Daihatsu Materia 1.5 auto 2009.
My dad is just about to tip 9000 miles which is first service time ( £128 inc VAT ).
I spent a couple of hours cleaning it today for him as a Fathers Day prezzie after using it for the morning.
Its a funny car, it grows on you and its only after you have one a while that you realise how useful it is. We are talking about a car shorter than a Fiesta so you would expect it wouldnt be that spacious but of course, this is its strength. The short bonnet and flat back means great interior space, helped by a sliding back seat which is a genuine feature that does get used.
With the seats down it has a very good load bay, wide and with good height, plus the footwells in the back can hold a fair amount with the seats down.
I will add some pictures tomorrow as its looking rather smart right now - usually my dad has it full of stuff with the seats down.
It does have a firm ride, theres no getting away from that but its not uncomfortable and the trade off is really sharp handling. It has quality tyres, not some cheapo brand which Im sure helps.
Steering is ok but not special - does have a superb turning circle though as have all modern Daihatsus ive driven.
Quality is excellent in a traditional jap sense. It is faultlessly screwed together with average materials, but there are a few flashes of metallic black trim inside which gives it a lift.
The seats are comfy enough, not special by any means, but you dont notice them and long journeys arent a chore. The height of the car means that they are at MPV level so you neither get up into them or drop down to them - great for a pensioner like my dad.
Space all round is great, atleast on a par with a Focus if not something slightly bigger. We had 4 up doing an airport run with legroom to spare and enough room for 2 suitcases and 2 holdalls in the boot - try that in a Fiesta.
The autobox is smooth and has a positive feel with a quick kickdown if you ask for it but its equally capable of bumbling along and slurring through the gears. It has enough poke but its only enough - you never feel your going to win a race, although it is very quick from a standstill so great for darting around in town.
Economy in mixed and unsympathetic driving has levelled out at around 40 mpg.
Reliability is totally faultless and I mean that not only have no warning lights come on, bits fallen off or od noises started. I mean that there isnt a squeak, rattle or even a stitch on the seat trim gone. The paint quality is brilliant and has a tough finish that despite my fathers rather uncaring approach to cars, hasnt picked up a single scratch - a far cry from some other makes I clean that sell for considerably more.
In short, my dad is very happy with the car. It suits a retired person who really doesnt like driving anymore but still needs to. Its totally hassle free, not expensive to run and can genuinely offer advantages in practical terms over other small cars, so its shape may look rather alternative, but it comes with a practical advantage aswell as style. I cant help thinking that as a diesel it would be even better, but for my dad doing his current mileage of about 9k a year, it wouldnt be worth it for him personally, but would widen the appeal of the car.
Its just a shame few people have ever heard of one.
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Sounds good Stu, and maybe another one for Espada's dad to look at.
But if I actually saw one on the road it might be a candidate for Unusual Sightings. There are probably more people who think Daihatsu is a Welsh rugby player than a make of car.
My worry about buying one would be that sales must be so low that Daihatsu might pull the plug on the UK operation, with the possibility of parts shortages in time to come.
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>> Sounds good Stu, and maybe another one for Espada's dad to look at.
My very thoughts, if he can find one.
Nice round up there Stu, having seen only a couple in the flesh i'm surprised that they are shorter than Fiesta, they look quite large being squared off.
I like these new cars from the Japanese and Koreans, Soul particularly.
Paint roughy tough isn't quite how i'd rate the Hilux's coating, look at it a bit odd and the stuff scratches, so how come Daihatsu can come up with the goods.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sun 20 Jun 10 at 22:20
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>>i'm surprised that they are shorter than Fiesta, they look quite large being squared off.<<
Fiesta: L 3950mm W 1695mm
Materia L 3800mm W 1690mm
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Wonderful things, optical illusions - the original Mercedes A-class was shorter than a Ford Ka.
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Its all Toyota underneath so I wouldnt expect too much trouble getting service bits.
As I understand it from the dealer, the importer brings in several makes so I expect they are better equipped to handle low valumes than many. I guess that if Daihatsu have survived the last 30 years over here, they will continue. I expect it will pick up when the exchange rates are better and the recession eases.
