Adventures the austerity motoring - Dacia Sandero
Discussion
As I write this, I wonder to myself about whether I've done the right thing. However, recently my work hack (a 165hp diesel Fiat Bravo) suffered rather catastrophic engine failure. I was patched up by the local garage and send under the express orders to trade it in as a part ex on a newer car.
I work for a local authority, and public sector being the public sector they've designated me as an essential car user and pay my millage of about 800 a week. Catch is that they expect you to buy, run and service your own car. No lease car schemes were available - so it became a case of economic viability. Ergo, what was going to cost me the least amount of money over the course of my home and work millage.
After running a few sheds and classics in the past, I didn’t want to go down the route of buying something older- while I’m sure I’d have some fun, they’d cripple me financially.
After a lot of deliberating, I was left with four viable options. Either a '13 D4D Yaris, an '11 Civic DTEC, a '14 3 pot diesel Fabia estate or an '16 ex demo Sandero Dci. The missus already has a Yaris, the Civic although low in miles was in a pretty poor state, the Fabia was slow and wobbly so the Dacia got the nod. It was the newest, had the least toys to go wrong (but crucially came with aircon, Bluetooth and cruise control) was the best condition and had the longest balance of warranty and lowest miles (5k). I'd had a few Renault Clios in the past (my last took me from new to 130k with nothing more than regular servicing)- so I figured that they were fairly hardly little Cars and seeing as though the Sandero was just an old Clio in a new dress- it appeared to make vague financial sense.
So, I rang the dealer and collected the car the next day- here some pictures:
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/IRR5pQvs[/url]
I duly drove it into work and averaged an indicated 63mpg over about 600 miles (a quick bit of maths at the pump confirmed about 62ish) for the course of the first week as I got to know the car.
At first, I missed the power and refinement of the old car. But, saying that the engine seemed not to be quite the dramatic step down that I had expected. The lower weight meant that I could make fairly good progress if I kept it in its torque range, but I was going to need to plan my overtaking manoeuvres a little more in advance. The jury is out on the benefits of being able to here the turbo whistle through the passenger footwell though.
The ride quality isn’t too bad, coming from sport suspension and low profile tyres- the 65 profile 15s will be heap to replace and won’t cats over the potholed back roads on tramline quite so badly. It’s actually surprisingly good fun to hustle along when you wind it up.
The interior is very basic- but entirely functional. The seats are fair soft and squidgy, no real support to speak of and the drivers seat squeaks. The plastics are hard and shiny- but on a positive note, I could literally turn the garden hose on them. The switchgear is all centralised on the dash- including the cruise control and electric window switches, not entirely sure if I’m every going to get used to not having one touch windows though. There are rattles, nothing seems to really fit properly and the lack of sound deadening is a bit irksome on long journeys. The boot either opens by pulling a lever under the drivers seat, or by putting the key in the lock- there is no external boot handle, not a favourite feature in the rain frankly.
Otherwise, the car does its job and does it without complaining. Hopefully I’ll post up here an update on the progress.
I work for a local authority, and public sector being the public sector they've designated me as an essential car user and pay my millage of about 800 a week. Catch is that they expect you to buy, run and service your own car. No lease car schemes were available - so it became a case of economic viability. Ergo, what was going to cost me the least amount of money over the course of my home and work millage.
After running a few sheds and classics in the past, I didn’t want to go down the route of buying something older- while I’m sure I’d have some fun, they’d cripple me financially.
After a lot of deliberating, I was left with four viable options. Either a '13 D4D Yaris, an '11 Civic DTEC, a '14 3 pot diesel Fabia estate or an '16 ex demo Sandero Dci. The missus already has a Yaris, the Civic although low in miles was in a pretty poor state, the Fabia was slow and wobbly so the Dacia got the nod. It was the newest, had the least toys to go wrong (but crucially came with aircon, Bluetooth and cruise control) was the best condition and had the longest balance of warranty and lowest miles (5k). I'd had a few Renault Clios in the past (my last took me from new to 130k with nothing more than regular servicing)- so I figured that they were fairly hardly little Cars and seeing as though the Sandero was just an old Clio in a new dress- it appeared to make vague financial sense.
So, I rang the dealer and collected the car the next day- here some pictures:
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/IRR5pQvs[/url]I duly drove it into work and averaged an indicated 63mpg over about 600 miles (a quick bit of maths at the pump confirmed about 62ish) for the course of the first week as I got to know the car.
