anyone got a Dacia Duster?

BillN_33

BillN_33

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I need to replace my wife car - top spec, (but still only has manual AC and drum rear brakes) out in France is about Euros 18k . say just over £15k

I drove the 1.5 diesel and it was not bad

I have a Skoda Yeti 4WD diesel - not has good as that but the Duster is Euros 8k cheaper

(out in S Africa all the Dacia's are badged as Renaults)
 
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Not a very detailed response, but my neighbour has one from new a couple of years ago and he loves it, thinks it's great value. He had an Octavia Estate diesel before that. Never seen him have any trouble with it. Bit of a sedate drive by my standards but he's an OAP.
 
I had a look at one a couple of years back and despite the price I could not get past the cheap feel of it - clearly it is built to a price, but for me things like the feel of the door handles and the plastic inside would have been too much - for what it is worth I ended up with a Citroen Berlingo, and they are hardly a quality vehicle, but compared to the Dacia range it doesn't feel like it will break...
 
I know someone who has a leased one via their work and thinks it's great, and have also had good reports from others. You sound as though you are thinking new, but there was an upgrade last year in case you see any attractively priced pre-registered examples. There was a recent roadtest in Auto Express for their pov. http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/dacia/duster
 
I had one up until Christmas Bill and loved it. It's a lovely car to drive and has tons of space in it, responsive, great visibility. The new Phase Two models are made in Romania which is important, if you're thinking second hand avoid the 13 plate Phase One ones which were made in India and are rusting away from the inside out.

I traded mine because it was an Indian one and Dacia are not going about sorting the issue honestly. If not for the company I would buy another Duster tomorrow.

There's a very friendly and helpful owners forum here http://www.daciaforum.co.uk/forum/index.php
 
Thanks Guys - it would be a LHD one the "Prestige" Model out here in France - which is the most highly speced one - I will check where they are made
 
French ones are all Romanian Bill, all LHD Dusters are. :)
 
I think theyre made in a biscuit factory because the plastics just crumble, chap at work has a new one and its ridiculously cheap and horrible plastic
 
You don't buy the car looking for top of the range fittings. In 2 1/2 years I never had a problem with my car, nothing broke and nothing fell off it. The plastics are fine but if you want better by all means spend another few thousand quid more on a different make.

The only reason I don't still have mine is s***ty service from the UK dealer and Dacia UK over purely UK model issues.
 
Gary Coyle said:
I think theyre made in a biscuit factory because the plastics just crumble, chap at work has a new one and its ridiculously cheap and horrible plastic
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Best you not get one then, huh? :rolleyes:
 
You also need to weigh up the re-sale values on theses cheaper cars. When we had two cars, Clare was driving around in Daewoo Matiz, Lada IIRC and a Fiat Uno. Great little cars but they drop a whole lot of money when you come to sell them on after a couple of years. So it needs to be taken into consideration if you change every two or three years, like we did for warranty purposes.

IMO, I always found Suzuki cars to offer a good standard of equipment for the cheaper range and it was a brand we stayed with, until we went back to one car about five years ago.
 
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Swanseajack said:
You also need to weigh up the re-sale values on theses cheaper cares. When we had two cars, Clare was driving around in Daewoo Matiz, Lada IIRC and a Fiat Uno. Great little cars but they drop a whole lot of money when you come to sell them on after a couple of years. So it needs to be taken into consideration if you change every two or three years, like we did for warranty purposes.

IMO, I always found Suzuki cars to offer a good standard of equipment for the cheaper range and it was a brand we stayed with, until we went back to one car about five years ago.
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Thanks Simon

My wife Skoda Fabia is 13 years old this year, done less than 50,000 kms, but has started to have the odd electrical problem that the local garage is clueless about - (the battery goes flat after 5 day) - must be a drain somewhere as if I disconnect the battery, as I have done for the last two months, it starts first time

Mechanically I'm fine and being my age have been around cars for years - but electrics, I've no idea ........ anyway one week she doesn't trust the thing, (and drives my Yeti, which doesn't please me that much), and says she wants to change it, and after we have test driven a few she says that they are too expensive, (£12k), and she would rather have a new kitchen ......... so what do you do ...... we don't need a new kitchen
 
