RE: Dacia Duster
Discussion
Chris Harris said:
300bhp/ton said:
Guess it would depend on the farm in question. It would be nice to have more 4x4 options, but when looking about, claims of non off roaders being good off road only muddies the waters somewhat.
I don't mind it being a soft roader, but if it isn't a proper off roader then it should never be labelled as good off road.
Pedantry.I don't mind it being a soft roader, but if it isn't a proper off roader then it should never be labelled as good off road.
The Duster and all the Dacia range are an alternative for used cars. That's the philosophy in Europe. They are not pretending to be sport or luxury cars, just fairly basic and robust cars, cheap to buy, cheap to maintain. They are pretty reliable also, with not much to go wrong. The Duster was a big hit in EU, the waiting list in every country was huge when it was launched in 2010.
Here is a nice read about the Duster:
http://s19.postimage.org/l07oq2c4j/dd01.jpg
http://s19.postimage.org/c6gs8yp5v/dd02.jpg
http://s19.postimage.org/h6e8gwusj/dd03.jpg
http://s19.postimage.org/h6e8gwusj/dd03.jpg
http://s19.postimage.org/x76ttvso3/dd07.jpg
http://s19.postimage.org/5q7tivgmb/dd08.jpg
Bottom line, I think it will sell well in the UK also, and the majority will go for the top of the range trim, from the EU experience. The entry level price had the purpose to "make some noise" and lure people in the showrooms.
Here is a nice read about the Duster:
http://s19.postimage.org/l07oq2c4j/dd01.jpg
http://s19.postimage.org/c6gs8yp5v/dd02.jpg
http://s19.postimage.org/h6e8gwusj/dd03.jpg
http://s19.postimage.org/h6e8gwusj/dd03.jpg
http://s19.postimage.org/x76ttvso3/dd07.jpg
http://s19.postimage.org/5q7tivgmb/dd08.jpg
Bottom line, I think it will sell well in the UK also, and the majority will go for the top of the range trim, from the EU experience. The entry level price had the purpose to "make some noise" and lure people in the showrooms.
Pesty said:
What is that Eastern block 4x4 that is supposed to be very good reliable and cheap?
Lada Neva?
Think i'd rather go really basic and get one of those.
I did try specking one of these dusters and by the time I'd added ac etc etc is was about 18k
A Niva starts at over £11k - http://www.markkey.co.uk/Lada Neva?
Think i'd rather go really basic and get one of those.
I did try specking one of these dusters and by the time I'd added ac etc etc is was about 18k
Not sure why you'd want a basic Niva but then choose to spec up the Duster as a comparison? Basic spec would be absolutely fine on the Dacia, it's got more features than my Up by the sound of it
(or my Elise 
)....this car is great, does the job (although 3 star euroncap not great), and gets you out of this trap of having to spec up cars just because of their resale value. IMO, buy the most basic model, if it does loose most if its value after 3 years who cares and if it goes down to really silly money, just keep it until the doors fall off...
drivin_me_nuts said:
I would have thought, that in the world of rational thinking that the average Joe would not think 'ooh, that 11k 4x4 will trounce a Sahara spec G Wagen' or make a Defender wince at how far ahead this car has got. I would have thought that most people, taking a relative view would think towards comparable cars at the lower end of the market and set their expectations accordingly.
I seriously wonder if at times you apply a nitpick pedance purely for the hell of it.
Not really sure what your angle is here apart from wanting to have a go.I seriously wonder if at times you apply a nitpick pedance purely for the hell of it.
But similar priced 4x4 vehicles to my mind would be these:
Both of which are superb off roaders and extremely capable. Although smaller. If the Dacia was at this level of off road ability then great. But if it's more like a Nissan X-Trail ability then it's a bit like comparing a Tigra with an Elise.
toppstuff said:
Bash Brannigan said:
toppstuff said:
I am also a fan of the Dacia Duster.
Too many cars these days are like Apple iphones. They flatter to deceive with their excess shinyness and needless baubles, which often only exist to distract people from the reality of the product itself - which is usually mediocre at best.
The Dacia is an antidote to this.
It is the anti-Audi.
Anti-Apple people are hilarious. Too many cars these days are like Apple iphones. They flatter to deceive with their excess shinyness and needless baubles, which often only exist to distract people from the reality of the product itself - which is usually mediocre at best.
