End of an era for Romania's iconic yet oft-derided Dacia car

(22 Jul 2004)
Bucharest, 20 July
1. Various of Dacia showroom
2. Various of Dacia cars on Romanian roads
3. Group of Romanians around broken Dacia trying to fix engine
4. SOUNDBITE (romanian) voxpop:
"If you have this car it's impossible to be stopped for long. Everybody can fix it and you go on."
5. Various of Dacias modified to be ambulances
6. Various of Dacia police car
7. Dacia on road
8. Dacia carrying market produce
9. Dacia truck with pigs in the back
10. Dacia truck with vegetables in the back
Pitesti, 120km (80 miles) north of Bucharest - 21 July 2004
Renault - Dacia factory
11. Various of assembly line
12. Pan from Renault Logan to Dacia truck
13. Last Dacia coming off assembly line, "1959 - 2004" and total number produced written on bonnet, "last car" written on side in Romanian
14. SOUNDBITE: (Romanian) Girjeu, Dacia car engineer:
"I feel deep emotion because I worked on the first car 45 years ago and now I have made the last car."
15. Manager signing car
16. People around car
17. Last car and new Renault Logan side by side outside factory
STORYLINE:
A period of Romanian history came to an end on Wednesday with production of the last ever Dacia 1300 car.
The last car, the 1,959,730th vehicle to be produced by the French-owned company, rolled off the assembly line on Wednesday.
The last traditional Dacia to be manufactured by Automobile Dacia Groupe Renault was a white Dacia 1300, a replica of the Renault 12.
Renault forged a partnership with Automobile Dacia in 1968 during a thaw in communism, in an era when the average Romanian began to aspire to own a car.
In 1969, production of the Dacia 1300 began. Romania shook off communism in 1989, and a decade later, Renault bought a 99.43 percent stake in the company.
The car provokes mixed sentiments in Romania where it is maligned because it breaks down so often, yet oddly iconic.
Factory workers and company officials scrawled their signatures on the car and a worker drove it out of the factory, and parked it in the yard.
The last Dacia will probably be donated to a museum, a fitting end to a car which is equated with the birth of the modern automobile industry in Romania.
The final 200 Dacias were sold on Tuesday.
The car, which used to cost 70,000 lei, three years at the average salary, had a waiting list of two years. It now costs 4,200 lei (5,040 US dollars), the equivalent of 28 months of the average salary, and there is no waiting list.
The company will now produce the new Renault Logan car, which will be exported to the Middle East Russia, and Eastern Europe and goes on sale in September. The company will continue to produce the newer Dacia Solenza, and Dacia utility vehicles.
Dacia Groupe Renault says there are still an estimated 1.5 (M) million Dacias in the country of 22 (M) million people.
Statistics mean little to many Romanians, who often give their cars pet names and practically consider them part of the family.
But even those fortunate enough to acquire one had a tough time enjoying it:
The late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu rationed gasoline, and the driving of cars was restricted on Sundays. Cars were allowed on the roads on alternate Sundays, depending on their license plate numbers.
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[@lucianene7741]

The good things: it was rugged, easy to repair and parts were dirt cheap. I know quite a bunch of people who aren't mechanics but claim they could tear one apart to the last screw and put it back together again with no problem. Engine sound was particularly distinctive, you could tell one apart from any other car from a mile away. Now to the bad things: it was an absolute hog to drive with no power steering, and comfort was abysmal: no power windows, no air conditioning, you had to buy your own stereo... Even headrests came as an option! Safety features: no ABS, no airbags, no pre-tensioned seat belts... you get it. Fuel consumption was about 10 liters/100km in the city, which is ridiculous for a small car with a 54hp engine, rust protection was all but non-existent... It was an antiquated 1960's era econobox, and they kept making it into the early 2000s, just because the market was still willing to accept it. And when the government finally started to give incentives for scrapping old cars, the people were all too eager to get rid of these rust buckets. Nowadays you can rarely see one on the streets, and those still running are usually early models kept in mint condition by - presumably - passionate, nostalgic owners.

[@pufycino1431]

American cars rust after 5 years and at 250 000 kilometers, they are garbage. Same shit, more money spent on it.

[@SantiagoS-mz4zz]

Do you know if the first series of the Logan got anti-corrosion protection?

[@lucianene7741]

@@SantiagoS-mz4zz Yes they did, in the form of a protective wax layer. It worked pretty well. First-gen Dacia Logan received and incredible amount of backlash when they were launched, with some people literally hating its guts, but now, 18 years later, we can see reality: they were simple but virtually indestructible. Those 8-valve MPI engines were churning out modest power but could easily do 500,000 km with just regular maintenance. The cars were cheap, components are also dirt cheap and the space inside generous. Styling is debatable but hey, you can't have everything.

