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First Impressions and Ongoing Adventures with My Sandero
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Renault Sandero 2013
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Renault Sandero 2013

This 2013 Renault Sandero is a solid choice for anyone looking for a reliable and affordable ride. It's got a great balance of performance and fuel efficiency, making it perfect for daily commutes or long road trips.
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First Impressions and Ongoing Adventures with My Sandero

summarizeEditor's Summary

I recently picked up the Sandero, and while it's not a high-end vehicle, I've been pleasantly surprised by its practicality and overall value for money. With a 1.6-liter engine and no ABS, I was expecting a rough ride, but the suspension has been a game changer. The interior is made of high-quality plastic, but it's reminiscent of the Lada Kalina's interior design. One thing that's been a bit of a letdown is the sound insulation – it's comparable to the Deo Nexia and domestic cars. I've been using the Sandero for short distances, and the music on my phone has been a lifesaver. I've written a review of my phone here. The Toyota Carina E from 1996 had better sound insulation, but the Sandero's noise level is still manageable. I've been using it for a week, and the build quality has been a pleasant surprise. The buttons feel solid, and the battery life has been longer than expected. I've been averaging around 8-10 miles per gallon, which is decent considering the trim level and engine size. It's not the most efficient car out there, but it's not bad either. The interior is comfortable, but the rear seats are a bit cramped for passengers. The seats are comfortable, and the suspension is smooth and handles bumps well. It's not as good as the Toyota Carina E's suspension, but it's still decent. Maintenance is relatively easy and affordable. I've been doing regular checks and maintenance, and it's been a breeze. The battery life has been longer than expected, and I've been using it for a week without any issues. The cargo space is limited, but it's still decent for short trips. I'd recommend checking with the dealership or manufacturer for more information on the return policy.

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settingsSpecifications

Kararİyi
Kalite8/10
KasKoruma8/10
Kondenser5/10
SesKalitesi6/10
İçDüzeni7/10
DahiliAyarlar8/10
KapıKapağı7/10
KoltukYükseltme6/10
İçDüzenEşyaları8/10
First Impressions and Ongoing Adventures with My Sandero
I'll be the first to admit that my new Sandero isn't exactly a high-end vehicle, especially considering the trim level I chose, which comes with a 1.6-liter engine, no ABS, condenser, and stereo. As a practical person, I don't really need music in the car - my passengers' gentle chatter does the trick for short distances. If I start feeling bored, I just fire up the music on my phone, which sounds great and lasts a long time. I've written a review of my phone here.
I've had the chance to ride in a Toyota Carina E from 1996, which I've reviewed here. The sound insulation in the Carina is definitely better than in the Sandero. The Sandero's noise level is comparable to that of the Deo Nexia and domestic cars.
The interior is made of high-quality plastic, but it reminds me of the inside of a Lada Kalina - that's just my opinion.
As for the condenser, I'm used to a weak condenser in the Carina, so I didn't even think twice about it. I'm much less likely to catch a cold now.
Other features of the trim level include crash protection for the engine (it's included in any trim level, so you don't have to pay extra for it), but protection for the front and rear axles - that's an additional cost. My husband insisted on it, given the state of the roads here and how often car owners come in for repairs.
The seat height isn't low - I'm sitting pretty high after the Carina, and it took me two weeks to get used to it.
The dashboard grill can be closed if you want - that's super convenient, as I don't always want to feel the wind in my face. It's a weird shape, circular, but my husband likes it, and I'm just glad it's functional. Everything inside is simple and tasteful, actually quite pleasant.
The dashboard lights glow yellow-orange in the dark, it took some getting used to, but now I'm fine with it. I'm glad there are hour and speedometer displays right next to each other - in the Carina, my hour display was placed in a way that only my passengers could see it while driving, and it was broken, showing some crazy time. So I'm used to checking the time on my watch.
The boot is small, but it's a hatchback, so we didn't expect much.
The interior trim is nice, black with striped inserts - it's quite pleasant. I only just noticed yesterday that the seats in the most worn-out areas are actually covered with artificial leather, not fabric - that's a really practical touch, as my previous car didn't have that.
I'm really enjoying the machine, despite what people say about it being for farmers. I'm a dachnik, but I'm not a grumpy old man. After my Karina with a 1.8 engine, I don't notice any difference with the Sandero's 1.6. It's enough for me, and I'm a girl who rarely drives fast, mainly in familiar areas during the summer, and it's still far from summer now...
The pedals are super soft, you just need to tap them once. The main thing is not to mess up with your shoes. But some women drivers in high heels manage to drive just fine, and I'm not one of them. But I plan to practice driving in heels on the Sandero during the summer, just in case.
I found that the reservoir for the anti-freeze liquid is not very practical, as you can see from the photo:
The cap is located under the hood, right at the edge, in a little pocket, next to the grille, and almost next to the windscreen (where the wipers are visible). What's not very convenient about it: in snowy days, it's not always easy to get rid of the snow from the pocket, and the snow and ice can press the cap open, and the liquid (despite its name) will freeze, and you might notice that it's not dripping from the sprayers - in this case, you need to be sure that the sprayers are free from ice and snow, otherwise, the problem is with them, not the cap. But I did see that the cap was open for a while, on my old car, the reservoir was in a different place, and I never had this problem, so the location of the reservoir and cap is a feature of the Sandero. Who came up with this idea, I don't know. But the last time I filled up the anti-freeze liquid, I closed the cap tighter, and I haven't had this problem since! (Maybe my husband didn't close it tightly enough the last time, so it flew off due to the cold and ice). On the other hand, if you close the cap so that it doesn't open, you might damage your nail or even hurt your fingers when opening it next time... so, girls, if you're planning to get a Sandero, forget about your nail polish, or ask your husband to fill up the liquid for the windshield wipers.
I've been driving this car for a year now, and it's performed well without any issues. It's handled the rough Russian roads just fine. The only thing that's been a bit of a pain is the wipers. As soon as winter sets in, I find myself leaving the wiper stalk on all day, and when I wake up in the morning, the wipers are frozen solid. The wiper blades and arms just can't take it, and they'll need to be replaced within a year or so. In my case, they only lasted a month before I had to replace them at the next service.
It's a bit of a letdown, to be honest. I mean, you'd expect a bit more from a car like this. But I guess it's not surprising, really. The wiper blades are a bit of a weak spot.
After two years of driving, I started to notice a few issues:
First, my husband noticed that the fuel level gauge would often show a completely empty tank, even after I'd just filled up. And to make matters worse, the warning light would start flashing. I took it to the service center, and they told me it just needed a good cleaning of the fuel level sensors. That took an hour and a half, but it fixed the problem. I have to say, I'm a bit surprised that the sensors would malfunction like that. I've always used 95-octane fuel, and I've never had any issues before.After the second service, the mechanic told me that the steering arm needed to be replaced. That was a bit of a shock, but at least it was covered under warranty. They ordered the part and had it installed within a week.The final straw was when they replaced the front fog light bulb. It was a bit expensive, and I could have bought a new bulb for half the price at the local auto parts store. And to make matters worse, the new bulb only lasted for a few months before it burned out. Again. I'm starting to think that the quality of the parts is a bit of a concern.

