I (my wife actually) have the 65hp one, it can easily keep up in traffic and overtake cars. It struggles above 70 and the top speed is not much more than that. It's obviously not fast, but not everything is a drag race. Anyone thinking this won't keep up on the roads either treats the speed limits as a suggestion or the roads as a racetrack. The 0 to 30 is 3.8 seconds. That's faster than most normal cars on the road so it feels pretty nippy out and about. We use it as secondary car, the daily commute is about 15 miles. Charge once a week at home. There's an 8 year warranty on the battery from Dacia, which is what sealed the deal for us.
@@darrendavies1208I think Jim's train of thought (and he's correct) is you can buy some seriously good EVs out there for £15 used, a Hyundai Ioniq 38kwh for starters or Even Kia E-Niro's at that price . The Dacia will lose a couple of grand as you drive off the forecourt , then the base model can't be DC charged . So basically it's probably worth £13k as you pull onto your drive from picking it up , it's range is limited, it's charging is limited, it doesn't have the acceleration of plain boring EVs like the leaf that makes city driving so much easier. A wise person with £15k in their back pocket will buy a used EV rather than a very, very compromised EV that loses value like it's parked next to a black hole !
@@davefitzpatrick4841 well, yes, but you can't really compare used to new. How about come back when the Dacia is 1 years old and is 9k ? Plus, if you were a business buying for company use, you can claim the whole lot back , which you can't with used. I agree a used car may be a better option at 15k. A one year old Leaf, Zoe, Corsa, will all be more capable, but they are not new. You mentioned the Dacia loosing money like a black hole, but the most you can loose is 15k and that's if you drove it off a cliff. All those other cars have already lost a hell of a lot more than that.
It will sell well. For someone who wants a cheap city runabout or for a local commute its ideal. With all these low emission zones popping up its bound to be popular. A lot of people just want peace of mind with having a new car with a warranty.
Yesterday’s telegraph : Sadiq Khan to impose congestion charge on electric vehicles. Ooops. The rest of the world predicted the WEF intention for years.
I’d say it has a wider appeal than that. Average commute journey is around 11 miles, average speeds quite modest. The Spring is all anyone needs, especially the higher powered one. Of course a secondhand car is less than a new one. But many people *want* a new car with a full warranty and £15-16k is a lot more approachable than the next option up at around £25k.
@@FéargalO Phew, I'm glad I don't need to walk to the shop and then back carrying my shopping ... especially when it's 27 miles round trip and no public transport!
I do agree with this pov, I've never bought new. but some people will just buy new, because its new. it works out well for you and I because we can go out a buy a cheap 3 year old car where the only reason the car is being getting rid of is because the finance plan has run its course. every 2nd hand car was new once, the market functions because people buy new cars, so I think it should be judged on its own terms, ie a cheap new car.
As a cheap new car it’s not offering much. It’s like giving me half a loaf of bread and telling me it’s cheaper than a new one. Cheap to me means value for money.
We're currently looking at a small used EV as our 2nd EV; the Corsa, Mini and Honda-e are currently top of the list. The Dacia is the answer to all those ill-informed about EVs being too expensive and only for the rich forgetting that more than 70% of buyers by used.
The monthly payments will be key for Dacia, if they can do £100 deposit/£100 a month then they will sell loads! It's easy to forget that some new quadricycles are at a similar price level as the Spring...
@@davidspencer7254 But we are talking new prices for electric cars and not comparing to second hand cars and other electric car manufacturers which are ridiculous prices compared to dacia and not worth the money like Tesla for example which are not even reliable and are around 100k and dacia won't be beaten for value and are reliable too and I should know having a dacia Logan mcv diesel for 11 years now and no issues whatsoever
Yep, absolutely agree with you. There definitely is a need for the Spring class of car but cheap as it seems it really needs to be priced at 10k-12k to make sense. At 15k starting price it makes far more sense to get a second hand EV as you mentioned.
I look at the Dacia Spring as something better than the Citroën Ami. That being said, without thermal protection on the battery it is not really a BEV and I'm convinced it will be worthless in 5 years+. I am definitely in "Jim's Camp" in that there are brilliant second-hand EVs out there.
Dacia knows it's market, this is going to be very popular with the over 60's, especially a lot of women who want something easy to drive and control. Also older drivers often have low mileage cars to part exchange making this even cheaper and they want the reassurance of a long warranty which you don't get with used cars. Ultimately this could well be the last car many older drivers own so depreciation doesn't really matter either. Despite there being millions of drivers over the age of 60 in the UK, they rarely get a mention in car reviews.
Would an older driver not still prefer something 6 months old without so many compromises? I don’t really see why age alone would make someone desire a car with lots of limitations over one at a similar price with very few. I’ve got no problem with anyone who does by the way.
A 1 year old entry-level Dacia Spring will probably sell for much less than £10k, and I think that’s the fair comparison to make. Not my cup of tea, but someone will buy it.
I can just never see a point in time where this is the best thing you can get for your money, even when it gets to half it's new price I'd still suggest there will be far better used alternatives for the same money. A pint of milk will always be cheaper than two pints but one gives you a lot less VFM.
