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Old 5th July 2012, 17:02   #91
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

What bothers me is how and why our friends in the Auto Magazines who have done the reviews are falling over themselves and jumping over the moon about the Duster's performance... T-BHPians who have driven it find a not-acceptable turbo lag in the vehicle, even in the 110 PS version.

Worrisome, if these chaps who do guide the purchases of a bulk of India's SUV-hunters are resorting to lies and chutzpah and talk up a vehicle what could in reality be a lemon (at least from the performance perspective).
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:06   #92
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

I have not come across the performance figures yet. Please help with 0-100 atleast if not the in gear timings . The showroom guys were mum on this inquiry. (i fear the worst)
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:11   #93
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Autocar has clearly stated that the top end diesel suffers from Turbo lag and the lower powered diesel is more apt for city driving.
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:13   #94
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Mod Note : Please do NOT use more than 2 smilies per post. We advise you to read our rules before proceeding any further.

I had been waiting for the Duster eagerly since i have Scorpio 2.6 CRDE in its 4th year and am looking for a change. Being one of those who has driven a Jeep/SUV all his life, i just can’t drive a sedan anymore, as smooth & comfortable they maybe. Living in Delhi one needs to have that height + size advantage, else a DTC bus driver is going to take you out.

Anyway back to the Duster, till yesterday my concern was that at 85 & 110 BHP it maybe underpowered but now Renault have thrown a new googly with the pricing. Because I’m adamant that my next vehicle should have ABS, Airbags (which my Scorpio don’t have). So if I was to go in for the full kitted out Duster that will take me well over 11.5-12 lakhs for a car which churns out 110 BHP.

I haven’t driven it but my gut says that’s not enough, and with all the reviews of severe turbo lag coming in; not very comforting. Also how this 110 BHP engine will take the hills of Himachal & Kashmir (both places I drive often) I’m not sure, hate down shifting to 2nd or 1st (shudder).

So net –net Duster has left me even more confused that before. As a Scorpio driver & fan; I just can’t see myself in the XUV. I know its done well in the recent rallies etc but it’s an overdone vehicle, with the same 2.2 MHawk engine.

Looking forward to extensively testing the Duster both in the city & on the gradients before finally coming to some decision. Hate to think that I may have to shift to a sedan because of lack of option in my budget

Last edited by GTO : 6th July 2012 at 12:53. Reason: Please do NOT use more than 2 smilies per post. We advise you to read our rules before proceeding any further.
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:20   #95
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

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Originally Posted by raj_5004 View Post
It all boils down to - @ 12.5-13 Lacs OTR, why buy this compact 108 bhp Duster when there are better options in the market?
Buy one when:

1. You have a tight parking space
2. You don't care for seven seats
3. You don't really want a heavy, large fuel guzzling SUV
4. You just want a comfortable five seater which can handle really bad roads or wade through Mumbai floods (not mud-plugging)
5. You don't want to be a guinea pig for Mahindra's experiments
6. You don't want the noisy, lethargic engine in the Innova beating against your eardrums on the highway
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:20   #96
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Though I would prefer the 110 PS RXL but would not go for it for lack of ABS and Airbags. I am contemplating 85PS RXL with Option Pack which is pegged in Gurgaon at around 10.8 Lakhs OTR

what other options I have if my budget is limited to 10-11 Lakh Max OTR excluding Scorpio or Safari , which i am not interested in ?
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:26   #97
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I must point out that the turbo lag was an issue for me with 5 people in the car. It was very frustrating to drive in the city like this. Also going into an underpass with a bad gutter in the middle was the turning I point. Passed over the gutter in 2nd as I would in any car and tried to accelerate out. The wait for turbo spool up is endless. Felt this while attempting overtakes as well.

In a less loaded car and with more time behind the wheel perhaps I would come to know where to shift down for better drive but I think going down to 1st is going o tke a lot of learning. With 6 gears in hand perhaps shorter 1/2 should have been worked out.

In contrast the XUV pulled with full load of 8 people through the hills of Thekkady as if we were featherweights. Approx 650 kilos of human beings in one XUV
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:29   #98
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Just came back after taking a look at Duster at a dealer ship near k.R Puram, was short on time so didn't look much beyond the space.

First of all it looks hoots in choclate brown color, really neat. paint quality is good and that is the only thing I liked about it.

Somebody said it got road presence, yeah right, may be in world of midgets. Its just a hatch with overgrown rear and that rear is also not very great, width is very less inside and becasue of no option on split seats forget carrying fishing rods or other lengthy sporty stuff. I don't think its even a proper 5 seater. I have to spread my legs to sit between 2 people. I felt it wanting on space compared to even other sedans in family. Dealer told us about an extra child seat as an option but I think less than 2YO babies can only fit in that because of low height.

