Used car guide

2008 Daihatsu Materia: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2008 Daihatsu Materias, from 223 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 223 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

223MOT tests in 2025
63%pass first time (all 2008 cars: 57%)
5,100typical miles a year
2.9×the usual rate for rigid brake pipes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2008 Daihatsu Materias than on all cars registered in 2008.

  • Rigid brake pipes2.9× usual
    Daihatsu Materia
    27.4% All 2008 cars
    9.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.1%, against 1.5% of all 2008 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

By area

The share of 2008 Daihatsu Materia MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    54% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    45% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    29% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    27% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    17% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    13% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2009161Suspension 41%
2007165Suspension 55%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2008 Daihatsu Materias registered in 2008. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score