DAIHATSU MOVE/GRAND MOVE (1997 - 2001)


You wouldn?t be seen dead in the Daihatsu Move or Grand Move would you? I mean, look at them, with their slab sides looking like they?d topple over in anything greater than a moderate breeze. You would? Good, because like it or not, this is the direction in which city cars are going. Short, narrow and powered by tiny, fuel efficient engines, what works in Tokyo will inexorably spread to other urban sprawls around the globe. Buying a used Move or Grand Move is a wacky way to beat the traffic. Just be prepared to weather a few sniggers. Based on the Japanese K-car concept which has spawned a range of tiny city cars, the Move and Grand Move are loosely titled mini-MPVs. Whilst the Grand Move begins to encroach into the territory of more traditional mini-MPVs such as the Renault Scenic and Mitsubishi Space Star, the Move is best viewed as a micro MPV. It?s narrower and not much longer than a Mini, so don?t expect to carry a family of seven and their luggage.

HISTORY
The Move landed on these shores in March 1997. At first it was viewed as the automotive equivalent of the Japanese game show ?Endurance? ? a cruel oriental joke. That was until commentators tried it. After a drive and a re-appraisal of its qualities, the Move was given a grudging thumbs up. It fulfilled its purpose ? to transport a maximum of four people in an urban environment ? excellently and made more traditional family hatchbacks look bloated and over-engineered.

In October 1998 the Move was offered with standard air conditioning or automatic gearbox at no additional cost. Sales of the Move in this country tailed off in 1998 when Daihatsu withdrew promotional support for it, and even Daihatsu aren?t sure of the exact date the life support machine was switched off, but estimate "sometime in late 1999."

The Grand Move was launched at the same time with less fanfare due to its slightly more socially acceptable profile. Priced at levels close to the Scenic, the Grand Move was a better car than the basic Move, but the market positioning was slightly awry. In October 1998 the 88bhp 1.5-litre engines used to power the Grand Move were replaced by 90bhp 1.6-litre units. A whole host of other subtle changes were also introduced. The car was lengthened slightly, the suspension was retuned and bigger brakes were fitted. The staple facelift target items of bumpers, lights and grille were also given a nip and tuck, and the Grand Move+ designation was deleted.

WHAT YOU GET 
Without wishing to sound demeaning, with both models you are buying a rather narrow, somewhat frenetic box on wheels. In Grand Move+ guise, it?s quite a well-equipped box, but they are both cars that have been designed with a set-sized road ?footprint? in mind and then designers have grappled with the task of getting as many people as possible into that box. The key is height. Both of the models can be driven wearing a top hat, or a jester?s hat if that?s more appropriate, and have a light and airy feel.

The body design looks like wheels and bonnet have been tacked on as an afterthought to the cabin, but the overall effect is cheeky and grin inducing. Despite their faults, it?s not possible to stay angry with a Move or Grand Move for long. They have an infectious personality that lets you forgive them for their narrow dimensions, plasticky cabin and roly-poly cornering. The equipment levels range from basic to reasonably surprising.

The basic Move models boast such luxuries as a rear wash wipe and adjustable head restraints, so the cabin ambience is hardly palatial. Having said that, there?s more than a nod to safety and security, with a driver?s airbag. Side impact protection and engine immobiliser all fitted as standard. Late model Moves also come with either air conditioning or an automatic gearbox as standard. How many other S registration cars come with this level of equipment for under £4,500? The Move+ benefited from colour-keyed bumpers, electric front windows, central locking and a quite baffling Pioneer face-off stereo system.

The Charade-based Grand Move has a more MPV-like feel. There's that high, commanding seating position, a vast glass area for superb visibility and a number of seating permutations that include the creation of a double bed. On the debit side, the rear seats can't be removed from the car and the narrowness of the body makes three on the back seat a bit of a squash. Still, given the fact that the most likely rear seat occupants will be children, that probably won't matter.