Very good analogy with the pros and cons, most balanced simple talk with out waffle. I live in Guernsey with a 15 to 20 minute journey times at the most. I’m thinking the Dacia will be perfect for the island with a maximum speed limit of 35 mph along with the competitive pricing the car should sell by the bucket load like the existing Dacia have.
quite agree, the range is poor, the acceleration lethal, so the corsa makes more sense, but don't forget tesla are producing the Tesla 2 and MG are launching the MG 2 EV, both rumoured for under 20K with an LFP battery, which is better than the current Li being fitted to "cheap" cars
You summed up the problem with cheap small cars. They are not competing with other new cars, they compete with near new used cars. In its own terms the Spring looks OK, its just the depreciation of EVs has been so great that its not competative. (That said, the market may evolve & EV prices firm a bit if people get more confidence over battery health.) Making it easy to check battery health on a used EV will make a big difference to the used market on + 20,000 mile EVs. When people can see what they are getting easily prices will firm from here.
I have my dacia spring since 2021, is fantastic in city and for small trip in italy where the street are very tight. The torque is very good, the stock tires less. In highway is not very good but i love my spring, also the ground clearance is amazing
Excellent video...pretty brave purchase to buy the spring considering the used and nearly new current car market..you would have to be a massive Dacia fan maybe...if that even exists.
I applaud Dacia for what they've achieved and I have a Logan MCV which I bought less than 4 years old for £4.5k. However, I've never seen the attraction of buying new when it'll drop like a stone in value within months. If it was just me and the wife without the 6' teenage boys I'd get it for no more than £5k just a couple of years old and charge from home. The ultimate cheap motor.
I really don't understand why anyone would buy a new EV. For the price of a new Leaf you could get a 2 year old EQA or Tesla. Sub £20 retail you have such a huge choice of nearly new EVs. I think they now represent excellent value on the used car market.
One aspect: Good second hand EV's market it's not so big. You can't find that easy a good bargain like that Corsa. So, the others will go for some new EV. And the only cheap option is Spring. I have one, the new model (2024 Extreme trim) and I'm a little impressed. OK, it's a company car, for moving in the city, but for me (45 years old) it's just the perfect car, as a second car only to do personal jobs and company jobs in the city. For outside the city I have my VW Passat.
There is nothing clever or innovative about this car it's just been built down to a price. The range is the issue especially as the industry experts advise only charging cars between 20 and 80 percent. There will be some urban dwellers/workers who it's suitable for but with such a short range it's very inflexible. Thank you for a spot on video that doesn't follow the herd.
no one ever covers what happens when you get a car...are there any software registration or anything like that?? I am thinking of getting one of these cheap cars just for work and back(4km) it would be very handy and cut a lot of my costs for such little useage.
Much would depend on the car but most EVs have some kind of app that needs you to register an account. Could I suggest that instead of a Spring your take your £15k, put £3k of it back int he bank and look at a 2 year old used EV. You will get a far better car for less money.
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru I have issue trusting used EV's especially since people never seem to know how to properly care for a battery...any battery :) That being said, what would you recommend, looking for simple and cheap, not bells and whistles.
I picked up a 2 year old Seat Mii Electric with 20k on it for about £9k - it'll do well over 100 miles, is easy to park and a giggle to drive. ID3 is not a bad shout used either, £12k will get you something decent.
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru Thanks, I did look at the id3/4/5 the id3 seeming like the best bang for buck(so to speak, I live in germany)...so I will take another look at the id3. Thanks for your time.
I don’t really see a time/price where it becomes interesting to me, if it got under a grand maybe but there are going to be more interesting alternatives at most price points. The lack of DC charging and 19 second 0-60 time are the main reasons I’d pretty much always take almost anything else.
My main concern with buying a second hand EV is battery life. Replacing the battery on an EV costs thousands of pounds, which many people wouldn't be able to afford. EVs for me are not economical for me to even entertain at the moment.
Each to their own eh. There’s a lot of nonesense printed about it and spoken about battery life generally though. A bit of research on forums is a good idea and you can always test the battery life before you buy but nothing is for everyone 👍
Yes Jim, £100 a month lease is going to be the 'way'. Must be possible £10k or less (?) in costs to lease company/manufacturer £1200 back a year plus ZEV mandate credits to help.
While some deals on other EVs have a good headline monthly the so called deposit normally brings them to a much higher figure. I'd see the Spring as needing to be no more than £1500 per year total costs over 2 years 10,000 miles, otherwise something better will be available for not much more either as a 'desperation' lease or a secondhand buy that you'd need to keep a bit longer (5yrs).
This is the Citroen C1 / Aygo / 107 all over again BUT electric. That C1 / Aygo sold by the bucket load, WHY? Because its simple, no gadgets, cheap to run , cheap to own, it gave you all you needed to drive 95% of the time for bugger all cost. I bought a C1 new in 2008 for £6105 pounds, Insurance £120 a yea £20 road tax. A fully legal on the road cost of £140 a year, fully comp! and it genuinely does 40-60 to the gallon. It weighs very little, so it doesn't need 150hp. The tiny engine hustles it along nicely, there's speed camera's every mile so save your licence and insurance costs by not driving fast. 16 years later, we STILL have the C1, what faults in 16 years? Peeling lacquer on a red car. Nothing else. I notice the c1 is now 12,000 pounds. So, yes, this new little EV doesn't have much in terms of gadgets, but it got a massive amount more than most fossil fuel engines we all currently drive. Also, it only drive about 100-120 miles between 4 hours charge on a proper home charger. Oh no... my 2 miles a day to work means I'll need to charge it a few times a month, the horror! Doing the weekly shop, driving to work, going out never many miles so the small range is perfect. If I want to drive the whole of the UK on a holiday, then I'll take the petrol powered car. As a second car, no frill, no fuss, no expensive toys fitted, this car will do 95% of all our driving needs. I'm off to buy the silver 65hp one now! We don't want bigger, heavier, more equipment, 2nd hand with more range, we only do a few miles a day. We want simple, low cost, clever full EV's, brand new for not much money.