At first, I missed the power and refinement of the old car. But, saying that the engine seemed not to be quite the dramatic step down that I had expected. The lower weight meant that I could make fairly good progress if I kept it in its torque range, but I was going to need to plan my overtaking manoeuvres a little more in advance. The jury is out on the benefits of being able to here the turbo whistle through the passenger footwell though.
The ride quality isn’t too bad, coming from sport suspension and low profile tyres- the 65 profile 15s will be heap to replace and won’t cats over the potholed back roads on tramline quite so badly. It’s actually surprisingly good fun to hustle along when you wind it up.
The interior is very basic- but entirely functional. The seats are fair soft and squidgy, no real support to speak of and the drivers seat squeaks. The plastics are hard and shiny- but on a positive note, I could literally turn the garden hose on them. The switchgear is all centralised on the dash- including the cruise control and electric window switches, not entirely sure if I’m every going to get used to not having one touch windows though. There are rattles, nothing seems to really fit properly and the lack of sound deadening is a bit irksome on long journeys. The boot either opens by pulling a lever under the drivers seat, or by putting the key in the lock- there is no external boot handle, not a favourite feature in the rain frankly.
Otherwise, the car does its job and does it without complaining. Hopefully I’ll post up here an update on the progress.
mr alan said:
800 miles a week at 45p a mile makes you £360 a week, less all your costs you should still be quids in
Upto the first 10k that's correct, but after that you're looking at 11p per mile taxable. Add in fuel, tyres, servicing, insurance for the 41k miles and it's a struggle to break even. Not that I'm bitter. I didn't realise that after 10k it changed. That's not so good then. I was going to be flippant and suggest that we all pay for your car at 45p a mile. Free motoring etc. But far from it at only 11p taxed.
What if you said you don't have a car or i can't run one for the money they pay you. What would be said ?
What if you said you don't have a car or i can't run one for the money they pay you. What would be said ?
I'm slightly fascinated by these so will follow your thread with interest. We recently needed to get a little runabout for journeys of not more than about 25 miles and I considered the Sandero, but we didn't need a new car or one quite that size and wouldn't be doing the miles to justify a diesel so we bought a used Kia Picanto instead which is quite a nice little car and very cheap to run, but I wouldn't like to be doing big miles in it.
Anyway, good luck with the Sandero, will be interested to hear if you become a convert or if it slowly drives you mad
Anyway, good luck with the Sandero, will be interested to hear if you become a convert or if it slowly drives you mad
patmahe said:
I'm slightly fascinated by these so will follow your thread with interest. We recently needed to get a little runabout for journeys of not more than about 25 miles and I considered the Sandero, but we didn't need a new car or one quite that size and wouldn't be doing the miles to justify a diesel so we bought a used Kia Picanto instead which is quite a nice little car and very cheap to run, but I wouldn't like to be doing big miles in it.
Anyway, good luck with the Sandero, will be interested to hear if you become a convert or if it slowly drives you mad
On those miles. I would consider a used Nissan Leaf..... If you can plug it in at home.Anyway, good luck with the Sandero, will be interested to hear if you become a convert or if it slowly drives you mad
patmahe said:
I'm slightly fascinated by these so will follow your thread with interest. We recently needed to get a little runabout for journeys of not more than about 25 miles and I considered the Sandero, but we didn't need a new car or one quite that size and wouldn't be doing the miles to justify a diesel so we bought a used Kia Picanto instead which is quite a nice little car and very cheap to run, but I wouldn't like to be doing big miles in it.
Anyway, good luck with the Sandero, will be interested to hear if you become a convert or if it slowly drives you mad
My wife has just finished 3 years with a Picanto and switched to a sandero stepway, little petrol turbo, she loved the Kia and now adores the Dacia.Anyway, good luck with the Sandero, will be interested to hear if you become a convert or if it slowly drives you mad
Just parted ways with my DCi Stepway after 37K, as others have said the DCi is the best engine in them.
Was starting to do a a fair bit of long distances in it and was a bit fed up of the cabin noise and unsupportive seats but really other than that I really really rated it.
In fact my new Astra has so many rattles that the Sandero did not have I am half wishing I kept it!
