[rageshgr]

Interesting thread. But it makes me wonder how come you were not aware of these flaws before buying? Also defacing your own car with such stickers will bring down your confidence and happiness and peace of mind. It is a lightly built car alright, but it may not be the worst car around.

Quickly sell it off before racking up miles and buy an i20, Figo, Polo or Punto. The Polo and Punto will especially appeal to you given their build quality. Do your detailed research before buying. If your heart does not like a car, it is difficult to live with it.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by smartcat

You are over-reacting. Please don't be influenced by Baleno Vs Autorickshaw or Punto Vs Bulldozer photos on Whatsapp and blog posts

To be honest I do not think this is over reaction. Its family safety. The pictures do tell a story (Not talking of propaganda stories on Whats app or other medium) but have come across a lot of images of latest Maruti's being much worse off in an accident than comparable cars in the same class.

In the real world, the crashes wont always happen at a speed NCAP test these cars at and not under controlled conditions. There will a number of factors including what is the other vehicle involved in the crash. I am of the opinion that a heavier car would fare much better in real life which is why you come across all these examples of latest Maruti's crumpling at mere sight of a barrier. Bear in mind that this is keeping in mind that Maruti has the same build standard for local cars as their imports. We all know, chances are they are not.

[caramit]

It takes some guts coming out whole hog criticising a car.....especially when you own it. Traditionally I have seen car owners finding all small reasons to try to explain and protect their buying decisions. I am yet to meet one honest owner who says I am not happy. Now I have found one.
Benefit to me: Baleno out of my shortlist for replacement options for my wife. i20 unfortunately didnt even make it to the shortlist because i realised to my dismay that Hyundai chose no AT for i20.

[blackasta]

I know living with a car you do not like may seem like torture, but speaking on lines of vinair, coolfire, GTO & smartcat, may I suggest the following.

1. Remove those stickers, they serve no purpose other than making you angry every morning
2. Dampen the doors as they shall for sure solve a lot of the rattles.
3. Stop getting worked out at every small ding , dent and scratch. Enjoy driving the car and the purpose it serves to you.
4. Understand that sheet metal thickness, to most extent, may not hamper safety as it is mostly dependent on the the frame.
5. If all else fails, as suggested, use the MSIL resale value to your advantage and sell the car.

[Dani7766]

As you absolutely hate the car and can't live with it, it's better you sell it at once. One request would be to remove those stickers and blur the number plate as it would affect your resale value. Sometimes, we don't get enough time to test drive our cars before buying. Either we are busy or the car wouldn't be available when we go to the showroom and even if available, a ten minute test drive hardly can give us the full picture. I feel it's better to rent a car, from say zoomcar and do a highway trip to get the real feel of the car.

[scorpian]

Well from your posts and stickers on your car its very evident that you hate it, and when you have reached that mind frame to put stickers on it, i think no matter what you do you will not feel satisfied.
You either need to accept it and move ahead, or accept it and live with it.
Besides like everyone else has mentioned, use the good resale value to your advantage and sell it. Buy something that you like and please try it out before putting your money on it.
Cut you losses and move on, don't keep being bitter looking at your car every day.

Please remove the stickers, all it takes is a google search and if your car shows up it will hit your resale value big time.

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by amvj

I have made a very wrong decision of buying Baleno.

WOW, that's some heavy criticism. Pretty understandable but venting out anger won't really make much of a difference. Best option is to first remove those stickers and then sell it off ASAP. Trust me if this thread is visible to prospective buyers you wouldn't even get a decent price for it.

SELL IT, and go for a better built car. Baleno has as great resale value so that goes in your favor. Since its hardly few months old you can fetch a decent value and then go for some better built cars like Polo/Punto/Elite i20. You can even check the Freestyle petrol which has safety kit like no other <10L hatch(except figo) and a great VFM proposition.

Originally Posted by caramit

i20 unfortunately didnt even make it to the shortlist because i realised to my dismay that Hyundai chose no AT for i20.

Was it earlier or now? i20 does have a CVT now.

[varun.ppl]

Well, I bet I can be the one who can comment on the safety of the vehicle as I have witnessed it first hand.

