Dollywobbler's Daihatsu - MOT of fail

[skattrd]

I'm not sure if there are any better/comfier seats that would be an improvement on yours DW, maybe have a look at some pics of Sirion rally or possibly a YRV. I've got non std seats in mine and the driving position is fine for me, even after 3-4hrs.

[dollywobbler]

The seats aren't brilliant, that's for sure. May consider alternatives. No budget for a cruiser at the moment and as I found with the Merc, big wafty barges have too many downsides compared to the once or twice a year I need to travel distance in comfort.

[dollywobbler]

HEADLINE NEWS. A Daihatsu Sirion was almost fatally damaged during recent storms when a cardboard box hit it at high speed. 

[dollywobbler]

Actually, I do have further complaints. The column stalks are horrible. The indicator stalk is very clunky and hard to press just slightly. When it goes all the way, it's then difficult to cancel without accidentally going too far and indicating the other way. Maybe it's a duff stalk.

 

The wiper stalk is also annoying as there's no flick wipe. Combine this with the lack of programmed wash/wipe (probably a good thing really) and wash becomes a bit of a pain. The plus side is that if my screenwash freezes, the wipers won't start smearing salty muck all over the windscreen. I also dislike the fact that the rear wiper is operated via a rocker switch, some way from the steering wheel. This car is proof that even as late as 1998, the Japanese were hopeless at ergonomics. 

 

The ride is horribly crashy too - this is a city car that you don't want to drive around a city. Fortunately, I live nowhere near one but it does seem odd that Daihatsu have managed to design a city car that is much better out of town than in a city.

 

I do still like it though. Which is good as we've still got to get home in it.

[phil_lihp]

HEADLINE NEWS. A Daihatsu Sirion was almost fatally damaged during recent storms when a cardboard box hit it at high speed. 

 

I'd be worried about getting bitten trying to take its cardboard box away from it.

[barefoot]

You've done a nice job removing most of the graffiti.

It looked like it was done as a drunken dare.

[michiel]

Actually, I do have further complaints. The column stalks are horrible. The indicator stalk is very clunky and hard to press just slightly. When it goes all the way, it's then difficult to cancel without accidentally going too far and indicating the other way. Maybe it's a duff stalk.

 

The wiper stalk is also annoying as there's no flick wipe. Combine this with the lack of programmed wash/wipe (probably a good thing really) and wash becomes a bit of a pain. The plus side is that if my screenwash freezes, the wipers won't start smearing salty muck all over the windscreen. I also dislike the fact that the rear wiper is operated via a rocker switch, some way from the steering wheel. This car is proof that even as late as 1998, the Japanese were hopeless at ergonomics. 

 

The ride is horribly crashy too - this is a city car that you don't want to drive around a city. Fortunately, I live nowhere near one but it does seem odd that Daihatsu have managed to design a city car that is much better out of town than in a city.

 

I do still like it though. Which is good as we've still got to get home in it.

All true and I still love it... here's mine at Calais last Saturday. Four up plus 3 guitars, an amp and my cymbals and snare... made it home late on monday, somehow we managed to avoid The Storm and the troubles at Dartford and the M11.

1400 km of banging and crashing at around 120 km/h, I wonder what the garage will say next July when I have to go for the next MOT.

 

Yesterday the engine light came on, I hope it just got confused when I went up an incline in reverse...

 

[dollywobbler]

Back home now. 400 odd miles covered. No problems. Not very surprising. A few stops on the way home helped the achy leg. 

 

It's a tiny fuel tank, so MPG readings can be taken quite often. The tank that got us most of the way there returned 43mpg. The next tank saw my wife drive a fair bit, rather gently (55-60mph on the M27 for instance) and me ease off a bit. The result? 52mpg! I think this car can stay.

 

Saw a lovely burgundy Sirion on the way home, but the pretty driver didn't wave. Did get people smiling at us in traffic jams though - and that's with most of the 'graphics' removed!

[KruJoe]

I was gonna suggest you took it easier on the way home, mpg at 60mph-ish should me much more agreeable than pushing on at the rate you went eastwards.

 

Have you had a look to see if those ghastly plastic bi-focal specs can come off without revealing a mess?

I'm glad the teeth have stayed though

[dollywobbler]

Thing is, I like the nasty plastic add-ons. They must be genuine Daihatsu as they fit very well. Not like that chrome trim you can buy by the yard on Ebay.

 

Wondering if it's possible to disconnect the PAS too. It's lighter than a 1960s Jaguar.

[skattrd]

I don't know about disconnecting the PAS, isn't it the speed sensitive PAS on yours DW?

 

If the headlight trims are the same as mine they were attached with something like double sided sticky tape, so easily removed. If you're careful you could probably keep the plastic crap intact, I wasn't but one of mine came off complete; so I had to smash it.

