Trouble-free performance and good ownership experience has ensured that there are not many used / second-hand Santros available. So if you do find one, ensure a thorough check.

The Hyundai Santro hit the Indian roads in 1998 and ever since its launch, it has been selling extremely well. This Korean 'Tall Boy' had filmstar Shahrukh Khan head over heels in its advertising campaign, which no doubt helped boost the image of a little known Korean brand in India. But today, four years later, the Santro has become a household name.

This small car with a 1.0-litre engine gives trouble-free performance and a good ownership experience, which is the reason why there are not many Santros available in the used car market. If at all there is a used Santro available, one should carefully go over the following points before spending your hard-earned cash.

Checking out a good buy
First, it is always safe to buy a car with a complete service history, which has details of all the services carried out at the correct service intervals. This will tell you straightaway whether the car has been kept in good nick or has been neglected by its owner.

Tyres wear well when properly rotated. Wear can be due to an impact and bent lower arms.	Tall Boy design body holds up very well even when driven on rough roads.	Engine is an eager performer and can go over 100,000km before requiring major attention.	Front suspension works well over all surfaces and lasts around 60,000km.

Engine
The Santro is powered by a 999cc four-cylinder engine, which produces all of 55bhp.Fuel injection ensures that it is very frugal. With regular service, oil and filter changes, the engine is sure to give trouble-free service for more than 100,000km before requiring any major attention whatsoever.

Driveline
The Santro, like most cars today is front-wheel drive, with the engine mounted transversely over the front axle. The gearshift is slick and positive and makes for an enjoyable driving experience. The gearbox works well and it retains its positive feel even after 40,000km. The axle shafts last for more than 70,000km - so when checking out a car with more than 70,000km on the clock, be sure to check whether work on the axles has been carried out.

Suspension
The Santro uses a standard MacPherson strut suspension set-up in the front. The rear suspension setup comprises of a dead axle, coil springs and shock absorbers. The car handles relatively well through the corners, thanks to its good front suspension set-up and one does not see any abnormal tyre wear as long as the tyres are rotated regularly.

The 'Tall Boy' design of the Santro necessitates stiffer rear spring and shock absorbers to prevent roll-over in turns at high speeds. This makes the ride at the rear quite bumpy and unpleasant. Three passengers in the back seat and some load in the boot reduce this to some extent but fail to eliminate it totally. So, while test driving a Santro, make sure the rear end does not pitch excessively which is a sure sign of worn or faulty shock absorbers. Although, not too expensive to replace, it is an expense nevertheless.

Earlier Santros had a very stiff rear suspension set-up but in late 2000, the spring rate and the shock absorber damping were altered to give a softer ride. When checking out a potential used Santro, be sure to find out whether the car has the softer suspension, which should provide a more comfortable ride to the rear passengers.

Steering
Santros make use of a rack and pinion steering while some higher-spec models are available with power assistance. Tie-rod ends and ball joints that connect the steering rack to the wheels wear in well and last for more than 45,000km and sometimes more, if the car has been used carefully on smooth city roads.

Checking out a car with more than 50,000km on the clock demands a closer look at the service records for any work carried out on the steering ball joints or tie-rod ends. In case the car is likely to require work on the steering in the near future, it will not be a major expense and this should not keep you from buying a perfectly good used Santro.

Brakes
The brake set-up is discs in front and drums at the rear. In cars with more than 60,000km on the clock, chances are that the front brake callipers could be jammed with use, resulting in a reduced braking at the front wheels. This is easily set right by getting the brake callipers serviced.

Body
The Santro with its 'Tall Boy' design has a fair amount of legroom and headroom in the front and increased headroom for the rear passengers. The bodyshell is reasonably stiff and holds up well even after being driven over rough roads. Since the car has modern anti-corrosion treatment and good quality paint, it is unlikely that you will find rusted sheet metal anywhere on the car.

Test drive
On a test drive keep a ear open for even the slightest sound which might indicate that the Santro may not be as perfect as it looks. When driving on a plain road, keep your ears open for a sound from under the floor near where the steering rack would be. A clicking sound will most likely indicate worn ball joints or tie-rod ends. Also if there is a mild thudding sound from under the car, it is likely that the front subframe mounts are worn out and may require replacement. This is true of cars with more than 100,000km on the clock. This sound, in many cases, is due to a lack of lubrication of the subframe bushes and applying a little grease usually solves the problem. In case the bushes are worn, replacing them is the only solution.

Check the condition of the tyres as well. Any sign of uneven wearon either front tyre is an indication that the front lower arm may be bent due to an impact suffered when going through a really deep pothole. Apart from the given pointers, there is really not too much to look at when picking up a relatively well kept used Santro. Just remember to go through its service history though!