Since taking ownership of the Materia last year I have been working through a list of jobs I knew it needed. I like my cars to be just right and operating properly. Who wants a car that is unreliable or a dog to drive?

I did the lambda sensors, and the engine oil and filter straight away after purchase. I have since given it another oil and filter change after a short period to bring it back in line with my 5000 mile personal policy on oil changes.

The tyres were all different brands and all in various states of wear and it was irking the hell out of me, which begs the question how can a car with only 16500 miles on it, which is when I bought it, have such a combination of tyres. Just what was the previous owner doing? Jeez! Anyway I bit the bullet last month and replaced all four tyres with some Evergreen EH23 budget tyres. It isn’t a race horse and with the type of work the car will generally be doing it made sense not to go nuts on expensive ones and these tyres are just fine. In fact I like them a lot and the car feels nice.

The other job I knew needed doing was the replacement of the front brake discs but I have been waiting for warmer weather. Typically the OEM ones had corroded, as always, at an alarming rate and the inside of the vent area was like Weetabix and as I was to discover the discs had warped accordingly. I don’t drive the car as a rule so I was unaware just how horrid things had gotten until I had to use it to go on a 250 mile drive. I set off looking forward to a wobble free drive because of the new tyres but high speed braking turned out to be a nasty experience of shaking from the front as the brakes came on. I ordered a set of discs and pads as soon as I got home and in short order I got it all sorted – the car stands on its nose now and calm has returned to the braking department.

The discs that came off were really dreadful. I have never seen discs corrode so badly as these Daihatsu ones. I did not go bonkers with the replacement ones and fitted Apec ones with Ferodo pads and at less than £60 for the whole DIY job I am happy. I installed the same on my Sirion a couple of years ago and they are looking good.

So the list of jobs I knew the Materia needed is complete and the car is running very nicely and is in fact a treat to drive, although I prefer my 1.5 Sirion for the shear get up and go factor. Both cars have exactly the same engine and it is interesting how different they are to drive. The Sirion has slightly taller gearing and is the better motorway car and being lighter it responds to throttle very well.

The Materia is the thirstier of the two for sure but being heavier, lower geared, and with a front end like a slab I didn’t expect anything else. As an aside it is handy having two cars with the same running gear because when the time comes for diagnosing problems I can swap bits around.

Regards

Phil