The Dacia is an antidote to this.
It is the anti-Audi.
300bhp/ton said:
Dacia was at this level of off road ability then great. But if it's more like a Nissan X-Trail ability then it's a bit like comparing a Tigra with an Elise.
what evidence do you want to enable you to make your decision?im sure with a rear locker it will be pretty handy as its already got a centre lock.. unlike the freelander.
maybe its equivalent to the modern vitara.. it isnt really used in anger yet as its still a bit too pricy for that
..*shrug*
SystemParanoia said:
what evidence do you want to enable you to make your decision?
Some more indepth specs of how it works maybe, gearing, 4wd system. Also seeing it use/action would be good.SystemParanoia said:
im sure with a rear locker it will be pretty handy as its already got a centre lock.. unlike the freelander.
Can you get a rear locker for it?As for the Freelander????
The FL can send power front or rear no problem, it uses a different type of AWD system that doesn't need a traditional locking centre diff, doesn't mean it can't achieve a similar result. The TCS systems on the FL also mean it can simulate locking axle diffs at both ends and control individual wheels while not losing it's turning circle.SystemParanoia said:
maybe its equivalent to the modern vitara.. it isnt really used in anger yet as its still a bit too pricy for that
..*shrug*
Some of the vids of the Dusty look quite impressive, I'm keen to learn more about them and maybe drive one now...*shrug*
300bhp/ton said:
But similar priced 4x4 vehicles to my mind would be these:
Both of which are superb off roaders and extremely capable. Although smaller. If the Dacia was at this level of off road ability then great. But if it's more like a Nissan X-Trail ability then it's a bit like comparing a Tigra with an Elise.
You've just compared the Duster - a mid-size family car - to two much smaller vehicles, which don't really compete. So a bit like comparing a Tigra with an Elise really. Both of which are superb off roaders and extremely capable. Although smaller. If the Dacia was at this level of off road ability then great. But if it's more like a Nissan X-Trail ability then it's a bit like comparing a Tigra with an Elise.
I think you're perhaps missing the point - whilst the Dacia's off-road ability remains relatively unknown (but surely a video opportunity for Mr.Harris et al...) - it is surely good enough for what is a cheap family car with utilitarian pretensions. I've been thinking of it as a soft-roader plus. Time will tell whether that's a reasonable opinion.
I love these.
Dont know what it is about them but I would jump at having one if I could justify buying a new car.. Maybe in 5 years or so when they have fallen in price, although I can't see them dropping that much. Look at the Jimny (as a similar classless car which is similar), You don't get much for under 2k.
Dont know what it is about them but I would jump at having one if I could justify buying a new car.. Maybe in 5 years or so when they have fallen in price, although I can't see them dropping that much. Look at the Jimny (as a similar classless car which is similar), You don't get much for under 2k.
The Lada Niva and to a slightly lesser degree Jimny are cars that are nigh-on undriveable above 30 mph on public roads. The comparison is silly.
Noone is claiming this is a bloody trophy vehicle capable of shrugging off sand-dunes like Kerry Ketona shrugging off a large kebab with a coke on the side, its just a cheap suv with excellent offroad capability COMPARED TO NORMAL CARS.
Noone is claiming this is a bloody trophy vehicle capable of shrugging off sand-dunes like Kerry Ketona shrugging off a large kebab with a coke on the side, its just a cheap suv with excellent offroad capability COMPARED TO NORMAL CARS.
It depends on where you are coming from though, if you were to ask a romanian farmer about the ride comfort in one - he would probably say it has a Maybach ride quality.
For us normal people used to driving modern cars, they are both very uncomfortable and more than half an hour on the M6 in either would probably give me a headache. The Jimny is a little bit better, but only just.
For us normal people used to driving modern cars, they are both very uncomfortable and more than half an hour on the M6 in either would probably give me a headache. The Jimny is a little bit better, but only just.
kambites said:
I did think that was an odd comment. I've never been in the Niva, but I've been at motorway speed in a Jimny and it felt fine - no worse than a small hatchback at that sort of speed.
The jimny I can sort of make a case for. The Lada Niva - drive one and any comparison with the Duster will just seem silly.The build quality is also shocking.
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