Dacia Logan MCV and long journeys
Discussion
I couldn't find a Dacia forum so I just put it here. Please advise if incorrect, moderators.
It looks like taking a company car will make a great deal of sense for me for a lot of future work stuff, and I've said for ages that if I ever bought a brand new car it would be a Dacia. The car would be a workhorse for commuting, things for work and errands. More of a van than a car for the most part. It wouldn't be my only car so being slow and boring doesn't matter - frugality is key.
I've specced up a Logan Laureate dCi 90 (I want cruise control, otherwise I'd have a cheaper one) and I'm hoping to test drive one this week
I just wondered how anyone finds the front seats? Are they ok for a motorway journey of a few hundred miles or would I feel crippled? Obviously the test drive will give me some idea. If anyone has any other comments from ownership experience, I'd love to hear them.
Thanks
It looks like taking a company car will make a great deal of sense for me for a lot of future work stuff, and I've said for ages that if I ever bought a brand new car it would be a Dacia. The car would be a workhorse for commuting, things for work and errands. More of a van than a car for the most part. It wouldn't be my only car so being slow and boring doesn't matter - frugality is key.
I've specced up a Logan Laureate dCi 90 (I want cruise control, otherwise I'd have a cheaper one) and I'm hoping to test drive one this week
I just wondered how anyone finds the front seats? Are they ok for a motorway journey of a few hundred miles or would I feel crippled? Obviously the test drive will give me some idea. If anyone has any other comments from ownership experience, I'd love to hear them.
Thanks
Edited by Jimmy Recard on Sunday 13th May 09:52
My partner and I bought one of these yesterday, picking up on thursday. It was dealer demonstrator with 113 miles and £2000 off list. Will be interesting to find out what its like.
http://www.daciaforum.co.uk/forum/forum/15-dacia-l...
http://www.daciaforum.co.uk/forum/topic/3361-high-...
http://www.daciaforum.co.uk/forum/forum/15-dacia-l...
http://www.daciaforum.co.uk/forum/topic/3361-high-...
Edited by hoagypubdog on Sunday 13th May 11:08
Logan MCV is pretty good. We have a 2016 DCi in the family. Laureates come with seat height adjusters from 2016 or so. Driven London to Amsterdam a couple of times in it, no worries.
DCi engine is punchy, 650 miles or so range. Cruise control and nav unit are good. Quirks are that A/C vent direction control can freeze up on re-circ, then snaps off when people force it.
Eco-mode for town driving only, not fun anywhere else. No EGR or DPF woes reported on the DCi engine.
Suprisingly nice car for the money. Add a spare wheel kit from Ebay.
DCi engine is punchy, 650 miles or so range. Cruise control and nav unit are good. Quirks are that A/C vent direction control can freeze up on re-circ, then snaps off when people force it.
Eco-mode for town driving only, not fun anywhere else. No EGR or DPF woes reported on the DCi engine.
Suprisingly nice car for the money. Add a spare wheel kit from Ebay.
Slushbox said:
Logan MCV is pretty good. We have a 2016 DCi in the family. Laureates come with seat height adjusters from 2016 or so. Driven London to Amsterdam a couple of times in it, no worries.
DCi engine is punchy, 650 miles or so range. Cruise control and nav unit are good. Quirks are that A/C vent direction control can freeze up on re-circ, then snaps off when people force it.
Eco-mode for town driving only, not fun anywhere else. No EGR or DPF woes reported on the DCi engine.
Suprisingly nice car for the money. Add a spare wheel kit from Ebay.
I've already included the optional spare wheel at £100.DCi engine is punchy, 650 miles or so range. Cruise control and nav unit are good. Quirks are that A/C vent direction control can freeze up on re-circ, then snaps off when people force it.
Eco-mode for town driving only, not fun anywhere else. No EGR or DPF woes reported on the DCi engine.
Suprisingly nice car for the money. Add a spare wheel kit from Ebay.
I like the sound of this - it could be an ideal workhorse. I wanted a totally basic one, and BiK would be lower on the basic petrol too, but cruise control forced me into Laureate. I've just got to try one, I guess!
Thanks all. Any other thoughts or experiences are still welcome!
The specs have changed a lot since our 2016 model, but Laureate spec is much nicer place to be than the Ambience models. Electric joystick/heated mirrors are a must.
We had the 'factory' parking sensors on ours which were feeble but vital. They have improved them on the latest models, I'm told.
We had the 'factory' parking sensors on ours which were feeble but vital. They have improved them on the latest models, I'm told.
No idea. But I never found them uncomfortable.There have been a lot of detail changes since 2016, (and several changes of supply contractors) so those with sensitive derriéres must test the seats for themselves.