I was involved in an accident and my speedometer was stuck at 90kmph. I had rammed into a concrete block (those yellow and black ones) used for dividing lanes. It was pitch dark, raining and the xenon lights weren’t really effective.

I know I should’ve driven safely at a safe speed and I do admit I was at fault. Plus, it wasn’t legal speed for city limits.

The damage - none to me, I just had a bruised ankle, nothing else. The airbags had deployed and the seat belt worked as a charm.

The damage to the car, irreparable. But I guess crashing at a stationary object can do equal amount of damage to any car. I would let the pictures do the talking.

What do I do next - I picked up another Baleno after a wait of almost an year. Was driving a Jazz, Linea in between but the Baleno had won my trust. Coz I knew it was me, not the machine at fault and the machine did it’s best to safeguard my life.

Yes, it’s built light, it doesn’t really inspire confidence like I used to have with the Figo and Linea but it does the duty effortlessly.

It’s purely my opinion and assessment and I do not wish to trigger a debate.

Btw, got the same colour again. White! Peace out.

[RaghuVis]

Originally Posted by amvj

I have made a very wrong decision of buying Baleno. It has shockingly light weight metal and I am not at all feel safe to drive with my toddler in that crap. Also countless crash photos in Team-bhp and speaking with people who crashed Maruti cars now justifies what really they are made of. It is just 6.5Kms done and rattles are already started.

Initially purchased it thinking that I will use it for 5 or more years but lack of Vitamin M prevents me from selling this tin box and buying a proper one.

Sad to hear about your frustrations mate. My humble suggestion would be to not look at past and find a way forward.Fortunately for you, there are only 2 options.
Option 1: Sell it Off
Very easy to say right? let's probe further. Is your car still on loan. If yes, then as you mentioned that Vitamin M is not much handy now, You have no choice but to think of Option 2. If not on loan, then you can sell it off. There is still a huge waiting period for Baleno and you will easily be able to sell it off and get a good amount for initial deposit for your new car.

Option 2: Make your ride happy
1) First and foremost is to use technology/internet to understand about your frustrations. One big issue for you is thin sheet metal. Do some more research to understand how this won't cause structural damage of your car in case of crash. These days lots of high tensile steel and aluminium are used in many cars and it obviously will be thin and light.
2) MSIL sells 1 in 2 cars in India now. 5 out 10, 50 out of 100 and 500 out of 1000. you get where I am going with it? Since there are more MSIL cars on road, it is for sure that among accidents also, MSIL cars will be more(I am talking statistically). There can be 1000 external reasons for you to end up in an accident on your Baleno even if you are driving safe, so don't fret too much. Go to accidents page in T-bhp. There are all sorts of car, small, big and lots of premium even which has resulted in crash and death of passengers in it. MSIL is surely lucky because every 1 out of 2 car crashed is NOT theirs.
Also please note, it's people who cause accidents. If your car had a mechanical problem, that is because someone did not do their job of checking it properly.
3) I was going through your recent posts and you seem to react strongly every time someone faces an issue in Baleno. If X is having an issue with Baleno that does not automatically make your car more prone to the same issue. Make an informed judgement.
4) Already there are lots of advises in this thread to improve your ride quality. And I am sure there are more to come. Do analyse them and take calculated actions based on viability, use and most importantly Vitamin M.
5) Just out of Curiosity, are you using a child seat car in the rear to take your kid. And I assume the kid is seated facing backwards as that is what is the safest way to transport small kids. Ensure you do this without fail. Such a small thing to do which will heavily lift your morale in terms of child safety.
6) Regarding those stickers- Your car your choice buddy. But please keep in mind whatever be the circumstance, one needs to move on. Those stickers are definitely not going to help you do that. End of the day, this is just a car for you. A machine which will take you from Point A to Point B. Very much a perishable thing.



To others who have Baleno/MSIL cars and are happy about it, please don't rub it on him. Of course there are going to be thousands who are happy with their choice. Even he knows about it. He obviously is not. If you have been in some sort of accident with this car and have story of how this car did not let you down, please share it as it will help boost his morale.

We can either chose to help him tide over this state of frustration or chose not to comment anything here at all. Sometimes saying nothing also is helping.