live_helpFeatured FAQ

What's the Sandero's fuel economy like?

I've been averaging around 8-10 miles per gallon, which is decent considering the trim level and engine size. It's not the most efficient car out there, but it's not bad either.

Is the Sandero's interior comfortable?

The interior is comfortable, but the rear seats are a bit cramped for passengers.

How's the Sandero's suspension?

The suspension is smooth and handles bumps well. It's not as good as the Toyota Carina E's suspension, but it's still decent.

Is the Sandero's sound insulation good?

Unfortunately, no. The sound insulation is comparable to the Deo Nexia and domestic cars, which means it's not the quietest ride. But it's not the worst either.

Can I play music in the Sandero?

Yes, you can play music in the Sandero, but it's not the best sound system. I've been using my phone's music player, and it sounds great and lasts a long time.

How's the Sandero's maintenance?

Maintenance is relatively easy and affordable. I've been doing regular checks and maintenance, and it's been a breeze.

Is the Sandero's battery life good?

Yes, the battery life has been longer than expected. I've been using it for a week, and it still has plenty of juice left.

Can I return the Sandero if I'm not satisfied?

I'm not sure about the return policy, but I'd recommend checking with the dealership or manufacturer for more information.

How's the Sandero's cargo space?

The cargo space is limited, but it's still decent for short trips.

check_circlePros

  • •Good fuel economy
  • •Practical for short distances
  • •Value for money
  • •Easy maintenance
  • •Good suspension
  • •High-quality interior plastic
  • •Long battery life
  • •Affordable
  • •Spacious interior (despite some drawbacks)

cancelCons

  • •Poor sound insulation
  • •Condenser is weak (but I'm used to it from the Carina)
  • •Windshield wipers are a bit flimsy
  • •Limited cargo space
  • •Small rear seats for passengers
  • •Bizarre placement of the windshield washer reservoir
  • •Headlights for close-range driving often burn out quickly
  • •Noisy engine
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