Daihatsu Problems

In this day and age when fuel economy is such a hot issue the Daihatsu Sirion looms as a real contender for anyone wanting cheap and reliable transport. The Sirion was never one of the hot sellers in the small car segment, it tended to fly under the radar, but those who took more notice found it was a well built and well equipped little car that delivered on its promise of reliability and fuel efficiency.MODEL WATCHThe Sirion’s looks are a matter of taste, and opinion was certainly divided when it was launched in 1998.Its overall shape was rounded and rather dumpy, not at all sleek or svelte like its rivals at the time. It had large headlamps that gave it a boggle-eyed look, a large oval grille, and an odd offset licence plate.The use of chrome was also somewhat at odds with the look of the day, which was rather more sombre with body-coloured bumpers and the like when the little Daihatsu made use of bright chrome finishes.But at the end of the day styling is a matter of individual taste and there is little doubt that some will think the Sirion cute and cuddly.Looks aside there was plenty to like about the five-door Sirion hatch. An offshoot of Toyota there was no disputing the build integrity of Daihatsu, even though it was a budget brand.Let’s be honest, the Sirion was never intended to be a family car, at best it was a car for singles or couples without kids who only needed the back seat for their dog or occasionally transporting friends. That’s not a criticism, simply an acknowledgement that the Sirion is indeed a small car.It was small by all measures, but still had reasonable head and legroom considering its small overall size. The boot was also quite a good size, largely because Daihatsu used a space-saver spare wheel.The engine was a tiny 1.0-litre three-cylinder double overhead camshaft fuel-injected unit that turned out a modest power peak of 40 kW at 5200 revs with a mere 88 Nm at 3600 revs.You don’t have to be Einstein to work out that it didn’t have sports car-like performance, but that’s not what it was about. On the road you had to work hard to keep up with the pack, particularly if it was loaded with a full complement of adults, and that meant constant use of the gearbox. It struggled when faced with a hill, and overtaking required planning and patience, but if you were prepared to let the pack go you could enjoy a more leisurely drive and save fuel at the same time.At launch the front-wheel drive Sirion was only available with a five-speed manual gearbox, the four-speed auto wasn’t added to the range until 2000, but that only served to accentuate the Sirion’s performance limitations.While not being sports car sharp the Sirion’s ride and handling were quite acceptable. It had a small turning circle, which made it very manoeuvrable around town and in parking lots, but it didn’t have power steering and that made the steering quite heavy.Despite its modest price the Sirion was quite well equipped. Included on the standard features list were central locking, power mirrors and windows and a split-fold rear seat. Anti-skid brakes and air-conditioning were options.Fuel consumption was one of the Sirion’s most attractive features and it was possible to get 5-6 L/100 km on average when driven around town.Before rushing in it’s important to remember that Daihatsu left the market early in 2006 making the Sirion something of an orphan, although Toyota has made a commitment to provide ongoing support with parts and service.IN THE SHOPSolid build quality means there are few problems showing up with the Sirion so it’s vital to check each car thoroughly. Despite the lack of common problems individual cars can have problems and these need to be identified.The trade reports the odd instance of engine and gearbox oil leaks, and cooling system leaks, the latter possibly caused by a lack of maintenance.It’s important to use the correct coolant in the system, and to follow Daihatsu’s recommendation for changing it. Unfortunately it is often overlooked and this can lead to problems.Look for signs of abuse inside and out from an uncaring owner, and check for crash damage.IN A CRASHDual frontal airbags provide pretty decent crash protection for a small car.Anti-skid brakes were an option so it would be wise to look for one fitted with them to enhance the active safety package.LOOK FOR• Quirky styling• Reasonably roomy interior• Good boot size• Modest performance• Brilliant fuel economy• Few mechanical problemsTHE BOTTOM LINESmall in stature, sedate in performance, the Sirion is a winner at the pump.RATING80/100