Oh yeah, I WANT a lever on the floor to pull up to apply the hand brake so I can drift it around the bollard on the exit to the Saga bingo centre before I floor it home to my Horlicks.
Would have to agree, it’s just not going to be capable enough for most people. Enough for a run to the shops and that is about it so why bother unless for some reason 2 cars are required in the family.
Yeah, it makes no sense buying a new Dacia Spring, when that nearly Corsa ev you showed is the same price as well.👍 A car that is superior to the Spring in every way.👍👌👍 I suppose the Spring is higher up for a better driving position & better for your back if you have back problems & smaller in length for easier parking.👍 & It might depreciate less than the Corsa cos it's a mini SUV & it will be rarer on UK roads than the Corsa & that would be about it IMO.🤔🤨🤨
Agree with you 100%. As a second car for commuting it's near on perfect. The entry level is nigh on useless. Many ICE cars would leave it standing at roundabouts and traffic lights and in todays "got to get there quickly" culture I can see many causing accidents. And as for there claims of 130 miles. Maybe this true but I fear it's come at the expense of power as they really didn't want to advertise a car that does 75 miles with good power. Maybe in 3 years time it'll be the second hand market for £5000, making it a tempting commuting vehicle.
I still think that, in a few years there will be better options for £5k. I think the idea of it is great but it’s arrived 3 years late to the party and has turned up with a 4 pack of Skol.
Too small for me, but if you can lease it for peanuts and it costs virtually nothing to charge at home, then it may well be a great option. I can see these selling well. Do agree though, a year old Corsa/e208 type EV or even a Niro make a much better buy if they’re low mileage.
You say your worried about the depreciation on it but I don’t think it will be as bad as for some of the premium EVs that you see people talk about on UA-cam. There’s a guy on here (The MacMaster) who bangs on and on about how he hates his 120k Porsche Taycan because in two years it has depreciated so much that he is being offered 29k for it by the Car buying websites and his Porsche dealer won’t even take it back in PX. That represents around a 75% loss in value in 2 years for the Taycan. I can’t really see the same amount of depreciation for the Dacia because that would equate to a 2 year old one being sold for about 4k!! That could t happen! Could it? 🤔
I guess it could happen. If you want to protect yourself against EV depreciation then lease a new one or buy a used one. The MacMaster is making way too much from his videos to ever get rid of that Porsche; imagine how few he'd get if he liked it eh ;)
I think I'd buy a new Spring before I bought a new Corsa E, seeing the depreciation on those! Must admit, I tend to buy nearly new cars and let someone else take the initial depreciation. The last couple I have bought have been Korean, with a longer manufacturer's warranty than most new cars.
IMHO Jim this is a wast of resources. It may make sense running around Paris etc but I believe that the range will be closer to 100miles outside of the labs and as you say get a better car for the same sort of money second hand.
Yeah, unfortunately I think Dacia have missed the boat with this one. If they'd released a RHD version of the original Spring in the UK two years ago, when they released it in Europe, I think they would've sold like hot cakes. Now there's such a massive market for almost new EVs at similar prices in the UK, the Spring doesn't really make much sense.
I agree, for me this would be trumped by a second owner car. There are those who will want a new car from the factory. Same argument as for a new or used ice car. Horses for courses. I do have to confess having driven cars such as the Morris Minor with way less power and worse acceleration
Well the Corsa was £25k a year ago. So it's lost £10k in a year. Well the Spring (even the £17k one) won't be down to £7k (lose the same £10k). So overall it won't lose as much in absolute value. Maybe at a year old they will lose about the same percentage value and be down to £10k. As you say they will make great second cars for the school run. I suspect many will be bought by businesses for local driving like estate agents, security firms and the like which are currently using Aygo's and the like. There is probably a bit to be saved on insurance especially if you are young and also spares and tyres will be cheaper. Overall I don't really think the issue is with the Spring but cars in general. If you're a business buy new and a private buyer then secondhand is the way to go.
These sort of low cost, no frills EVs will be very successful with Uber/Bolt drivers in the future. Their regulations state that only EVs can register to use their ride share service and ICE will be phased out starting from 2027. Uber gives their drivers 7 years of usable vehicle service that starts at the year of acquisition, so if you buy an ICE car in 2026, you can use it to drive people around until 2033. From 2034 onwards, there will be no more ICE Ubers driving around, all of them will have to be driving EVs and these are perfect for that purpose. Cheap to buy, insure, repair and replace. If I was in the position to buy a brand new cars, I'd be looking at this or the best used Zoe I could find. There are a ton of Zoes around to get parts for, an existing aftermarket in terms of battery upgrades for them and they're honestly pretty sweet little city cars.
I'm glad cheaper EV's are becoming more of a thing, but like you, I would rather buy a nearly new EV that will have more features for the same price or a bit more
I think it will sell well but like you a used car would make so much more sense for a personal buy. A lot of people like the idea of new though don't they?
Should have spent the money on development of an electric version of the jogger and then bring that in low to middle 20k, a much easier solution to market
Everything is out of balance with second hand ev car sales atm. With more people opting to lease a new ev, or getting one as a company car. The general cash paying public are still scared of the new tech, battery woes etc., thus you have a glut of ex lease cars coming onto the market and pushing down the prices. Once Joe public see that s/h ev's are not bursting into flames every 5 minutes, or needing new batteries after a year or two, they will then start to buy with more confidence. Then through the process of supply and demand the prices will rise and eventually level off. Now when the price of a 3-4yo ev rises this is where the Spring will start to make more sense to more people. £16k new ev, or 3-4yo ev @ £20k?
