Daihatsu Copen (2004 - 2010) 2d (2004/54) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

You're an individual who cares more about enjoying life than being grown-up and sensible

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

They think it suits me and all of them are rather fond of it

Would you buy this car again and why?

Absolutely - whilst the frequent servicing has made it expensive to run and I do only average 37mpg (a far cry from the purported 44mpg), it still brings a smile to my face after three years and nearly 70,000 miles of motoring. It is cracking fun to own!

What are you likely to buy next?

Another small hard-top petrol convertible that is okay on fuel and drives well...another Copen in all likelihood

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchise

Did you buy this car new?

Yes

What price did you pay?

£12,800

When did you buy the car?

November 2004

Did you get a good deal and why?

Yes I got a decent deal but only after I did my research on the net beforehand to see what the brokers offered the car for

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

I wanted a fun cheap-to-run roadster which was a little bit different.

What was the dealer like?

Helpful, low pressure, didn't really let me take the car for a proper test drive though

What's it like to drive?

Massive fun to drive although you need to use the gears and not be afraid to rev it to make progress. It's not uncommon to have to drop into 4th on the motorway to overtake on a hill or whip round someone but the gearbox is delightful to use so it's no hardship. I have surprised many an expensive car after racing off from the lights as the Copen's light weight means it charges from a standing start. It is however a pain over speedbumps as it is so low and it is thrown off course when cornering by bumps in the road. Cornering is flat and grip is pretty decent.

What's it like to park?

Dead easy with the roof down, not bad with the roof up although three-quarters rear vision is poor. However as the car is so small it is hard to mess things up completely!

Have you had any problems with the car?

The back bit of the exhaust rusted off, apparently this is a common fault. Other than that, nothing has gone wrong in 70,000 miles

What's most practical about your car?

The roof is very easy to operate and the boot surprisingly spacious when the roof isn't in it

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The leather might not be of the finest quality but even so it does make the car feel and look special