Take her down to the kitchen showroom, test drive a few cupboard doors, say it's too expensive and would she like a new car? :D
 
Steep said:
Take her down to the kitchen showroom, test drive a few cupboard doors, say it's too expensive and would she like a new car? :D
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If I do that it will be £20k ... for the kitchen
 
Back from holiday and on Saturday we test drove

The new Hyundai ix20 100bhp petrol - engine sounded like a diesel

Duster and Stepway ....... for the second time

Fabia

Juke

all petrol except the Duster - she doesn't like the shape of the Juke, won't drive around in a Hyundai, quite liked the colour of the Stepway but did not like the writing on the side and the salesman said it was underneath the clear top coat, so could not be removed.
The Fabia demo they had was too "flashy" .......... but she quite liked the Duster to drive as it was "high off the ground"

For me the Juke - the new 1.2 turn petrol drove well - but I'm not a fan of the shape ...... certainly not suitable for an OAP +

so she said she'll drive my Yeti and if we need ever two cars I can take the old Fabia ........ fortunately I still have a motor Bike
 
KIA Soul then :) that's what I moved on to.
 
I assume the Duster will have a DPF? If so with the low mileage, it will most likely be a problem.
 
DPF issues are easily sorted with a run out on the open road once a week or so and are only an issue if the majority of your driving is slow stop start short run stuff where the engine doesn't get a chance to heat up properly.
 
BillN_33 said:
Thanks Simon

My wife Skoda Fabia is 13 years old this year, done less than 50,000 kms, but has started to have the odd electrical problem that the local garage is clueless about - (the battery goes flat after 5 day) - must be a drain somewhere as if I disconnect the battery, as I have done for the last two months, it starts first time

Mechanically I'm fine and being my age have been around cars for years - but electrics, I've no idea ........ anyway one week she doesn't trust the thing, (and drives my Yeti, which doesn't please me that much), and says she wants to change it, and after we have test driven a few she says that they are too expensive, (£12k), and she would rather have a new kitchen ......... so what do you do ...... we don't need a new kitchen
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Evening Bill,

I had a problem with the battery draining on my Lexus LS-400, turned out to be the boot light was staying on, could be something as simple as this on her current car?

I drive a Honda CRV, but my sister has the Vauxhall Mokka and it seems a very nice car, Clare loves it and wants one next time. Whats the prices of Renault's over there, like the Captur, Scenic etc.........

Also, can you buy from Spain, does it work out cheaper?
 
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Missed the bit about a problem with battery draining, I've had it on two cars and a van, the cars were both down to an aftermarket radio that I'd fitted and the van had a bad/corroded earth strap.
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Audi Q3 2.0 TDI Quattro will be perfect. You don't want your wife to drive in a Dustbin :)
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at least Euros 40,000 ....... but in many ways I prefer the Skoda Yeti 140bhp 4x4 - good spec one for lists Euros 30,000 ....... same car really - the Skoda is full of Audi and VW "marked" parts
 
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Yeti is much more survivable too, in case the quattro decides to drive up your rear end at half light speed :)
 
BillN_33 said:
at least Euros 40,000 ....... but in many ways I prefer the Skoda Yeti 140bhp 4x4 - good spec one for lists Euros 30,000 ....... same car really - the Skoda is full of Audi and VW "marked" parts
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Will be seriously considering a Yeti next year. A bit undecided presently but the 1.8 petrol looks interesting. (mostly short trips for me, a diesel/dpf would be a concern).
 
BlackCloud said:
Will be seriously considering a Yeti next year. A bit undecided presently but the 1.8 petrol looks interesting. (mostly short trips for me, a diesel/dpf would be a concern).
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We have had one, a diesel 150bhp 4 x 4 for 4 years now - really good and tough vehicle and not bad to drive - in fact I really like it and would not hesitate to buy another

If you want a tow bar - get one factory fitted - Skoda dealer fit can be £800

The new VW TSI engines seem good - even the 1.2 .. but I think that the latest is 1.4
 
Thanks for that. Wouldn't consider any vehicle under a 1.6 petrol in my current thinking but will look at all options next year.


