[athanedar]

Background :

Currently I own a i20 Magna May 2010 model done 40K on the ODO.
It has served me very well over last three years in which I have completed numerous long drives and office commute. The extended warranty is exhausted now.

Hence the itch of upgrading to bigger car is proping up and it has to be an SUV. No sedans. This is is just my choice . I know there are many good sedans in my price range but I dont want to buy Sedan.
I dont need 4*4 as well. I rarely travel with 7 people at a time hence 5 seat is enough. Safety is priority hence I need dual airbags, ABS etc.

Budget : Max 12 lakhs

Options considered :

1. Mahindra Quanto, XYLO & Scorpio : Wifey doesnt like the looks so these are out

2. Ford Ecosport : Ford has got a great product but the waiting is too long for me to consider this option. I called the pune dealer other day and they said the waiting has gone till 1 year now
So this is out of contention.

3. Mahindra XUV : Very good SUV. Lots of cool features but W8 is over my budget by 4 lacs.

4. Nissan Terrano : Nice looks, ride, handling but costlier than Duster for just the Nissan badge. It also has less features as compared to comparable Duster models.

5. Maruti Ertiga : This is not an SUV, just an elongated swift.

Now the last option remains is Renault Duster. I had kept this as last option because I didnt like the name "Duster" and Renault A.S.S availability / quality. Why didnt Renault come up with some other name?
But after exhausting all options I decided to take test drive of Duster and was totally blown away by the ride and handling of the SUV. This is a proper 5 seater SUV. Though the interiors are inferior as compared to XUV and my humble i20 but since the ride quality is awesome I am leaning towards Duster now.

Dilemma (Petrol or Diesel) :

I am a petrol head. I have driven only petrol cars in India and US. I like the super silent engine. I had taken test drive of diesel and the clutch and gears felt hard as compared to petrol car.
Mileage is not an issue for me since my running estimate is around 10K kms per year.

Prices (without negotiations)
Petrol RXL plus : OTR 10.84 lacs
Diesel RXL (O) : OTR 12.90 lacs

I checked GTO's September sales report and found out that Duster petrol's are only sold 200 as compared to 3800 diesels.

The diesel duster which I am considering is 2 lakhs more than petrol. Hence the breakeven point would be around 3 years.

If I negotiate with dealer hard I believe I can get around 40K-50K discount on Petrol duster considering it is not in high demand and if I sell my i20 I can get around 3 lakhs. So all in all I have to spend around 7.5 lakhs for petrol duster.

I know petrol dusters are sold less due to the fact that diesel prices are lower than petrol.

I checked team bhp and other forums but didnt find any personal ownership report of petrol duster. The official review thread does mention about petrol duster that it has uninspiring 1.6 litre engine but not much more.

Does petrol duster have any known issues?
Should I buy petrol duster?

I hope team bhpians can help me take decision.

[vij]

Lets see:
Rough estimates
With Petrol duster, for 10,000 kms/year you will need 830 ltr/yr = 66000
With Diesel duster, for 10,000 kms/year you will need 580 ltr/yr = 35000

Didnt look at this more accurately as mileage depends on the drive and money spent will vary with time as the fuel costs increase..

You will save around 31,000 per year. 5 years 1.55 Lacs and lets say for simplicity sake, considering price rise and other things, you will save 2lacs min over a period of 5 years. And when you sell the vehicle(after 5 years) you could fetch 70k more for the deesel... hmm so that makes it 2.7 lac overall price differential at year 5 provided you sell the vehicle then.
Lets make this figure 3lac as 5 years is a long time.

But if you have to put almost 2L now to get 3lac benefit after 5 years - thats a sure loss. because its worth double that(with interest) after 5 years.


I went for Terrano Petrol and my father in law has a Petrol Duster because our usage is ~5000kms/yr only. Yes, I work from home.

For city use, Petrol engine refinement and quiteness is what I like. Tired of driving diesel cars in city. The petrol Duster/Terrano is for more sedate driving, it seems to lack the punch, but the engine is smooth and nice!

[athanedar]

Originally Posted by vij

Lets see:

For city use, Petrol engine refinement and quiteness is what I like. Tired of driving diesel cars in city. The petrol Duster/Terrano is for more sedate driving, it seems to lack the punch, but the engine is smooth and nice!

How is your father in laws experience with petrol duster?
Any niggles or glaring issues faced?

[vij]

Originally Posted by athanedar

How is your father in laws experience with petrol duster?
Any niggles or glaring issues faced?

