Yeti V Dacia Duster ?

[mainecoon]

Octavia owner , looking to replace trusty 1.9 tdi Elegance Estate 2004 with 4x4  , either Dacia Duster or Yeti ?! Now no contest ,as Duster new vehicle reviews are truly hit & miss eg RUST / BAD TRIM / BRAKES / ENGINE MANAGEMENT etc - in car launched a few months ago - no contest !! Going for the Yeti or another Octavia for reliability !! Wise choice we think !? Build quality re Yeti so far more superior ....!! Any comments re topic welcome ... as going for either 2.0 tdi 4x4 or 1.8 tsi 4x4 mileage around 12000 k per year !

[Brijo]

If I were you and buying new, I'd have a quick search through the recent threads about comparisons (there are lots), make my mind up by Monday morning and get an order in somewhere.  It seems that models and options are disappearing at a fair rate of knots and if you delay you may not have any choice at all!    Except FL....

 

I'm sure you know that many members replying here are likely to sing the praises of their own current selection, as they have done before - quite predictably and reasonably! 

[DaciaHitman]

We'll find you mainecoon. >

[oldstan]

We'll find you mainecoon. >

 

 

What an odd first post from someone with that particular pseudonym.......

[DaciaHitman]

Yeah, I know, bad joke. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. )

[littleade]

IIRC the Dacia is based on old Renaults....

[Sporky McGuffin]

I'm sure you know that many members replying here are likely to sing the praises of their own current selection, as they have done before - quite predictably and reasonably! 

I think that's the case on every forum for any product. No-one thinks they bought a duffer.

 

I would expect that there are a lot of satisfied Duster/Yeti owners, and probably a lot of people who test drove a Duster/Yeti and found it wanting. If both fit your needs, try both, check the depreciation and reliability indices and pick the one that best matches your requirements.

 

I've realised that no matter what you decide, and no matter how well founded your decision, someone, somewhere, will think you're an idiot for it. Ignore them. As someone both more famous and more wise than me once said (more or less), "**** 'em, they're only bees."

[MinnieCooper]

Octavia owner , looking to replace trusty 1.9 tdi Elegance Estate 2004 with 4x4  , either Dacia Duster or Yeti ?! Now no contest ,as Duster new vehicle reviews are truly hit & miss eg RUST / BAD TRIM / BRAKES / ENGINE MANAGEMENT etc - in car launched a few months ago - no contest !! Going for the Yeti or another Octavia for reliability !! Wise choice we think !? Build quality re Yeti so far more superior ....!! Any comments re topic welcome ... as going for either 2.0 tdi 4x4 or 1.8 tsi 4x4 mileage around 12000 k per year !

Have found some stuff on rust but engine management?? What is that all about????

[Llanigraham]

Do we suddenly have a influx of Dacia-ists?

Two first posters in the same thread. Very odd!

[ernieb]

Do we suddenly have a influx of Dacia-ists?

Two first posters in the same thread. Very odd!

Sounds like a religious sect?

[MinnieCooper]

Haha Ernie You have guessed, I used to be a Moonie in a previous life!!!

Right I'm off to church now....

[weasley]

Don't forget the horrible NCAP ratings for the Dacias. Maybe any of the various new car owner review polls might sway you?

[Llanigraham]

 

 

Minnie Driver is much nicer!!

http://minniedriver.net/

[steve20bore]

Minnie Driver is much nicer!!

http://minniedriver.net/

 

 

Have to agree there !

 

 

Steve.

[MinnieCooper]

How can you say that!! You don't know what I look like!!!  :(

[MinnieCooper]

Don't forget the horrible NCAP ratings for the Dacias. Maybe any of the various new car owner review polls might sway you?

 

Not entirely up to speed with the NCAP stuff but I think Top Gear said it was something to do with the car not being safe if you hit pedestrians?? Don't intend to knock too many peasants down on the way to work but I guess you never know. Is the Yeti safer then? Or is it at the wrong height for snowmen's heads?

[Llanigraham]

Not entirely up to speed with the NCAP stuff but I think Top Gear said it was something to do with the car not being safe if you hit pedestrians?? Don't intend to knock too many peasants down on the way to work but I guess you never know. Is the Yeti safer then? Or is it at the wrong height for snowmen's heads?

http://www.euroncap.com/home.aspx

 

Anyone else get the impression we could have a few names added to the ignore list soon?

[shrub]

Not entirely up to speed with the NCAP stuff but I think Top Gear said it was something to do with the car not being safe if you hit pedestrians?? Don't intend to knock too many peasants down on the way to work but I guess you never know. Is the Yeti safer then? Or is it at the wrong height for snowmen's heads?