Difficult one. But I suppose this could be said of any car at the lower end. I’m sure a brand new Corsa will look bad value compared to a used one. Though what it does show is that price is no longer a barrier to buying an EV. Used EV’s are a bargain right now and if you have home charging surely it’s a no brainer.
But we’re talking about kind of half a car vs a full blooded car in this instance. It’s a great bit of PR but I’m not sure the car is all that exciting, even at £15k.
Am i right in thinking from the clickbait thumbnail that this is the usual 'let's be a bit controversial' buy suggesting that instead of welcoming an overdue, significantly cheaper EV to market we'll make the point that "Well, a 3 year old Zoe is cheaper!" If so I'm sure it is, but in a few years times a Dacia Spring will be a damn sight cheaper second hand than a Zoe... If the quality is bearable it'll sell like hot cakes.
No. I think it’s a shit solution that’s arrived to market 3 years too late to be relevant. Not clickbait - my opinion. Seems you have a different one, bravo. 🙌 👍
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru lol, well I look forward to the next video showing the other new EVs for £15k that are so much better because choosing a three year old car has always got you ‘more car’ since the first car rolled off the showroom floor. 🤷 Let’s see how many they sell in the first year, it should give an idea of how much of a shit solution the buying public thinking is. 👍
To be honest though, NCAP has become a bit silly of late. Way too much focus on driver assist features and less scoring focus on crash test performance.
Maybe it will appeal to old people who tend to drive very slowly and never really overtake anything just slow everyone else down! Since the original Dacia duster looks I was put off for life lol but older people maybe just look at cost rather than value!
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I (my wife actually) have the 65hp one, it can easily keep up in traffic and overtake cars. It struggles above 70 and the top speed is not much more than that. It's obviously not fast, but not everything is a drag race. Anyone thinking this won't keep up on the roads either treats the speed limits as a suggestion or the roads as a racetrack. The 0 to 30 is 3.8 seconds. That's faster than most normal cars on the road so it feels pretty nippy out and about. We use it as secondary car, the daily commute is about 15 miles. Charge once a week at home. There's an 8 year warranty on the battery from Dacia, which is what sealed the deal for us.
👌
People - “We want slower, more basic EV’s which are cheaper”
Dacia - “Sure, here you go”
Social media - “It’s too slow and basic, no thanks”
🤣
My point is it’s filling a gap that has already been filled by better things.
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru What is better for the same price, new?
@@darrendavies1208I think Jim's train of thought (and he's correct) is you can buy some seriously good EVs out there for £15 used, a Hyundai Ioniq 38kwh for starters or Even Kia E-Niro's at that price .
The Dacia will lose a couple of grand as you drive off the forecourt , then the base model can't be DC charged .
So basically it's probably worth £13k as you pull onto your drive from picking it up , it's range is limited, it's charging is limited, it doesn't have the acceleration of plain boring EVs like the leaf that makes city driving so much easier.
A wise person with £15k in their back pocket will buy a used EV rather than a very, very compromised EV that loses value like it's parked next to a black hole !
@@davefitzpatrick4841 well, yes, but you can't really compare used to new. How about come back when the Dacia is 1 years old and is 9k ? Plus, if you were a business buying for company use, you can claim the whole lot back , which you can't with used. I agree a used car may be a better option at 15k. A one year old Leaf, Zoe, Corsa, will all be more capable, but they are not new.
You mentioned the Dacia loosing money like a black hole, but the most you can loose is 15k and that's if you drove it off a cliff.
All those other cars have already lost a hell of a lot more than that.
@@darrendavies1208nothing better EV wise for £15k; not the point I was making to be fair. It’s too compromised for me at any price.
It will sell well. For someone who wants a cheap city runabout or for a local commute its ideal. With all these low emission zones popping up its bound to be popular. A lot of people just want peace of mind with having a new car with a warranty.
Maybe. A 6 month old EV still had plenty of warranty too.
Yesterday’s telegraph : Sadiq Khan to impose congestion charge on electric vehicles. Ooops. The rest of the world predicted the WEF intention for years.
Perfect car for a retired person who does no milage, apart from the shop run, and wants the cheapest no thrills option.
But a nearly new something else is surely a better one?
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru, isn't that the case with all new vs used cars? If no one buys new cars, where are you going to buy used ones from?
Probably be quicker if they walked to the shop instead and £15k better off.
I’d say it has a wider appeal than that. Average commute journey is around 11 miles, average speeds quite modest. The Spring is all anyone needs, especially the higher powered one. Of course a secondhand car is less than a new one. But many people *want* a new car with a full warranty and £15-16k is a lot more approachable than the next option up at around £25k.
@@FéargalO Phew, I'm glad I don't need to walk to the shop and then back carrying my shopping ... especially when it's 27 miles round trip and no public transport!
Absolutely right. I'd just get a 2-3 year old Zoe, approved used from Renault, and pocket the 2-3k change from the price of an entry level Spring.
👍
I do agree with this pov, I've never bought new.
but some people will just buy new, because its new. it works out well for you and I because we can go out a buy a cheap 3 year old car where the only reason the car is being getting rid of is because the finance plan has run its course.
every 2nd hand car was new once, the market functions because people buy new cars, so I think it should be judged on its own terms, ie a cheap new car.
