Dacia Duster??
Discussion
Firstly - NOT FOR ME!! 
A guy I work with, lets call him Craig (for no better reason than thats his name)is looking to buy a car. He's had company cars on lease and rightfully accuses his Insignia of being dull and boring. He's changing job so now needs to buy his own car and set a budget of £12K in his head based on thats what his lease car costs over three years. He's not 'set of fire' by many cars although likes the idea of a faux 4x4 if it comes to it
He saw a good review on a Dacia Duster and twigged that you can get a new one for £12k (I reckon you can get a six month old ex demo for way less).
Are they really as sh*t as you might expect them to be for the money or are they some sort of jewel in the crown....?
Has anyone got a real experience of one so I can pass the message along please.
A guy I work with, lets call him Craig (for no better reason than thats his name)is looking to buy a car. He's had company cars on lease and rightfully accuses his Insignia of being dull and boring. He's changing job so now needs to buy his own car and set a budget of £12K in his head based on thats what his lease car costs over three years. He's not 'set of fire' by many cars although likes the idea of a faux 4x4 if it comes to it
He saw a good review on a Dacia Duster and twigged that you can get a new one for £12k (I reckon you can get a six month old ex demo for way less).
Are they really as sh*t as you might expect them to be for the money or are they some sort of jewel in the crown....?
Has anyone got a real experience of one so I can pass the message along please.
I hired one a few months ago for a trip from Gloucester to Glasgow and back. I didn't specifically want a Duster it was just the only vehicle that could be supplied at the time.
It was a manual 1.5DCI which I believe is the same engine used in a the mk2 Renault Clios and some Nissans. Initially I had high expectations that over the 800 odd miles I anticipated doing over the weekend that renting a diesel would be better than taking my VR6.
How wrong I was, the engine is geared for 10-30mph and 50-60mph, anything outside of that range and it's a gutless but worse still woeful on fuel. Sat at 70mph * ish on the motorway the trip computer was displaying 31mpg - barely any better than my 2.9 6 cylinder, at anything above that (baring in mind it appeared to top out before three figure speeds) resulted in a drop to low 20s!
Around town 1st gear barely gets you moving, the remaining gears too tall for the low power. The steering was so so light it felt like driving on ice and became worse the faster you went. The pedals I presume are lifted straight out of the clio as anyone with larger than size 7 feet will find them irritating.
That said it had climate control and bluetooth connectivity which for some people rank as more important than a good quality steering wheel, a direct gear shift and weighted controls!
Personally I'd have rather driven my relative's 10 year old petrol Rav4 as it's a far better car!!!
It was a manual 1.5DCI which I believe is the same engine used in a the mk2 Renault Clios and some Nissans. Initially I had high expectations that over the 800 odd miles I anticipated doing over the weekend that renting a diesel would be better than taking my VR6.
How wrong I was, the engine is geared for 10-30mph and 50-60mph, anything outside of that range and it's a gutless but worse still woeful on fuel. Sat at 70mph * ish on the motorway the trip computer was displaying 31mpg - barely any better than my 2.9 6 cylinder, at anything above that (baring in mind it appeared to top out before three figure speeds) resulted in a drop to low 20s!
Around town 1st gear barely gets you moving, the remaining gears too tall for the low power. The steering was so so light it felt like driving on ice and became worse the faster you went. The pedals I presume are lifted straight out of the clio as anyone with larger than size 7 feet will find them irritating.
That said it had climate control and bluetooth connectivity which for some people rank as more important than a good quality steering wheel, a direct gear shift and weighted controls!
Personally I'd have rather driven my relative's 10 year old petrol Rav4 as it's a far better car!!!
I suspect a Duster is as thrilling to driving as my sister's 10yr old Scenic with the same 1.5 diesel engine.
If you are limiting yourself to 12-large, not a supermini and want something with a factory warranty then there's not much choice.
It's the sort of car you really need to plan on owning for a good number of years to get the full value, as I suspect long term residuals will be poor.
Also, I believe the first batch of UK have already had a recall as they all went rusty the first time it rained.
Finally, you can't get the cool brown paintwork most of the ones in France seem to be.
If you are limiting yourself to 12-large, not a supermini and want something with a factory warranty then there's not much choice.
It's the sort of car you really need to plan on owning for a good number of years to get the full value, as I suspect long term residuals will be poor.
Also, I believe the first batch of UK have already had a recall as they all went rusty the first time it rained.
Finally, you can't get the cool brown paintwork most of the ones in France seem to be.
croyde said:
There was a massive thread on PH about a year or so ago where everybody raved about the Duster.
Probably this one - http://www.pistonheads.com/roadtests/doc.asp?c=47&...Not driven one but was tempted to get one as a cheap load carrier and children transporter. It would have mainly been driven in town and I would have gone for the cheapest bare bones version.
If you are spending a lot of time on A and M roads, I'd suspect you wouldn't want a Duster or any other small engined cheap car.
If you are spending a lot of time on A and M roads, I'd suspect you wouldn't want a Duster or any other small engined cheap car.
I went to actually buy one last year and was told that they'd take in my px vehicle but I'd have to wait over 7 months for the Duster.
Over 7 months without a car, uhhmm.....
I bought a Nissan with the same 1.5Dci engine which is pretty good and returns over 60mpg (average) but drops to low 50's around town.
Over 7 months without a car, uhhmm.....
I bought a Nissan with the same 1.5Dci engine which is pretty good and returns over 60mpg (average) but drops to low 50's around town.
We've got one as the family car. Love it. Find it very comfortable, doesn't matter if the kids get covered in crap biking/playing in the park/football etc. Swallows bikes, camping gear and everything no probs. Only costs about £160pcm, cheap as chips.
Not the most engaging drive(!), but it uses hardly any diesel, has all tried and tested parts on so hopefully will be reliable (it has been faultless over the past year). Just what's needed. So glad I didn't spend anymore on something with a better badge/interior as it's now a right state inside.
Not the most engaging drive(!), but it uses hardly any diesel, has all tried and tested parts on so hopefully will be reliable (it has been faultless over the past year). Just what's needed. So glad I didn't spend anymore on something with a better badge/interior as it's now a right state inside.
roystinho said:
We've got one as the family car. Love it. Find it very comfortable, doesn't matter if the kids get covered in crap biking/playing in the park/football etc. Swallows bikes, camping gear and everything no probs. Only costs about £160pcm, cheap as chips..
You can get a Skoda Yeti for the same money, which is actually a very, very good car. Not saying anything wrong with the Duster, I have never driven one, but was lent a Yeti and very nearly bought one I was that impressed with it.
Spend £12k on a Duster and get around £5k in 3 years and 30k miles, which is £194 a month in depreciation.
Just tell him to hire a new Skoda Yeti 2.0tdi SE, for £960 down and then £159 a month.
https://www.contracthireandleasing.com/car-leasing...
Just tell him to hire a new Skoda Yeti 2.0tdi SE, for £960 down and then £159 a month.
https://www.contracthireandleasing.com/car-leasing...
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