[condor]

Good going, @PeterJim.

Regarding the rear parcel tray - get one ! I dont know how did Maruti miss to give it with the car. I was lucky that fellow TBHP-ian @Slicvic had an unused one and gave it to me. Another TBHPian who often travels between Bangalore and Mangalore got it across to me here. Sincere thanks to both !

Regarding that empty slot - I do have someone there - a second jack ! No idea why there is a spare jack too. But I am not complaining.

14" Rims are just fine - Have been using those (from a celerio)

Do let us know how it goes.

[peterjim13]

With the mindset in place, the lockdown in the state has made me wait for a some more time and during one of those days I pulled out the Faux leather seat cover from the driving seat.

This is probably my first DIY and it looks like the cover was laden with the help of metal strings and whoever who did the job has pulled the metal strings across the seats. I can see rust marks on the rather charming seat covers. However it looks like I may have to remove the seat belt & height adjuster to remove the cover on the base (seat). I will have to take it to some upholstery place to get this done and with Triple Lockdown in Ernakulam - I will have to wait.

This exercise opened another challenging task for me "rusted metal parts". I can see rusted parts under the seat, on the adjuster lever etc on the seat. I have a feeling that I should rather check the whole car for rust.

Any suggestions on how to go about? Do not ask me to restore the whole car, I am looking for an economical and quick solution.

Otherwise, I ordered a few things on Boodmo including the roof antenna and its base which initially looked like a simple plug and play - might need tech assistance.

Can I simply remove the antenna holder with bare hands, or is there any bolds to be removed from inside the car.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by peterjim13

I can see rusted parts under the seat, on the adjuster lever etc on the seat. I have a feeling that I should rather check the whole car for rust.

On what must be a decade old car (give or take), just as my A-Star is, you bet that rust has crept in in many places.

Just to give you an example - my A-Star's front passenger door lets loose powdery rust through the perforations you can see from the inside on the door's bottom. It has begun rusting from the inside, evidently. (My car was owned by a gentleman who lived 200 metres away from Chennai's coastline for 7 years.) So in my case, all doors will need to be stripped apart to get at the root of the problem. Why not? I can ask my FNG to do that when I give it to him for regular servicing...

[condor]

I want to replace the inside RVM of our A-Star to one that we can switch between dimming and normal. Does anyone have part number of a compatible unit ?

Auto-dimming also ok if not expensive. (Car is not driven much outside day-light hours, hence keeping this as second option).

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by condor

I want to replace the inside RVM of our A-Star to one that we can switch between dimming and normal. Does anyone have part number of a compatible unit ?

Can you post a picture of the existing IRVM? I believe it would be similar to the F10 WagonR's IRVM? If yes - I think this one you can try -

Boodmo.com Link - WagonR Type 1 IRVM D/N

I just think this might fit, not 100% sure. You might want to check once with @Leoshashi via DM. He tends to have all these part numbers by the finger-tips!

[condor]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

Can you post a picture of the existing IRVM? I believe it would be similar to the F10 WagonR's IRVM? If yes - I think this one you can try -

Thanks, Reinhard. I think this could be the one - both have that lamp in the mirror unit. Will check soon and update again.

[Sumedik]

Originally Posted by mvadg

I had my ATF changed at Surakhshaa Bomanahalli about a month back. It was quite simple, come to think of it. (It was not a flush and fill, just drain and fill with a filter change). A-Star was at 53K KM. (2011 model)

I used ZIC III ordered from Amazon.in (I ordered 8 litres total)
Used a total of 2.5 litres. I will have to do the drain and fill a few times until I use up what I have minus a little for top ups later.

@mvadg

Thanks for the detailed post. Based on your suggestion I have been looking at aftermarket alternatives for ATF fluid for Astar. However ZIC ATF3 is not available it seems, instead ZIC Dexron 6 ATF fluid is available. Can you please confirm if this would work on Astar?

Moreover, why did you drain and fill repeatedly? At what intervals?

Others please chime in too with your thoughts on this.

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by Sumedik

@mvadg

Thanks for the detailed post. Based on your suggestion I have been looking at aftermarket alternatives for ATF fluid for Astar. However ZIC ATF3 is not available it seems, instead ZIC Dexron 6 ATF fluid is available. Can you please confirm if this would work on Astar?

Moreover, why did you drain and fill repeatedly? At what intervals?

Others please chime in too with your thoughts on this.

