Dacia Duster... Anyone got one?

[Yorkshire Andy]

Looking at getting one 2x4 petrol in base spec


Not looking at diesel due to sub 10 mile commute and I've never managed to get my supermini stuck even on very wet verges...

Anyone got one ? Understand early ones were plagued with rust but they shifted production and not seen any complaints from newer owners

What are they like to live with?

[preparedsurrey]

A friend went to look at a brand new one, he said there were loads of seems underneath showing rust marks already...if you intend to keep one I would invest in a full anti rust wax cavity treatment and possibly re undersealing, however if the rust is already there you are fighting a loosing battle to begin with

[Yorkshire Andy]

Thanks for that seen that they shifted production from India to Romania and added better paint / corrosion treatment but we'll see I did a full cavity and under body treatment on my current car have a Schultz gun and compressor to hand

[dangerman]

I've heard that Dacias are basically just Renaults from the 90s, engines and transmissions and brakes and all that. If that's the case then you might want to seek advice from current owners, not sycophants who are just loyal to the brand, but logical and reasonable owners.

All french cars are basically a load of crap IMHO. They're made with cheap thin metal, ridiculous electrical systems and generally over engineered with poor build quality. The more recent ones have really good safety spec and it's worth checking to see if that's carried over to the Dacia - if so it messes with the power to weight ratio.

That being said, I'm a huge fan of older French cars, anything up until this century. I like them because they're so basic (other than the electronics), and their engines are usually good runners if serviced. If a zombie apocalypse came, I'd be looking to buy a Citroen 2CV or Renault 4. They are very light, super good on fuel, sexy and can be repaired with duct tape and string. Proper simple little things... Maybe an HY van.

So basically, what you want to hear, if the Dacia is an old Renault, is you want it to be simple, and without the dodgy electrics.

Did I just say sexy?

[Jamesey1981]

The 1.6 engine in the base model Dacia Duster is also in the Nissan Qashquai, the Duster is also sold as a Nissan in some markets, so you are not entirely correct there, there is old Renault technology is some of them, the Sandero is built on an old Clio floorpan for example, but as for old renaults from the nineties, definitely not, they're built in a brand new factory out of Renault and Nissan components, and the Diesel engine appears in current renaults, nissans, volvos and even Mercs now, spend well over twenty grand on a Mercedes A or B class with the 160 CDI Diesel engine and you get the same Diesel engine you get in the Dacia duster.

How well they're rustproofed I couldn't say, but the brand snobs that say it's just an old Renault are just plain wrong.
It's almost impossible to buy a car now that doesn't have bits from other brands in it, so many of the companies have either merged or are working on joint projects.

[dangerman]

Just an old Renault was the only thing I thought it had going for it.

[Hamradioop]

The dusters seem very popular round these parts.

[Yorkshire Andy]

oh well ive taken the plunge and ordered one...

Bar the rust issues on early ones scouring the various duster forums there is no sign of common faults..

i too saw the joint between renault and Nissan and reading about it look like renault has taken nissans lead in help with the wiring and most running bits.... The engine is a new euro 6 compliant lump

I had a test drive yesterday and to be honest i was blown away by the ride / build quality for the price......

They let me take it out "on my own" with no salesman in the car which ment i got to take it down some unclassified roads it felt very stable and the electronic black magic works well when you push it to its grip limits

people used to knock fiats for similar things but ive had 2 fiats over the past 10 years and bar servicing and the odd spring or suspension component ive had no issues bar the odd bit of loose trim....

[Hamradioop]

Sounds like you done your due diligence .

[Yorkshire Andy]

Sounds like you done your due diligence .

I've tried my best problem with marque specific forums (I moderate on one) is it gets those who are (rightly) proud and happy of / with their car and don't take kindly to those questioning the reliability or mentioning the negatives of ownership

Times will tell if I've made the right choice but the test drive let me put a few worries to bed... The esp under steer control is a very strange sensation when it kicks in but it orbited the quiet roundabout like it was on rails

And it felt solid enough


Now to stop myself looking at mad Max style sump guards and roof mounted LED bars which do a good impersonation of the sun till I get it