Absolutely none. I have driven the Petrol Duster and have driven the diesel too and I personally prefer the Petrol for city driving. Just feels better. The Duster doesnt cancel all the outside noise very well and the noise difference inside the cabin, with Petrol engine, is noticeable.

If you have been driving the Petrol all along, you will probably have mixed opinions initially, driving the diesel.

Edit: I noticed you found the clutch hard - the petrol duster's clutch is lighter than the diesel's.

[F150]

I would advise against petrol duster. If you are on tight budget go for 85PS mid variant.

If you can stretch a little go for XUV W6.

Dont get yourself in a situation, where you will regret the decision at a later stage.

The decision will appear to be sound during the purchase process, but during the ownership experience, you may regret it.

The price difference between Petrol and Diesel is less right now, one cannot predict the future trend.

[amtak]

Well, good news is in store for you. Mahindra has launched the W4 variant of XUV starting at 10.99 lakhs. Do have a look at it. Will certainly give you better resale and peace of mind in longer term (higher fuel bills, anyone?).

Lastly, it is a proper 7 seater for the occassional picnic with friends.

[athanedar]

Originally Posted by F150

I would advise against petrol duster. If you are on tight budget go for 85PS mid variant.

If you can stretch a little go for XUV W6.

Dont get yourself in a situation, where you will regret the decision at a later stage.

The decision will appear to be sound during the purchase process, but during the ownership experience, you may regret it.

The price difference between Petrol and Diesel is less right now, one cannot predict the future trend.

I cant go for midvariant 85PS because there are no airbags and ABS which is priority for me.
I have never owned diesel car before and I dont want to own it just for the sake that diesel is cheaper than petrol.

Diesel engine is for enthusiasts who like to drive fast. My prediction is that I am going to hardly drive above 110 kmph (my wife will ensure that)

Yes XUV W6 will be a stretch in budget.

I havent heard of two many niggles like XUV in duster. So what do you think I will regret in ownership experience?

[revintup]

XUV 500 W4 - Do consider it as it looks much better than similar priced vehicles and also looks like a class above the Ecosport/Duster/Terrano

Also do note that the Ertiga is anything but an elongated Swift. My uncle owns one and I am pretty amazed with the practical nature of the vehicle. Also it is one of the few cars where the petrol option outsells the diesel so spares should not be an issue. Give it a test drive, what do you have to lose anyway

[promit]

Only one con I could think off is,if you want to sell this one three years down the line, like your i20, the resale value is going to break your heart. Petrol SUV. Unless you've factored that in, and definitely intend to keep your new car longer.

[vij]

Originally Posted by revintup

XUV 500 W4 - Do consider it as it looks much better than similar priced vehicles and also looks like a class above the Ecosport/Duster/Terrano

Well, the price is now in similar range, so they are in the same segment. Its got the Mahindra badge too

But the thing I dont like about XUV is the ride and handling - no comparison to Duster/Terrano. And in the city, if you dont need 7 seats, then the fatboy XUV is a liability.

Originally Posted by revintup

Also do note that the Ertiga is anything but an elongated Swift. My uncle owns one and I am pretty amazed with the practical nature of the vehicle. Also it is one of the few cars where the petrol option outsells the diesel so spares should not be an issue. Give it a test drive, what do you have to lose anyway

Completely agree. Ertiga is a great VFM package.

[athanedar]

Originally Posted by revintup

XUV 500 W4 - Do consider it as it looks much better than similar priced vehicles and also looks like a class above the Ecosport/Duster/Terrano

Also do note that the Ertiga is anything but an elongated Swift. My uncle owns one and I am pretty amazed with the practical nature of the vehicle. Also it is one of the few cars where the petrol option outsells the diesel so spares should not be an issue. Give it a test drive, what do you have to lose anyway

Any idea of official launch of W4? Yes I agree ertiga is value for money package but the car though practical doesnt attract me.

Originally Posted by promit

Only one con I could think off is,if you want to sell this one three years down the line, like your i20, the resale value is going to break your heart. Petrol SUV. Unless you've factored that in, and definitely intend to keep your new car longer.

In fact I am getting a good price on i20 magna. I believe getting 60% of residual value in 3.5 years is acceptable. The 3 lakh value is what dealer is buying back. I am sure with a private buyer I can get 25K more.

selling petrol SUV would be a heartbreak though if for some reason I have to sell it within 3 years.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by athanedar

I cant go for midvariant 85PS because there are no airbags and ABS which is priority for me. I have never owned diesel car before and I dont want to own it just for the sake that diesel is cheaper than petrol.