Toyota’s decision to pull Daihatsu from its showrooms didn’t come as a great surprise to anyone who saw the brand’s presence declining over the last few years. Where once the Charade was a popular small car choice that offered good reliable motoring at a value-for-money price, neglect allowed it to slip into decline as other small cars moved ahead. As it slipped so too did it drop off buyers radar, which can only have hastened the end.For many years the Charade was a solid little car that delivered Japanese quality at a price a touch under that of similar models in the mainstream Toyota model range.It was never a car that stood out from the crowd, but that was its great appeal for many who simply wanted no-fuss, reliable transport at an affordable price.Once the Korean makes had cut a swathe through the bottom end of our market Daihatsu was doomed. Instead of the cheap and cheerful little car it was then undercut by the cars from the Korean peninsula and didn’t have the gloss to run with the more expensive Japanese models it was by then really competing with.MODEL WATCHFor many years the Charade was just kept alive with a series of minor facelifts, a different grille here, new bumpers there and a shuffled model range was enough to make you think there really was something new.For the most part it was just window dressing, it was the same old Charade tarted up to keep sales ticking over without necessarily doing anything special.Then in 2000 Daihatsu actually dropped the name from its range. It had become tired through lack of action, and the company introduced new names and models aimed at competing with the runaway Koreans.When nothing really seemed to work the company rebirthed the old name in 2003 on an attractively styled little hatch, but it was probably too little too late to save the brand from oblivion.There was just the one model, a well-equipped three-door hatch which boasted dual front airbags along with seat belt pretensioners and force limiters, central locking, immobiliser, power mirrors and front windows, cloth trim, 60/40 split-fold rear seat, CD player. Air-conditioning and metallic paint covered the available options.Up front the Charade packed a pint-sized 40 kW punch in the form of a 1.0-litre double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine, but when it only has to move 700 kg it was sufficient to make it zippy. In other words it was perfect around town where it not only nipped in and out of the traffic with ease, but returned decent fuel consumption.Daihatsu offered a choice of transmissions, the five-speed manual or the four-speed auto, and drive was through the front wheels.Being of an upright stance visibility from the driver’s seat was good, the driving position, although also quite upright, was comfortable and everything was placed well within the driver’s reach.IN THE SHOPThe Charade was well built and as a result gives little trouble. It’s only just two years old and most cars will have done as little as 40,000 km so they’re in their infancy and any problems they might have still lie in the future.The engine has a cam timing belt, which means a change around 100,000 km is called for and this must be done to avoid what could well be expensive trouble in the event of a belt breakage.Check for a service record, essentially to make sure the car has been regularly serviced as the Charade is often bought as a cheap and cheerful mode of transport and some owners neglect to service them in order to save money.Look also for bumps and scrapes, and stained paint, from being parked in the street where they can be attacked by other careless motorists and the elements.When test driving make sure it drives straight ahead and doesn’t require constant steering correction to keep it on the straight and narrow. If it does it could be due to poor repairs after a crash.Also make sure the engine starts readily and runs smoothly without hesitation, and the auto engages gears without snatching or jerking and shifts smoothly without hesitation.IN A CRASHThe Charade’s small stature puts it at a distinct disadvantage in the event of a crash as almost everything else on the road is larger. But its size gives it an advantage when it comes to avoiding a crash, although it doesn’t have ABS, which would be a boon in getting out of trouble.Dual front airbags are standard so protection is quite reasonable when it comes to the crunch.OWNERS SAYPerren Mortimer needed a new car when her old Datsun 260C died for the final time. Her requirements were that it had to be affordable, economical, well equipped and able to swallow her keyboard. After looking at and dismissing other small car alternatives she settled on her Charade.“I love it,” she says. “It’s really cheap to run and roomy enough for four people, and it’s also got lots of features like air-conditioning, CD sound and power mirrors.”LOOK FOR• edgy hatchback styling• small size easy to park• good build quality• miserly fuel consumption• zippy performance• sliding resale valueTHE BOTTOM LINEGood build quality equates to good reliability and combined with its economy makes the Charade a good choice for a first car.RATING65/100