Apr 17, 2007 07:14 PM
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After driving the Santro all around the excellent roads in Gujarat I landed up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu after a Transfer.
As age crept in and my driving slowed down a bit I felt the need for a change of Car, something bigger and safer. After a lot of research, the best compromise between my desires(For a Mercedes!) and my budget seemed either the Esteem or the Swift. The kids loved the Swift, I liked it and the Better Half did not and guess what? The majority did not win! So scratch the Swift. The Esteem none of us liked. I said lets get the Getz, no said the BH it’s just like the Santro, Accent … hmm no.
When ever we went to the Maruti showroom there was a sleek Black Baleno sitting there. I looked at it from the corner of my eyes … too expensive lets not even discuss it. While the family was looking at the Esteem I slipped into the driver’s seat.of the Baleno. When I was listening to the spiel about the all conquering Swift the family was trying out the Baleno seats. To cut a long story short we bought the Baleno in spite of all the talk of low resale value, the model being discontinued etc. etc. We liked the Car and we bought it!
Driving the car in the city was a pain, what with the roads full of Motorbike borne hooligans, Scooty borne Phoolan Devis, Veerappans in Autos and Tourist vehicles and the Mighty MTC buses driven by men blind to other vehicles. All of them seemed to be in a conspiracy as to how close they could come to my black beauty. I was always afraid of scratches and dents.
A few days later I took the car on the Madurai highway. The car blew my mind and the opposition off the road. I forgot I was a sensible middle-aged guy and transformed into a Naren Kumar clone(6 times National Rally Champ). It zipped and zapped and I came to my senses only when I reached the crowded lanes in Tindivanam.
For get the specs. Shoot the guys who say the car is low or the seating low. The Driver’s seat is ideal and long drives don’t tire you. The car responds very well and the view of the road, though not as good as in the taller vehicles, is adequate. What the low slung Driver’s seat does is to give you an excellent feel of the road and the low centre of gravity means you are in control even as you zip and zap through the turns. This was a highway car not meant for the city I thought.
But back in the city I still trundled along, scared and looking over my shoulder. And then it happened there I was stopped at the signal and one of those hooligans crashed into my back. Full of righteous wrath I strode out to do battle. The guy had fallen and his bike on him. We got it off and found … a Geriatrix trying to be Asterix! What can one say or do to an old man trying to recapture his youth by hurtling down on mobikes, just admire his spirit and wish him no broken bones!
Lol but the dent in the Bumper and the scratches liberated me! Now I hurtled down the road fearless of the assorted mindless motorists, now I was one of them. I zipped and Zapped and slid round corners and the Baleno responded like it did on the Highway. It obeyed all my commands and I flashed forward from the signals, cut across the MTC Bus, terrified the Auto and the final accolade, was fined by the Traffic cops for speeding in the city! But the Baleno A/c is so cool that I kept my cool paid the fine and zipped away.
Well now you know what driving the Baleno would do to you so beware!
In case you are one of those guys who love the techs and specs, you can browse the brochure at the Maruti Site. But if you enjoy your driving grab one of the few Balenos that may still be available at a Maruti Dealer. If you find one, Bargain hard you may get it at a price that may surprise and delight you.
© Kris.
