[tharian]

The warning sign which the buyer should have noticed on the date of delivery and made a scene for, was the odo reading at 200kms.

Why will a new car have 200 kms on the odo?
I am quite sure the damage would have been done during this 200 kms.

He should not have accepted a brand new car run 200 kms when it should have a maximum of 50kms or thereabouts.

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by tharian

The warning sign which the buyer should have noticed on the date of delivery and made a scene for, was the odo reading at 200kms.

Why will a new car have 200 kms on the odo?

+10 to tharian

IMO, Mr Marfatia must have taken this up quite seriously during the purchase. All due respect to the feeling of being the first one to book/receive the updated Duster, but 200Km on a brand new "First of the Lot" car is extremely fishy!!

I am just predicting that there was a possible damage to the car during shipping/unloading, which was then 'Attempted to Fix', before being tested extensively.

All this was PROBABLY covered up in the 'First Customer & First Car' melee.

[Sommos]

Originally Posted by TD_GHY

Probably the 200km on the odo was due to some testing done by Renault dealer guys after one of them noticed the pull while bringing it from the yard to the showroom. However, they couldn't find a fix for it in time or it was beyond the dealer's capacity and hence, they decided to sell it anyway with expectations of the buyer being an unsuspecting one.

One probability is that the car could have been damaged during transportation or loading/ unloading itself. As per his blog, Premji Tyres said “a chassis check was required on the Car-O-Liner or cerletic bench.” That itself should be a clear indicator that they suspect a bend (or something) in the chasis. Rather than levelling the chasis, which may cost the dealership some money, they have tried to realign the wheel and mask the problem from an un-suspecting customer.

I also have doubts whether the car was covered under insurance for such damage during transportation. In that case the dealer should have rectified the defects and claimed insurance, rather than handing over a damaged car to the customer.

[abhishek46]

This case has become a mess due to the plus sized tyres, even though they are not creating any problem. Car makers will generally not honour complaints on non-stock tyre configurations.

The customer here should simply go back to original tyres and then show the problem to the whole world again. If on stock tyres also the vehicle pulls towards one side and that is demonstrated again and again, then Renault would be forced to solve the issue.

[akshar890]

This is not really not cool.
Renault cant be messing around with its customers like this.
You need to take this higher.
One of my friends fathers had a body issue with with a Nissan Terrano that he purchased , they were unwilling to help him.
he pushed and pushed until he reached the Japanese division of Nissan , who were really helpful.
Maybe you can try pushing all the way will Renault France.
After all they do have an international reputation to maintain.

[Sommos]

Originally Posted by abhishek46

This case has become a mess due to the plus sized tyres, even though they are not creating any problem. Car makers will generally not honour complaints on non-stock tyre configurations.

The customer here should simply go back to original tyres and then show the problem to the whole world again. If on stock tyres also the vehicle pulls towards one side and that is demonstrated again and again, then Renault would be forced to solve the issue.

The customer is ready for that :

I said I would take them at face value and accept the car back with the MRF spec tyres at my own expense on the condition that they were willing to give me an official letter stating that they would replace my car if in the next 6 months the car continued to pull left.

But the company/ dealer is not willing to give any assurance.

[revved_up]

Folks, any idea what is the waiting period of RXZ AWD in Delhi?
Also, it is correct that AWD is not available in all colors?

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by Sommos

on the condition that they were willing to give me an official letter stating that they would replace my car if in the next 6 months the car continued to pull left.

This is the sticky bit.
No company would give such a letter. The customer has to take the plunge here and try to get the things resolved by the dealership and Renault.
Even after this, If renault is unable to solve the issue, then legal proceedings should be initiated.

[aqualeo2040]

Thanks Waseem for bringing this to our notice. I think that the solution provided in #2 below might help a lot of us with the minor car pulling issue.

I see two interesting elements in the post by Heeraz.
Apologies in advance for cross posting, but I feel that the details in #1 is necessary and #2 gives a potential solution to lot of us on the 'CAR pulling left' problem.This might not be limited to Duster only.
If MODS feel that it need to be edited, please do the needful.

1.Shailesh’s conjecture was either it’s a manufacturing defect or the car could have been dropped hard from one of the rams of the trailers that carry them, it could have happened during transportation of the vehicle. Anyway the report given to me was that “a chassis check was required on the Car-O-Liner or cerletic bench. And the wider tyres were not the reason for pulling.”
Would be interested if Heeraz could get the car to be checked on a chassis straightening device and get the report. If the car was indeed dropped during transport, then all it needs is getting the chassis straightened. He will have the proof and sue the dealership for withholding information and causing trauma and mental agony. Renault can learn a thing or two about public relations.

