Copen — Installed a Rear Performance Brace!

 At my regular used car dealer, Daihatsu CarNet Itami,

they recommended a simple but effective upgrade:
installing a Rear Performance Brace.

It’s hard to see in the photos,
but it's basically a thin black bar mounted around the center of the rear floor area.

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The Rear Performance Brace is originally included in Daihatsu's optional "Sports Pack" for the Copen.
The full Sports Pack also tightens up the springs and shocks,
but I decided to just install the brace alone.

The idea is that the brace increases body rigidity
without sacrificing ride comfort.

Since it’s an official Daihatsu part,
the cost was very reasonable:

• About ¥1,000 per brace
• Less than ¥3,000 for both sides
• Total around ¥5,000 including installation

A true "petit modification"! (lol)

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Driving impressions after installation:

I could definitely feel that the body became more rigid,
especially around the rear floor and suspension mounting points.

You feel tiny bumps in the road more clearly now —
but that doesn’t mean the ride quality has worsened.

In fact, it's the opposite.

The increased rigidity improves the ride comfort,
especially when driving with the roof down.

Previously, when hitting a bump,
there was a slight "wobble" or "twist" feeling through the chassis.
Now, that sensation has noticeably decreased.

The car feels more solid —
almost like it has a higher-grade, more refined feel.

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Of course,
it’s not a dramatic transformation.

There’s definitely an improvement,
but after driving for an hour,
you get so used to it that you might start wondering:
"Wasn’t it always like this?" (lol)

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Personal opinion:

For such a cheap part,
Daihatsu should have made it standard equipment!

Seriously — it’s that worthwhile.

(Please, Daihatsu, if you're listening! lol)