1995 Daihatsu Charade TS from Australia and New Zealand - Comments

Nothing has gone wrong in the five years that I have had it. It is the most reliable car I have owned.

This car has done 200,000km in the last 5 years over 4wd tracks and everything.. I treat it badly and love it for what it has done for me...

It costs virtually nothing to run. I travel with a camper trailer on the back and three 9 foot surfboards on the roof and still get 41 miles per gallon.

My father has owned one and swears by it and this is my second... my family with these three cars have travelled almost 600,000km since 1991.. I have spoken to a man with a 93 Charade 1 litre and he has done 137,000 he owns a security business and is still on the 1st engine with the original brakes and exhaust, this is no lie!!!!

Thank you, I just wish they still made it in Australia.

I can only agree with this report as I own a 1994 3-cylinder Charade and it too is the most reliable vehicle I have owned in the last 35 years.

My Charade has travelled 260,000kms and the only out of the ordinary expense has been a minor repair to the exhaust which cost around $70. The vehicle has often been on 4WD tracks and still runs like new. The first set of tyres managed an amazing 110,000kms and up until now it hasn't even needed a radiator hose replaced and the front brake pads were changed for the first time at 220,000kms whilst the rear linings managed 160,000kms.

The only comment I can make to disagree is that I must admit I also own a 1995 diesel Peugoet 405 which is considerably better in the economy stakes.

The Daihatsu beats all other makes I have owned in the past though for reliability.

My charade is a 93 model 3 cylinder and has done ONE million one hundred thousand kilometres. This is no joke!!!

On my original engine... Yes it now uses a bit of oil.

I kept it to see how long it would take to kill it.

The drivers door is hanging off it and the seats are now stuffed.

I want another car, but this keeps going.

Hi everyone.

I also have one!It is fine, it is a nice smart car!But I would have some problem (But you should know, that mine is old a bit...17years old..:) ) Would someone have manual instruction or technical description for this modell? I have a lighting alert with engine signal... but I do not know what does it mean... If somebody is able to help me do not hesitate...:) ) ) )

e-mail: bello-@freemail.hu

Many THX.

When I moved to Australia from the states 3 yrs ago I had very little money and needed to buy a used car to get around. Not being very familiar with Daihatsu I did a little research and found out about its affiliation with Toyota. I did some shopping and found a 1993 4 door sedan for $2900, I went to see it and was ASTOUNDED, it was immaculate, not a dent, scratch, discoloration nothing, it still had a showroom shine and 150,000 ks on the odo. I bought it and haven't looked back since. It is the 4 cyl 16 valve w/AC/Automatic transmission. My partner drives a Saab V6 but I always opt to drive the Charade for a 6'2" bloke I feel comfy in it, the climate control is great and the seating fabric still looks like brand new. Also I have had only one mechanical issue the cam cover gasket went on it I paid 7$ for the gasket and put it on 20 minutes. I'm gonna see how long I can keep this little beauty, its 12 yrs old now, just for laughs see if I can keep it for 8 more years, I'm changing the oil every 2 months even though I only drive the car to the train station 2 ks back and forth. Anyway to sum it up I'll say it is a grand little car!

My little 1995 3 door hatch was the best hand me down I ever had at 88000km. I have added 90000km over the past 4.5 years. Oil change every 5000kms. $100 for a timing belt. $127 for radiator repairs. $240 for tyres. And that is all I have spent. Great car. It is time to retire it now and update.

These are honestly the worst cars ever, had mine a bit under month and already had to replace a cylinder head, now I have to replace the piston rings to as well as the bearings and put all new gaskets on the thing. All this and the car only has 146,000kms on it. An parts for them are so expensive to $990 for a cylinder head, $300 for a set of piston rings etc.

One of the worst cars ever? 146,000km? You've had it for a month and just noticed major problems? I'm sure it must have been very cheap in the first place, anyway.

Has it occurred to you that a small car may be coming towards the end of its useful life at 146,000 miles, and that it might be an idea to check major items before buying?

Are you really being serious about disappointed that a small hatchback needs some works at 146,000km??!!

If the car needed these works at 50,000km, I could understand your comments. My guess is that the car had been carefully run to the end of a long useful life, and the owner knew works were needed, so wisely sold it. You then jump in, expecting a perfect car, thrash it and it breaks within a month, at 146,000km...

Look at all the other comments on this car; most people have realistic expectations of an old hatchback....

Oh, did I mention that as well as being unfair to a small hatchback at way past the end of its projected useful life, that it may be unfair to expect perfection from a THIRTEEN year old car (with 146,000km!)?

Interestingly, I know of someone who just drove a 1990s Charade with 100,000+MILES all the way to Nepal to donate it to a charity, and got there no problem.

To avoid problems, buy a well kept car that is not at the end of its useful life, and do a few checks on it before buying.

I am on my second 3 cylinder Charade. I love these cars, the first, a '90 ts, did 290,000+ kms easily. It just started using a bit of oil and the head gasket went. I fixed it up and sold it. : (

I now have a '96 CS 1.0. It had 82,000 when I bought it and it still feels like a new car at 103,000. At 6.2-6.5l/100k's and a $1500 purchase price I'm laughing out loud at the new cars.