As a cheap new car it’s not offering much. It’s like giving me half a loaf of bread and telling me it’s cheaper than a new one. Cheap to me means value for money.
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru well, there was a waiting list for the Citroen Ami and that’s about a slice of bread ;)
At least that makes a good marketing vehicle and was dirt cheap. If you want a Spring mate fill your boots. Nobody cares.
We're currently looking at a small used EV as our 2nd EV; the Corsa, Mini and Honda-e are currently top of the list. The Dacia is the answer to all those ill-informed about EVs being too expensive and only for the rich forgetting that more than 70% of buyers by used.
Plenty to choose from 👍
Just buy a normal mini or corsa
Don't overlook the Renault Zoe.....
@@Brian-om2hh good shout.
@@mesco8200 normal?
The monthly payments will be key for Dacia, if they can do £100 deposit/£100 a month then they will sell loads!
It's easy to forget that some new quadricycles are at a similar price level as the Spring...
👍
£100 you'll be paying it off for over a decade and the car will be almost worthless by then.
I'm sure your right, but in 2 or 3 years this could be £5k and why wouldn't you buy that?
It’s perhaps dangerously slow, has no DC charging and there will almost always be a better option for your £5k
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru buy an imiev then.
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru you really don’t want to try an Ami then lol.
@@davidspencer7254
But we are talking new prices for electric cars and not comparing to second hand cars and other electric car manufacturers which are ridiculous prices compared to dacia and not worth the money like Tesla for example which are not even reliable and are around 100k and dacia won't be beaten for value and are reliable too and I should know having a dacia Logan mcv diesel for 11 years now and no issues whatsoever
Yep, absolutely agree with you. There definitely is a need for the Spring class of car but cheap as it seems it really needs to be priced at 10k-12k to make sense. At 15k starting price it makes far more sense to get a second hand EV as you mentioned.
👍
I’d wait for the bigger version with more range probably coming out in a years time. I believe it’s called the Boing 😂
I would go with the second hand one as well
👍
I look at the Dacia Spring as something better than the Citroën Ami. That being said, without thermal protection on the battery it is not really a BEV and I'm convinced it will be worthless in 5 years+. I am definitely in "Jim's Camp" in that there are brilliant second-hand EVs out there.
👍👍
Dacia knows it's market, this is going to be very popular with the over 60's, especially a lot of women who want something easy to drive and control.
Also older drivers often have low mileage cars to part exchange making this even cheaper and they want the reassurance of a long warranty which you don't get with used cars.
Ultimately this could well be the last car many older drivers own so depreciation doesn't really matter either.
Despite there being millions of drivers over the age of 60 in the UK, they rarely get a mention in car reviews.
Would an older driver not still prefer something 6 months old without so many compromises? I don’t really see why age alone would make someone desire a car with lots of limitations over one at a similar price with very few. I’ve got no problem with anyone who does by the way.
A 1 year old entry-level Dacia Spring will probably sell for much less than £10k, and I think that’s the fair comparison to make. Not my cup of tea, but someone will buy it.
I can just never see a point in time where this is the best thing you can get for your money, even when it gets to half it's new price I'd still suggest there will be far better used alternatives for the same money. A pint of milk will always be cheaper than two pints but one gives you a lot less VFM.
Very good analogy with the pros and cons, most balanced simple talk with out waffle.
I live in Guernsey with a 15 to 20 minute journey times at the most. I’m thinking the Dacia will be perfect for the island with a maximum speed limit of 35 mph along with the competitive pricing the car should sell by the bucket load like the existing Dacia have.
Do you know I was thinking it would make a good Channel Islands car!
You're 100% right.
👍
I have an MG4 and would recomend a used one with the LFP battery for similar money to the Spring.
👍
quite agree, the range is poor, the acceleration lethal, so the corsa makes more sense, but don't forget tesla are producing the Tesla 2 and MG are launching the MG 2 EV, both rumoured for under 20K with an LFP battery, which is better than the current Li being fitted to "cheap" cars
👍👍
Opel corsa,?
They are absolute dirt
Had one of them, never again.
Cheers Jimbo too true let someone else take the worst hit of depreciation and you get a lot better car for the same outlay 👍
👍
You summed up the problem with cheap small cars. They are not competing with other new cars, they compete with near new used cars.
In its own terms the Spring looks OK, its just the depreciation of EVs has been so great that its not competative. (That said, the market may evolve & EV prices firm a bit if people get more confidence over battery health.)
Making it easy to check battery health on a used EV will make a big difference to the used market on + 20,000 mile EVs. When people can see what they are getting easily prices will firm from here.
👍
I have my dacia spring since 2021, is fantastic in city and for small trip in italy where the street are very tight. The torque is very good, the stock tires less. In highway is not very good but i love my spring, also the ground clearance is amazing
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You've hit the nail on the head, would have been tempting two years ago.
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Excellent video...pretty brave purchase to buy the spring considering the used and nearly new current car market..you would have to be a massive Dacia fan maybe...if that even exists.
Good call!
I can get one half price with state incentives here in Italy. Is it a good deal if I pay it around 7.000 GBP? Thanks
Yep, if you’re happy with the speed and range etc 👍
I applaud Dacia for what they've achieved and I have a Logan MCV which I bought less than 4 years old for £4.5k. However, I've never seen the attraction of buying new when it'll drop like a stone in value within months. If it was just me and the wife without the 6' teenage boys I'd get it for no more than £5k just a couple of years old and charge from home. The ultimate cheap motor.
