

sowmyahariharan-congrats,good to know there are still baleno buyers,even though production is stopped,i own one too[pls check my garage],bought it brand new in 2004,just did 110000km,still going great.

abhijeetsng · 30th July 2009, 17:05

A really neat and comprehensive writeup!
It's very rare to find a petrolhead in the other gender. Good to have come across one!
You are very lucky to have your hubby's company for friendly drags.
On your search for cars, it was really a very good effort put to buy an awesome machine. Do take care of it well.

All the very best for munching those long miles ahead!

Do take good care of the car and keep those rev's high!

Cheers,
Abhi

30th July 2009, 13:37	#33
JVH Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,051 Thanked: 209 Times	Congratulations Sowmya! Happing motoring and racing (with your Hubby)! Will look forward to the second episode of the Baleno.
	() Thanks

30th July 2009, 14:19	#36
black12rr Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ridin earth now Posts: 1,280 Thanked: 341 Times	Ho congrats for getting the car . Next time I see a Baleno with a girl on the wheel here , I will think twice to have a drag with it . . Now I know . OT: On my way to office on inner ring road ,I regularly see a black accent and OHC( with nice alloys) beautifully maintained and driven by girls . And they do drive it good . Last edited by black12rr : 30th July 2009 at 14:22.
	(1) Thanks

30th July 2009, 14:35	#37
SowmyaHariharan Newbie Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 21 Thanked: 4 Times	Hi GTO I am ahead on that I have used the TBHP stickers on the number plates(front and back) respectively. I like things more subtle so I used the small thin ones. Inside my car, I have one just above the Glove Box. I know its a strange place, but I love looking at it. This is the big black 'Got BHP' sticker.
	() Thanks

30th July 2009, 14:36	#38
Fordmanchau Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,666 Thanked: 340 Times	Wah wah wah!!! What a story!! how did I miss it for 3 full pages. Wonderful car search there sowmya. You must be enjoying every bit of the ownership. So your husband has competition now at home I hope Riju must be at peace now seeing that the car is doing good with u .
	() Thanks

30th July 2009, 14:59	#39
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,318 Thanked: 16,667 Times	Welcome to the forum and excellent write up. Enjoy the car! go for the suspension set up first as Riju suggested, tad bit expensive. But sure will take your Baleno to the next level WRT handling.
	() Thanks

30th July 2009, 15:38	#40
d3mon BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 952 Thanked: 4,411 Times	Nice story and brilliantly put. Having come across one too many emails depicting women's driving skills in not quite what I'd call a positive light, it's glad to know that some girls do have petrol coursing through their veins, and can teach their male counterparts a thing or two about cars! Do get that RD ECU and get back at your husband! And that selective amnesia thing had me in splits
	() Thanks

30th July 2009, 15:45	#41
Gilead Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 2,142 Thanked: 60 Times	Loved the write up. :-) Congrats! What kind of an ICE have you got in there?
	() Thanks

30th July 2009, 15:53	#42
Ramsagar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: BLR_Nellore(AP) Posts: 1,396 Thanked: 255 Times View My Garage	Sowmya:you luckily had laid ur hands on one of well maintained Baleno i.e from Riju. pls don't go for any mods imm.,understand the vehicle and later upgrade the necessary. RD-ECU is must for putting your hubby Verna to dust.cheers on this. Riju had maintained it very well,I personally don't like adding protectors to bumpers.
	() Thanks

30th July 2009, 16:19	#44
desigNation BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: calicut Posts: 661 Thanked: 51 Times View My Garage	sowmyahariharan-congrats,good to know there are still baleno buyers,even though production is stopped,i own one too[pls check my garage],bought it brand new in 2004,just did 110000km,still going great.
	() Thanks

30th July 2009, 17:05	#45
abhijeetsng BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Faridabad Posts: 341 Thanked: 156 Times View My Garage	A really neat and comprehensive writeup! It's very rare to find a petrolhead in the other gender. Good to have come across one! You are very lucky to have your hubby's company for friendly drags. On your search for cars, it was really a very good effort put to buy an awesome machine. Do take care of it well. All the very best for munching those long miles ahead! Do take good care of the car and keep those rev's high! Cheers, Abhi
	() Thanks