My new Daihatsu Charade kei car

[mikeross]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I'd suspect adding a sway bar to the heaviest end, or maybe both ends of the car would help your sway situation, possibly better than changing wheels and tires. If the bar(s) work well enough maybe you could save the expense of changing the wheels and tires. And if you can spare the ground clearance, lowering really does help add stability too.

Nice advice frank. A sway bar ets you add roll stiffness efficiently and also adjust the front to rear handling balance of the car.

[kingsway]

I've just bought myself a similar car. A 2006 4 spd automatic Daihatsu Charade. I got 50mpg (UK) on the 4 hour trip home in very hot weather. A/C on most of the time and tyres were a bit soft!

Owned by an old lady, it has done just 9000 miles. I'm hoping to get another one - 5 spd manual this time, as I am a driving instructor and teach both auto and manual.

I've been using two Perodua Kelisa's (Daihatsu Cuore) (auto and manual) for the past two years. Great little cars and very popular with my pupils. Not as good aerodynamically as the Charade, and hydraulic PS, so get 40mpg+ (UK) with both cars.

[kingsway]

I now have a 2006 Charade Manual - and got 65mpg bringing it home at motorway speeds and occasional aircon use.

The 2006 is supposed to have better handling compared to earlier models, but seems set up more for a comfortable ride than for ultimate handling.

I really like it!

[kingsway]

I can now say that the original tyres were 155/65 13 on 4in rims

I've found that using 4.5in rims from a Cuore/Kelisa fitted with 165/65/ 13 Michelin Energy E3B tyres does wonders for the handling - much less understeer - and helps with economy.

The change in diam is about 2.45% and makes the speedo about 2mpg nearer the true speed (as standard, the speedo overeads by 5mph)

[Arragonis]

You can probably pinch wheels and tyres from the Aygo / 107 / C1. There are loads of them on the web as owners "upgrade" to wide alloys.