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I really don't understand why anyone would buy a new EV. For the price of a new Leaf you could get a 2 year old EQA or Tesla. Sub £20 retail you have such a huge choice of nearly new EVs. I think they now represent excellent value on the used car market.
Me too. Lease new/buy used.
One aspect: Good second hand EV's market it's not so big. You can't find that easy a good bargain like that Corsa. So, the others will go for some new EV. And the only cheap option is Spring. I have one, the new model (2024 Extreme trim) and I'm a little impressed. OK, it's a company car, for moving in the city, but for me (45 years old) it's just the perfect car, as a second car only to do personal jobs and company jobs in the city. For outside the city I have my VW Passat.
Plenty of great used evs around mate, not difficult to find. Glad you’re enjoying your car
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru OK, I have to do some more research about second hand EV's. 😀
There is nothing clever or innovative about this car it's just been built down to a price. The range is the issue especially as the industry experts advise only charging cars between 20 and 80 percent. There will be some urban dwellers/workers who it's suitable for but with such a short range it's very inflexible. Thank you for a spot on video that doesn't follow the herd.
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no one ever covers what happens when you get a car...are there any software registration or anything like that?? I am thinking of getting one of these cheap cars just for work and back(4km) it would be very handy and cut a lot of my costs for such little useage.
Much would depend on the car but most EVs have some kind of app that needs you to register an account. Could I suggest that instead of a Spring your take your £15k, put £3k of it back int he bank and look at a 2 year old used EV. You will get a far better car for less money.
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru I have issue trusting used EV's especially since people never seem to know how to properly care for a battery...any battery :)
That being said, what would you recommend, looking for simple and cheap, not bells and whistles.
I picked up a 2 year old Seat Mii Electric with 20k on it for about £9k - it'll do well over 100 miles, is easy to park and a giggle to drive. ID3 is not a bad shout used either, £12k will get you something decent.
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru Thanks, I did look at the id3/4/5 the id3 seeming like the best bang for buck(so to speak, I live in germany)...so I will take another look at the id3. Thanks for your time.
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Some excellent points 👍
Glad you think so!
and how many Vauxall corsa-e are on this price in the market?
Most of them
I think you are spot on as usual. I would not want one because I am lucky enough to be able to waste my money on something more expensive.
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You say you wouldn’t buy one, but what if they follow the same depreciation curve as a Corsa, and a year old example is £7k?
I don’t really see a time/price where it becomes interesting to me, if it got under a grand maybe but there are going to be more interesting alternatives at most price points. The lack of DC charging and 19 second 0-60 time are the main reasons I’d pretty much always take almost anything else.
But they won't depreciate like the corsa far from it and it wil hold its value better.l
Totally agree. It's dismal. I've been in one. Feels cheap because it is.
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My main concern with buying a second hand EV is battery life.
Replacing the battery on an EV costs thousands of pounds, which many people wouldn't be able to afford.
EVs for me are not economical for me to even entertain at the moment.
Each to their own eh. There’s a lot of nonesense printed about it and spoken about battery life generally though. A bit of research on forums is a good idea and you can always test the battery life before you buy but nothing is for everyone 👍
couldn't agree more with you mate. Absolutely pointless! Maybe the UK is not the market Dacia is aiming for, most likely Eastern Europe?
Very possible 👍
Yes Jim, £100 a month lease is going to be the 'way'. Must be possible £10k or less (?) in costs to lease company/manufacturer £1200 back a year plus ZEV mandate credits to help.
Yes, maybe but much will depend on the forecast depreciation- as you say, great for those ZEV credits
MG are currently offering the MG4 at £99 per Month, although you need to put 35% down...
The Ora 3 can be had for £127 per month, 9 months deposit over 24 months and 10,000 miles over that period
While some deals on other EVs have a good headline monthly the so called deposit normally brings them to a much higher figure. I'd see the Spring as needing to be no more than £1500 per year total costs over 2 years 10,000 miles, otherwise something better will be available for not much more either as a 'desperation' lease or a secondhand buy that you'd need to keep a bit longer (5yrs).
Interesting video, great news for cheaper EVs but agree there are so many other cars available 2nd hand.
Yes they are!
Second hand means buying other peoples problems especially European cars
This is the Citroen C1 / Aygo / 107 all over again BUT electric.
That C1 / Aygo sold by the bucket load, WHY? Because its simple, no gadgets, cheap to run , cheap to own, it gave you all you needed to drive 95% of the time for bugger all cost. I bought a C1 new in 2008 for £6105 pounds, Insurance £120 a yea £20 road tax. A fully legal on the road cost of £140 a year, fully comp! and it genuinely does 40-60 to the gallon. It weighs very little, so it doesn't need 150hp. The tiny engine hustles it along nicely, there's speed camera's every mile so save your licence and insurance costs by not driving fast. 16 years later, we STILL have the C1, what faults in 16 years? Peeling lacquer on a red car. Nothing else. I notice the c1 is now 12,000 pounds.
So, yes, this new little EV doesn't have much in terms of gadgets, but it got a massive amount more than most fossil fuel engines we all currently drive. Also, it only drive about 100-120 miles between 4 hours charge on a proper home charger. Oh no... my 2 miles a day to work means I'll need to charge it a few times a month, the horror! Doing the weekly shop, driving to work, going out never many miles so the small range is perfect.
If I want to drive the whole of the UK on a holiday, then I'll take the petrol powered car. As a second car, no frill, no fuss, no expensive toys fitted, this car will do 95% of all our driving needs. I'm off to buy the silver 65hp one now!
