The Dacia Sandero Stepway was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) investigation period, which began on 6 April 2007 and concluded on 1 November 2024. This investigation uncovered significant issues related to motor finance mis-selling practices, affecting millions of consumers across the UK.
How the Dacia Sandero Stepway was Typically Financed
During the FCA's investigation period, many Dacia Sandero Stepways were financed through Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and Hire Purchase (HP) agreements. The typical PCP term for a Dacia Sandero Stepway ranged from 36 to 48 months, with finance amounts typically ranging between £15,000 and £30,000. Common lenders providing financing for the Dacia Sandero Stepway included
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
In PCP agreements, a balloon payment is often required at the end of the agreement if you choose to buy or replace the car with another model. This final payment can significantly impact your total cost, especially if you decide not to proceed with further finance arrangements after the initial term.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA's investigation into motor finance mis-selling practices revealed that many customers were sold agreements where commission was paid to car dealers and brokers based on discretionary arrangements. These arrangements often encouraged salespeople to push higher-margin products, potentially at the expense of consumer interests. As a result, millions of consumers found themselves in expensive or unsuitable financing deals.
According to the FCA's findings, 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) by these practices (FCA estimate), with an estimated £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) total amount of mis-sold finance (FCA estimate). On average, each affected agreement resulted in overpayment of around £829 (FCA estimate).
How to Check Your Agreement Look for specific terms in your agreement that indicate a discretionary commission arrangement or any unusual fees.
Key indicators to look for include:
- A high APR compared to other financing options available at the time
- Unusually high early settlement charges
- Any reference to "DCA" (Discretionary Commission Arrangement) in the documentation
If you believe your agreement was mis-sold, take note of the relevant dates and consult the FCA's guidelines for further information.
You do not need a
claims management company to complain about a potentially mis-sold finance agreement. Most major lenders have dedicated teams or processes in place to handle complaints related to motor finance agreements. Common lenders for Dacia Sandero Stepways include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
Start by reviewing your finance contract thoroughly and gathering any relevant documentation that supports your claim. Then, contact your lender directly through their customer service channels to initiate the complaint process. Make sure to provide detailed evidence of why you believe your agreement was mis-sold, including any dates and specific terms from your contract.
Remember, complaining directly to your lender is free and can often lead to a resolution without needing further legal action or assistance from third parties.
Sources and References
- FCA (2024)
- ONS Census 2021
Based on 94,980 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Dacia Sandero has a pass rate of 78.3%. This is close to the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Sandero performs about average in MOT testing.
The Sandero pass rate is slightly below the overall Dacia average of 80.6%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 53,476 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 78.3%
- MOT failure rate: 21.7%
- Tests analysed: 94,980 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 53,476 miles
- Dacia average pass rate: 80.6%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.