More white goods - 2017 Dacia Duster 1.6 Access 2WD

[Slushbox]

"That's just a Renault Fluence with different badges, non?"

Oui.

It's an old pic from 2012. It 'was' thought to be the next Logan sedan, but, er wasn't. Fluence is/was on sale in India it seems, but looks horrible. Now the Scala sedan which looks a bit Renault-ish.

https://www.renault.co.in/vehicles/personal-cars/s...

@toasterpilot.

The drivers door seals on the Logan keep getting kicked off by heavy-footed types. I have to re-seat them every other month. It's the hooves, or something.

[jamiebae]

Slushbox said:

"That's just a Renault Fluence with different badges, non?"

Oui.

It's an old pic from 2012. It 'was' thought to be the next Logan sedan, but, er wasn't. Fluence is/was on sale in India it seems, but looks horrible. Now the Scala sedan which looks a bit Renault-ish.

https://www.renault.co.in/vehicles/personal-cars/s...

@toasterpilot.

The drivers door seals on the Logan keep getting kicked off by heavy-footed types. I have to re-seat them every other month. It's the hooves, or something.

The Scala is a Nissan (Sunny I think) with Renault badges, they also sell the 'Pulse' which is a Micra. It seems in India people buy cars based on dealer proximity as much as anything else so selling identical cars with different badges makes sense - the Indian Nissan Terrano is a Duster with different front and rear end treatment as well as a slightly nicer dashboard.

[Toaster Pilot]

Slushbox said:

"That's just a Renault Fluence with different badges, non?"

Oui.

It's an old pic from 2012. It 'was' thought to be the next Logan sedan, but, er wasn't. Fluence is/was on sale in India it seems, but looks horrible. Now the Scala sedan which looks a bit Renault-ish.

https://www.renault.co.in/vehicles/personal-cars/s...

@toasterpilot.

The drivers door seals on the Logan keep getting kicked off by heavy-footed types. I have to re-seat them every other month. It's the hooves, or something.

The seals look fine that's the strange bit. All other doors are fine though.

Hate taking cars in with minor problems like this because it's always 1000x the PITA it should be!

[grahamtr7]

Here's my 2017 Duster Access - exactly the same as the OP's but I've added wheel arch and door mouldings

[croyde]

Are they easy to fit?

[grahamtr7]

croyde said:

Are they easy to fit?

Yes, very easy. You are meant to do it in temperatures over 21 degrees though, for the adhesive to stick properly.

Graham

[Slushbox]

Very practical for Tesco. :-)

Reminds me of the Hairy Cornflake's London Proof Car:

[Toaster Pilot]

Investigation into the rattle was inconclusive - usual fobbing off with these things of "it's the seat belt buckle rattling against the trim" despite it still being present with the belt plugged in.

Meh.

1300 on the clock now and I'm still very happy with it despite that

[croyde]

The other PH thread about the Duster on the NC500 mentions bad steering and bad headlights.

How are you finding it so far?

Maybe the steering complaints are aimed solely at the 4x4.

[JS1500]

My neighbour has sold out - they had a tidy white Duster Access but recently there has been a SILVER Duster with PARKING SENSORS and a bloomin' PRIVATE PLATE in its place! Flamboyant!

[Toaster Pilot]

croyde said:

The other PH thread about the Duster on the NC500 mentions bad steering and bad headlights.

How are you finding it so far?

Maybe the steering complaints are aimed solely at the 4x4.

The headlights are excellent IMO - coming from a Laguna with knackered Xenons though (broken levelling)

It bump steers a bit over rough terrain but no more so than a lot of other cars

It's definitely built for comfort rather than speed, fair bit of body roll so I maybe don't push it as hard as some

[croyde]

Well I had a very short test drive in a 1.5 diesel Ambiance today and I was impressed how it drove and it felt reasonably zippy in busy traffic, ie around the 20mph to 35mph mark.

Pretty good considering I had just got out of my 5.0 V8 Mustang.

Of course the sales lady kept trying to steer me away from the idea of getting an Access 1.6 petrol

I was really surprised that the basic car with the 1.5 diesel is £3,500 more

Just done a bit of maths using Dacia's mpg figures. 10,000 miles a year at 40mpg for the 1.6 or 60mpg for the 1.5.

I would have to drive the Petrol for 8 and a bit years before I started saving over the extra unit cost of the diesel engine, plus I'd imagine the petrol would be easier ie cheaper to look after.

Dacia's figures for the 1.5 diesel have it in the 60s for all the tests including City. Really! is that possible?

They claim 36mpg for the petrol in the City test. How's your's getting on OP?

[Toaster Pilot]

I think it's pretty much bang on at early 40s combined - can't complain

[Slushbox]

We've got a couple of Dacias in the family now, one diseasal and one TCe90. Can't fault either of them, even in Zanussi White. Prices are well up from last year by about £1000 on the higher spec Dusters/Logans. TCe90 is a hoot to drive in 'boost-zone.' You can 'overtake things' with it, despite 898cc and only three cylinders.

Dacia UK seem to have shifted all the 'nice' stuff; optional alloys, DCi110 etc into the higher trim specs for the 2017 Duster. So £3K more for the Duster DCi110 - which is £1K more (DCi90) on the other models, is annoying.

One tempter is the Two Year Servicing option at £299. Just been quoted £220 for the first service on the diesel, so took out the two year Service Pack on the petrol for £300. More money in the Porsche fund.

"Dacia's figures for the 1.5 diesel have it in the 60s for all the tests including City. Really! is that possible?"

Dacia Forum will advise.Seems to be 45-48 mpg for the DCi110 4x2 Dusters. We get 'only' 55 mpg out of the Logan DCi, which has 'some aerodynamics' against the Duster which hasn't. So 40mpg out of the petrol Access seems excellent.

http://www.daciaforum.co.uk/forum/forum/3-dacia-du...

Edited by Slushbox on Tuesday 25th April 20:25

[Max5476]

I do like the look of these, but I wouldn't buy a car without air conditioning or cruise control now, and that really pushes the price up to a point where I would rather buy something a bit more expensive.

[Nobby Clark]

Hi Toaster Pilot.

How are you finding the Duster Access now that you've had it for a few months?

Very much like the look of these myself!

Cheers,

Nobby

[Toaster Pilot]

Does everything I ask of it although that has reduced since I started working in London. 4600 on the clock because it barely gets used!

Ace though and I'd definitely recommend one

[Nobby Clark]

Toaster Pilot said:

Does everything I ask of it although that has reduced since I started working in London. 4600 on the clock because it barely gets used!

Ace though and I'd definitely recommend one

That's great!

Did you get round to fitting a stereo?

How well has the paintwork held up as I've heard the white that Dacia used is soft and can chip or mark easily?

Thanks again!!

Nobby

[Toaster Pilot]

No stereo. Don't really miss it so haven't bothered!

Paint is still perfect apart from a bit of paint transfer from some car park knob but it would polish out (no damage just a black line raised up from the paint)

Diamondbrite might not be bks after all (probably is)

[munk]

Having a Sandero myself, I completely get why you enjoy the car. There's something quite joyful about a basic car- would you agree?

I really fancied a 4wd duster, but when I went looking - there was nothing that fitted the bill locally- thus ending up with a Sandero as a compromise. How do you find it for rattles and squeaks? Also, how do you find the engine ?