Right-hand drive Dacia Duster SUVs for the UK market are no longer built in India, as production was moved to the brand’s core plant in Romania.
The official explanation for the production transfer cites economic and logistical reasons, but one can’t help but notice the coincidence between the timing of the production move and the 90 complaints Dacia has received so far from UK Duster owners about corrosion on their cars.
“Having the production moved to the Pitesti plant in Romania means we can get cars to customers quicker. The lead time for a right-hand drive Duster to the UK was around eight weeks from Chennai, so for economic and logistical reasons we’ve moved production,” a Dacia spokesperson told HonestJohn.
As a result, the waiting time for a Duster has been reduced by three to four weeks. “It’s cheaper to get the cars to the UK from Europe – certain duties are different, and lots of the Duster’s parts are sourced from Romania. All these things save cost, which is important for our brand,” the Dacia representative added.
Dacia Dusters for the UK market were built in Renault-Nissan’s Chennai factory in India until this summer, when production was shifted to Dacia’s Pitesti plant in Romania, which already builds left-hand-drive Dusters.
In an August 19 release, Dacia admitted there were inconsistencies in the paint process at the Chennai factory which could cause surface corrosion on the Duster’s door sills and bonnet. The company recalled affected cars for inspection and said it will correct the paint under warranty. The company sold 20,000 Dusters in the UK since the brand returned to the country in mid-2012.
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