The only quirks on our 2016 were the Chinese after-market reverse sensors, - the sounder was under the rear load-cover and thus inaudible, (replaced with £3 piezo sounder) and the freezy vent selector, cured by not running on full re-circ A/C for hours on end.
We have 30,000 miles on the DCi90 with no problems, (so far.) It needs the correct Renault Elf RN020 spec synth oil, says the Dacia forum. Original tyres were Conti-somethings, I think the recent cars come with Kumho eco-tyres or similar.
Car has a three year service pack which was cheap at the time for about £250 or so. Prices for it seem to vary by the week.
The only quirks on our 2016 were the Chinese after-market reverse sensors, - the sounder was under the rear load-cover and thus inaudible, (replaced with £3 piezo sounder) and the freezy vent selector, cured by not running on full re-circ A/C for hours on end.
We have 30,000 miles on the DCi90 with no problems, (so far.) It needs the correct Renault Elf RN020 spec synth oil, says the Dacia forum. Original tyres were Conti-somethings, I think the recent cars come with Kumho eco-tyres or similar.
Car has a three year service pack which was cheap at the time for about £250 or so. Prices for it seem to vary by the week.
Thanks all, your advice in particular is really helpful Slushbox.
I'll have to get to a Dacia dealer to sit in one. I can't imagine I'll hate it too much - I often drive vans on long journeys and they don't cause me too many issues. I haven't had a car without good seats and lumbar support for a while though so I'm a bit apprehensive.
If it is an issue, I do have a lumbar cushion that I used to use in my old Mitsubishi L200 that I can use again
I'll have to get to a Dacia dealer to sit in one. I can't imagine I'll hate it too much - I often drive vans on long journeys and they don't cause me too many issues. I haven't had a car without good seats and lumbar support for a while though so I'm a bit apprehensive.
If it is an issue, I do have a lumbar cushion that I used to use in my old Mitsubishi L200 that I can use again
You're welcome. Beaded seat covers are available in the souk at Brighton, for that 'exasperated taxi driver' look.
Just going through the invoice for mine. The cars now have steel wheels and 'looky-like' wheel trims as standard, mine came with alloys. I seem to have paid £450 for metallic pearl-black paint, which was clearly an idiotic mistake.
The £100 'Comfort Pack' option : electric rear windows and a leather gear shift knob/steering wheel were quite nice to have in the hot weather.
The car hasn't used any oil. The expansion tank level dropped by 1cm, in the first three months, so a bottle of Renault Glaceol anti-freeze was got from the dealer for £3.95. 55 mpg around town, 60mpg on the motorway. Cruise control is nice.
The other expense was £45 for a dash-cam which knocked 10% off the £200 insurance.
There were a lot of pre-reg cars around when I bought mine at a grand or so off list.
Have fun.
Just going through the invoice for mine. The cars now have steel wheels and 'looky-like' wheel trims as standard, mine came with alloys. I seem to have paid £450 for metallic pearl-black paint, which was clearly an idiotic mistake.
The £100 'Comfort Pack' option : electric rear windows and a leather gear shift knob/steering wheel were quite nice to have in the hot weather.
The car hasn't used any oil. The expansion tank level dropped by 1cm, in the first three months, so a bottle of Renault Glaceol anti-freeze was got from the dealer for £3.95. 55 mpg around town, 60mpg on the motorway. Cruise control is nice.
The other expense was £45 for a dash-cam which knocked 10% off the £200 insurance.
There were a lot of pre-reg cars around when I bought mine at a grand or so off list.
Have fun.
As I wouldn't be buying the car (so I wouldn't be bothered about resale value), I would go for the cheapest that I'd be happy to drive for Benefit in Kind reasons. The Comfort Pack on the new ones seems to be rear electric windows and "Soft feel steering wheel" for £100. Might be worth it for the steering wheel - it depends what the standard one is like.
I'd also go for standard paint (white), steel wheels with plastic trims and front arm rest (£75). In Laureate spec with the diesel engine that comes to £12795, which is £900 cheaper than the very cheapest Fiesta!
Petrol ones are cheaper for me in terms of tax as the list price is quite a bit lower, so that could be worth thinking about. Next step is probably test drive - up to a point (being reasonable - I haven't been given an exact budget) I could choose anything, I just fancy a Dacia really and they seem the most effective in terms of cost to me.
I'd also go for standard paint (white), steel wheels with plastic trims and front arm rest (£75). In Laureate spec with the diesel engine that comes to £12795, which is £900 cheaper than the very cheapest Fiesta!
Petrol ones are cheaper for me in terms of tax as the list price is quite a bit lower, so that could be worth thinking about. Next step is probably test drive - up to a point (being reasonable - I haven't been given an exact budget) I could choose anything, I just fancy a Dacia really and they seem the most effective in terms of cost to me.