Take a look at the cabin integrity on the Duster in the frontal Euroncap test. It has reached the limit of its ability to protect and started to collapse. The Yeti retains its structural integrity. 

[ruffday]

They will both have good and bad points I beleive the Dacia is based aound Nissan X Trail running gear with Renault Diesel engines.

 

The main difference is the price the top of the range Duster 4x4 is under 16k.

[ejstubbs]

They will both have good and bad points I beleive the Dacia is based aound Nissan X Trail running gear...

 

The main difference is the price the top of the range Duster 4x4 is under 16k.

 

It has the same all-wheel drive system as the X-Trail but it's built on a LWB variant of the Nissan B platform (as used for the Note, Juke, Clio etc) whereas the X-Trail uses the C platform (Quashqai, Scenic etc).

[MinnieCooper]

Well that warm welcome from Graham finally made up my mind for me!!! Have decided to go down the Dacia Duster route. And can book myself a holiday with the money I have saved....

Hope I have made the right decision.

[SomewhereInEngland]

I was thinking along the same lines, Yeti vs Duster, so I booked a 4x4 diesel Duster for 2 weeks in Iceland (not the shop). So I will give you some thoughts.

 

Basically we did 2500 miles in 2 weeks covering both tarmac, dirt and Icelands F roads (4 wheel Drive only). I haven't yet looked at the fuel consumption, but it looked Ok compared with 2 previous 4x4 I have hired. Speed limit is 55mph, so no ability to test at UK raod speeds, although I did push it a bit on quiet tarmac.

 

My thoughts are as follows.

 

GOOD

It dealt with the bad roads no problem and was able to hammer through washboard and potholes at 50mph without worry. (Washboard and potholes ate main feature of Iceland driving. Even the main ring road is not fully tarmac.) 

Mostly driven in 2WD and only needed 4WD four times for wet loose hard pack and some uphill steps, big uphill potholes and rivers.

Torque was great at the speed we travelled. Eco driving, little hard acceleration. 

Passengers thought the Duster was roomy and comfortable.

Fairly good river wading, althought we bottled a deep fast one.

Full size spare wheel.

Despite the hammer, nothing failed, fell off or rattled/squeaked.

 

BAD

Drivers seat had very poor lumber support. I found this quite painfull and had to move seat forward and tip back. Still uncomfortable. (Euro spec?)

Small boot for the size of car. Would have been better to have a swing back door and put the wheel on the outside.

Ground clearance under the front axle not as good as first appears. 

What were they thinking about with the roof bars? Why block off 1/3 of the length leaving such a short mount.

Window switches in front console and not on doors. I would get used to this.

Slight flat spot developed at 1800RPM. This was my cruising RPM so maybe the way I drove.

 

Another thought. Euro spec Duster is made in Romania I believe whislt the UK spec one will be made in India. New factory, new production line. The Duster is well thought of in Europe, but is production sorted yet?

 

Despite the negatives, I was quite impressed with the Duster. For me, the poor seat and secondly, the boot space is a big issue. For UK driving 4WD would not be required enough to make it worth the extra money as it did very well in 2WD (I guess I could have managed in only 2WD if I had tried). 

 

I have read the new Yeti will be cheaper and I am guessing the price of second hand Yetis will drop. On this basis, I am keeping my trusty Fabia Estate going for another 18 - 24 months. 

 

Hope this will help someone.

[mainecoon]

We are thinking along these lines !! Trusty Octavia serviced & taxed for 1 more year . Now contemplating a 1.8 TSI 4x4 Yeti  ( late Reg perhaps ) as mileage is possibly too low for diesel , about  12/14000k & will be watching the prices !!. The Duster does offer a lot of space / boot size fine for us ,but with several build & quality control issues IN SOME of the cars from the Indian factory ( & spares availability  - months for some to come in apparently) we are not prepared to take the risk  at present .( Just noticed 2010 30000m Yeti 1.8 TSI at Arnold Clarke @ £13488  1 owner with FSH  .is this cheap ?)

[shrub]

I have read the new Yeti will be cheaper and I am guessing the price of second hand Yetis will drop. On this basis, I am keeping my trusty Fabia Estate going for another 18 - 24 months. 

 

Hope this will help someone.

Any idea where you read this? I'll be delighted if it is true but can't see it myself. Having said that, there is more competition now at the lower end of the market from Captur, 2008 etc.

[Ansum]

I have never driven a Duster but when I looked at it in the showroom I was quite appalled by the quality of the interior plastics and the seats were pathetic.