Hi all, I am from Joburg, South Africa and the proud owner of a 2006, Copen 1.3 I need to replace both front shocks. I am unable to find any in South Africa. Any advice on where I may find. Happy to import. Thank you!
Hi Linke, for the front and rear shocks see front coil spring help I have attached in that form the pdf with part numbers and where you can order.
Hi Shahram, thank you so much for your response! May I ask what model you have? Mine is a 2006, 1.3 RHD. I am just looking at the part numbers on the PDF which differs from the part numbers I have. I feel so grateful for your response, as I have struggling for a while now to get any guidance. With Daihatsu no longer in South Africa I had to quickly find other ways and means.
Hi Linke, Mine is a 2007, 1.3 RHD. I replaced the entire suspension system, including bolts and nuts, last year. All the small part numbers in the PDF fit perfectly. Would you mind sharing the PDF you have so I can compare? I've attached my parts order history from Impex Japan for reference. The suspension set I ordered is from RHD Japan.
Just for your information, I also ordered some additional parts that are not part of the suspension: Order 1 PDF: You don't need number 1 & 4. Order 2 PDF: You don't need number 1.
Hi Shahram, The PDF I referred to was the one you posted in the thread you shared last week, which I have now attached again. I also found a manual with part numbers on this platform, but I am struggling to find the part numbers on there. Thank you so much again for helping me with this. Being a single lady driving, waht now feels like a classic, since I am unable to source parts in South Africa, can be daunting.
I can not thank you enough for sharing so detailed and freely. I managed to replace the rear shocks last year, which I was able to match in South Africa, the front ones have been the problem. So not sure if I will get the same as you did, being the entire kit, or just the front ones.May I ask why you imported directly from Jan, while you still have Daihatsu in England? I see you live in Surrey. I stayed in Thornton Heath, Surrey for two years.
Hi Shahram, I forgot to ask, why did you not order all your parts from Impex? Did they not have the shocks, that you ordered from RHD Japan?
Hi Linke, Unfortunately, just like in South Africa, Daihatsu has also ceased operations in the EU. As far as I know, they have completely withdrawn worldwide, making Daihatsu a true JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) brand. That means Japan is now the only place to source Copen parts. Surprisingly, they still produce both spare and performance parts for this car in Japan. My rear shocks were in bad shape. After an extensive search in the EU market, I gave up and started looking in Japan using Google Translate. I discovered that suspension systems are generally sold as complete sets rather than individual components. While original Daihatsu Copen shock absorbers are available, I haven’t been able to find any supplier willing to ship internationally. Even IMPEX, the supplier I regularly use, does not offer international shipping for shock absorbers, to my surprise. The only reason I can think of is that they don’t want to take the risk, as these shocks contain oil, which could potentially leak during air transport. The only company I could find that replicates the OEM shocks with some improvements is Showa Tuning and RHD Japan happy to offer international shipping. Every other option I came across was designed for performance upgrades. If you only want to replace the front shock absorbers, the best advice would be to find a garage that can refurbish them. Alternatively, you can do what I did—replace the entire set in one go and not worry about it for the next 15 years. All other small components, like bolts, nuts, rubber cushions, and front struts, are listed in the PDF I shared. The reason I replaced everything was that these smaller parts contribute to the overall suspension system and, unfortunately, have a limited lifespan. Hope this helps! Let me know if you need anything else - Happy driving
Hi Shahram, Thank you so much for your detailed answer, it does put me in the picture. So here is something I would love to get your opinion on. I managed to find a supplier in Germany, that can get the original parts from Daihatsu, whom I found before your post. I emailed Daihatsu in Germany and they said they could not assist an individual, but put me in contact with one of there clients, that also distributes internationally. I gave them the part numbers as was given to my by Daihatsu South Africa, who does not take orders anymore , since they will be officially gone December 2025, and they can get me the two front shocks and shock mountings from Daihatsu. My question would be, would you recommend I go for the originals that this crew from Germany can get for me or opt for the ones from RHD Japan that you got? Did the shock mountings come with the shocks? It doesn't look that way, as it was part of your IMPEX order. Would love to hear if you would have ordered the original shocks, instead of the ones you got, if you could, like I can?
Hi Linke, Unfortunately, Showa Tuning does not include shock mountings. I ordered them separately through IMPEX, along with other parts like front dust covers and rear rubber cushions. The part numbers for the front shock mountings are 48603-97202 (right side) and 48609-97205 (left side). These, along with other relevant parts, are listed in the PDF I shared in this forum. While some components can be reused, it makes sense to replace them with new ones. The cost is minimal, and you won’t have to worry about them for the next 15 years. I’d recommend going for the Showa Tuning Sport V0311-10B-31, as it replicates the OEM shocks with some improvements. The spring rate and vehicle height remain the same as the original. During my research, I also noticed that many Copen owners in Japan prefer Showa over the OEM version. I personally lean toward keeping the car as original as possible, but since I had no other option, I went with Showa—and I’m glad I did! The ride feels much more comfortable. I especially noticed the difference while driving on the M25. Some sections of the M25 have concrete surfaces, and before the replacement, I could really feel the shaking. After installing the new set, the ride was noticeably smoother. I never imagined shocks could make such a difference! Hope this helps—let me know if you have any questions!
Hi Linke, No need to thank me—it was my pleasure! I’ve learned a lot from this forum, and this is my way of giving back to the community and sharing my experience. In the end, all the credit goes to the amazing team who built and maintains this website.
Hi Shahram, Your attitude is refreshing. I agree, very grateful towards the team that created this platform for us. I still feel grateful towards you. Without the engagements on the forum, it will be of no value to anyone.
