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Yeah I'm thinking along the direction of a good used Maruti car as well. If example is a good one, budgets are always extendable slightly :D

I just checked Maruti True Value cars online. Problem is they expect too much. While a 2011 Nano LX with 2+ years of warranty left sells for 85k, Maruti expects me to buy a 2003 4-speed 800 for 1 lakh.

How does A* go in the seconds market ? I hear its a driver's car when driven solo thanks to the K10b engine ? If I find an example with ABS and Airbags used it'll be great.

A Premier Padmini might be able to do this stretch, but spares would be a problem. And there aren't many well maintained Padminis around these days. Why waste one on such a trip? The puny 45 bhp engine on the 137D won't serve you well on the slopes, and there is no HVAC system, remember that. It will be very risky to venture into that terrain without a working AC/ heater.

If you're still interested, you could try finding a cheap Premier 118NE that has all the parts and has been maintained well- it's definitely more reliable than the Padmini. Spares will be a problem, but you could keep a set of essentials, including Radiator caps, hose pipes, etc.
Or maybe get a Peugeot 309 GLD from the scrapyard. A car would be saved and your purpose would be fulfilled. 118NE's, Peugeot's usually sell for around 20k in the scrapyard.

The best bet, in any case, would be an Amby/Esteem. You could use the car later on as well, and spares would not be a problem. An old Esteem (with a carburetor ) or a Maruti 1000 would cost around 30-50 k depending on the condition. A decent HVAC system, good engine and great service network would surely boost your confidence on the trip.

In the India Special episode of Top Gear, Clarkson and his team went to Ladakh in a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, Mini Cooper and a Jaguar XJS. It was heart wrenching to see the cars being torn apart by the terrain.
All the best.

Iceman, any updates on your purchase and the eventual road trip to Ladakh. Interested to know the outcome of both and a nice travelogue posted in our very own TBHP.

IMO M800 models just after the SS80 would be available at a throwaway price and still pretty reliable too. Only issue is the lack of HVAC in most of the specimens if you care for it.

AC can be fitted by MUL authorised service centres, or by third party installers. As M800 is "AC ready, it is a pretty flawless installation.

He got a ikon 1.3 for himself, and seeing him, i also got one for personal use. It cost him 90K for a '04 model and it cost me 82k for a '03 model. Both the cars are well maintained at official service centre, doctor owned, run 60k kilometres. Got the 1st service done 2 days ago, cost us 3k. Changed to tubeless tires, cost us 15k for 4 pieces. Awesome car to drive, puts a smile as soon as you put your foot down. Sensibly driven, gives a fuel efficiency of 15 with AC in city. Asked service centre for a checkup and they too didnt find any fault. Although the cars have flawless history, i still had got it checked by a mechanic though.

With all your requirements, first thing that comes to mind is the Tata Nano.

It's quite robust, those skinny and small tires are not meant for grip, but then you aren't going racing.
I've used one of these baby's before and let me assure you that these cars are quite strong. Also the mechanicals and engine are simple to fix.
Another good reason is that you'll get a relatively new one in your budget so it'll be way more reliable than a 5+ year old car.

I want to buy a used car for about <= 1 lakh. What would be the best option??? The car would be used for about 20 kms per day. The options are zen, santro, 800 and the indica diesel? Which would be the best?

I would recommend to go for an Alto. Reason as below -

Zen: Good car, but discontinued
Santro: As it would be an old car, maintenance/repair costs are expected and Hyundai is costlier than Maruti.
800: Same as zen
Indica diesel: Not advised

Thanks,

Might I recommend an equally reliable alternative? Why don't you consider a Nano, yes, don't laugh, it's quite something I tell you. It's perfect for city use, you feel quite comfortable driving it and it isn't a problem bringer of sorts. I think it would be an apt choice :-)

An Alto is an excellent consideration. Cheap as chips and cheerful to boot.

A Nano is another lovely idea - you can jazz it up a bit and lend some colour to the world on your 20kms per day driving about...

The A-Star is a great city car. Low-end from the K10B is pathetic, but the car is overall fun to drive. It handles well, and the ride and space is good at the front. Resale value for the A-Star is bad, so you may find decent examples for a cheap price. Mileage should be 12+ with AC on. The rear seats and boot are ridiculously sized, but should do the job, when needed.

Alto or A-star maybe a good choice. But A-star is horribly cramped and has a small boot. But you can get the A-star at a bargain and I think it must be as reliable as ither marutis. I'm against a used hyundai santro as it maybe expensive to maintain. Stay away from Indica diesel.

Thanks for the replies. I am more tilted in favor of the Indica diesel (2002-2003) models. The indica seems to offer the maximum among others. Really how bad would it be to maintain an indica??? Parts availability should not be an issue since it continues to be sold.

EDIT: About the A star, imo, there would be no A star available for < 2 lakhs.

Why diesel for 20 KMs/per day drive?
Indica/Indigo are not reliable vehicles, especially the previous generation ones. I have seen many people complaining, about many issues in the car.
The spare pars are not costly & neither is the availability an issue.
But these are the cars that would require frequent visits to the mechanic, & even then there are chances of getting left stranded anywhere in these cars.

I would say Santro is the best buy in your list. Santro really age well with minimum maintenance costs involved. Spare parts are easily available outside the ASS, & if you know a FNG in your area, then it would be very cheap to maintain.

In today's scenario, when car sales are down, getting a car for < 1Lac makes no sense. At that price you will be getting at least 12 year old vehicle. What you save in capital costs will be eaten up in higher fuel bills and maintenance. I would suggest getting a new Alto/Eon/Nano.

The 800, Zen, Alto and A Star are the same "Alto" evolving over time. The best AC is in the Alto and A Star. Alto 800 is the most frugal, but I doubt it will be trouble free in an old car.

Santro is an excellent city car, as it has more low end torque compared to others, but it is an expensive car to run.

A ten+ year old Indica is not a wise choice. Unless you are extremely lucky, you will be spending quite a lot on maintenance.

In short if you are bent on getting an ancient car, get an Alto, it will be the least expensive to run and maintain.