RE: Dacia Duster: PH Fleet

[D200]

A £19k duster is a 'basic' car in the land of pistonheads

Just like a £90k 911 Carerra T is a 911 for the masses

[Ilovejapcrap]

Should say 250 quid lol

[Moos3h]

I (sadly) have one - have no idea what I was thinking but it’s a hateful piece of junk. Just terrible.

[Silenoz]

Moos3h said:

I (sadly) have one - have no idea what I was thinking but it’s a hateful piece of junk. Just terrible.

Could you explain please? I ask as I was considering one up until last week as a second car, until I decided to reduce the budget severely so ended up with an old Japanese hatchback instead, but had thought I would return to the idea in the new year. Any insight would be much appreciated.

[thelawnet1]

That Duster pricing in full:

Base price £9495

Trim Levels (net of £250 deposit contribution applicable on all except for Access model)
Access +£0
Ambiance +£1250 (add radio, front fog lights, body coloured bumpers, height adjustable driver's seat, rear reading light, split/fold rear seats)
Laureate +£2750 (add roof bars, skid plates, leather steering wheel, map pockets, trip computer, cruise control, electric door mirrors, air con, electric rear windows, glove box light, passenger vanity mirror)
Prestige +£3650 (add alloys, satnav, camera, parking sensor)
SE Summit +£4650 (Metallic paint as standard, orange trim)

Options
Metallic paint +£495 (not on Access)
Fake leather +£495 (not on Access/Ambiance)
Parking sensors +£200 (on Ambiance/Laureate)
Parking camera +£400 (option on Laureate)
Satnav +£450 (option on Laureate)

Engines:
Renault H4mk 16v 1.6l 115bhp petrol (145g CO2) +£0 - Access/Ambiance spec only
Nissan H5ft 1.2l turbo 125bhp petrol (138g CO2) +£800 - Laureate/Prestige/Summit spec only
Nissan K9K 658 1.5l turbo 110bhp diesel (115g CO2) +£1000 (N.B. net of extra £1000 of deposit contribution applicable to diesel only) - Not Access spec

4x4 +£2000
Auto +£1000 (but only an option on 4x2 diesel, and only on Laureate spec and higher)

Scrappage allowance (against a car registered 209 or earlier):
Access: £0
Ambiance £500
Laureate and up £1000

Dacia REALLY don't want to sell any Access models, giving £0 scrappage, £0 deposit contribution and no extended warranty.

All other models come with a (£395 value) extended warranty to 5 years/60,000 miles.

I still, however, think the basic car is the one to go for, though, especially as I'd rather have the 1.6 petrol than the 1.2 turbo, though there's no chance of air con with the 1.6.

[Toaster Pilot]

croyde said:

A PHer has a thread on here somewhere on the basic Duster he bought. He loves it.

Was hard to get as apparently hardly anyone buys the Base model. I asked at my local dealer and a basic petrol FWD model was a 4 month wait.

I'm still tempted and love the idea of fitting my own radio, like the old days.

Have looked at secondhand but it seems people hold on to them and they do keep their value.

That would be me. 7k or so on the clock now. Hardly gets used because I work in the smoke but I did do an 800 mile round trip at the weekend just gone.

The wait was less than the dealer said it would be. 10 weeks or so rather than 12-14

Does everything I ask of it albeit not particularly quickly - the 1600 petrol does run out of steam on steep gradients on the motorway etc but then that’s what the gearbox is for.

Had to buy roof bars the other week to sling some ladders on the roof. Amazed that the dealer was half the price of Halfords!

Sounds like the 1.6 is better on fuel than the TCe

Edited by Toaster Pilot on Wednesday 22 November 23:56

[croyde]

Ilovejapcrap said:

Got a link ?

Also fitting own radio , Bluetooth satnav iPod DAB etc all for what 2500 quid ? That’s a,out of extras for not much money lol

You can get a head unit that does all that bar the Sat Nav for less than £100.

In my new car the Nav was a 900 quid extra. I never used it. Waze or Google on my phone is far superior.