We don't want bigger, heavier, more equipment, 2nd hand with more range, we only do a few miles a day. We want simple, low cost, clever full EV's, brand new for not much money.
Oh yeah, I WANT a lever on the floor to pull up to apply the hand brake so I can drift it around the bollard on the exit to the Saga bingo centre before I floor it home to my Horlicks.
Fill your boots mate. I’d take a 6 month old Corsa-e over it any day of the week. It’s way more compromised than a C1 so don’t really get the analogy.
I think they’re a better seller in Europe due to the government grants they got on a brand new ev
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No way I’d buy it. I definitely don’t want a car with such a small battery
It’s got a lot of competition on the way soon but in the meantime there are some great options on the used market offering a lot more for a lot less.
Would have to agree, it’s just not going to be capable enough for most people. Enough for a run to the shops and that is about it so why bother unless for some reason 2 cars are required in the family.
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Used over new for me 👍👍
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Yeah, it makes no sense buying a new Dacia Spring, when that nearly Corsa ev you showed is the same price as well.👍 A car that is superior to the Spring in every way.👍👌👍 I suppose the Spring is higher up for a better driving position & better for your back if you have back problems & smaller in length for easier parking.👍 & It might depreciate less than the Corsa cos it's a mini SUV & it will be rarer on UK roads than the Corsa & that would be about it IMO.🤔🤨🤨
I think there are better options than the Corsa to be fair, it just sprang to mind for the comparison in the video as it's such a common car.
I'd honestly love to take my 44bhp Skoda Estelle up to Santa Pod against someone who buys the 44bhp version of the Spring. 😅
I’d pay to see that 😂👍
Depreciation is true for all ev's and not onlynfor Spring. It's a car with a purpose...
Very true - by why would you but half a car when you can get twice the car for less cash?
Agree with you 100%. As a second car for commuting it's near on perfect. The entry level is nigh on useless. Many ICE cars would leave it standing at roundabouts and traffic lights and in todays "got to get there quickly" culture I can see many causing accidents. And as for there claims of 130 miles. Maybe this true but I fear it's come at the expense of power as they really didn't want to advertise a car that does 75 miles with good power. Maybe in 3 years time it'll be the second hand market for £5000, making it a tempting commuting vehicle.
I still think that, in a few years there will be better options for £5k. I think the idea of it is great but it’s arrived 3 years late to the party and has turned up with a 4 pack of Skol.
Could be ideal for deliveries in a clogged city?
It could
Too small for me, but if you can lease it for peanuts and it costs virtually nothing to charge at home, then it may well be a great option. I can see these selling well.
Do agree though, a year old Corsa/e208 type EV or even a Niro make a much better buy if they’re low mileage.
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You say your worried about the depreciation on it but I don’t think it will be as bad as for some of the premium EVs that you see people talk about on UA-cam. There’s a guy on here (The MacMaster) who bangs on and on about how he hates his 120k Porsche Taycan because in two years it has depreciated so much that he is being offered 29k for it by the Car buying websites and his Porsche dealer won’t even take it back in PX. That represents around a 75% loss in value in 2 years for the Taycan. I can’t really see the same amount of depreciation for the Dacia because that would equate to a 2 year old one being sold for about 4k!! That could t happen! Could it? 🤔
I guess it could happen. If you want to protect yourself against EV depreciation then lease a new one or buy a used one. The MacMaster is making way too much from his videos to ever get rid of that Porsche; imagine how few he'd get if he liked it eh ;)
I think I'd buy a new Spring before I bought a new Corsa E, seeing the depreciation on those! Must admit, I tend to buy nearly new cars and let someone else take the initial depreciation. The last couple I have bought have been Korean, with a longer manufacturer's warranty than most new cars.
Each to their own 👍
IMHO Jim this is a wast of resources. It may make sense running around Paris etc but I believe that the range will be closer to 100miles outside of the labs and as you say get a better car for the same sort of money second hand.
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Yeah, unfortunately I think Dacia have missed the boat with this one. If they'd released a RHD version of the original Spring in the UK two years ago, when they released it in Europe, I think they would've sold like hot cakes. Now there's such a massive market for almost new EVs at similar prices in the UK, the Spring doesn't really make much sense.
Exactly that, great shout 👍
But we are taking new prices here, like per like dacia won't be beaten on value.
I agree, for me this would be trumped by a second owner car. There are those who will want a new car from the factory. Same argument as for a new or used ice car. Horses for courses. I do have to confess having driven cars such as the Morris Minor with way less power and worse acceleration
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This argument has been going on for at least the last 40 years I've been driving; Do you buy new budget or used premium brand?
Only this is new budget or used budget. One car offers everything, the other one offers half of everything so it really cheap?
Well the Corsa was £25k a year ago. So it's lost £10k in a year. Well the Spring (even the £17k one) won't be down to £7k (lose the same £10k). So overall it won't lose as much in absolute value. Maybe at a year old they will lose about the same percentage value and be down to £10k.
As you say they will make great second cars for the school run.
I suspect many will be bought by businesses for local driving like estate agents, security firms and the like which are currently using Aygo's and the like.
There is probably a bit to be saved on insurance especially if you are young and also spares and tyres will be cheaper.
Overall I don't really think the issue is with the Spring but cars in general. If you're a business buy new and a private buyer then secondhand is the way to go.
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These sort of low cost, no frills EVs will be very successful with Uber/Bolt drivers in the future. Their regulations state that only EVs can register to use their ride share service and ICE will be phased out starting from 2027. Uber gives their drivers 7 years of usable vehicle service that starts at the year of acquisition, so if you buy an ICE car in 2026, you can use it to drive people around until 2033.