80,000 trouble free miles (including several continental trips wiht roofbox / bikes on towball carrier and 3 kids in the back) Can't complain. Mines a '63 plate 1/5 dci Laureate. Comfy enough, we tend to stop every 3-4 hours and no issues.
Averaging 65mpg over the last 80,00 miles, tax fre. What's not to like .....
Averaging 65mpg over the last 80,00 miles, tax fre. What's not to like .....
Good to hear
This is the one I've reserved
https://www.daciaretail.co.uk/used-cars/dacia/loga...
I'm not expecting much but hope to be pleasantly surprised..
This is the one I've reserved
https://www.daciaretail.co.uk/used-cars/dacia/loga...
I'm not expecting much but hope to be pleasantly surprised..
princeperch said:
Good to hear
This is the one I've reserved
https://www.daciaretail.co.uk/used-cars/dacia/loga...
I'm not expecting much but hope to be pleasantly surprised..
That one looks like one of the Mioveni Romanian built ones, with the original nice alloy wheels. Also looks like it has 'comfort pack' with electric rear windows/leather steering wheel and gear-knob. (?)This is the one I've reserved
https://www.daciaretail.co.uk/used-cars/dacia/loga...
I'm not expecting much but hope to be pleasantly surprised..
Blue paint was £495 extra. Maybe has parking sensors. Should have the rear load cover intact, and maybe a spare wheel if you're lucky.
Probably a zero VED model? Turn 'Eco-mode' off for the test drive, or you'll think you left the handbrake on. :-)
Looks good. Current Logans are built in Morocco, they say. TCe90 engine likes revs, up to 5000 or so.
MediaNav has a couple of versions, later 'Evo' had colour icons, early one had amber icons. Map updates expensive so most don't bother.
Cheers slushbox. Yeh I think this one has a decent spec. I nearly purchased a v low mileage ambiance example from a dealer in Brent wood for 5k then realised the bloody thing didn't have air con!
I think the ved for this blue bad boy is 20 quid a year (or £21.75 if I prefer to pay monthly)
Dealer won't shift on price but this one looks fairly priced. If I finance it I get 400 quid off and 2 free services too and some sort of paint insurance too. Have to keep the finance for 4 months before cancelling it to keep the deposit contribution.
Slightly sharp practice and I'd prefer to just pay cash and get the 400 quid off but it is what it is I guess.
I think the ved for this blue bad boy is 20 quid a year (or £21.75 if I prefer to pay monthly)
Dealer won't shift on price but this one looks fairly priced. If I finance it I get 400 quid off and 2 free services too and some sort of paint insurance too. Have to keep the finance for 4 months before cancelling it to keep the deposit contribution.
Slightly sharp practice and I'd prefer to just pay cash and get the 400 quid off but it is what it is I guess.
I think a lot of the buyers on the Dacia forum went for the finance option, and then cancelled it at the first opportunity. They all reckoned it was a good deal.
First two services on my DCi were £220 each. The DCi's had a software update for emissions last year, don't know about the petrol versions.
Check the air direction knob - the left one on the heater controls - works, as mentioned, they occasionally 'malfunction' due to mysterious heavy-handedness.
Driver's seat may or may not have height adjustment, was an option on the early UK imports.
Met a Romanian who worked at the Mioveni factory in 2016 said the UK Laureates got extra quality control and more sound-deadening applied than the local models, but the specs have changed so much since, who knows?
If you park a Logan anywhere in London, Romanians come rushing up to congratulate you on owning a Dacia. :-)
Bon chance!
First two services on my DCi were £220 each. The DCi's had a software update for emissions last year, don't know about the petrol versions.
Check the air direction knob - the left one on the heater controls - works, as mentioned, they occasionally 'malfunction' due to mysterious heavy-handedness.
Driver's seat may or may not have height adjustment, was an option on the early UK imports.
Met a Romanian who worked at the Mioveni factory in 2016 said the UK Laureates got extra quality control and more sound-deadening applied than the local models, but the specs have changed so much since, who knows?
If you park a Logan anywhere in London, Romanians come rushing up to congratulate you on owning a Dacia. :-)
Bon chance!
Edited by Slushbox on Monday 7th January 16:16
Thanks slushbox. I'll report back next few days when hopefully I have the keys in my hand. In the meanwhile I did laugh when I called the dealer to reserve it and make an appointment. The woman said 'do you think you'll want a tea or coffee when you're here ' I said I've no idea, perhaps I could let you know tomorrow? She said no I need to pre order it for you now if you want one.
Christ they run a tight ship. She's probably had to go and beg sue in the accounts department for the 10p our boiling water and tea bag will cost.
Christ they run a tight ship. She's probably had to go and beg sue in the accounts department for the 10p our boiling water and tea bag will cost.
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