[dollywobbler]

I wish it was speed sensitive. Unless something has broken. It's stupidly light at all times.

[dollywobbler]

Dynamic Daihatsu Driveway Driveby

[chaseracer]

Proper wild west Welsh weather there, Ian!

 

[Stanley Steamer]

I've had three Daihatsu 3-pots now, those lumps don't like doing much more than 70k before they start chewing oil rings.

[dollywobbler]

Probably that then. I haven't had to top up the oil on a car so frequently since we sold the Mini. 

[ProgRocker]

Been doing a bit of ad hoc research into 3 cyl Daihatsus.

Only just realised that the Perodua Myvi is a rebadged mark 2 Daihatsu Sirion.

 

How is your Sirion going, dollywobbler?

[dollywobbler]

Pretty well actually. Over 3000 miles covered now, 1577 of those just last week. Incredibly, it hasn't needed the oil topping up once since I performed a remarkably easy oil and filter change. 

 

The only problem is a marked tendency to lose power on left-hand bends. I've not got to the bottom of this yet, though my theory is that water has got into the fuel tank via the leaky fuel filler. Rot will be the death of this car. It's just a question of whether she'll scrape another MOT this summer.

 

Here she is at the northernmost point of the UK mainland.

[dollywobbler]

Update: After putting more fuel in, the misfire has gone away. Might try and bit of meths next to make the water burn off.

[chaseracer]

Meths?

Absinthe is legal again, y'know...   

 

[dollywobbler]

A quick update. After another 400+mile road trip, the Sirion has now clocked up over 4000 miles in my ownership. 2000 of those in the past month.

 

I must admit, some of the joy is wearing off now. The suspension is shite and I still find the driving position deeply uncomfortable after a few hours. A new exhaust is on the way though, which will hopefully cure the random power droppage. It happened while I was overtaking today. This was not fun. Dare I say it, but the lack of power was an issue at times too, though I guess it stops me driving like too much of an idiot. Perhaps I'm just gutted that I lost a slip-road race with a Vauxhall Vectra.

 

I do need something better suited to distance work though, as I think I'll be racking up some miles this year.

[mat_the_cat]

I do need something better suited to distance work

 

A high spec. Sierra? I can tell you that the heated windscreen is one of the great inventions if you live in Wales, especially if you have a water leak and soggy carpets...

[dollywobbler]

That car has been on my radar, but the logistics are challenging to say the least!

[mat_the_cat]

That just makes for a better collection thread!

[dollywobbler]

And an emptier wallet... (not that there's much in it to start with at the moment!)

[twosmoke300]

There is Silly One the same colour as yours down near Redruth in Cornwall . I keep thinking DW has come don on holiday.

Will try and pap it one day but its too fast!

[dollywobbler]

Back at the NEC in November, a pleasant chap who we shall call Oldford suggested to me that there was a recall out for Sirion fuel filler necks. Presumably because they rot so horribly - could anyone comfirm? There's nowt about it on VOSA.

 

This month, I finally got around to trying to do something about it. Finding a Daihatsu dealer is a bit of a challenge, so I started just hunting for the neck. That led me back to former Daihatsu dealers, as some are still agents - they can order parts etc. I enquired with the nearest - in Swansea - about sourcing a fuel filler neck, but they remembered there was a recall on them. They had a word with Daihatsu and bingo! Approved.

 

This morning, I headed down to Swansea, trying to drive around the fuel starvation issue that occurs going around bends and, more recently, uphill. I asked the garage if they'd mind dropping the tank and having a look inside, as my suspicion was that bits of rusty filler neck had fallen into the tank and were causing issues. Certainly the hole in the filler neck could allow water and dirt in. Not good.

 

So, here's the Sirion up on the ramp while two mechanics laugh at the state of the underside. Actually, it's not as bad as I remembered, though the nearside sill is pretty frilly. Thankfully still up to being hoisted on a two-post lift.

 

The filler neck wasn't too tricky to remove, on account of being so rotten. Can you guess which is old/new?

 

This 'teabag' is the in-tank filter, and the only filter in the fuel system. It was pretty grim. They gave it a thorough clean.

 

There was certainly plenty of shite in the tank. This is from the curious little inset tank that feeds the pick-up.

 

All sorted!

 

It has solved the fuelling issue thankfully, and I can actually fill the tank full again without petrol leaking all over the place. It's been a beautiful, sunny day and I've covered 96 miles mainly on twisty, scenic, Welsh roads. I'm pretty chuffed! I'd somehow forgotten just what a hoot this car is to drive.

[hairnet]

inline filter in engine bay stat

 

did you underseal it while it was o the ramp

[dollywobbler]

No, but I did put my finger through the sill! I was impressed that the lift didn't just crush them. Stronger than they look perhaps...

[brickwall]

Result!