[Clouseau]

Originally Posted by srgntpepper

...
The experience has killed all the excitement of getting a new car so decided to cancel.

Hi srgntpepper,

Sorry to hear about your cancellation and bad experience. Sometimes luck also plays a part in car allotment. Case in point - I booked my Duster (85 w/o O) on July 2, 2 days before the launch. Until then the Renault sales guys (Renault South Delhi) were willing to come and pick up the payment

Come August and I would follow up with them everyday. I even asked them if I should sell my 8 year-old car as I was getting a decent price. Around August 2nd week they said go ahead as my allotment would happen soon. By getting all the paperwork (financing, insurance incl. 50% NCB from the earlier car policy) done through them they were trying to give me priority. Suddenly on August 19 they said someone had cancelled and I was getting bumped up the order as my paperwork & payments were already in place. I got my Silver Dream M/c on August 21 - good for me cos by that time the wife and kids had chewed my brains out

Anyway I've done around only 300kms but no complaints so far...since I now own and drive a French vehicle I've taken on a suitable moniker to join this interesting forum.

[srgntpepper]

Originally Posted by Clouseau

Hi srgntpepper,

Sorry to hear about your cancellation and bad experience. Sometimes luck also plays a part in car allotment.

No doubt at all! I am just disappointed in how indifferent or ill-informed they seem. Am still interested in the Duster, but will take a call in 6 months once the chaos has abated a bit.

[Speedme]

Originally Posted by johy

Many of us, me included went out to test drive the Duster, hoping for a better car than we currently drive. And why not? We are, in fact, practically looking to upgrade. I mostly drive a Baleno and to be fair, I should not be expecting it to be an upgrade in the pure sense of the word - that would be wholly unfair. But deep inside, I hoped it would somehow be better. For me, it drove like an SUV, with very decent handling. However, I am sure it will become a tad dull to drive around (if I am looking for driving pleasure). But from point A to point B with a lot of potholes in between, the Duster will reach me well and that is the only thing that is still urging me to book one. I can't afford a more expensive SUV that will give me a similar ride quality.

Still looking for a proper upgrade, I find myself test-driving Ventos, Rapids and the like. That is, I guess, what happens when one drives Balenos and Citys!

Johny I too drive the Baleno my babe for the past 6 years thanks to the recommendation from our friends at Team- Bhp, I too am in the same delima what to do.. Duster seems to be hobbson's choice for now.

[dusty]

Hi GTO,
Thanks for a detailed review focusing even on the very small details. I love the reviews you guys write. I have been following this thread right from the time you wrote the official review.

I booked the Duster on July 8. I booked the RXE Model ( Black Color). I have been promised by the dealer that the vehicle would be delivered by August end. But when i went to the dealer this week, there is no proper response. One Sales person went on to say that it might even take another 2 or 3 months and even year end to get my model.

He was saying that the RXE model is having manufacturing problems and asked me to change the model if i need it this month or else he is asking me wait indefinitely. I called Renault customer care and they were saying that the RXE model is very much in Production and promised me that the vehicle would be delivered soon and that they would ask the dealer to get back soon on the date of delivery. But there is no response from either side even after 5 days.

Not a good feeling when we pay 50K as booking and when we don't even get a proper response from the dealer. The dealership experience is making me worry :(.

Any help or information would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Clouseau]

Originally Posted by srgntpepper

No doubt at all! I am just disappointed in how indifferent or ill-informed they seem. Am still interested in the Duster, but will take a call in 6 months once the chaos has abated a bit.

That's a wise move. Hopefully the dust on the Duster launch (ouch) will have settled by then. Plus you may have a couple other options (EcoSport etc) and the Renault guys may start chasing you!

[FlyingSpur]

I suppose all these cases are better than me getting a message from my dealership saying that a wrong variant has been allotted and sent to the dealer against my booking (seems they sent some other variant instead of RxZ). They also refused to let me see the "wrong" car. Funniest thing I've heard in a long time. Do they allocate cars with a pencil and sticky notes?

