USED Daihatsu Charade Hatchback (03 - 06)

My car

I have owned my Charade SL for over a year now. I bought a three year old model with 31k miles on the clock for £2400. It has proved to be the best £2400 I have ever spent. I have now got 48k on the clock and do mostly town driving in Sheffield, which is very hilly! My normal consumption is 54mpg (I do drive carefully, but not pain-in-the-neck slow)but will get 65mpg on a motorway run. For the money, the equipment level is extraordinary. I promised myself a car with aircon after last year's hot summer, and it works very well (though we haven't needed it much this year!). The handling is fine, but I wish it were a little wider to help avoid speed cushions, though the narrowness is a boon in towns, where I can squeeze through gaps that leave larger cars waiting. I have had no mechanical problems other than normal wear items like tyres and brake pads. The standard fit Clarion radio is fine except it has just eaten a disc and refused to spit it out. Not Daihatsu's fault though. The internal space is amazing, though I would appreciate a slightly bigger boot. With the seats folded flat, though, you can get incredible loads inside. I once collected a cast iron bath, and it slotted in with only a few inches sticking out the back! Buy one!

My car

Pros: great handling (needs wider tires), predictable and controllable steering, low fuel consumption, great brakes, 0-60mph needs only 12.3s, great reliability

Cons: noisy in motorway, so you can add soundeading materials like dynamat

My car

I bought this car in Aug 2006 at 3 yrs old, and 10,000 miles on the clock. Didn't think I'd really like it as I've always driven big cars, but needed to drastically reduce my on the road running costs. In short, this car does everything I want it to do, she (and its gotta be a she cos she's pink!) is nippy, even to cruising at 90mph (which I didnt think was noisy but then I have the stereo on quite loud!) and beats others away from traffic lights, which astonishes them hehe! I find her cornering perfectly adequate, and I do tend to chuck her around the corners a bit, and the room inside is amazing-moved my daughter, along with heaps of kit, to uni in Sept, with plenty of room to spare. I drive brand new cars for a living, and, nine times out of ten, prefer my weeny little car over those great posh ones! In short I am amazed by her, and I never thought I'd ever hear myself say that of a small car, as I'd always despised them in the past. The only thing is petrol consumption, but then if I wasn't always so dammed late, and I didnt have such a heavy right foot, it might just be a little lower!! In short, love this little tardis!!!

My car

Great little car, handling improved greatly by slightly wider tyres, feels like it will last well, and enjoys being pushed! fuel consumption not as good as hoped for, but "A road" driving and tall gearing means very rarely in fifth gear. Initially worried about toytown image, not any more, top marks.