Outright reject from wifee, I think anybody who wants to buy a sedan or premium hatchback can go for Duster rather that people who are thinking of buying other big SUV's.

met few other folks who were also not very pleased with the vehicle but saw one getting booked in white color. Duster is going togenerate some numbers just becasue we are starved for good so called SUV's in that proice brakcet and in our coutry people run towards everything new. I think anybody who is thinking of buying top end Duster should stretch his/her budget and go for Yeti which is way more VFM if just consider snob value of the skoda badge.

Usual disclamer: Above comments are my My 0.2 paisa worth of views, exchanged becasue I want to share what i feel, no intention of offending anyone.

-Ijeet
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:29   #99
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

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Originally Posted by raul View Post
Mahindra have to cut rear disk brakes, independent rear suspension, climate control and all the gizmos etc and they can probabaly go below the Duster, and yet offer more space, comfort and refinement. The XUV is not a 7 seater, with those seats there is no boot space so it is very much a compact SUV like the CRV, Outlander.

And the same with Yeti, detune the engine to 110, remove ESP, independent suspension, disk brakes and you are closer to the Duster, with much better interiors, plastics and build quality, so the Duster while positioned as a value buy is actually not.
All of these have to happen and we do not know when if it all they happen. Btw, Yeti's 2X4 engine is already detuned.

Once it happens - The duster still has about 20% additional fuel efficiency and it would probably cost lower to maintain. Going by history it should be more reliable than XUV and should be cheaper to maintain than Yeti. Anyway, till these happen Duster has not direct competetion for what it offers.

Taxes only go up here and by the time there is choice what if everything costs 1 lac more ? VFM gets redefined then.

I also see many people complaining about the ex-showroom price higher than UK. Does anyone know what constitutes the ex-showroom price in India ? Is 100% of ex-showroom for the manufacuturer or the govt takes a huge pie there also ?
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:40   #100
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyingSpur View Post
Buy one when:

1. You have a tight parking space
2. You don't care for seven seats
3. You don't really want a heavy, large fuel guzzling SUV
4. You just want a comfortable five seater which can handle really bad roads or wade through Mumbai floods (not mud-plugging)
5. You don't want to be a guinea pig for Mahindra's experiments
6. You don't want the noisy, lethargic engine in the Innova beating against your eardrums on the highway
Good points. But is it worth to plonk 12 Lacs on the Duster based on these?

I would prefer some compromises on wading ability of my car than compromising on comfort, safety and performance. Especially for the asking price.
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:41   #101
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Quote:
Originally Posted by MAS View Post
I am surprised why Renault could not have shaved the 16K from the ex-showroom Chennai price of RxL 85BHP Diesel. That too when their plant is so close to Chennai (Oragadam)
Why can't they make something aftermarket product and cut by 16K from invoice.
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:49   #102
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Quote:
Originally Posted by rajeevn View Post
What bothers me is how and why our friends in the Auto Magazines who have done the reviews are falling over themselves and jumping over the moon about the Duster's performance... T-BHPians who have driven it find a not-acceptable turbo lag in the vehicle, even in the 110 PS version.

Worrisome, if these chaps who do guide the purchases of a bulk of India's SUV-hunters are resorting to lies and chutzpah and talk up a vehicle what could in reality be a lemon (at least from the performance perspective).
Don't ever trust the Auto Magazines.

As someone who worked in the Corporate Communications field at two major Telecom companies - I know how easily a lot of these journalists and their editors can be bought.

A good meal at a Five Star hotel - a foreign junket and most of these so called 'experts' will write what they are told to.

Editor's and owners of magazines can be swayed with the promise of lucrative ads.

The worst Car i have owned in the past 10 years before I sold it for a pittance was the Chevy Aveo - a car that had earned good reviews in most magazines at launch.

I trust only the Team-BHP reviews - they highlight every positive and point out every flaw in their reviews honestly.
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:54   #103
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Quote:
Originally Posted by raj_5004 View Post
I would prefer some compromises on wading ability of my car than compromising on comfort, safety and performance. Especially for the asking price.
Perhaps it seems like a good option, given that we shudder at the thought of taking out a low-sitting 320d every time it starts pouring in Mumbai. Also, frequent outstation trips need a relaxed highway cruiser with good GC and a reasonably punchy engine, with safety features in place. Now what lies ahead is a noisy and outdated Innova, a boat-like Scorpio, an unreliable and ugly XUV, a not-so-exciting Yeti and a prehistoric Safari (shape stays the same, no matter how often they change the face).
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Old 5th July 2012, 17:55   #104
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

Anyone here driven a Premier Rio? As this is product is the first to have kicked started this class, it would be interesting to see positives and negatives between the Duster and the Rio.. Any pictures of the Rio anyone??
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Old 5th July 2012, 18:05   #105
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Re: Renault Duster : Official Launch Report

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Anyone here driven a Premier Rio? As this is product is the first to have kicked started this class, it would be interesting to see positives and negatives between the Duster and the Rio.. Any pictures of the Rio anyone??
Check the below link. TBHP has almost everything to do with motoring !

New compact SUV from Premier Auto. EDIT: Rio quick testdrive on page 10
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