New aussie Daihatsu

GasSavers_irsa · 10-14-2006, 04:24 PM

Hi guys. Found this site after seeing a link to in in the Car Lounge of all places! Just bought a 1991 Daihatsu Charade with the 1.3 EFI 4cyl to use as a gas saver/beater. It replaces my wife's 1985 Holden Calais as my work commuter, good thing to as the Calais averaged 17.5L/100km!

The Charade needs a little work but should serve me well. Plans are to increase it's fuel economy for the commute and still have some fun with it. For some back ground I took part in a fuel economy challege in 1998 with my former Mazda 121 Metro and won with 3.5L/100km, their figure. This was after 3 straight weekends of rally officialling in the same car so it wasn't in best FE trim, large lights on front, clogged air filter

and a measured 1000kg mass.

MetroMPG · 10-14-2006, 04:50 PM

Welcome, irsa.

Happy to see another Aussie - and with another Daihatsu, too. Well, Aussie#1 has a Mira; unfortunately we haven't seen him (username Mira) around lately.

You should post pics of your vehicles. I know the Charade, but not the Calais or the Mazda model mentioned.

Nice to hear you've got some skills in the efficient driving department too.

kickflipjr · 10-14-2006, 04:59 PM

so you have a car like this?

I love seeing people on this site with non-american cars.

GasSavers_irsa · 10-14-2006, 06:45 PM

Almost exactly the same! Apart from mine being RHD and blue, not to mention a little worn.

rh77 · 10-14-2006, 08:24 PM

Welcome to Gassavers!

Keep us posted on the Daihatsu -- interesting vehicle.

If you have any questions, we're all here to help.

RH77

onegammyleg · 10-15-2006, 09:14 PM

That model Diahatsu is great , and tough too.
Middleton rally team in Australia ran one with great success for a long time.
Older models ones were typical japkrap tho...

GasSavers_irsa · 04-15-2007, 02:30 AM

I'm back! Some how I misplaced the bookmark for the site

Well the Charade has burnt me. Turns out it was a little rougher then originally thought, as in it the body is slightly twisted and the chassis is cracking. After discovering that we decided to run it until it runs out of rego then scrap it. The problem is, it is great fun to drive hard, which kills fuel economy completely. As for the requests of previous cars:
Mazda 121 Metro-Iirc this photo was taken just after my FE challenge win

Holden Calais-Just sold it yesterday.

The Charade-Lights removed after we discovered the damage underneath.

The family Mitsubishi Verada/Diamante wagon-Averages 14L/100km around town.

Yes I know the wagon needs to loose the roof racks, still have to get a new key for the cross bars.
Oh yeah, the demise of the Mazda-