They have never sold in high numbers although I see plenty of Sirions about. Only one Materia ive seen around here, a silver manual on a 58 plate, driven by a 30 something bloke with young kids, lives out in one of the villages.
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>>I expect it will pick up when the exchange rates are better and the recession eases.
I just looked at the Daihatsu website and found this note -
"Please note: Due to the current weakness of the Pound against the Japanese Yen it has not been possible to order cars from our factory. As a result, some models are now in very short supply."
How does an importer or dealer survive if he can't/won't order cars?
Edit - Note to self. Must refresh before I post. Looks like Berisford has the answer already.
Last edited by: crocks on Sun 20 Jun 10 at 22:48
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>>How does an importer or dealer survive if he can't/won't order cars?<<
Spread their bets and import more than one make as IM do. You can prob pop up the prices on a Subaru and few buyers would notice as they aint cheap anyway and if you want one, your prob gonna have one. Daihatsus are price sensitive - I expect that if you buy from the remaining stock, theres a deal to be done.
Both my wifes Sirion and my dads Materia were the showroom stock. My customer who bought a Terios had hers brought over from Cardiff from another dealers stock.
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51% Toyota aren't they?
However I think Daihatsu may have already 'pulled' the plug in the UK, they've not imported any vehicles for a good few months now.
I remember seeing a Materia at a show in Nottingham last year, I was well taken but last month when I appoached a dealer about one he told me of the current policy of not importing any Daihatsu's since November 2009.
www.parkers.co.uk/News/News/Daihatsu-dropped-in-the-UK/
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Thanks for the though for my dad. I think the car is similar to the Kia Soul which did not make the grade and lack of supply will make it hard to find one.
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Good write up there, Stu.
I had to look the name up on the Web - I`ve seen a few and like the style.
If this is a true auto it must be a rare breed.
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...it must be a rare breed...
Indeed, Stu and his family seem to like the odd ball stuff.
Hopefully, the car will give Stu Snr long and faithful service, but I predict tears come trade-in time.
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Well the idea with the Materia is that my dad will take it to the grave, then my mum will give up her Hyunai Coupe and take that on until it expires ( or she does an shes only 57 ). I woul bet the car will be worth less than its tax disc by the time it comes up for sale again.
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...will take it to the grave...
A Materia does have one thing in common with the most desirable spec non-depreciating MINI - they're both worth nowt in the end.
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My only worry would be about body parts. I doubt it would take much of a prang to get that written off due to unavailability of the body parts and a percieved low resale value of the car as a whole.
And again I would be wary about buying any car from any maker who just stops and starts importing as they wish at the drop of a hat.
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...at the drop of a hat...
Or in this case a Dai hat...su.
OK, that one needs a bit of work.
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>> Or in this case a Dai hat...su.
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>> OK, that one needs a bit of work.
ifi - have you changed your medication?
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Interesting you have one of these in the family Stu. Just after we'd completed the deal on buying the good lady's 3yr old C3 last Dec our local independent had one appear on the forecourt. I was really drawn to its chunky almost hot-rod looks.... it was met deep blue with largish alloys.
It was about a year old as far as I remember and had been traded in as the owner couldn't put up with the ride any longer. They were trying to punt it out at about the same as we paid for the C3 which seemed cheap given it was a third of the age.
About the ride I'm reminded of the comment I read a while back... *over-firm ride but OK on a smooth road*... quite... no good out here in The Fen then!
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Heres those pics:
i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee119/stunorthants/SDC10306.jpg
i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee119/stunorthants/SDC10307.jpg
i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee119/stunorthants/SDC10305.jpg
i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee119/stunorthants/SDC10304.jpg
I said to my dad this morning that the ride is supposed to be uncomfortable - he said its firm, but he likes that and its no worse than his Impreza or the Integra Type R he has had before. Maybe he is accustomed to firm riding cars. That said, I find the ride in this better than my mums Hyundai Coupe.
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Daihatsu Materia - Quick owner update - Avant
