Dacia Duster. The perfect family car?

[Zigster]

matt21 said:

In France / Italy at the moment. They are everywhere.

Yeah - I was in Corsica a few weeks ago and saw lots. They look okay - but then I always love Fiat Pandas when I'm in Italy - I don't know why a hot climate makes cheaper cars more attractive.

[900T-R]

Good value indeed (as long as you don't tart it up like if it was a proper car ) but as a family car I see two major 'gotchas' -

Renault feels three NCAP stars is enough for a Dacia (and I don't really have that much faith in Renaults own 'engineered to meet the NCAP criteria' 5-star cars, to begin with), so this is built to meet that standard and no more

2WD models are proven to be a bit hairy to say the least in the standard emergency lane change test. I'm not a great ESP advocate at all, but this one does need it... and doesn't have it. Don't know whether you can get ESP on a boggo model.

That said, I'd have one as a beast of burden if the need arose - but then again I don't have a family to cart around.

[Alucidnation]

I am halfway down France staying overnight in Beaune, on our way to the south coast and i tbh, havent seen any Dacias yet, although we are sticking to the motorways to cover ground.

Plenty of Audi, Peugeot etc.

Renault certainly dont seem to be as common as they used to be.


I am driving down in my folks 61 plate Scenic with the 1.5dci 130 bhp engine.

I have to say its quite nifty, and thats four up with a boot full of luggage etc.

Oh, and its feckin' hot

[4F6]

I'm tempted by one. They seem like cheap, sensible if slightly basic family wheels. We have a '54 Kangoo dci with 110k on as a family hack / van when needed and whilst its nothing to get excited by its actually ok. Duster sounds like it would make an ideal replacement really - very useable but without you having to worry about actually using it and kids damaging stuff in the manor that you might with something more expensive.

[Speedy11]

Denis O said:

The car we drove had a tow bar fitted and according to the dealer, the owner tows an 1800kg boat without a problem.

Expect for being illegal as the 4x2 is only rated for 1200kgs and the 4x4 1500kgs

[jbi]

too small... the car itself and the engine

[Denis O]

Speedy11 said:

Denis O said:

The car we drove had a tow bar fitted and according to the dealer, the owner tows an 1800kg boat without a problem.

Expect for being illegal as the 4x2 is only rated for 1200kgs and the 4x4 1500kgs

Rest assured Speedy, the Greeks in general take a somewhat liberal view of what is and isn't legal, when it comes to driving. Most unlike us Brits who follow the minutest detail to the letter. Towing a couple of hundred kilos above the cars rating would not even register.

However, I thank you for your due dilligence and advice and I'll make sure I have the 4 x 4 version to be comfortably within it's limits towing my 1300kg outfit.

[Captain Muppet]

Roo said:

Just come back from France and they're everywhere.

I love the fact they're being sold as a budget version of Renault. As if Renault was a premium brand in the first place.

No, if it was a budget version of a premium brand it would be priced like a Golf.
But it's not, it's a budget version of a cheap car, so it's amazingly cheap.

[FoundOnRoadside]

jbi said:

too small... the car itself and the engine

You've never driven a 1.5dCi then?

[jbi]

FoundOnRoadside said:

jbi said:

too small... the car itself and the engine

You've never driven a 1.5dCi then?

my mate had one in his clio...

was barely adequate... can imagine it would be even worse in something bigger and heavier

good fuel economy though and cheap to run... until it goes wrong.

[FoundOnRoadside]

jbi said:

my mate had one in his clio...

was barely adequate... can imagine it would be even worse in something bigger and heavier

good fuel economy though and cheap to run... until it goes wrong.

I suspect 'your mate's' one was broken.

Drive a 1.5dCi Clio, then get in a 1.4HDI Fiesta or 207, then come back and tell me which is the better engine.

[jbi]

FoundOnRoadside said:

I suspect 'your mate's' one was broken.

Drive a 1.5dCi Clio, then get in a 1.4HDI Fiesta or 207, then come back and tell me which is the better engine.

My mate has a 1.2 fiesta zetec. I can well believe it, it's awful.

But the clio did indeed break, so was traded in for a seat cupra R.

[racerbob]

Had one for 6 months, live in France and it's boggo spec, love it, no frills motoring at it's best,but it doesn't 'feel' cheap. leaves more to spend on the toys.

[tercelgold]

I was just reading about it online and apparently they get aircon on the basic in Greece and some other areas of the EU but in the UK it's deleted so if they could combine aircon and 4x4 for less than a tempting secondhand alternative I think it would do better over here.

[Alucidnation]

As an update, now back in the UK, whilst we were in France, we did see quite a few.

Also saw one Renault Fluence and that did look awful.

[vrsmxtb]

Absolutely everywhere in Romania and Hungary at the moment. Looks a decent cheap and chunky family size car.

[JREwing]

In Russia I rode in a Renault Logan (Dacia is badged as Renault there).
I know these things are old news, but I just could not believe what a great car it was for the money. I'm behind Dacia - my faith has been created. I wouldn't buy one myself, though.

[grahamtr7]

Here's my Duster. It's great!



Graham

Edited by grahamtr7 on Saturday 18th May 20:09

[wildcat45]

Neighbours have just got one. It looks like it is top spec. Me and another neighbour (We both have new Freelanders) checked it out. It doesn't have the toys of ours, but at less than half the cost, I'd be less precious about it.

If I'd thought about it, I could have had one of these and a 2 year old Evora or somethkng similar. Bugger! I really like it. Honest, does what it says on the tin kind of car

[Bonefish Blues]

I do love a DU13 ER, me

What spec did you go for?