[Craikeybaby]

The simplicity is why I specced one of these up yesterday. It was just over £15k for what I’d go for, which is a jump on the base price, but I’d plan on keeping it for a long time.

I’d rather have something new and simple from a cheap brand, than used and complicated from a premium brand.

[Fury1630]

Seriously considering one of these for when the 140k mile, 15 year old Zafira gives up the ghost.

Trouble is it too has never failed to start, never failed an MoT & apart from a couple of MAF sensors has never needed any non-service parts. It just carries on relentlessly doing what I need it to do with no fuss & nothing it doesn't need to do it. So it may well be some time yet before it needs replacing.

Since I never use the radio or the aircon in it, I won't miss them will I?

Edited by Fury1630 on Thursday 23 November 12:39

[annodomini2]

thelawnet1 said:

...
Nissan K9K 658 1.5l turbo 110bhp diesel (115g CO2) +£1000 (N.B. net of extra £1000 of deposit contribution applicable to diesel only) - Not Access spec

K9K is a Renault engine.

[morgrp]

shirt said:

eldar said:

shirt said:

I dont see the love for these. We have them as site vehicles (africa) and they’re woeful.

Why? Capability, reliability, price?

They’re pretty tough and have a decent boot but can’t say much beyond that. Ours are bog basic so obviously not expecting much in the way of trim levels, but ride is poor/crashy and gets worse the bumpier it is. Our minibus rides better and a renault 11 taxi i took at the weekend had it whipped for ride and comfort! 4 normal sized passengers also pushes legroom to the limit. When we drive on the truck route we take an old nissan patrol as the duster’s faults come to the fore whilst also having zero road presence. They’re not a big car.

The only thing on offer is price but at the spec shown here even that falls very flat.

Hmmm I'm not convinced by your argument, I want one for slithering up and down muddy tracks in West Wales not scaling the plains of Africa. That would be like taking a knife to a gun fight. I'm pretty sure faults like "zero road presence" isn't going to be an issue in rural Wales.
I see a lot of these in Southern Spain off the beaten track, and a lot in Rural parts of Wales which leads me to believe they are tough, easy to live with and dependable.
I don't need a complicated car - just one that works in all weathers and is largely practical. I reckon I will test one and I reckon a mid spec 4WD is the one to have - that way you get some toys and keep the value.

Lets say a mid spec is 15k on the road (I have checked) - I defy anyone to find an alternative WITH 4wd and the same spec for the money - 19k would only buy you a fairly poverty spec Qashqai or Kia Sportage with 2wd only

[kambites]

I suppose it's a fair bit smaller, but a Panda 4x4 is similar money.

[Roger Irrelevant]

morgrp said:

Lets say a mid spec is 15k on the road (I have checked) - I defy anyone to find an alternative WITH 4wd and the same spec for the money - 19k would only buy you a fairly poverty spec Qashqai or Kia Sportage with 2wd only

Indeed - when discussing Dacias that have a few options people always seem to travel back in time 25 years to when £15k was actually quite a bit of money to spend on a new car. I think I'm right in saying that the average cost of a new car in 2017 is around £27k. You can spend more than that on a Qashqai if you really want to. So £15k for a half-decent-sized new car with most of the creature comforts you'll actually need, a five year warranty and 4wd is pretty bloody cheap.

[HTP99]

Roger Irrelevant said:

morgrp said:

Lets say a mid spec is 15k on the road (I have checked) - I defy anyone to find an alternative WITH 4wd and the same spec for the money - 19k would only buy you a fairly poverty spec Qashqai or Kia Sportage with 2wd only

Indeed - when discussing Dacias that have a few options people always seem to travel back in time 25 years to when £15k was actually quite a bit of money to spend on a new car. I think I'm right in saying that the average cost of a new car in 2017 is around £27k. You can spend more than that on a Qashqai if you really want to. So £15k for a half-decent-sized new car with most of the creature comforts you'll actually need, a five year warranty and 4wd is pretty bloody cheap.