2. More interesting was a fix suggested by Mr Joseph in the comments. Definitely worth a try :
"The Technican also gave me a real jewel of a law of automobiles, which I had never come across in my 5 decades of automobile experience.
“All left hand drive vehicles pull to the right and all right hand drive vehicles pull to the left”
After hearing this pure crap I decided the only alternative was a DIY job.The following is from my experience with cars fore more than 50 years. Maybe French cars are made differently, maybe not.
All steering boxes have a center point. If it is out of the center it will ‘hunt’ for the center.
Computerised or manual Wheel alignment without centering the steering box is absolute crap.
I went to a small shop and we found that the steering box was about 2.5 degrees to the right more than the left and the pull to the left was proably from the steering box hunting for the center.
Holding the steering box at its true center(the steering wheel was a bit tilted at this position) we locked it and set the toe and took a test drive. The left pull was solved!
Next, we were groping in the dark about the toe angle, which the Frenchies seemed to be more scecretive than the combination to Marie Antoinette’s chastity belt!
So we used my Palio’s figures instead. A total toe of 0.02 Positive.
All that was done at around 12000km on the odo."

To be honest, we have seen enough on this forum, be it Skoda, Ford, Fiat or Renault. The Japs have very good work culture, but in Japan. Upgraded for India Civics need those rubber stoppers from scraping, Suzuki(a la Maruti) offers non existent airbags.
I was once told a story in Mgmt school about a Toyota worker in Japan, who stopped by on his way from work to clean a dirty car parked on the side of the road. When probed by the American reporter on whether it was his car, he responded saying that though it was not his car, but it was a Toyota, and a dirty car on the highway,visible to everyone, would bring disrepute to his organization and his work;hence the need to clean it up.
That is customer service, a very very very alien concept in Indian auto scene. Also, it is the same set of people in management who move from one organization to other. So, not surprised that the culture of apathy has spread its tentacles.

Hope the Bawa does get his justice and his car sorted.

[vdm295]

To deal with this kind of a problem is just pathetic. Fighting with the dealer & the manufacturer is not an easy job & to top it up is our Indian judiciary, where it take years to get justice. The best way to fight this out is to put it up in social media all over so that others who buy the car from that dealer are cautioned. This would dent the image of the dealer & the manufacturer & to save their face they would come down & do the needful.
Hope this works for Bawa & he gets justice.

[Touringlawyer]

Originally Posted by revved_up

Folks, any idea what is the waiting period of RXZ AWD in Delhi?
Also, it is correct that AWD is not available in all colors?

I haven't booked the new AWD, but Renault confirmed to me on phone (The Area Sales Manager of Renault spoke to me) that the AWD is available only in the Cayenne Orange and Amazon Green Colours. The worst bit is that even though the lower models are available with silver colour inside handles, the AWD model has inside door handles only in Orange Colour. Now imagine the Amazon Green AWD Duster, with Orange handles and some other bits also in Orange, on the inside. Horrible!!

[revved_up]

Originally Posted by Touringlawyer

I haven't booked the new AWD, but Renault confirmed to me on phone (The Area Sales Manager of Renault spoke to me) that the AWD is available only in the Cayenne Orange and Amazon Green Colours. The worst bit is that even though the lower models are available with silver colour inside handles, the AWD model has inside door handles only in Orange Colour. Now imagine the Amazon Green AWD Duster, with Orange handles and some other bits also in Orange, on the inside. Horrible!!

Thanks and welcome to TBHP.

Over the weekend i have taken the test drive of AWD Duster and i have a confirmation from both the dealers that AWD can be had in Green, Orange, White and Black.
One dealer, Renault North claimed now AWD is available in all colors. They also have a Brown one available for ready sale.

I am zeroing in on the black though. It will take 4-6 weeks delivery time once booked. i hope there are no surprises later regarding the color (Fingers crossed).

[STraiTDriVE]

I have read numerous reviews, read many articles, watched video analyses on duster however am unable to get enough coverage on the 85 PS model. All I could see was lots of information on 110 PS, AWD and now the AMT version. I have checked the RXZ variant which has the most sober interiors compared to the other variants.

Being a newbie will be highly obliged if someone share’s their experience on the 85 PS facelift version. thanks !

[johnjojo08]

Originally Posted by STraiTDriVE

I have read numerous reviews, read many articles, watched video analyses on duster however am unable to get enough coverage on the 85 PS model. All I could see was lots of information on 110 PS, AWD and now the AMT version. I have checked the RXZ variant which has the most sober interiors compared to the other variants.

Being a newbie will be highly obliged if someone share’s their experience on the 85 PS facelift version. thanks !

My father in law bought 85 PS RXE(2016 face-lift) 1 month back. The face-lifted 85 PS has super light clutch compared to old version(2014). Not sure about 2015 version clutch. It is a joy to ride in city. Had taken it for 400 Km drive. It has fantastic drivability due to light clutch and high low end torque. Excellent in hilly areas.

[STraiTDriVE]

Thanks John.. it sounds encouraging.. am keeping my fingers crossed to collect some more experiences before I take the final decision. Currently they are citing a waiting period of 1+ month for RXZ variant with no discounts on offer.