Seems like you have a lot of reading and research ahead of you! Plenty of good YouTube videos (stick to the experts and avoid random channels).
This site has some good info on ATF:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/th...vi-gulp.58707/


From a quick Google search, I was able to find that Dexron 6 is less viscous. My suggestion is to look at what is recommended by the A-STAR user manual, and look for a statement by the ATF manufacturer stating that the particular product is compatible with the specification of the original ATF recommended by Suzuki. I am not an expert on any of this, so I am not going to recommend any particular product, given the risk of damage to your AT. All I can say is be extremely careful and go with the exact fluid recommended by Suzuki ( and it's 100 percent equivalent, if you are willing to take calculated risk) - if you unsure of any of this, stick with the original Suzuki fluid.
Beware of MASS "experts", especially be wary of those think this is transmission oil (manual transmission oil). Plenty of horror stories right here on TBHP. Also, I believe this is the same transmission as the one used on the old Santro AT, so you can look for TBHP threads by people who have changed their Santro ATF.

Repeated drain and fill is required because simply draining the fluid gets about 50 percent of the fluid out, the rest is still in the torque converter and cannot be drained (at least without special equipment). So you are at best getting a mixture of new and old ATF after you fill. After you run the transmission for a short time, I assume this mixture can again be drained - only half of it - and when you fill fresh ATF, you will have 25 percent old fluid in the system, and so on.

[Sumedik]

Originally Posted by mvadg

Seems like you have a lot of reading and research ahead of you!

Thanks for the prompt reply ! Well research is what i did and the outcomes are a tad disappointing...

- Mobil ATF 3309 can be imported online and costs double of Suzuki ATF 3317 (whopping 1390Rs a liter).
- ZIC ATF 3 is nowhere to be found. ZIC Dexron 6 ATF is available online and is budget friendly.
- DEXRON 6 ATF is not interchangeable with Jws3309 standard oil.
- If multiple round of drain & fill is done then the Oil filter should ideally be replaced during the last pass.

Thus sticking to OEM ATF at "daylight robbery" price is the only way to go it seems. For every round of drain & fill the oil cost itself is close to 4000Rs ! That too the oil has to be sourced from headquarters.

Can you please confirm (based on your experience) that 3 liters of ATF oil would be sufficient for 1 round of drain and fill assuming complete draining is done?

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by Sumedik

Can you please confirm (based on your experience) that 3 liters of ATF oil would be sufficient for 1 round of drain and fill assuming complete draining is done?

You are asking me to recall something that was done years ago. I would trust my own documented notes, rather than my memory. I recall that I used less than one 4 liter can of ZIC III. So 2.5 liters seems right.

I don't quite get your logic of not replacing the ATF filter on the first iteration. You would be removing a significant amount of dirt along with the filter. Also the ATF pan should be cleaned as mentioned, and the metal particles stuck to the magnet should be removed.

From my reading DEXRON III (compatible, because GM is not certifying it any longer) is available cheap in the US, and if you could persuade...

Good luck, and let's know how it works out.

[Teesh@BHP]

Slightly OT, apologies in advance.

@all on this thread who owns an A-Star Auto(preferably in Karnataka), are you looking to sell your car?

We have been looking to buy this car for a while now, but it has been a challenge to find one due to limited supply and the ones that are listed are priced at insane markups.

To give you all the background, the car would be for my father who is 69 & stopped driving his Ritz about 4-5 years back when my parents stayed with my brother. Recently my parents have moved back to our hometown and getting around has been difficult. So we decided to get a beater car for him. The car would be sparingly used with a monthly running of about 20-30kms and some occasional 70kms one-way highway runs(2-3 times a year).

At this age, we feel an automatic is better. He is also not comfortable in a bigger car(he never really felt confident driving the Ritz coming from a Maruti 800). So the only option in our budget, which is small, very reliable and also has an automatic is the A-Star AT.

Please contact me if you were planning to sell your A-star AT.

[shashank.nk]

Just TD a A-Star auto which I'm looking to buy. The car was in decent shape except for a few scratches here and there and a broken rear bumper. I have a few questions, so if any owners can answer it would be very helpful:

1. I drove both with AC on and off. With AC off it gets upto 40kmph reasonably quickly but progress post-that is very slow. I had to bury the pedal to keep-up with traffic on the ring road. With AC on the drive was dull and I had to floor the pedal much more to make progress. I didn't shift to D-3,2 or L as the owner suggested flooring the pedal works better. Is this normal or the car needs attention? Car drove well and didn't hear any unusual noises when driven over rough patches
2. With AC on and at idle I felt a lot of vibrations in the cabin. The owner has never replaced the AT fluid or checked the engine mounts. Or being a 3 cylinder is this something I need to get used to?
3. Owner has added 6x9 speakers on the rear parcel tray and the rear parcel tray is bent thanks to the weight. Any place else to mount them?
4. What's a good rate to quote for this car ? 2013 model, first owner, 39k on the odo. Insurance valid until May 23 and annual service done in June 2022. Tyres 2 years old (Yoko Earth 1 in stock size perhaps 155/14 IIRC)

Other than the dull drive, I loved everything about the car, built well for a Maruti, decent brakes with ABS and how easy it is to drive such a small car with an automatic on our choked roads. I TD'd another A-Star too but that was in very poor shape so ignored it.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by shashank.nk

I drove both with AC on and off. With AC off it gets upto 40kmph reasonably quickly but progress post-that is very slow. I had to bury the pedal to keep-up with traffic on the ring road. With AC on the drive was dull and I had to floor the pedal much more to make progress. I didn't shift to D-3,2 or L as the owner suggested flooring the pedal works better. Is this normal or the car needs attention?

