Renault Duster

[Duane_Bosch]

Good day fine people.

 

Do any of you have a Renault Duster? I'm specifically looking at the diesel version. Whats the quality like? What's it like to live with? etc etc.

[Fruity]

Got myself a Duster in 2014, the 1.5 dCi Dynamique 4x2. It was okay. Coming from a Polo it had ample interior space, quite a torquey engine, for a 1.5. I liked the Infotainment system and the fact that it had built in GPS. It was quite enjoyable to drive on dirt roads as well. I'm not sure how the quality of a 2014 model would compare to a 2019 model though.

[Skubarra]

I have the 2015 diesel 4x4 version.

 

At the time I bought it, it was about R70K cheaper than any other smallish SUV. I feel like I got good value for money.

 

We did a number of trips all over the country including lots of gravel roads + 2 long Namibia trips on gravel roads with no issues (coincidentally you will see a lot of Dusters in Namibia, popular as relatively cheap rental cars that can handle dirt roads)

 

Diesel consumption is good, nice torque on the long rides but a bit sluggish in the city.

 

Negatives for me was the building quality in the interior which were not good Also beside the infotainment system it is a very basic specced car. ((I guess these are the obvious places you can save money on if you plan to undercut the competitors, also this might be better on the newer models). 

 

At one stage I had a run of bad luck with punctures and sometimes the Duster size tires can be unobtainable. Can give you a long list of large towns that couldn't help me and even here in Cape Town I once had to wait a week for tires to be sourced from Joburg.

[Long Wheel Base]

I would rather have a ranger................

[Skubarra]

I would rather have a ranger................

 

me too but there is a small price difference...

 

hopefully I get something for the duster when I sell it because it's my deposit for the ranger 

[Duane_Bosch]

I would rather have a ranger................

Living with a double cab is not as cool as you think. It somehow manages to be huge and tiny at the same time. And not in a good way.

 

Unless you get one of those armadillo things the load bin is a total waste of space cos anything you put in there will just be removed at the next traffic light. Simple things like going for a coffee after work become a ball ache coz you can't leave your laptop in the vehicle. In the civilized world this isn't a problem but we live in a country where even stuff that is cemented into the ground is stolen.

[Long Wheel Base]

Living with a double cab is not as cool as you think. It somehow manages to be huge and tiny at the same time. And not in a good way.

 

Unless you get one of those armadillo things the load bin is a total waste of space cos anything you put in there will just be removed at the next traffic light. Simple things like going for a coffee after work become a ball ache coz you can't leave your laptop in the vehicle. In the civilized world this isn't a problem but we live in a country where even stuff that is cemented into the ground is stolen.

I have an armadillo on my navara.

But I was just pulling your leg because I know you have a ranger and not long ago on another thread you mentioned you wanted something else.

[Chris NewbyFraser]

That 1.5l diesel is a solid little unit, designed and built by Nissan and is the same as used in the current Nissan family. Mercedes used it in the previous generation of A-class. 

The vehicle build quality is like all vehicles designed for the Indian sub-continent and BRICs countries. Designed by Euro or Oriental manufacturers and built under license in India with strong original manufacturers/designer controls in place. Much use of  shiny hard plastics make these cars appear cheap and junky but they are fine. Duster has a fine reputation wherever it is sold. Be advised, tho, if you are an old-toppie like me and use CD's, then you will be disappointed as it is strictly usb etc. India is very tech savvy and things like CD's were tossed out years ago

[Skubarra]

That 1.5l diesel is a solid little unit, designed and built by Nissan and is the same as used in the current Nissan family. Mercedes used it in the previous generation of A-class. 

 

The engine is a Nissan yes, mine even have the Nissan sticker on it. But afaik the car is actually a Dacia re-bramded as a Renault? 

[Duane_Bosch]

I have an armadillo on my navara.

But I was just pulling your leg because I know you have a ranger and not long ago on another thread you mentioned you wanted something else.

Those armadillo's are great.

 

Ja. Ideally I'd like an Everest but I just can't justify that number in my head for that car.

[Skubarra]

Living with a double cab is not as cool as you think. It somehow manages to be huge and tiny at the same time. And not in a good way.

 

Unless you get one of those armadillo things the load bin is a total waste of space cos anything you put in there will just be removed at the next traffic light. Simple things like going for a coffee after work become a ball ache coz you can't leave your laptop in the vehicle. In the civilized world this isn't a problem but we live in a country where even stuff that is cemented into the ground is stolen.

 

Last thing I can add is that on my 4x4 model the boot space is really too small to be practical for a family of 4 (the spare wheel at the back take up a lot of space). We go camping regularly and storage space is always a problem, biggest reason I want to get a bakkie.

[Long Wheel Base]

Those armadillo's are great.

 

Ja. Ideally I'd like an Everest but I just can't justify that number in my head for that car.

I love my armadillo, only gripe I have is my camping fridge is like 5cm too high for it. Last time I went camping I only had 1 kid and it sat on the back seat next to him. Now I got 3 kids so for my next camping holiday which is planned for March we either go in 2 cars or we borrow my Dad's new caravelle. He keeps bragging to me how lekker his caravelle is and says I can borrow it so I reckon the navara will have to stay home. At least the fuel bill will be a lot less as my navara is a 4.0L V6.

 

EDIT: My BIL has an everest, the 2.2D 4x4 and he likes it but says he would rather have a fortuner............ 

[PhilipV]

I'm a bakkie guy. And I agree with all the negatives you posted. But leaving anything in the boot of an suv is pretty risky as well.

 

My wife wanted to trade her Mitsubishi ASX a while ago, we looked at the Isuzu MUX and Everest, and then she and her business partner did some car shopping and eventually they both got VW Tiguans.

 

While it may or may not be applicable to your budget, but I admit that it was the right decision for them. They park and handle so much nicer in the city, the ride is way better than a bakkie or bakkie based SUV, fuel consumption is better, the boot is big enough that out family of 4 can go away for a weekend and pick everything in the boot. They chose the 2.0tdi AWD models, they are a dream on the open road, nice and torquey in town and bloody good on gravel roads.

 

So I reckon moving from a DC guy to an SUV can be a good experience. I'm not a fan of the Duster, maar een man se lelik is 'n ander man se vrou.

[Skubarra]

They chose the 2.0tdi AWD models, they are a dream on the open road, nice and torquey in town and bloody good on gravel roads.

 

So I reckon moving from a DC guy to an SUV can be a good experience. I'm not a fan of the Duster, maar een man se lelik is 'n ander man se vrou.

 

To be fair the 2.0tdi Tiguan is almost 2x the price of a Duster? For that money I would expect a far better car? 

[Rocket-Boy]

The engine is a Nissan yes, mine even have the Nissan sticker on it. But afaik the car is actually a Dacia re-bramded as a Renault? 

That is exactly what it is. Top gear used to have the running joke about May wanting a Dacia Sandero because it was such a heap of poo.

Then they started selling them and Renaults in SA.

Same story with the Duster, neither would sell worth a damn here if they had their original names.

[PhilipV]

To be fair the 2.0tdi Tiguan is almost 2x the price of a Duster? For that money I would expect a far better car?

Absolutely correct. I was trying to make my point that the softroader SUV (any SUV) was better suited than the Bakkie I would have chosen.

 

We looked at the Duster the previous time we bought a car, the 2015 (previous gen to current) and bought an ASX instead.