Dacia Duster, 999cc of Throbbing Fun

[Mikebentley]

Cool car. Did you get a Ducati too?

[croyde]

Did have a Ducati but swapped it for a Bonneville. A Speed Twin 900.

[renmure]

Mikebentley said:

renmure said:

Well, on Monday I’ll need to contact the dealer to book mine back in to fix the fan blower resistor thing again ….. for the 5th time in under 2 years!!

.......... Then someone suggested it wasn’t the switch it is the resistor that is controlled by the switch which is clearly just nit picking as from a driver’s perspective it is the switch that doesn’t carry out its function.

They simply replace the resistor in my car, then it works, until it doesn't.

I can't really fault the dealer in this. I phone up and tell them what's wrong and that it will be a warranty claim and that it will take an hour. They change the part, I go next door for a coffee and a bit of carrot cake and when I come back it's done, the car is washed and the inside valeted.

I will get them to give me all the dates they have had the car in tho, and I'll contact Dacia and see if they will pay the £270 to extend the warranty for 2 years as the initial 3 year one runs out in March.

[Mikebentley]

renmure said:

Mikebentley said:

renmure said:

Well, on Monday I’ll need to contact the dealer to book mine back in to fix the fan blower resistor thing again ….. for the 5th time in under 2 years!!

.......... Then someone suggested it wasn’t the switch it is the resistor that is controlled by the switch which is clearly just nit picking as from a driver’s perspective it is the switch that doesn’t carry out its function.

They simply replace the resistor in my car, then it works, until it doesn't.

I can't really fault the dealer in this. I phone up and tell them what's wrong and that it will be a warranty claim and that it will take an hour. They change the part, I go next door for a coffee and a bit of carrot cake and when I come back it's done, the car is washed and the inside valeted.

I will get them to give me all the dates they have had the car in tho, and I'll contact Dacia and see if they will pay the £270 to extend the warranty for 2 years as the initial 3 year one runs out in March.

Good luck with that. I think it’s wise because you know it’s likely to happen again. They are such capable workhorses.

[sutoka]

jasonrobertson86 said:

croyde said:

So after 3 years of throbbing fun in what was an amazing little SUV, 16300 miles up and down the UK, my within London commute, countless dump runs, moving friends and taking my daughter to University, I have just walked home from WBAC with £9300 added to my Bank account.

£300 more than what the dealer of my new car offered in part ex.

Pretty good for a car that cost me £10500 brand new. No problems and after a good clean it looked brand new again.

All I could find was a stone chip on the front of the bonnet and some paint missing from the rear steel wheels.

3rd service was due and the tax had run out but I wasn't penalised for that.

I feel quite sad though

Wow, what a result....

I paid £10750 for a 2019 Polo just before Covid for my mother. Similar spec Polos are now approaching 5 year old are selling up to £12k, put the reg into WBAC and they said £10250. It's driven 21,000 miles by an elderly lady not much over 30mph so I'm in no doubt they'll knock a bit off but even a grand exc tax and insurance for 4 years motoring is pretty good value.

[jamesson]

I did an interim oil and filter change on my Duster this morning at 45,000 miles. All running well, nothing to report, no shiny glitter in the oil.

The oil is a funny sort of deep red colour when it comes out. I guess that's just how it is but I've never seen that with any other car.

[ChocolateFrog]

jamesson said:

I did an interim oil and filter change on my Duster this morning at 45,000 miles. All running well, nothing to report, no shiny glitter in the oil.

The oil is a funny sort of deep red colour when it comes out. I guess that's just how it is but I've never seen that with any other car.

I've noted that too, really weird, no idea what's going on. Can only think it's the RN17 spec oil?

Only glitter I've ever seen was on the first oil change at about 900 miles. None since.

In hindsight I should have done it at less than 100 miles, it's all left over from the manufacturing processes.

[Mikebentley]

My mate purchased his 2021 LPG Comfort spec Duster in early 2022 after seeing how mine saved me so much money. His has the more integrated LPG system. Well he’s just called me because his will no longer switch over to LPG. He’s done 40k miles probably 38k on LPG and the symptoms sound the same as the problems I had. The error code LPG Ignition or Injection flashed up on the display briefly. He’s found a Polish guy locally who he will try if the dealer fails to fix it.

[blueST]

Mikebentley said:

My mate purchased his 2021 LPG Comfort spec Duster in early 2022 after seeing how mine saved me so much money. His has the more integrated LPG system. Well he’s just called me because his will no longer switch over to LPG. He’s done 40k miles probably 38k on LPG and the symptoms sound the same as the problems I had. The error code LPG Ignition or Injection flashed up on the display briefly. He’s found a Polish guy locally who he will try if the dealer fails to fix it.

I wonder if the LPG filters have everbeen changed? I thinks it 18k intervals. I’m a suspicious sort, and I wonder if a garage not used to working on LPG might not do this job.

[Mikebentley]

blueST said:

Mikebentley said:

My mate purchased his 2021 LPG Comfort spec Duster in early 2022 after seeing how mine saved me so much money. His has the more integrated LPG system. Well he’s just called me because his will no longer switch over to LPG. He’s done 40k miles probably 38k on LPG and the symptoms sound the same as the problems I had. The error code LPG Ignition or Injection flashed up on the display briefly. He’s found a Polish guy locally who he will try if the dealer fails to fix it.

I wonder if the LPG filters have everbeen changed? I thinks it 18k intervals. I’m a suspicious sort, and I wonder if a garage not used to working on LPG might not do this job.

I raised this very point with mine. The techs didn’t even know there were filters in LPG systems. Even after they told me they had fixed it they didn’t. They were clueless fitters.

