MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Any thoughts or experience of one of these. Need to replace an old Skoda Fabian. Have 10-12k to spend looked at another Fabia and prices are bonkers so looking at a Dacia. No interest in driving 'experience' just want a car that goes and stops and can do a steady 75 on motorway when necessary.
Are they cheap shit that will fall apart as soon as it's sat in or can we buy one, service it and keep it for 10 years by which time I will have either win the lottery or saved up for an electric car or even better that flying one Tomorrow's World promised me.
Are they cheap shit that will fall apart
A couple of colleagues have Duster's and one a Sandero.
They are fine - they work, stop, go etc. Both however have found that they do creak, have a few interior build issues and have had a few more engine or suspension issues than colleagues who run same age VAG or Toyota's. But certainly not bad.
I didn't go for one as they now have tiny engines - and the colleague with a Duster has found that the small engine plus more than one person = poor economy. That though is not unique to Dacia I suspect.
I bought a 2 year old Dacia Sandero in 2015 for the price of basically a packet of chips - I was buying a house at the time and didn't want a new loan to scupper the chances of a mortgage going though.
I've driven it practically daily for the last nearly 8 years. Only thing that I have replaced is tyres, brakes and one (maybe 2) suspension spring(s).
It's frankly a great wee car. Takes a towbar bike rack for bikes, nippy enough around town and fine on the motorway. Biggest downside is the stereo is crap, probably be rectified by replacing by new speakers in the door cards, but for podcasts it's totally acceptable.
Almost certainly the cheapest form of transport around - I remember at the time thinking if I kept if longer than 7(?) years, it would work out cheaper than a bus pass...
They are basically renault/nissan, but built to a lower price point, that’s how they are so cheap.
But, they are cheap . .
2 guys at my work have sanderos, had since new, both report low running costs and that the cars are . . . Absolutely fine.
Both 2015 cars, so 8yrs old now.
My folks have the 'top of the range' Sandero Stepway - it's been fine. Absolutely nothing has gone wrong with it in the five years. Has satnav and A/C. Carpets etc a bit cheap, but hey ho, it works and has no silly gizmo's. Decent interior size, and if you look, it's basically a Micra/Clio.
New ones are not the bargain they once were. they do however have the nice Renault Radio volume controller on the steering wheel I used to like so much.
Nothing is the bargain it once was hence me looking at a Dacia 😄😄😄
As cross posting PistonHeads seems to be a thing today, there is a 100+ page thread going back 2-3 years on folks use of Dacia mainly Dusters but others too & it seems to be overwhelmingly positive with some niggles re build & dealers.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=47&t=1900473&i=2180
I have a Jogger, the front half of which is effectively a Sandero. Got the Extreme version which I think equates to the Stepway. It's a good car, as fossy says it has everything you need and nothing you don't. I do think the carpets could do with being a bit better but a set of floor mats will sort that.
Fuel economy - it's the 1L 3-cyl 110hp engine, I've done 12k miles since November and it's averaged around 50-51mpg - vast majority of that has been motorway. Round town it does tend to dive a bit as it needs a bit of a prod to get going.
Dacia prices though have jumped around 10% in the last year. My top range Jogger was £18245, the base model is now £18295 and mine would cost £20595.
They don't tend to do so well in NCAP tests. That's not because the car is unsafe, it's just not fitted with all the idiot 'aids' which NCAP now take into account - e.g. radar braking, lane control, "there is a car in your mirror" lights, bottom wiping etc.
My 2018 Dacia Sandero stepway is...fine. The interior is cheap, it's a bit rattly, the stereo is underpowered. There's a bit of interior plastic that catches my foot sometimes. All is fine.
Two things really annoy me though: to open the boot you need to put the key in the boot lock and turn it or pull a lever inside the driver's door, and if you then get out and close the driver's door the this is enough to re-engage the bot lock. Aargh! Just a little every day frustration I don't need.
Also if I put the air con on before I've driven a bit there is a little bit of what feels like clutch judder when pulling away the frist time. A weird issue!
Other than that it was the only car which had a price I could stomach and it seems to work.
Coming from a 2009 polo it is definitely a step down in quality.
test driving the new Jogger hybrid on Saturday. Took a look at one today and all seems pretty nice to go from an ancient Touran. The new Dacia models do look good
Wife has just done 15k in a year in a 0.9tce sandero, 52mpg average over that and no issues except bluetooth connection since she changed to a samsung phone (was fine with iphone).
Did the same in a 2016 1.2 which was a bit slower but also no issues, needed to trade for something bigger for kids at the time.
Parents have had a 2014 stepway diesel since new; needed front struts at 85k but thats been it I think.
Would definitely buy again if needed.
Oh yeh that's my other huge daily annoyance. The Bluetooth is glacially slow to connect. I have rebranded it as time to practice patience and question whether I really am in a rush.
The bodyshells are rather good on Dacia's (except the spring). Less said about the suspension and chassis parts, the better.