Dacia Duster, 999cc of Throbbing Fun

Dacia Duster, 999cc of Throbbing Fun

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Discussion

ChrisCh86

871 posts

46 months

Saturday 14th November 2020
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sosidge said:
So they're including aircon on the base spec car now?

Why pay more!
No, it's one up from the basic car - "Essential" trim for £12,995, rather than "Access"

Sheepshanks

33,116 posts

121 months

Saturday 14th November 2020
quotequote all
politeperson said:
The car is also quiet, the engine smooth and not too revy at speed, with 70 mph coming in at around 3,000 rpm.
I know years ago 4 speed manual could be as low as 15mph per 1,000rpm but these days 3,000 at 70 seems a lot.

Daughter's 1 litre 3cyl Ateca is 6 speed and doing around 2000rpm at 70.

Must admit I find these 3cyl turbo engines astonishing - OK, they're not fast but low down torque is usually good so they feel pretty effortless to drive.

pti

1,722 posts

146 months

Saturday 14th November 2020
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Good write up, thanks.

Really like these. I think one will be the replacement for my OH's Fiat 500 when it becomes uneconomical to repair.


Haltamer

2,460 posts

82 months

Saturday 14th November 2020
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Sheepshanks said:


Daughter's 1 litre 3cyl Ateca is 6 speed and doing around 2000rpm at 70.

Must admit I find these 3cyl turbo engines astonishing - OK, they're not fast but low down torque is usually good so they feel pretty effortless to drive.
Seems like the gearing is super long on quite a few of the 3yl Engines now; A friend has a 1L 3Cyl 125HP Focus which cruises at 70 at about 2K in 6th; Actually struggles to keep 6th in 50 limits.

BenRichards89

674 posts

137 months

Saturday 14th November 2020
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I've got a soft spot for these too. Please keep us updated!

V6todayEVmanana

769 posts

146 months

Saturday 14th November 2020
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Nice review, do keep us updated.

It’s nice you mentioned wind noise as road and wind noise bother me in cars. I was expecting Dacia would cut costs in terms of sound proofing to achieve the sticker price. Something other manufacturers do for either costs or weight reductions.

Is it much different to the others car you owned in terms of comfort and noise.

I had that engine in a Renault Captur as a rental car for nearly 2 weeks and really liked it. Was fun and hard to believe it’s size.




bucks

292 posts

209 months

Saturday 14th November 2020
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These have been on the possible next car list for a while now, interesting to see it get such praise.

Tom Ford of Top Gear mag has done a thing with one and I think it's awesome

https://www.topgear.com/long-term-car-reviews/daci...

pti

1,722 posts

146 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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bucks said:
These have been on the possible next car list for a while now, interesting to see it get such praise.

Tom Ford of Top Gear mag has done a thing with one and I think it's awesome

https://www.topgear.com/long-term-car-reviews/daci...
Agreed, very cool.

S100HP

12,761 posts

169 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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I like the idea of one of these for the wife but am put off by the NCAP rating of 3* which I feel is pretty poor these days.

The Rotrex Kid

30,540 posts

162 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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pti said:
bucks said:
These have been on the possible next car list for a while now, interesting to see it get such praise.

Tom Ford of Top Gear mag has done a thing with one and I think it's awesome

https://www.topgear.com/long-term-car-reviews/daci...
Agreed, very cool.
First time I’ve seen that. That’s actually very awesome.

politeperson

Original Poster:

552 posts

183 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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V6todayEVmanana said:
Nice review, do keep us updated.

It’s nice you mentioned wind noise as road and wind noise bother me in cars. I was expecting Dacia would cut costs in terms of sound proofing to achieve the sticker price. Something other manufacturers do for either costs or weight reductions.

Is it much different to the others car you owned in terms of comfort and noise.

I had that engine in a Renault Captur as a rental car for nearly 2 weeks and really liked it. Was fun and hard to believe it’s size.
Yes, the road noise I find very good. That is even in comparison to our expensive new E350 Estate. Overall, it is a refined car with a comfortable ride.

And I have type pressure monitoring too.

Davie

4,795 posts

217 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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Great post.