Was starting to do a a fair bit of long distances in it and was a bit fed up of the cabin noise and unsupportive seats but really other than that I really really rated it.
In fact my new Astra has so many rattles that the Sandero did not have I am half wishing I kept it!
munk said:
Upto the first 10k that's correct, but after that you're looking at 11p per mile taxable. Add in fuel, tyres, servicing, insurance for the 41k miles and it's a struggle to break even. Not that I'm bitter.
I thought it was 45p for first 10,000 and then 25p for anything thereafter? That's what I get, i have to fund everything else to do with the car myself. No tax paid on the 45p or the 25p?!If your struggling for rattles. Take it back to the dealer it was supplied from.
The heater vents are known for rattles. as well as the A pillar trims. I work for Dacia and we have replaced countless dash vents. We also have done a pillar trims.
Parts are extremely cheap for them. I recently had to replace a complete rear light for a 17 plate Sandero. £58 brand new with bulbs and bulb holders.
Servicing is also very similar.
The heater vents are known for rattles. as well as the A pillar trims. I work for Dacia and we have replaced countless dash vents. We also have done a pillar trims.
Parts are extremely cheap for them. I recently had to replace a complete rear light for a 17 plate Sandero. £58 brand new with bulbs and bulb holders.
Servicing is also very similar.
munk said:
Upto the first 10k that's correct, but after that you're looking at 11p per mile taxable. Add in fuel, tyres, servicing, insurance for the 41k miles and it's a struggle to break even. Not that I'm bitter.
I suppose the upside is many people run cars that come out their own pocket and are not paid/subsidised by their company at all.Don't know much about the dacia, interested to see how you get on spending all those miles in it.
CSK423 said:
I suppose the upside is many people run cars that come out their own pocket and are not paid/subsidised by their company at all.
Don't know much about the dacia, interested to see how you get on spending all those miles in it.
There was one recently on ebay a 1st generation Sandero Access. Which is the basic of basic, black bumpers, no radio, windy windows, no ACDon't know much about the dacia, interested to see how you get on spending all those miles in it.
Had done 163,000 miles. Went for £830. Was a ex rental car. Checked its history at work and had only had basic servicing. No major component failure.
When I used to do big miles it was 45p then 25p tax free after the first 10'000:
https://www.gov.uk/expenses-and-benefits-business-...
This hasn't changed if I recall unless you have a car allowance, in which case the rates are different.
On 45p a mile you should drive a pretty big profit as I did:
So on your 60mpg lets say 14 gallons a week (840 miles but gives some leeway over the 800) that is approx 63.56litres, at 1.15p per litre £73.10. Fuel being claimed is £360 so £286.90 profit per week or £1147.60 per month.
You have 12 weeks before you hit your 10'000 miles, so that's 12 x 286.90 profit = £3442.80.
The next 9 months are at 25p a mile so:
Fuel claimed drops from £360 to £200 per week, which is £126.90 or £507.60 per month.
Over a year that totals £8011.20.
So that easily pays for the car per month, all servicing, insurance and etc.
If the rate does drop to 11p per mile for whatever reason then you make £15 per week profit assuming no extra tax, or £60 a month. In which case you would probably break even on running costs. The first 12 weeks would probably cover depreciation as well.
If it drops to 11p a mile and your being taxed though..not so good!
https://www.gov.uk/expenses-and-benefits-business-...
This hasn't changed if I recall unless you have a car allowance, in which case the rates are different.
On 45p a mile you should drive a pretty big profit as I did:
So on your 60mpg lets say 14 gallons a week (840 miles but gives some leeway over the 800) that is approx 63.56litres, at 1.15p per litre £73.10. Fuel being claimed is £360 so £286.90 profit per week or £1147.60 per month.
You have 12 weeks before you hit your 10'000 miles, so that's 12 x 286.90 profit = £3442.80.
The next 9 months are at 25p a mile so:
Fuel claimed drops from £360 to £200 per week, which is £126.90 or £507.60 per month.
Over a year that totals £8011.20.
So that easily pays for the car per month, all servicing, insurance and etc.
If the rate does drop to 11p per mile for whatever reason then you make £15 per week profit assuming no extra tax, or £60 a month. In which case you would probably break even on running costs. The first 12 weeks would probably cover depreciation as well.
If it drops to 11p a mile and your being taxed though..not so good!