That's a bit odd. A-star AT is relatively slow off the block because of the not-so-bright gearbox. But once you get to 40 kmph, there should be no difference between A-star AT and any other small car on sale today.

With AC on and at idle I felt a lot of vibrations in the cabin. The owner has never replaced the AT fluid or checked the engine mounts. Or being a 3 cylinder is this something I need to get used to?

Old school 3 cylinder engine effect. For fun, switch on the engine and watch the front passenger seat vibrate.

[*]Owner has added 6x9 speakers on the rear parcel tray and the rear parcel tray is bent thanks to the weight. Any place else to mount them?

There is provision for 6 speakers (two 5" speakers on dashboard, and 2 + 2 6" speakers on four doors). I threw out the rear parcel tray and placed extra speakers like this:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post4091366 (Pictorial review of our pre-owned Maruti A-Star Automatic)

What's a good rate to quote for this car ? 2013 model, first owner, 39k on the odo. Insurance valid until May 23 and annual service done in June 2022. Tyres 2 years old (Yoko Earth 1 in stock size perhaps 155/14 IIRC)

Last year, I sold my 2011 A-star AT with 45,000 kms on the clock for Rs. 2.3L via Spinny. I was the second owner. Guy from Spinny casually mentioned that they will list the car for around Rs. 3L and perhaps eventually sell it at around Rs. 2.85L. Hope this gives you an idea about how much to pay for this particular 2013 model.

You could also enter the model details in Cars24 or Spinny and look for an online quote. This will be the "SELL" price. Add Rs. 50k to this number and you will have the "BUY" price.

[condor]

Originally Posted by shashank.nk

Just TD a A-Star auto which I'm looking to buy.

The dullness and vibrations are not normal. Have driven up Nandi with 3 adults on board, and the car went just fine. Get the car checked out first. The car wont win a drag race at the signals, but it's not lethargic at all.

AT fluid can be replaced when you buy it.

6x9 speakers not really required in this car. Even 6" should be fine.

Suggest to look out a little more. Have seen quotes of 2.5L for these now.

Yes, it's a very nice car to drive in city.

[shashank.nk]

Originally Posted by SmartCat

That's a bit odd. A-star AT is relatively slow off the block because of the not-so-bright gearbox. But once you get to 40 kmph, there should be no difference between A-star AT and any other small car on sale today.

Originally Posted by condor

The dullness and vibrations are not normal. Have driven up Nandi with 3 adults on board, and the car went just fine. Get the car checked out first. The car wont win a drag race at the signals, but it's not lethargic at all.

Yes, the power tapered off abruptly and I looked down at the speedo to see it barely over 40km/h. I'll take a longer TD and if the issue persists get a thorough check done before paying any advance.

Old school 3 cylinder engine effect. For fun, switch on the engine and watch the front passenger seat vibrate.

This reminds me of our old Maruti 800

There is provision for 6 speakers (two 5" speakers on dashboard, and 2 + 2 6" speakers on four doors). I threw out the rear parcel tray and placed extra speakers like this:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post4091366 (Pictorial review of our pre-owned Maruti A-Star Automatic)

Attachment 2345279

Thanks, I'll probably get the speakers inside the boxes like you've done

Last year, I sold my 2011 A-star AT with 45,000 kms on the clock for Rs. 2.3L via Spinny. I was the second owner. Guy from Spinny casually mentioned that they will list the car for around Rs. 3L and perhaps eventually sell it at around Rs. 2.85L. Hope this gives you an idea about how much to pay for this particular 2013 model.

You could also enter the model details in Cars24 or Spinny and look for an online quote. This will be the "SELL" price. Add Rs. 50k to this number and you will have the "BUY" price.

Suggest to look out a little more. Have seen quotes of 2.5L for these now.

I tried the above-mentioned aggregators and based on the indicated prices, quoted 3L to the buyer after the TD but he's looking for 3.5 which I felt is on the higher side.

I've been looking for a month or so and haven't come across many 1st owner cars with low odo reading and good condition. If I do find such cars, then the quote is always on the higher side like with this car as its a sellers market out there.

As an eg the other A-Star I drove today has had nearly all body panels replaced, though it drove well and all work was carried out at ASC, I somehow didn't get the confidence to go ahead with this car what with it being 2nd Owner and expectation around 3L atleast. If you do come across good cars around 2.5L, please share the links or details.