[@SantiagoS-mz4zz]

@@lucianene7741 Thank you for your answer. I think you know a lot of Dacia. I own a 2005 Dacia Logan 1.6 MPI 8v Laureate with all the extras available ,with 68,000 km. I bought it used, being 12 years old. The car is in very good condition and was kept in a garage by its previous owner. I also keep it in a garage because I would like to keep it for life since I like it. From my point of view it is like a classic car with enough extras to be used daily. However, I wonder if the body panels are thinner than other vehicles' since it has some little dents that could have beeen caused by hailstones or little rocks impacts. Also, the lumbar adjustment of the driver's seat broke after 40,000 km, and my previous Fiat Punto's lumbar adjustment was still working after 215,000 km. Furthermore, I lost one of the screws of the air filter case, and I do not know where to buy it. Cheers!

[@SantiagoS-mz4zz]

@@lucianene7741 I saw one from Varna, Bulgaria, which used to be a taxi (it was painted in dark yellow) with the lower parts of the body panels rotten and, last week, another one in the southern coast of Spain with a bit of rust just above the rear windscreen. I uploaded in a forum the pictures of the first one.

[@swedishfrombrno2522]

Ow, how I love Dacia, I like especially 1300 and Logan (2008). I want to buy Solenza, it's my dream, but it's very rare here, in Czechia. Here are almost only car younger than 2007 as Logan, Duster, Lodgy, but it's feeling like find treasure for me, when I see some 1300, SuperNova or even 1100 - I saw last car only once in my life.Greetings with respect and love for Romania from Czechia.

[@michaelpencio9573]

Richard Kareš 👍👍

[@swedishfrombrno2522]

+Michael Pencio - ♥ ♥

[@lucianene7741]

In Romania you can buy a Solenza for peanuts.

[@zdarklinux6754]

Hey i am from romania,here a supernova or solenza costs 250 euros. my dad has a dacia solenza and a renault =]]]

[@MirceaD28]

Come to Romania and you will get one for sure.

[@shafty37]

My wife drives 2013 Dacia sandero stepway and absolutely loves it. It's the most reliable car she's ever had.

[@user-mi4yc7pr3x]

It is yes. I have Logan. The sedan sandero

[@senzasoldi5588]

You wait my friend when mot time comes . Did deep in your wallet . Ha ha.

[@thebalauru3602]

@@senzasoldi5588 Have you ever owned one? No? Then dont talk smack, thank you :)

[@vitothepizzaguy7475]

Is your wife James May?

[@senzasoldi5588]

@@thebalauru3602 yes I was stupid enough to buy a Dacia Duster Roadster Plus, that was it's full name it had a white soft top with white bull bars and white steering wheel the body was red . It was the worst car I have ever had . The car was bought by me brand new the gearbox had no oil in it and nether did the transfer box . The steering bearings packed up within 12 months and the exhaust collapsed within the 12 months . I couldn't get parts for it because the importer went bankrupt . That was the same year the Romanian people saw sense and got rid of the tyrant president . I paid 7000 stirling for it all those years ago and ended up selling it for 1500 stirling . Incidentally the speedometer stopped working at 140 miles again I couldn't get repaired ... So again I say Dacia are crap and having a connection with one of the worst french companies doesn't help ..

[@adrianfrigo8373]

Excelent filmulețul!Doamne,ce era cândva nu demult...

[@type3666]

Exact ✌️

[@alexandrudicu2395]

Un autoturizm care a ridicat Romania ,respect natiune

[@petrutzgabriel]

Ce a ridicat? :))))

[@josearturmourinho4641]

Congratulations for your effort, in achieving until 2015 to keep building the magnificent DACIA, I already had a RENAULT 12 BREAK something identical to your built cars, my favorite of them all is the DACIA PICK-UP, which I really didn't care about being. the only one to have one in PORTUGAL. These PICK-UP'S are beautiful

[@deanromania6748]

Unfortunately we produced it until 2004, not 2015. The Pick-up versions were produced until 2006

[@iorreneft]

This was recorded in 2004, you can also see the Logan which was brand new and not even oficially released yet (I think)

[@mohammadbader9133]

We in Syria need Dacia replacement parts. We do not have any original parts on the market. And we have Dacia Pickup 1304 & 1310 ... Logan and Supernova Please send spare parts to us because we love these cars

[@deanromania6748]

Unfortunately we have the same problem in Romania! Parts became more expensive because we don't make them anymore! You saw that number on the hood of the last car, right? That's how many were build, almost 2 mil. Now, statistics say that from almost 2 mil. Dacia cars, remaind only about 100000, and the number is decresing!

[@senzasoldi5588]

If you are so unlucky to have a Dacia you will need plenty of spare parts because they are rubbish .