[Mu009]

1. Hide number plate in your photos/remove the photos immediately.
2. Remove stickers from your vehicle.
3. Sell it. ASAP.

I too agree that it's great that you're not rationalising your purchase - most of the time we see people at the opposite end of the spectrum. But you're still at an extreme. And this is the more unhealthy extreme.
It's great to be aware of the shortcomings of what you own, but to remind yourself of them constantly in the way you are doing is masochistic. And while it may be cathartic to draw attention to it with stickers like you've done, the most common reaction it'll elicit is "it's your own fault for buying it" (perhaps unfairly - I for one wouldn't blame you for buying it and ending up feeling like this, there are a variety of reasons which may lead to such a scenario without the buyer being truly culpable).
And the second thing this stickers do, is bring down the resale. Again, I can see why you put them on the car mate - it's just cathartic (initially) to see a p.o.s clearly labelled as such. But you can't blame potential buyers for imagining that you might've consequently treated it like the p.o.s it is.

You only live once. Cut your losses, and save yourself the daily angst. Heck, just the high of getting rid of something you abhor quite so much is worth what you'll lose - I speak from experience, not strictly automotive . The removal of daily angst is just a bonus after that.

Next step, if you can, buy yourself an EcoSport. But new, if there's any way you can. I have a feeling you won't get the peace of mind you need right now with a pre-owned product.
The EcoSport not great in absolute terms, but it's better than great for the market. And it's God-like compared to the Baleno. A Polo would make you cry in other ways (which you may or may not be able to live with).
Or buy yourself something else you are convinced you'll be satisfied with. You can't have nagging doubts next time you pull the trigger (I say EcoSport because you it looks like it'll suit your needs from the little bit I've seen, I could be woefully wrong). So just make sure you don't compromise this time.

You aren't the first person this has happened to, nor will you be the last. But you can take your next step sensibly, even if you can't turn back time.
You are clearly not someone who can fool yourself into liking it - I don't think any amount of damping, tyre upsizing etc can fix what's broken here (regardless of what is or isn't actually remedied by such measures). I don't disagree with those offering said advice for improving your experience, and/or bringing up the differences between real and apparent crash-worthiness - I just don't think that ensures the best experience for you. It's great from a present day monetary perspective, sure. But who can put a value on getting rid of what you're currently feeling? How much the money will pinch now and down the line are something only you can answer, and the too with not much certainty. So only make the choice in favour of saving money based on your own assessment.

Remember this for next time - when you buy yourself something you'll use extensively, day-in, day-out, it's wise to splurge a little and get something that suits your needs, is something you like and are satisfied with. I feel sorry for people who think they're being clever saving on anything from a phone to a car. Those saving for "other things" that are "investments" etc do not understand quality of life - spend the most you can on what you need and will touch/feel/use/interact with every day, every time, every where.
And those who "upgrade" frequently, buying cheaper models ever so often are just looking for a new honeymoon period which will just wear off again, shorter each time, like a high from crack cocaine.

There are many foolish aphorisms going around, peddled and preached by the conitively dissonant. The one for the day is "you only regret the things you didn't do" - try telling that to someone with HIV. At least what you have is curable.

[aaggoswami]

Making a wrong decision can happen in all spheres of life, automotive decisions being no different. I can correlate with your experience, was in the same boat back in 2015. Dad told me to get Etios Liva diesel but as it was my first car, it was like a taxi for me thanks to central placement of instrument cluster. Bought Grand i10 diesel 1.1 in Feb 2014 (was sold onto refinement) and eventually it turned out to be a weird choice for me. Ranging from steering knuckle rust to steering wheel suddenly having over assistance, it was not as trouble-free as expected. It became profligacy of problems when there was engine trouble, A.S.S was adamant it was a rat, but the engine trouble didn't give out CEL.

Fed up, I went in for Swift. Dad again asked me to get Dzire with ABS+airbags or Swift with ABS+Airbags. To the extent that he offered me financial help too but once again a wrong decision was taken by me : bought Swift VXi on Jul 31, 2015 (at that point of time, VXi(O) wasn't available). What sounded like a Pyrrhic victory back in 2015, am regretting the same in 2018. Buying a car without ABS was puerile decision, my parents including mom were clear that getting a new car with more facility/features was worth it over cheaper variants.