There's certainly room for a lot more luggage than could be carried by an ordinary family hatchback. With a full complement of five passengers aboard, 400 litres of cargo space is available, while folding the rear seats forward increases this to a total of 850 litres. In addition, there are plenty of handy stowage compartments for things like maps, sunglasses and mobile telephones.

Standard equipment remains a strongpoint, inclusive of twin front airbags, power steering, an engine immobiliser, central locking, electric mirrors, metallic paint and built-in roof rails. The better-equipped ?+? version has been dropped recently but you can get a standard model close to that specification by adding optional items like metallic paint, alloy wheels, ABS, heated mirrors, electric windows, and air conditioning (recommended given that huge glass area).

WHAT YOU PAY 
Prices for the Move start at around £1,400 for a 1997 P plate model with manual gearbox. Another £100 will land an automatic version, whilst the more desirable Move+ of the same year will cost in the region of £1,700. Again, automatic gearboxes will warrant an extra £100. All Move models fall into Group 2 insurance.

The Grand Move model will demand a not insignificant chunk of your outlay, resembling as it does a car rather than a mobile wendy-house. Opening prices for a Grand Move are around £1,900. This will net you a 1997 P registered Grand Move 1.5 with a manual gearbox. Auto options are around £300 more expensive, whilst a Grand Move+ with the 1.5-litre unit starts at just over £2,000 for a similar year model.

The 1.6-litre cars benefited from the raft of improvements Daihatsu made to the model and are worth searching out. Prices start at £2,000 for a Grand Move 1.6 on a 1998 S plate, with the top model Grand Move + 1.6 Auto starting at £2,700. Insurance for Grand Moves is Group 8.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR 
Neither Move nor Grand Move is known to have developed any significant faults during their existence. They will in all likelihood have transported children, so check the cabin for rips, stains and other damage wreaked by small hands. The luggage bays should also be examined for evidence of wear and tear by lifestyle equipment such as mountain bikes and dogs.

These models should have been exposed to a fair amount of city driving, so check the exterior for knocks and scrapes, and check under the bonnet for accident damage or paint overspray. Otherwise, the usual reminder to obtain a service history applies.

REPLACEMENT PARTS 
(Estimated prices, based on a Grand Move 1.6) You wouldn?t want to buy a bargain basement city car and discover parts prices that will require you to take up an evening job at the local burger bar. Daihatsu have responded, and spares costs for the Move and Grand Move are fairly reasonable given their low volume and specialised nature. A clutch assembly will cost around £130, and the dinky front brake pads approximately £40. A radiator will be in the region of £145, and an alternator £220. A broken starter motor will require £260 to replace.

ON THE ROAD 
When sticking to their design parameters ? zipping through inner city traffic and into tight parking spaces ? the Move and Grand Move make all the sense in the world. Low speed cornering they can cope with, their sheer sides not proving a handicap at all. The tyres will screech around roundabouts and the tiny castor-like wheels will spin gamely from a standing start, but that all adds to the charm. They work remarkably well. Although the Grand Move models can cope at a pinch, taking a Move on a long motorway journey will have you struggling to ignite the will to live after maybe 45 minutes. In long sweeping bends, the Move is buffeted by trucks, jittery over expansion joints and disheartened by long uphill stretches. Sitting in the inside lane with an artic inches from the back is not much fun.

The Grand Move is better, but still not ideal, high speed cruising ability has been sensibly sacrificed for low speed acceleration. In town they make massive sense, as something to take on the shopping trips or school run, they?re definitely the way forward. Brochure pictures of Moves and Grand Moves with mountain bikes strapped on look tempting, but this implies a longer journey. You may well be happier strapping the car to the bike.

OVERALL 
Be aware that the Move or Grand Move are probably best purchased as a second or third car. If you can accept their limitations, they make great fun and socially responsible short-range transport. If you need something a bit bigger, a more expensive Renault Scenic or an older Renault Espace may well beckon. Despite this, the Move and Grand Move are clever, well built cars that make an interesting, if slightly oddball, used buy.