NickCW said:
When I used to do big miles it was 45p then 25p tax free after the first 10'000:
https://www.gov.uk/expenses-and-benefits-business-...
This hasn't changed if I recall unless you have a car allowance, in which case the rates are different.
I probably should have pointed out that I get an essential user car allowance- excuse me for not doing that! Thats a tax free lump sum added into my monthly take home. Nothing to write home about really -https://www.gov.uk/expenses-and-benefits-business-...
This hasn't changed if I recall unless you have a car allowance, in which case the rates are different.
but it essentially means the millage is capped to 45p on the first 8500 and anything over is 11.9p taxable after that.
A brief update. The Sandero is currently in at Martin's in Winchester for a bit of remedial Work. Its in for the wheels to be re-ballanced, to have the tracking done again and a few little rattles to be sorted out. Should be done by lunchtime today with any luck- it wasnt overly bad, just vibrated a little over 60mph and pulled to the left on the Motorola - so I'm eager to see what difference it will make.
In the meantime I've been given this lovely loan car -
It's an 88bhp 0.9tce Clio with a few toys. Honestly, the more I drive it, the more I want my own car back. It's not that it's really awful, but I do find myself wondering why anyone would buy one over a sandero if they drove both back to back? Granted, it's a touch more refined and it's a lot less wallowy in the corners- but show it a potholed road and it's a crashy rattling mess. I do like the thicker steering wheel, but the steering itself is way too light and has no feel whatsoever. The interior is clearly meant to be a lot more 'premium' feeling, and touch screen nav is a nice toy and sounds good- but the driving position is uncomfortable, the view from the rear and side view mirrors is severely limited, the boot is tiny and objectively the seats and plastics are almost the same as the sandero- nevermind the myriad of rattles and squeaks from a 900 mile old car! I never thought I'd miss the 90hp diesel in the Sandero - but while the 0.9 tce is OK around town, it's completely out of its comfort zone on the motorway, a cruise up the m3 and a303 yesterday involved far too much downshifting - I found it lacking in torque and needed to rev the nuts off it to make any decent progress- 70mph means 3k rpm! Silly!
Unless you've had a full frontal lobotomy, I can't see a reason why anyone would spend more money on an entry spec Clio.
I think it's safe to say I'm looking forward to picking up my car this afternoon. I have a lot of driving to do this weekend as I need to help my brother buy a new car after his was written off by some dozey bugger rear ending him at a roundabout. (Hopefully, by Monday we should end up with him being the pound owner of an Astra GTC 2.0 cdti Sri- but that's another story).
Roll on mid afternoon, I can't wait to be reunited with the Sandero... I might be falling for its simple charms.
In the meantime I've been given this lovely loan car -
It's an 88bhp 0.9tce Clio with a few toys. Honestly, the more I drive it, the more I want my own car back. It's not that it's really awful, but I do find myself wondering why anyone would buy one over a sandero if they drove both back to back? Granted, it's a touch more refined and it's a lot less wallowy in the corners- but show it a potholed road and it's a crashy rattling mess. I do like the thicker steering wheel, but the steering itself is way too light and has no feel whatsoever. The interior is clearly meant to be a lot more 'premium' feeling, and touch screen nav is a nice toy and sounds good- but the driving position is uncomfortable, the view from the rear and side view mirrors is severely limited, the boot is tiny and objectively the seats and plastics are almost the same as the sandero- nevermind the myriad of rattles and squeaks from a 900 mile old car! I never thought I'd miss the 90hp diesel in the Sandero - but while the 0.9 tce is OK around town, it's completely out of its comfort zone on the motorway, a cruise up the m3 and a303 yesterday involved far too much downshifting - I found it lacking in torque and needed to rev the nuts off it to make any decent progress- 70mph means 3k rpm! Silly!
Unless you've had a full frontal lobotomy, I can't see a reason why anyone would spend more money on an entry spec Clio.
I think it's safe to say I'm looking forward to picking up my car this afternoon. I have a lot of driving to do this weekend as I need to help my brother buy a new car after his was written off by some dozey bugger rear ending him at a roundabout. (Hopefully, by Monday we should end up with him being the pound owner of an Astra GTC 2.0 cdti Sri- but that's another story).
Roll on mid afternoon, I can't wait to be reunited with the Sandero... I might be falling for its simple charms.
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