1992 Daihatsu Mira J 0.7L

Summary:

Reliable and cheap

Faults:

Timing belt replaced at 125,000km.

New Muffler at 144,000km.

Rear vision mirror fell out of the roof once, straight forward fix.

Red paint faded, but it had no garaging nor a carport.

General Comments:

This was a very reliable car right up until it was written off (it got sandwiched between two other cars in an accident).

The clutch would have required an adjustment if it was still around, it would have cost approx AU$750 as the entire engine would have to be removed to get to the clutch.

The car didn't hold up well in the accident and it was stationary, if travelling at speed I'd hate to think what would have happened.

It was VERY cheap on fuel and could park anywhere, I miss my Mira!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 30th December, 2006

1987 Daihatsu Mira LX 0.85 petrol carb

Summary:

Cute, dependable and fun!

Faults:

It blew a head gasket, and the previous owner's mechanic decided to replace the whole motor.

The clutch and gearbox were also unnecessarily replaced.

It had an oil leak from an incorrectly seated rocker cover.

General Comments:

This car has amazing off the line performance, I often find myself pulling ahead of many 3.0 liter 6 cylinder cars straight from the lights.

It has absolutely shocking handling on gravel / wet surfaces, and you can't go around any corner at high speed without severe under-steer.

It has heaps of seating room front and back, but it is limited width-wise.

The gearbox feels like it is constructed from jelly.

The motor has a great rev-range, and it has never valve-bounced, even when I give it a good race.

The windscreen tends to get very dirty quickly, more so than most other cars I've owned.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th June, 2003

13th Nov 2003, 08:26

I purchased in 2001 a used Mira dating from 1993, only 35,000 km on the clock.

Never heard of a Mira.

Thought it looked like a toy, but needed some wheels while my Mitsubishi was under repair.

100,000 knm later, I am full of praise for this thing.

It sits low on its 12 inch wheels, has a firm and rudimentary suspension, and it goes like a rocket!

It is great fun to drive, and has done Melbourne-Sydney return twice, and Melbourne-Adelaide return at close to 120 kph for hours on end!

It runs out of puff on a steep hill, but amazing what it can do.

We rate it less noisy than a Mazda 121 I had previously, though it comes close.

Yet on top of all that, the fuel economy is incredible.

It is doing something around 3.5 L per 100 km on non stop trips every day on the freeway.

It tyre wear is not as much as the Mazda.

I would not feel safe in an accident because it is admittedly flimsy, but it is safer to drive than many larger cars, with good handling and steering.

I would say it has saved some $3,000 in fuel compared with my larger car, and that is what I paid for it!

22nd Jan 2005, 23:22

eBay (www.ebay.com.au) is a very good way to find user manuals for various types of vehicles. I suggest you search the eBay website to see if you can find a user manual for your car, or a similar version.