Most obvious conclusion: Out-of-turn allotment to some kind soul.

Two months of patience and calm hasn't yielded any results.

[arunrajk81]

Things will settle down only once the competitor launch their products.
Tata Safari or ecosport. Then Renault sales starts chasing you

I too booked Duster RXE and in indefinite wait
I might change to RXL 110 since its more getting delivered or Move away from Duster if Safari is getting launched

I sold my car and I cant wait much and lost the patience
Now days more bad reviews are coming about renault Duster delivery and things than good stuffs

[Neil Roy]

Originally Posted by srgntpepper

No doubt at all! I am just disappointed in how indifferent or ill-informed they seem. Am still interested in the Duster, but will take a call in 6 months once the chaos has abated a bit.

Originally Posted by arunrajk81

I sold my car and I cant wait much and lost the patience
Now days more bad reviews are coming about renault Duster delivery and things than good stuffs.

Originally Posted by FlyingSpur

Two months of patience and calm hasn't yielded any results.

And to all others who are having second doubts, IT IS WORTH THE WAIT

There has been no one more vociferous than me about the attitude of the dealers in general and RENAULT in particular towards the Indian market. But the car more than makes up for it. I have already clocked 4000 Kms on the duster and simply loving it. The service people are pretty well informed.
Only D- segment sedans have a significant highway cruising advantage. Maybe if you put pedal to the metal on a C-class sedan maybe you can take on the Duster, but that would be more stressing than cruising.
Met all kinds of SUVs on the highway, and the DUSTER treats them with utter disdain, excepting the really expensive ones.
Maybe the competition might throw something up to spoil the DUSTER's party, but as of now, there is not a single vehicle which can be comfortable, economical and traverse all indian roads at this price. If you have made up your mind on duster, remember, it is worth the wait.

[lohithrao]

Here is a interesting video, and am sure prospective Duster buyers will be impressed, however the Duster in video is a 4x4 variant...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XZOAs127Gg

[floyd.bell]

Originally Posted by Neil Roy

Only D- segment sedans have a significant highway cruising advantage. Maybe if you put pedal to the metal on a C-class sedan maybe you can take on the Duster, but that would be more stressing than cruising.

I hope you meant a C-segment sedan because a C-class will actually leave the Duster in the Dust

[Neil Roy]

Originally Posted by floyd.bell

I hope you meant a C-segment sedan because a C-class will actually leave the Duster in the Dust

My bad. I meant entry level C- segment sedans. For sure, the likes of Vernas and Ventos will make the Duster bite the Dust.

[snkjr]

Originally Posted by lohithrao

Here is a interesting video, and am sure prospective Duster buyers will be impressed, however the Duster in video is a 4x4 variant...

I found that very interesting to watch. I usually watch these videos with the sound muted so as not to let the commentary affect my observations and conclusions, then watch it again with the sound on. The Duster seems capable enough, but really 4X4 is absolutely optional (read unnecessary) when all one is gonna drive on are paved, metaled roads or 'kachcha' village roads.

Now for something OT, but I guess humor is always pardonable - at around the 1:36 mark when the three vehicles start moving with the Duster in the middle, it looks as if the Duster is being kidnapped by the flanking vehicles!

[kumarsiddhi]

Hi Owners, I'm hoping to get my Duster soon (had booked in June and am in constant followup). My question to you is if you have done the upgrade to the speakers / HU , what have you done and how much did it cost.

Also let me know if any of you felt the HU was good enough / or not worth replacing with the fear of loosing out on the Bluetooth connectivity etc

Sid

[thalavoy]

After waiting some time for Black, settled for Grey. Now I am proud owner of Duster 110 RXL.
Based on the one day's ride I sincerely think this is a worthy successor for my now sold Fiat Adventure.

[werfish]

Has any of the owners noticed this, when the fuel reaches reserve, the distance to empty in the display system gets reset to blank.
I thought that is the only time that feature is really useful and it doesn't seem to work then.