[@Jero.kotay77]

والله كلامك صحيح سيارتي 1304 حبة وربع بدي قطع غيار غالية كتير وسيئة شو سيارتك انت

[@iorreneft]

Come to Romania

[@jeanjean4245]

I love my DOKKER from 2016 , I don't need a bmw or a audi.

[@type3666]

Pe vremea când Dacia 1310 , Pick Up , Break era peste tot :)) și acum în Sudul Țări și în Moldova și nu numai , mai se pot vedea multe Daci la treabă sau în județele unde s-au filmat unele cadre , adică Buzău , Prahova , Argeș și în Dâmbovița etc. Eu am fost acum 5 6 ani la Brăila și Tulcea și încă vedeam Papuc , 1310 etc. Și acum mai sunt dar de multe ori doar la bătrâni , nostalgici sau pasionați :)) 👍

[@johnwakefield5007]

Great video .l love the old dacia 1310.♥️🙂🇷🇴👍

[@no-damn-alias]

The Logan was just such a major step forward in every term. Only rust protection wasn't so good on first few years and then it was exceptionally good.

[@adrianleon471]

Estos carros son muy buenos si se pudieran importar otra vez a colombia

[@juanfelipecopete9368]

This is history

[@salihvural9650]

Doamne, lasă-mă să am și eu unul!!

[@stanescuromulusgabriel7689]

Foarte frumoase dacile superbe superbe masini de colecție păcat ca nu mai sunt eu sunt fan dacia mie îmi plac foarte mult mașinile vechi numai dacia unele mai sunt foarte rar mai vezi o dacie

[@TicTac0097]

I cried...

[@Istori3Ro]

Only idiots derided: that car was easy to fix, reliable and simple.

[@nicolae-bogdan2151]

Eu chiar as vrea să se mai producă 1310 dar cu airbag, esp sau abs. As fii vrut ca era daciei 1310 să nu se termine niciodată. Dar din păcate producția s-a oprit în 2004 sau 2005

[@grabthecat]

@@deanromania6748 Trebuia sa ajunga ca si Aro, la fier vechi, nu?

[@grabthecat]

@@deanromania6748 Atunci de ce a fost zi neagra?

[@grabthecat]

@@deanromania6748 21 iulie 2004 ai zis ca a fost o zi neagra

[@grabthecat]

@@deanromania6748 Pai si? Au iesit altele dupa?

[@iorreneft]

Uita-te la ultimul cadru cu 1310 langa Logan. Tu chiar ai fi preferat rabla aia in detrimentul Loganului ?

[@gabigab1066]

Frumos in anii aia

[@gabrielvalentindumitrascubz]

Sunt foarte frumoase mașinile astea

[@danmccarthy4700]

Grafting a more modern front fascia on the thing just made it more awkward.

[@sanduovidiu9273]

Wow ce de dacii sunt tari,

[@leyvi133]

romanian icon yeah!!!

[@senzasoldi5588]

Crap cars cheap made . Life is too short to drive crap . Sorry .

[@senzasoldi5588]

@matei ciompea the worst car is renault they are behind even more worst car Dacia Dustbins . Ha ha get over yourself third rate card make me laugh .

[@EuEu-re8lv]

Vaiii,ce as mai vrea sa produca modelul papuc...

[@electric9049]

My dad had one of theese. Get a battery replacement and it's still gonna start up. Waiting for electric conversion shops to get mainstream for him to not get taxed a new phone's worth in the future just for it's existence.

[@petreflorin9303]

A devenit amintire

[@type3666]

Ehe

[@andreibalan8027]

Ba daca sar putea sa fabricati iar dacia 1310 1410 ar fi bine

[@stefancfrtrainspotter6835]

Preferabil cu câteva update-uri

[@dragos05_]

Dacia 1410 fabricata cu niște condiții mai moderne dar aspectul sa rămână asa, ar ajuta și economia tarii și romanii care mai vor o mașină "clasica".

[@user-mi4yc7pr3x]

@@dragos05_ da. Si eu as cumpăra. Diesel

[@type3666]

Ar fi fain și Utb Aro

[@raffa5433]

aia de politie avea nr BGK de la KGB ? :))

[@type3666]

BGK

[@eltiosolissimpson5810]

mereu am avut curiozitatea de ce sunt inclinate intr-o parte, sunt stricate?

[@PaulHojda]

Aveau suspensii foarte moi. Daca cineva mai greu se punea intr-unul din scaune, masina se lasa umpic pe acea parte. Niste arcuri si amortizoare mai tari plus bara anti-ruliu mai groasa ar transforma complet tinuta de drum a Daciei.

