My ಬಾಲೆನೋ experience

After looking at almost all other brands in this segment, i found the Baleno Petrol to be the best buy. It had a fantastic legroom, reasonable amount of boot space, hassle-free ground clearance, killer looks and nice road presence. Maruti's petrol engine and i did not have a second thought. PROS 1) Awesome driving comfort. I drove close to 550kms in a stretch and did not feel a thing 2) 1 driver +3 passengers can sit very very very comfortably 3) No worries on the luggage. You can comfortably load anything inside the boot. 4) Roomy cabin and the rear passengers will definitely have a cozy feeling throughout the ride 5) As far as maintenance is concerned, I have completed 2 free services. The price of consumables is cheap to my knowledge. Will know the price of spare parts once the wear and tear sets in MILEAGE OBSERVATIONS WITH AC TURNED ON 1) HIGHWAY (1 Driver, 3 PASSENGERS WITH FULLY LOADED LUGGAGE, AVERAGE SPEED OF 100 TO 120 KM/H) = 20 TO 22KM/L (No heavy wind resistance) 2) HIGHWAY (1 driver WITH NO LUGGAGE, AVERAGE SPEED OF 100 TO 120 KM/H) = 22 TO 24KM/L (No heavy wind resistance) 3) CITY (UNDER ALL CONDITIONS WITH PASSENGERS, LUGGAGE, TRAFFIC, FREQUENT CLUTCHING AND GEAR SHIFTS) = 14 to 17 KM/L CONS 1)No transparency in sales. Initially, when I booked, the on-road price was Rs. 6.22L. When I took the delivery, it was 6.30L. This price hike was never intimated to me. I found out on my own 2) Excessive waiting period of 4 to 6 months. Yes. You are intimated about the waiting period in advance whereas Maruti Suzuki will be manufacturing and exporting Balenos outside India. THE INDIAN MARKET IS TREATED LIKE SHIT. THE WAITING PERIOD IS IMPOSED ON THE INDIAN BUYERS. If Maruti had stopped the exports of baleno and routed to the Indian Market, all the buyers would have got their vehicles within 30 days for sure. Will Maruti Suzuki put their foreign customers to a waiting period of 4 to 6 months?? 3) Bad suspension. For good roads, the Baleno is a fantastic vehicle. For bad roads, the Baleno is equally bad as the road. You can't sit inside when you are driving on a bad road. The suspension is so rigid and I hardly feel any action from the suspension. Maruti has made it rigid to avoid the ground clearance problems. MARUTI SHOULD GO FOR A GLOBAL RECALL OF ALL THE BALENO's AND FIX THE SUSPENSION ISSUE. 4) Over taking on a 2 lane state/national highway has to be planned. Do not overtake during short oncoming vehicles as the petrol engine does not pick up immediately. The diesel engine picks up power as soon as the turbo kicks in. The diesel engine is very responsive than the petrol engine. OVERALL I'm enjoying the vehicle for the drive quality, passenger comfort and mileage. Hopefully, there will be a solution to the suspension problem.