Had a chat with my neighbour with the Duster. He's just 'a driver' rather than a car nut, but he is quite happy with his Duster. Just ambles around, sometimes several trips a day here and there. Always starts, never see him lift the bonnet, looks immaculate, no rust, a bit cheap but fine inside.
 
I bought a three year old BMW X1 Msport for about the same as the duster is new. 2 years service plan left and under 20k miles. Have only ever bought one car new and never would again
 
testbloke said:
I bought a three year old BMW X1 Msport for about the same as the duster is new. 2 years service plan left and under 20k miles. Have only ever bought one car new and never would again
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I agree in the UK - that is the way to go

but here in France the difference is not that great
 
I never had a new car yet (cue sad music played by a lone violin) but I think main dealer manufacturer approved in a reasonable compromise with a decent brand of car. That's what I did.
 
I don't know which committees decide model names for Dacia at Renault... Stepway sounds like something that you can get through AgeConcern.. Don't start me of Lodgy......

To me a proper Duster is one that is based on the Renault 12. The new one is a Puke/Qashqai/Kadjar in different clothes
 
BillN_33 said:
s, but has started to have the odd electrical problem that the local garage is clueless about - (the battery goes flat after 5 day) - must be a drain somewhere as if I disconnect the battery, as I have done for the last two months, it starts first time
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we had this in one of our cars we have at work, numerous electricians looked at all without success, all of them flummoxed to the cause turned out eventually to be the light in the glove box not going out , bit of wd40 on the switch and the job was a good un, it might be a strange co-incidence but worth a try looking at
 
I looked at Dacia last year when wanting to replace my Peugeot 307 estate. I don't mind old fashioned or low-tech, but there was a level of crudeness that left me wondering how badly made the parts of the car I couldn't see would be. I once bought a cheap Chinese lawnmower, and while it did manage to cut my grass for a couple of years, it required constant fixing to keep it working after the first year - this would be my concern with the Dacia, that it would quickly become landfill.
 
ancient_mariner said:
I looked at Dacia last year when wanting to replace my Peugeot 307 estate. I don't mind old fashioned or low-tech, but there was a level of crudeness that left me wondering how badly made the parts of the car I couldn't see would be. I once bought a cheap Chinese lawnmower, and while it did manage to cut my grass for a couple of years, it required constant fixing to keep it working after the first year - this would be my concern with the Dacia, that it would quickly become landfill.
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Of course you could have done some research to allay your fears. I'm not a fan of the company but the cars have a strong following and an active forum.
 
Steep said:
Of course you could have done some research to allay your fears. I'm not a fan of the company but the cars have a strong following and an active forum.
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S Africa is full of them, badged as Renaults out there - and the roads are tough with many just dirt tracks
 
Steep said:
Of course you could have done some research to allay your fears. I'm not a fan of the company but the cars have a strong following and an active forum.
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I did do some research. It did not convince me that what I observed was incorrect.
 
BillN_33 said:
at least Euros 40,000 ....... but in many ways I prefer the Skoda Yeti 140bhp 4x4 - good spec one for lists Euros 30,000 ....... same car really - the Skoda is full of Audi and VW "marked" parts
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I'm not going to knock a Yeti, but you really have to have the DSG, all black (which I hate, but thick door frames otherwise look strange) and full leather to bring it in line with a good Audi.

Have you considered the new SEAT SUV just out? I thought that must be the obvious small VAG choice now, and the looks are great.

BillN_33 said:
We have had one, a diesel 150bhp 4 x 4 for 4 years now - really good and tough vehicle and not bad to drive - in fact I really like it and would not hesitate to buy another

If you want a tow bar - get one factory fitted - Skoda dealer fit can be £800

The new VW TSI engines seem good - even the 1.2 .. but I think that the latest is 1.4
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The chain driven petrols can have the chain jump wrecking the engine. It won't happen in year 1 and 2 but these are well known and documented faults. I don't know if this has been rectified and if so at which generation. Common rail diesels should be more reliable. 1.2 is pretty "nervous" to drive - nothing, nothing then suddenly explodes and launches beyond any expectations, by 60mph it has no more pull in a small seat leon. 1.4 must be more rounded but I'd be still concerned about chain.

£800 for a tow bar sounds excessive. I bought one from ebay scrappy for the passat for just £50; another £50 to install.
 
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