My Mum's friend has one, slightly older version but it seems to have survived all that has been thrown at it be it car park wars, the grandkids, neglect and a few dirt tracks and whilst a bit 'worn' it seems fine.

I can really see the appeal... cheap and basic so no paranoia about bumps and bruises and no unnecessary bling, ie huge alloys and such like plus I assume pretty light and eager to drive too? I also don't think the badge image is an issue... it's so cheap and basic, it's probably quite classless as cheap, robust motoring.


Mikebentley

6,217 posts

142 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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S100HP said:
I like the idea of one of these for the wife but am put off by the NCAP rating of 3* which I feel is pretty poor these days.
But aren’t the last two n cap stars given for tech, blind spot sensors etc not the structural integrity. Use your mirrors and look where your going and award yourself two imaginary stars.

Macron

9,998 posts

168 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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politeperson said:
I received 3 speeding fines and one parking ticket over one week in the 911 in July. Got sent to my UK home address from France. 45 euros a go with no points. I wasn't even going that fast. Thanks Macron. Farenheit 451 - cameras everywhere.

]
Sorry, it’s nothing personal, but you may have seen the <<yellow vests>> whom I must placate, and the idea of letting the bourgeois with the fancy cars they can afford invade our great nation and flout the rules is clearly not politically acceptable.

Naturally if you weren’t speeding, you wouldn’t have anything to complain about.

RC1807

12,621 posts

170 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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brough74 said:
Bought one myself last June, it’s a good car and fun to push on in, even evo are running one now on their fast fleet



Edited by brough74 on Friday 13th November 23:03
One of my colleagues has TWO of these, both metallic blue. One is his daily, and the other he keeps at this holiday home in the Algarve. He loves them!

Ryan_T

231 posts

107 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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Mikebentley said:
S100HP said:
I like the idea of one of these for the wife but am put off by the NCAP rating of 3* which I feel is pretty poor these days.
But aren’t the last two n cap stars given for tech, blind spot sensors etc not the structural integrity. Use your mirrors and look where your going and award yourself two imaginary stars.
And isn’t it constantly evolving? Ie a 3 star car now is like a 5 star car years ago.

brough74

125 posts

163 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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This was my daily for 18 months, i put some all terrain tyres on it and it did everything the previous range rover did, people might not believe that but because its lighter it does bog down in the mud as much. Fair enough it cant tow the same weight but it matches my trailer perfectly.

I have a golf R now along side this (as i did not want to get rid of this) but this is more fun to hustle along at normal speed and as mentioned you dont need to worry about it, mine is the 1.5 dci 4x4.

As mentioned the 3 star rating is because the lack of fancy electronic safety aids.

A lot of people ask you about them and what they are like, even for a petrol head like me that's had nearly 50 different cars, it tells you something that ive kept hold of this one. Thats only happened once before this.

crofty1984

15,948 posts

206 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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My brother had a Sandero and was pleased with it. It's a good car, If I had 12k to spend on a new car, is be looking at the starter. I quite like the brand identity "competent and inexpensive".

MrGTI6

3,169 posts

132 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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Great post, your Duster looks like all the car you would ever need and more besides. An immensely capable all-rounder and incredible value. Makes perfect sense to buy one new and just keep it for 20+ years!



S100HP said:
I like the idea of one of these for the wife but am put off by the NCAP rating of 3* which I feel is pretty poor these days.
I wouldn't let that put you off. It's probably been marked down due to a lack of driver aids. The car is basically a Renault, and if you're going to crash a mainstream car, you could do a lot worse than being in a Renault!

I've just seen they do a 150bhp petrol turbo version as well! I bet you could catch a few people out with that!


Edited by MrGTI6 on Sunday 15th November 11:18

V6todayEVmanana

769 posts

146 months

Sunday 15th November 2020
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Ryan_T said:
And isn’t it constantly evolving? Ie a 3 star car now is like a 5 star car years ago.
Indeed. My Giulietta was a 5star in 2012 and 97% adult occupancy score but then the same model getting only 3stars and 77% score against her 2017 goalposts.

I think cars are designed to do well in tests but when the tests change the results differ widely.

I noticed the Renault Captur does better so probably where the Dacia has been built to a price. Which is fine.