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How I ended up buying a used Maruti A-Star as a beater car

16th October 2023, 11:04 by Dev Shah

I was not comfortable taking out the Endeavour for small distances due to traffic, parking etc of course.

BHPian warbug recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Just couldn’t resist so here's my A-Star story:

We needed a beater car desperately for my wife who just was not learning or liking driving an Endeavour.

I was not comfortable taking out the monster for small distances due to traffic, parking etc of course.

Wife won’t settle for anything less than an automatic, cute and small & I will settle only if it’s a Non-AMT (I have a bad feeling about automatic-manual-transmission - just doesn’t sound right or organic)

New car options - Celerio, Alto, i10 (All AMTs) cheapest CVT Magnite (wife hates the Magnite)

Used car options - i10, Brio

Patiently kept the search going with 2016-2019 - 60k-90k km range - i10/Brio budgeted 4-4.7 and 4.7 was cutoff not even 4.75 - in fact I liked a few but I let go because of the 15k or 20k extra (the brokers started hating me)

Kept the patience going and my broker called 1 day though he knew the criteria and the fact that I won’t budge He also knows I am a sucker for a deal though.

A-Star Automatic, 2012, 34k on ODO, immaculate (owned and maintained by a Parsee lady) just wanted me to check out @ 2.25 lakh.

I am attaching the pics of what I found. Went directly to the nearby Maruti ASS, the SM vouched for the car and confirmed the full service history. He added I should not give it more than 3.5 - I took his advice seriously. Went to the ATM on the way back with 90k cash, Gpay balance, 10k broker, 9k changed the 4 tyres with Conti CC4 and we’re on a deal. 2k service. Wife’s respect for me - priceless; she didn’t want the Altos or Celerios either.

The rest is history. Never made a better car decision (have owned/sold 7 since I started driving in India and abroad)

In fact the best car in this segment I have known. I don't know what has happened to Maruti but in 2012 they were legendary. I was always a sucker for the SX4 cannot find a well maintained one though.