Team-BHP - Renault Duster : Official Review

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsing3 (Post 3456748)

Hi Harpreet...Thanks for info. I did not speak to Murli, but the DGM Service was good enough to address the issue immediately. Got the Duster back in the evening today and the service advisor told that there was a fault in the timing. This is a weird answer as the duster was running fine before without any problems and there was no indication in the ODO. They have told me to monitor the performance for a week and then give them the feedback about it. Let's see how it goes guys. Harpreet you can call me @9871696969.

Really Happy to hear that the car is perfectly back to normal now. I will call you in the evening and take your feedback on Duster as I'm also contemplating Duster 85PS RXL+ version, which Renault is selling for 9.99L ex. showroom these days.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HillMan (Post 3457369)

Turbo kicks in around these RPMs
1800 for 85ps
2200 for 110ps

The turbo punch is felt from there on.

No I think it kicks in much much earlier for the 85. Thats how we are able to drive it like a petrol engine.
Here is a ref post from the review:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post2847117

Quote:

As expected, the Duster 85’s USP is the outstanding in-city driveability on tap. Turbo lag is too negligible to mention, with the engine feeling immensely tractable. While the Duster 110 only really wakes up after 2,000 – 2,200 rpm, the Duster 85 pulls clean from as low as 1,200 rpm. The engine behaves like a naturally-aspirated diesel! Translated, you’ll seldom need to downshift within the city. The Duster 85 passes the 2nd gear speed-breaker test with flying colours; it is even possible to drive away from 0 kph in 2nd gear, with just a little clutch slip. BHPian Parrys didn’t face any problem in climbing city flyovers in 5th gear itself. In traffic conditions that the Duster 110 would require frequent downshifts, the 85 happily rolls along in the same gear. You can use the versatile 2nd or 3rd gear (choice dependent on traffic speed) just like an automatic. With liberal usage of the accelerator pedal, the Duster 85 is reasonably peppy in the city. That said, it somehow doesn’t sprint as fast as the Sunny Diesel.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 3457692)

No I think it kicks in much much earlier for the 85. Thats how we are able to drive it like a petrol engine.
Here is a ref post from the review:

Agreed, the 85p does pull clean from 1200 but that I believe is to do with the design with FE in mind. Duster 85 struggles below 1000RPM. It is only comfortable idling there. Slight touch of pedal will take the RPM above 1k mark. I can guarantee there is no additional sound from the engine until you go above 1500RPM. There is no digital meter for me to confirm the exact number. I believe it has to be 1800RPM, here the acceleration behavior changes. The SA also mentioned this figure to me in one of my interactions.

Quote:

HillMan

: Duster 85 struggles below 1000RPM. It is only comfortable idling there.

Unless you are driving a large engine like the Volvo Bx's, an engine will struggle below the 1k rpm mark. The cars/LMV's will. 1000 rpm for cars is between idling & operating rpm's, and unless you want to keep going at low speeds, that rpm is not where you will be anyway.

Quote:

HillMan

: Slight touch of pedal will take the RPM above 1k mark. I can guarantee there is no additional sound from the engine until you go above 1500RPM.

Of course there is no additional sound from the engine. In fact, there is only one sound from the engine - of the engine in operation :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor (Post 3457836)

Of course there is no additional sound from the engine. In fact, there is only one sound from the engine - of the engine in operation :)

The sound and feel of the engine is noticeably different from 1800rpm. If turbo kicked in below this figure, the dynamics would be different.

I purchased a Renault Duster 85 ps RXL plus 3 weeks back.

I have JL audio amplifier J320.4 , JL audio subwoofer ,Focal component speakers and Morel coaxial speakers, all about 2 years old removed from recently sold swift.

The audio installation and uninstallation was done by Emperor Kochi.

My original plan was to swap the whole kit with duster's audio components. But Renault Kochi accessory shop sales adviser is warning me about warranty issues if I do so. Please help out here to make a decision.please:

Quote:

Originally Posted by anilntny (Post 3459202)

My original plan was to swap the whole kit with duster's audio components. But Renault Kochi accessory shop sales adviser is warning me about warranty issues if I do so. Please help out here to make a decision.please:

Warranty issues will arise if the wiring are tampered. But then they are acceptable to a point if it causes no issues with the vehicles electricals and worked on professionally. After all many people go for aftermarket ICEs.

I've also heard of issues where rain water was flowing into the carpet because seals/damping were tampered during an audio install to run the wires.

It is best to reuse the existing cables where ever possible.

Thank You HillMan. I have dropped the idea of installing Amplifier and Subwoofer. I will swap speakers only.I also plan to damp and pad all four doors.Let me know anything to be careful with while tampering with door pads.

In between ,any idea about how to fully seal the cabin ,as outside air tend to seep in even in recirculation mode?

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Originally Posted by anilntny (Post 3461004)

In between ,any idea about how to fully seal the cabin ,as outside air tend to seep in even in recirculation mode?

There is a stop before the circulation knob is fully open or closed. Turn it all the way to left. Raise a complaint with the service center if the issue continues.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anilntny (Post 3461004)

..
In between ,any idea about how to fully seal the cabin ,as outside air tend to seep in even in recirculation mode?

I figure you're not talking about the air that seeps in through the a/c vents.

This has been discussed before, however no one came up with a definitive solution. If you drive your Duster through a foul smelling area at moderate/high speeds, the bad odor does seep in sometimes. May be the rather poor door/window seal design (or the inadequate cabin insulation in itself) is the culprit.

How I wish Duster had better acoustic insulation.

Nissan Terrano has additional weatherstrips on all four doors. Do check them out; what if a eureka moment strikes you :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by anilntny (Post 3461004)

In between ,any idea about how to fully seal the cabin ,as outside air tend to seep in even in recirculation mode?

During my recent trip to Sikkim in the start of the year I also faced a similar issue, where even though the AC was not running when there was someone driving in front of me in the muddy roads, there was enough amount of dust getting inside the car.

After coming back I went to the ASC, and they told me that there are two ducts which are purposefully left open, one in the front and one in the back, and if I want they will seal both of them so that no outside aur comes in, unless you switch to the outside air with the AC knob.

They charged me 3000 Rs. for that, 2000 for front and 1000 for back. And after that I couldn't feel any dust/smell getting inside the car, though I haven't been to muddy roads like the one I have been before, but I couldn't feel anything with my trip to Kanyakumari in May. May be you can try that.