[bungz]

Mikebentley said:

My mate purchased his 2021 LPG Comfort spec Duster in early 2022 after seeing how mine saved me so much money. His has the more integrated LPG system. Well he’s just called me because his will no longer switch over to LPG. He’s done 40k miles probably 38k on LPG and the symptoms sound the same as the problems I had. The error code LPG Ignition or Injection flashed up on the display briefly. He’s found a Polish guy locally who he will try if the dealer fails to fix it.

Polskis love LPG.

Bet he will sort it, if/when our sandero ever goes tits up on the LPG wont be going the dealers after your stories!

Local place was 73p today, still a ok saving.

My duster armrest catch has failed, locked solid cant open it.

Dacia have no lead time on parts and I am selling the car so have had to buy one off a breakers!

An absolute shambles of a dealer.

[ChocolateFrog]

Mine had the audacity to email me to tell me to book it in for its first service.

I've serviced it 4 times and the 5th is in 1000 miles

I was tempted to email back saying you couldn't even drill the numberplate holes level why should I trust my car with you?

Clicked unsubscribe, seemed the more adultier option.

[bungz]

Our Sandero went in for its first service ( the pollen filter and tyre kick A service ). This was at a year and around 14K.

Was told the next service should be done before 24K.

So dacia are happy these little 1 litre turbo engines to chug through 24K on its original oil.

Madness.

I changed ours at 8K and will again shortly at around 16K.

[DaHell]

Dacia main dealer techs are bloody useless, my local Indy serviced my Duster all filters the lot....for half the price, all making it a brilliant service. Unlike the baboon's at main dealer.

My little Duster will be going up for sale this weekend, end of the road for me & the Duster unfortunately.

[Shinyfings]

To give you an idea of Dacia Customer Service this is my experience:

Me: my car (22 plate Duster 12k miles with their Dual clutch box) has a heavy vibration when it changes gear

Dacia Dealer One: yes it does but we’ve no idea if it’s normal so have no idea if we can do anything. We’ve never seen or driven the same model.

I take a test drive of the same car at Dealer Two without saying why. No vibration and a totally different change.

Dacia Dealer Two drives my car: yes there is an issue, it’s not right, please book it in.

Dacia Dealer Two: after a week with the car, we know something is up but don’t know what, so can you bring it back in as we think we need to replace the gearbox (or at least take it out).

Dacia Dealer Two second booking (after two days): we’ve re-set the software so can you drive it for 500 miles and see if the issue goes away.

I’m not saying that it won’t be right after 500 miles but I’m confident it won’t be and it’s comedy trying to deal with them.

In short, think twice about buying a Dacia. The car is mostly okay for the price. The dealers are comedy gold. I know this is my first and last Dacia.

Edited by Shinyfings on Friday 9th February 16:36

[ChocolateFrog]

bungz said:

Our Sandero went in for its first service ( the pollen filter and tyre kick A service ). This was at a year and around 14K.

Was told the next service should be done before 24K.

So dacia are happy these little 1 litre turbo engines to chug through 24K on its original oil.

Madness.

I changed ours at 8K and will again shortly at around 16K.

And people wonder why the top end starts to rattle.

Insane intervals and to the uninitiated they think the manufacturers have their best interests at heart.

In reality the engine probably could make it through the warranty without a change but the dealers would start squealing I expect.

[blueST]

ChocolateFrog said:

bungz said:

Our Sandero went in for its first service ( the pollen filter and tyre kick A service ). This was at a year and around 14K.

Was told the next service should be done before 24K.

So dacia are happy these little 1 litre turbo engines to chug through 24K on its original oil.

Madness.

I changed ours at 8K and will again shortly at around 16K.

And people wonder why the top end starts to rattle.

Insane intervals and to the uninitiated they think the manufacturers have their best interests at heart.

In reality the engine probably could make it through the warranty without a change but the dealers would start squealing I expect.

I firmly believe the only reason for the A service at 12months is to give to dealership cash. I reckon the cars were intended by Renault to be on 2 yearly service intervals, but the dealers probably moaned at the loss of income so they invented the totally unnecessary 12 month pollen filter change. Strange that from then on the pollen filter lasts 2 years…

[Mikebentley]

Some of the crappy service was sort of expected by me and to an extent acceptable…ish at £11200 pre reg. The cars are no longer what I consider cheap. I do love the look of the new designed Duster though not enough to get me out of my MG4 Trophy EV which replaced my D.

[Shinyfings]

Mikebentley said:

Some of the crappy service was sort of expected by me and to an extent acceptable…ish at £11200 pre reg. The cars are no longer what I consider cheap. I do love the look of the new designed Duster though not enough to get me out of my MG4 Trophy EV which replaced my D.

I’m glad you’re not tempted. I’ve had Dacia U.K. allegedly helping and yet no progress has actually been made in the three dealer visits since July ‘23. The car remains the same. Maybe their strategy is to keep me visiting until month 37 when they’ll say you’re on your own now mate.

I can’t emphasise enough how useless they are.

[Mikebentley]

Shinyfings said:

Mikebentley said:

Some of the crappy service was sort of expected by me and to an extent acceptable…ish at £11200 pre reg. The cars are no longer what I consider cheap. I do love the look of the new designed Duster though not enough to get me out of my MG4 Trophy EV which replaced my D.

I’m glad you’re not tempted. I’ve had Dacia U.K. allegedly helping and yet no progress has actually been made in the three dealer visits since July ‘23. The car remains the same. Maybe their strategy is to keep me visiting until month 37 when they’ll say you’re on your own now mate.

I can’t emphasise enough how useless they are.

If you read my experience on this thread yous just echos mine. I got the feeling it is nigh on impossible for the dealer to get approval for warranty work. I believe absolutely they are told to get you in (day wasted) identify a problem. Then book job 6/12 weeks wait. Get car in and don’t fix it. Then rinse and repeat until out of warranty.