Point I am trying to make : Dont take urgent decision, give it some time. My grand i10 felt better built than Swift but both cars failed in crash tests. If you are really not OK with your current car, sell it off, eventually peace of mind is more important. But your decision has to be prudent, light doors wont automatically mean an unsafe car. Etios is another such example of light doors and door trim flex but it scored 4/5 stars in crash tests. BTW I still feel that Etios Liva was the best for me and I should have opted for it in 2014. Right now, am trying to find a used car with ABS and Airbags but cant take a decision on it.

At the same time, I appreciate the positive attributes of my car. A lovely 1.2 which loves to revv and has a good top end. Handling that few modern cars in its class can match, a beautifully balanced chassis makes it good for winding roads and allows for a few mistakes in corners too. I dont want to take a debt (loan) for depreciating asset like a car so a used car is highly probable for me as my next choice of wheels.

[amolathalye]

Sorry to hear that amvj , but at the same time I really admire your guts to publicly accept it. It will be a great alert for all those who are thinking about this car. Some months back I was in search of a new Automatic car which can seat 5 comfortably. Only Maruti baleno was a perfect fit for my budget and other requirements. It looks so sporty and beautiful. I thought I can not go wrong with this car as I saw so many of them around in my city Mumbai. It was quite obvious to think that it was a nice car. I decided to take a test drive and I tell you , all the impression that I had , got completely shattered within the first 5 minutes of my test drive. The test car was hardly 2 years old and it was rattling so much , many noises , even the engine was loud. The ride was bumpy even over small potholes . The sales chap tried to convenience me by saying that the car was of earlier production and the new one comes with better suspension and all. But it was a very easy decision for me and I quickly dropped out. I still love the looks and road presence of that car. I hear that it may now come under Toyota brand. I am not sure if that will help to improve it's build quality.

[autorahul]

As others have said, you could swap your car for what you perceive as a better built cars. Selling your car and getting something like a used i20. Two other models you could look at for more peace of mind is Etios, Zest and Aspire. All of them have been tested by NCAP and received good ratings. Depending on the resale value you are able to get for Baleno, you might even be able to get something like a new Tigor.

Every car has a compromise. With some its the engines, with some its ride comfort, with some its the space and with some its the build quality. You just have to decide what you are ready to accept.

[anand.shankar]

I can understand what you are going through. This was the only reason I picked a Punto knowing very well its a depreciation debacle. My previous Etios though well built, used to feel like it was made of Styrofoam, especially at highway speeds. There was no fun in going anywhere north of 100kmph, while you cling on the steering for your dear life.

But having said that, with our road conditions, even the So called Tank has developed some squeaks and dings after 45k kms. The same with my buddy's Polo of same age. No car is indestructible.

My suggestion like everyone said, if you can't stand it, sell it and pick a used i20/Polo/Punto with low Kms.

Else, work on options that will arrest rattles and mods that give it better road grip.

Please get rid of those stickers, it's just gonna hurt you more everything you see them.

[--gKrish--]

Originally Posted by RaghuVis

Sad to hear about your frustrations mate. My humble suggestion would be to not look at past and find a way forward.

You spoke my words sir.
What I'd like to add is that, if OP is really considering another car then it will better to get a surefooted sedan or a sturdy hatch. Please do not think that the ncap ratings is the ultimate authority to judge a cars feeling of safety. Some cars are safe but you won't feel so. I'm not talking about baleno, it indeed is a bit too light.

Though some cars have good build quality and crash safety(in real life and not in the papers) they might lack on some safety features like Automatic collision avoidance, rollover protection, pedestrian safety etc and on the other hand some cars with the above systems equipped feels like a toy while driving. Ultimately it all boils down on how the car crashes in real life. All possible permutations and combinations of such events cannot be simulated in a lab. Some cars fair pretty well in head-on, some might not do so well in a rollover event or an impact from the rear. I'm not saying that the technology is worthless, just that the basic design of the frame would help more in the event of a crash. :