Exactly; a mid spec Clio is similar money.

[shirt]

morgrp said:

shirt said:

eldar said:

shirt said:

I dont see the love for these. We have them as site vehicles (africa) and they’re woeful.

Why? Capability, reliability, price?

They’re pretty tough and have a decent boot but can’t say much beyond that. Ours are bog basic so obviously not expecting much in the way of trim levels, but ride is poor/crashy and gets worse the bumpier it is. Our minibus rides better and a renault 11 taxi i took at the weekend had it whipped for ride and comfort! 4 normal sized passengers also pushes legroom to the limit. When we drive on the truck route we take an old nissan patrol as the duster’s faults come to the fore whilst also having zero road presence. They’re not a big car.

The only thing on offer is price but at the spec shown here even that falls very flat.

Hmmm I'm not convinced by your argument, I want one for slithering up and down muddy tracks in West Wales not scaling the plains of Africa. That would be like taking a knife to a gun fight. I'm pretty sure faults like "zero road presence" isn't going to be an issue in rural Wales.
I see a lot of these in Southern Spain off the beaten track, and a lot in Rural parts of Wales which leads me to believe they are tough, easy to live with and dependable.
I don't need a complicated car - just one that works in all weathers and is largely practical. I reckon I will test one and I reckon a mid spec 4WD is the one to have - that way you get some toys and keep the value.

Lets say a mid spec is 15k on the road (I have checked) - I defy anyone to find an alternative WITH 4wd and the same spec for the money - 19k would only buy you a fairly poverty spec Qashqai or Kia Sportage with 2wd only

How do you scale a plain?

I gave an opinion. For what its worth I’m in Madagascar which means a mix of cobbled streets, narrow windy paved roads, plenty of hills, flat open lanes and a few mud tracks. Kinda like, hmmmm, wales.

I could have compared it to my discovery v8. I chose not to do so. I don’t think its a good car, but at sub 10k brand new there are comprises to be made for which simplicity and reliability are at the fore. As tested at 18k its laughable.

[D200]

Looking at Dacia site The pistonheads spec’d car is actually the minimum spec you’d need if you want them compare it to any post 2000 car. Plus you’d ideally want extended warranty at £850. So it’s nearly a£20k car.

I can think of hundreds of cars at £20k I’d rather have. New and used. There are loads of good fresh cars low miles still years of warranty left (plus extendable). At 10k I can see the appeal but at 19k + no thanks

[Moos3h]

Silenoz said:

Could you explain please? I ask as I was considering one up until last week as a second car, until I decided to reduce the budget severely so ended up with an old Japanese hatchback instead, but had thought I would return to the idea in the new year. Any insight would be much appreciated.

Sure. Firstly, the ride is terrible - feels ok ish in a straight line but at anything approaching a bend it rolls and wobbles and generally feels very unsure of itself (I drive like a granny too).

Secondly the economy is dire (4x4 1.5 dci) - sub 40mpg (recorded) at ‘keeping pace with the traffic’ speeds on the motorway.

Thirdly it’s already showing signs of being a wrong ‘un (64 plate, 23k) but already the MediaNav packed up - I was pleased as it was cack but now the reversing sensors have stopped working, possibly due to water ingress which is basically everywhere.

It’s one of my worst car choices to date, and I’ve owned Rovers.

[Toaster Pilot]

D200 said:

Looking at Dacia site The pistonheads spec’d car is actually the minimum spec you’d need if you want them compare it to any post 2000 car. Plus you’d ideally want extended warranty at £850. So it’s nearly a£20k

[nobrakes]

"The wheel control is poor, yes"

^ this.

I've seen one lose control on the motorway. Combining the poor steering and increased likelihood that the driver is no enthusiast by the type of car it is = avoid, not just to buy, but even if you see one on the road.

Edited by nobrakes on Friday 24th November 09:34

[D200]

nobrakes said:

= avoid, not just to buy, but even if you see one on the road.