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I don't know what your budget is, Penguin, but I'd have a Skoda in front of any of those. You'd need to check max. towing weights but an Ictavia or one of the SUVs would surely do it.
But if you're not that keen on driving, and just want to get from A to B, a Duster will do the job fine, and cheaply.
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Hi,
Had a chat to my contact who works at a Renault/Dacia dealers.
Working on & servicing the Duster, he stated the current version of the Duster is more reliable and better built than the earlier version we had in the UK.
He would have no problem recommending one especially the 1.5 diesel which he states can achieve mega mileage.
It is more reliable than the current Qashqai and Kaijar they also repair and service at the dealership mainly due to both of them having unreliable ‘advanced’ technology.
New Qashqai due out this year.
He rates the current shape Juke but has never seen one with a tow bar so doubts it could pull much
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It seems the current Duster 4x4 is a good tow car for not a lot of money.
www.thetowcarawards.com/tow-car/dacia-duster-2/
It also has a really low ratio first gear, which is not recommended to be used when not towing, move off in second gear says the handbook.
Edited by focussed on 14/01/2021 at 10:08
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Can't really say why, but I really like Dusters. I could even justify one as part of my mountain biking kit.
A car that you'd happily take up unmade tracks to access biking trails, and wouldn't mind a bit of mud on or in.
Might even get one one day, if we're spared !
;-)
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I think the Duster is appealing as it's completely unpretentious and devoid of badge snobbery. A simple no frills vehicle that serves as a workhorse. I like them too, along with the Suzuki Jimmy, the old Hilux and a couple of others, yes the LR defender. But the Duster is cracking value.
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Hmmm, the badge thing, I'm only speaking for myself of course, but that has never been a major factor in my car choices, unless there was a good reason or strong evidence to avoid a certain make.
We have a Mercedes estate, a Nissan SUV and a Toyota city car. Not especially chosen for their badges, but because they all do what they are supposed to do, and were bought for, very well. Certainly not with any view to pleasing or conforming with any "Joneses."
I'd buy a Duster because it's very good at being what it is, and I can genuinely see a place for one in my life. It wouldn't be of much interest to me what anyone else thought of it if I liked it. Which is more or less where I am with our current "fleet".
"Those who mind, don't matter, and those who matter, don't mind"
;-)
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Good to be open minded like that, I am similar, I don't mind really what I drive, although am happiest in small simple cars like fiat Panda for some reason, perhaps because I learnt in minis and Coopers. Interesting that my neighbour has owned a number of large estates including BMW, Audi and Mondeos, when I asked him which one was his favourite he said the Mondeos were by far the cars he considered "best".
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I like Pandas too. Had three of the original ones as personal cars, and several of the new ones as renters. Great wee cars. As for Mondeos, yes, I'd agree, they are really good cars. I've had 5, actually, maybe 6 Mondeo estates come to think, which were all great at being mile munching, comfortable and reliable load luggers.
One of them, which I had back in the early 2000s, is still showing as MOTd and apparently has nigh on 400,000 miles on it now. It might of course have been treated a Trigger's broom level of maintenance to get there !
Sorry about the thread drift everyone ! Yes, Dusters...
;-)
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Hi, no idea why my response has been posted further up the thread!
My husband is just concerned about the 'plastic ' comment on a review. They look good to me.
Our friend said to us about the Mokkas having a small boot, but I only really use my boot for shopping, wouldn't imagine its much different to my crossland, but I'm getting a bit fed up with vauxhalls. Pretty much owned vauxhalls since the 80's.
Will be out to have a good look at one when dealerships are open again, will definitely consider one.
Thanks all for your responses.
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"Hi, no idea why my response has been posted further up the thread!"
If you prefer your response to go at the end of the thread, always reply to the first, original, post in the thread.
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Re “plastic” in reviews I would take comments like this with a pinch of salt. Some reviewers will criticise hard plastic even in out of the way areas. As long as the controls you touch aren’t uncomfortable then you are hardly going to worry about plastic quality once you are out of the showroom and are actually driving it.
More important to me than plastic touch quality is whether it creaks or rattles.
Looking at prices of new Dusters it seems they have crept up for higher spec models (now about £19k compared to an £11k base model) but I guess mid range used will be the sweet spot in terms of value.
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Agree,
I would take ‘hard’ plastics with a pinch of salt.
I read a review recently criticising the latest shape Octavia due to ‘large swathes of hard plastics’; later on in the article it mentioned the plastics again but added they where mainly out of sight.
Very rare to see a bad or crude interior in the UK new car market, the only one I can think off is the MG3 which is dated despite the rather good stereo touch screen.
Suzuki Ignis is a brilliant little car and you could possibly argue it’s interior is slightly crude and flimsy but not to the point it’s unusable or unreliable.
Some reviewers only want a Mercedes E class interior!
One who used to write for Auto Express would review vans and criticise them for having bland hard wearing interiors and not having plush interiors - vans are designed for commercial use, longevity plus a decent drive is what counts not Jaguar saloon levels of plushness,
Then again, honest John used to employ a terrible Geordie bloke to review cars, possibly the worst reviewer ever.
Edited by daveyK_UK on 16/01/2021 at 09:32
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