[@adrianconstantin7829]

@@PaulHojda Care caroserie Dacia era mai stabila la viraje zambetu lui Iliescu sau cea din ani 90 cu farurile patrate, si as vrea sa mai stiu care aceelera mai repede,mersi

[@PaulHojda]

@@adrianconstantin7829 toate se înclină tare la viraje ca toate au arcuri și amortizoare foarte moi. Cele mai rapide erau probabil cele dintre 94-97 cu motor de 1.6 de 72 de cai. Dar alea sunt extrem de rare. Majoritatea aveau motorul de 1.4. Ce-i drept, motorul de 1.6 e ușor de găsit pe papuc și transplantat pe o berlina sau break

[@dumitrelcostel8929]

Super mașina fără reproșuri 1300-1400-1600 motoare durabile mașini pentru romani.

[@Nicole-jd9ur]

Si pentru drumurile din Romania 🤣

[@dumitrelcostel8929]

​@@Nicole-jd9urVrei sa spui că o tarabă germană cu km dați înapoi este mai rezistentă la drumuri românești

[@gicugigel3790]

@@dumitrelcostel8929 tu crezi ce spui? Pe drumuri avem acum mașini străine foarte multe cu peste 300 mii km și încă arata foarte bine și funcționează bine. O Dacia din asta la 100 mii km avea și motor segmentat, lufturi imense la uși, rugină, și scârțâia din toate încheieturile. Fii serios!

[@alfredofranckgoicochea2285]

Tengo una camioneta dacia pik de una cabina simple deseo faros delanteros y posteriores por favor soy de perú Chiclayo gracias por su respuesta

[@Strelats315]

hola se que llego tarde, pero yo tengo una, y se le pueden adaptar otros, mi pick up usa de faros delanteros los de ford escort, son similares y de atras podes usar los de las toyotas pick up, tambien son similares, salvo el orden de las luces,pero se pueden cambiar.

[@IVANLOPEZ-mc1tv]

Congratulation for rumanian engeneers for te production

[@badescuandi985]

Iliescu s smile nickname

[@gamaniuliu2122]

Ultima beșină

[@emisandita7661]

Asa bine erau facute ca trebuiau echilibrate rotile cu plumb imediat dupa ce ieseau de la montaj.

[@ajutorxxxthemancar2370]

I'm from Romania

[@alexandrualex1085]

Pe vremea cand golf 4 si passat b6 erau masini noi si costau cat salariu la un bloc intreg inca nu era gicu cu e46

[@type3666]

Era Gicu cu Dacia :))

[@alexandrualex1085]

@@type3666 aia zic toti aveau dacii pe vremea aia :) dar mie dor de vremurile cand vedeai numai dacii abandonate pe coltu strazii sincer

[@iorreneft]

In ultimul cadru Loganul arata foarte bine pe langa 1310... si totusi caroseria aduce putin aminte de batrana dacie

[@gamaniuliu2122]

PH 56 BGK - Bigudiuri Ghete Kiloti

[@Subscribe-MaxxTnT]

Dacia tatã!! 😄

[@tovarasudrugas477]

Romania is no more

[@justme-uw2hc]

Luai volanul în brațe la accident de 30 km/h... Erau prost făcute din toate punctele de vedere, tehnica învechită...

[@UnipornFrumm]

In poze vechi e plin de masini dacia pe drumuru,in ziua de azi nu mai cumpara romanii dacia

[@AsiciMateo2016]

Nici alea noi?

[@SkywalkerDarius]

Rable au fost si rable vor ramane

[@type3666]

Păi de unde să știi tu când nici permis nu ai

[@vivasspanavivabadajoz135]

Smekera....dacia ...

[@senzasoldi5588]

That car was called Renault 12 I had one in the late 1970s it was TL model nice looking but it was very poor electricaly . It was sold to Romania and was a proper bag of shit .

[@zgabeartzaiftodie8615]

@Senza Soldi Sugi bendixu la Dacia 1300 :))))

[@ionutgalatanu9491]

And noe Mercedes îs buying engine.s from Renault 🤣🤣🤣

[@nicuzvarici1331]

O rabla, bune ca am scăpat de ea!

[@razwangames9053]

Sigur tu ai bmw e46 , gunoiul nemtilor. Esti prost rau cumetre.

[@type3666]

Ce bine era dacă scăpăm și de tine

[@type3666]

@@razwangames9053 Nu E46-le e un gunoi ci piesa principală dintre volan și scaun și ingnorantul de sus

[@KALLY2001]

zici dacia.... si tragi apa...

[@zgabeartzaiftodie8615]

@Cristi Pop Da...tragi apa dupa ce o maninci...

[@type3666]

Zici Cristi Pop și tragi apa

[@KALLY2001]

@@type3666 daca dacia e masina pr tine..e clar ca esti ceva tzaran din provincie..care face naveta cu carutza la oras…