Really appreciate your clear priorities regarding safety and fuel. Instead of looking at interiors, spoiler, alloys, you are ensuring safety as a high priority. And also unlike folks who pay 1.5lakhs more for diesel variant though their mileage does not warrant diesel, you are clear on petrol.

I would say go ahead. Do check with the very limited number of folks who own petrol-Duster about any issues / cons you need to be wary of.
I look forward to seeing your ownership review, since I doubt we have any petrol-Duster reviews here.

[GTO]

I think you're making a couple of wrong decisions here.

1. Selling a car within 3 years of ownership is a big no-no. Any car suffers the maximum depreciation in the first 3 years. If you use the i20 more, there will be a lower loss of resale (proportionately) over the coming years. Related Article.

2. You say that safety is a priority, but then you're choosing the Duster which has scored a measly 3 stars in the Euro NCAP. Please understand that airbags & ABS don't make just any car "safe". You might want to consider the EcoSport which is a far newer, safer design. It scored 4 stars in the tougher Latin NCAP and is expected to get a 5 in the Euro NCAP (the Fiesta, on which it is based, did get a 5 star rating).

3. The i20 is a premium product built for the most competitive markets worldwide. The quality, inside out, is topnotch. You'll find the Duster to be extremely cheap and perhaps, a downgrade. It reeks of cost cutting everywhere. Again, this is an especially important consideration because of the car you're currently driving.

4. The Duster's petrol engine has no USP. Neither is it big on power nor performance. The diesels own it in terms of economy. Plus, going by the history of petrol SUVs, we can safely assume that the Duster petrol's resale will be poor (or average at best). Here's our review of the Terrano petrol (same as the Duster petrol):

Originally Posted by n_aditya

103 BHP Petrol Engine:

The petrol Terrano is powered by a 1598cc naturally-aspirated motor producing peak power of 103 BHP (@ 5,850 rpm) and max torque of 145 Nm (@ 3,750 rpm). You might assume that this engine is also a straight lift from the Sunny / Scala. Nope, the sedans are powered by slightly smaller 1.5L engines. Petrol SUVs have traditionally done poorly in India and we can safely assume that the Terrano petrol will make up for a small % of sales. The 1.6L engine doesn't excel in any particular area; it ranks middle-of-the-way on most parameters.

The petrol Terrano is no street scorcher, but it is definitely not under-powered either. The sedan-like kerb weight, coupled with 103 horses, ensures that performance is acceptable. Urban driveability is similar to other petrol sedans, though it certainly doesn't have the torque delivery of the 85 diesel. If you are patient, the Terrano petrol will amble along just fine in the city. If you're in a hurry, downshifting is a frequent occurrence as the motor doesn't feel particularly punchy below 2,000 rpm. Above 2,000 rpm, the Terrano petrol has decent punch. Power comes in a straight, linear manner. Open road performance is reasonable by SUV standards. Keep the accelerator pinned and the rpm needle will climb to ~6,300 rpm. It doesn't like high rpms though, and starts getting gruff near the redline. The petrol is best suited to a sedate driving style, an aggressive driver will notice more noise than (actual) progress. The Terrano petrol does 80 kph @ 2,500 rpm in 5th gear and 100 kph @ 3,000 rpm. The car is comfortable doing speeds up to 120 kph. Beyond that, wind & engine noise make it less enjoyable.

The petrol's clutch pedal is lighter than that of the diesel, always a good thing. On the other hand, the gearbox is notchy and the gates aren't well-defined either.

Originally Posted by athanedar

Diesel engine is for enthusiasts who like to drive fast.

Not really. In an SUV, a diesel is the more sensible option because of:

- Superior torque & driveability
- Far better fuel economy
- Higher load carrying ability
- Longer tank range (helpful on highway marathons)
- Greater resale value

Any of the following options are superior to a Duster petrol:

- Duster 85PS Diesel
- Ertiga (petrol or diesel)
- EcoSport
- XUV500 W4

[vij]

I think its an individual thing. Have you driven diesel and petrol duster? Also take a TD of the XUV. The interiors and features of the XUV are good, but il be surprised if you dont find the ride and handling of the duster/terrano to be better.

[ampere]

If its only the itch to upgrade hold on to it. Your I20 can easily do another 40/50k. Keep it for at least for another 3 years.

Or lets look at the brighter side (just as Rush said). In a year/two the market would be flooded with X-overs. Take your pick then !