From 2034 onwards, there will be no more ICE Ubers driving around, all of them will have to be driving EVs and these are perfect for that purpose. Cheap to buy, insure, repair and replace.
If I was in the position to buy a brand new cars, I'd be looking at this or the best used Zoe I could find. There are a ton of Zoes around to get parts for, an existing aftermarket in terms of battery upgrades for them and they're honestly pretty sweet little city cars.
A used Zoe would be a far better buy in ever respect
I'm glad cheaper EV's are becoming more of a thing, but like you, I would rather buy a nearly new EV that will have more features for the same price or a bit more
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I think that’s the same for almost every new car :)
It is a sollution for countries that still offer incentives for a new ev.
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im waiting to
lease or pcp a citreon ec3
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I think it will sell well but like you a used car would make so much more sense for a personal buy. A lot of people like the idea of new though don't they?
Yep, I’d certainly lease if I were considering a new one.
I would buy one as a second car.
Playing around the city short rides
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Dacia Spring is a start regarding price, but I want to drive with confidence, so Spring not for me.
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The Dacia Spring doesn't appeal at all, with the two examples of the Corsa and Mokka standing out for me. Very interesting video though Jim.
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Opel is not a good second hand car and nothing but problems.
Should have spent the money on development of an electric version of the jogger and then bring that in low to middle 20k, a much easier solution to market
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Everything is out of balance with second hand ev car sales atm. With more people opting to lease a new ev, or getting one as a company car. The general cash paying public are still scared of the new tech, battery woes etc., thus you have a glut of ex lease cars coming onto the market and pushing down the prices. Once Joe public see that s/h ev's are not bursting into flames every 5 minutes, or needing new batteries after a year or two, they will then start to buy with more confidence. Then through the process of supply and demand the prices will rise and eventually level off. Now when the price of a 3-4yo ev rises this is where the Spring will start to make more sense to more people. £16k new ev, or 3-4yo ev @ £20k?
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Difficult one. But I suppose this could be said of any car at the lower end. I’m sure a brand new Corsa will look bad value compared to a used one. Though what it does show is that price is no longer a barrier to buying an EV. Used EV’s are a bargain right now and if you have home charging surely it’s a no brainer.
But we’re talking about kind of half a car vs a full blooded car in this instance. It’s a great bit of PR but I’m not sure the car is all that exciting, even at £15k.
Fair play to them for making it, but in reality it’s for pottering around town
I’m not a fan of EV and wouldn’t buy any, but fair play to Dacia
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charging range and battery not good enough for me
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Just getting to work and back but 2nd car yes.
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Not too many 6 months old available i believe
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I cannot believe the prices of the VW Up gti, I would like one but the prices Wow!
Yes!
The VW e-up would be better.
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Yes, but..
An electric car doesn't need as much maintenance as a "traditional" car.
So in the long run it is cheaper.
I’ve got 2 electric cars - I just think the Spring is big very good
Am i right in thinking from the clickbait thumbnail that this is the usual 'let's be a bit controversial' buy suggesting that instead of welcoming an overdue, significantly cheaper EV to market we'll make the point that "Well, a 3 year old Zoe is cheaper!" If so I'm sure it is, but in a few years times a Dacia Spring will be a damn sight cheaper second hand than a Zoe... If the quality is bearable it'll sell like hot cakes.
No. I think it’s a shit solution that’s arrived to market 3 years too late to be relevant. Not clickbait - my opinion. Seems you have a different one, bravo. 🙌 👍
@@DefinitelyNotAGuru lol, well I look forward to the next video showing the other new EVs for £15k that are so much better because choosing a three year old car has always got you ‘more car’ since the first car rolled off the showroom floor. 🤷 Let’s see how many they sell in the first year, it should give an idea of how much of a shit solution the buying public thinking is. 👍
I wouldn’t buy one, that’s what the video is about. If someone else does then good luck to them
Isn't it a 4 seater?
Yep
I would think the fact that they will be worth sweet FA at 5 years old , or earlier . Looks like a great way to burn money .
That’s my thinking too.
It's like bringing back the Fiat 126 Bis!
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By a used MG4 instead of it would still have more warranty
Wouldn’t be top of my used car wish list but yes indeed
9-60 in 19 seconds!? I want to experience that!!
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Dacia spring =probably the worlds worst EV.
Certainly an odd one
👍👍👍.Thanks Jim
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Is the 3rd best selling EV in Europe only Tesla model 3 and model Y outsold it. Second hand price will be even cheaper.
Yeah, I still don’t see a price where it becomes interesting to me personally as there will pretty much always be a better vfm alternative
So a nearly new spring £9K?
Maybe, only time will tell. I still think there would probably be better used options (ie less comprised) at £9k to be fair
Have you even seen it, sat in it, driven it?
Yes, at Geneva Motor Show. Felt like a highly compromised ice cream tub.
1 * NCAP 😕
To be honest though, NCAP has become a bit silly of late. Way too much focus on driver assist features and less scoring focus on crash test performance.
Wrong market.... uk wont be many sold here not good enough
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That Dacia range and performance is a big no no from me.
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Maybe it will appeal to old people who tend to drive very slowly and never really overtake anything just slow everyone else down! Since the original Dacia duster looks I was put off for life lol but older people maybe just look at cost rather than value!
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Short version it's cr*p 🤣
I haven’t driven one yet so reserve judgement on that
It is a good step forward and would be fine for city driving. But for anything else it could be so slow itll be a nuisance to other drivers
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