[h.s.r]

Originally Posted by gennius

600km UPDATE:

The Duster is running comfortably and mostly niggle-free, though there are a few I've encountered:

1.) In polluted areas, there is a good amount of pollution sneaking into the cabin making it really uncomfortable. I need to tell the service center to fix this in the service.

Many many congrats on new purchase.
I have also booked Duster,but now i am in dilemma whether to go for it or not.
My only concern is After sales experience.
Regarding that air getting into cabin,please get it checked from Renault.
When is the first service due?
I was waiting for an ownership thread.
Please keep us updated.

[sharanvenu]

Congrats on the purchase. Wishing you many more happy miles!

Please provide your views on the following. Sorry to trouble you with kindergarten kid questions now.

How did you find the head lamps of the duster? How bright are they? Is an upgrade required for this? How much are the bulbs rated at?

How assuring are the brakes at your highway speeds?

How effective is the rear AC? Is this jugaad really required. I have booked an RxZ too. Little skeptical about this rear AC unit.

Also, enlighten me regarding the booking procedure. Is the VIN actually conveyed to the customer after booking?

[gennius]

Originally Posted by vasanthn21

Every time I read about the ride quality of duster, I end up fantasizing about owning it!
When I went for a test drive, I had just test driven Nissan Sunny. The space in Sunny is just amaxing. When I saw duster in the showroom with the rear AC vents making the rear bench a 2 seater, I rejected the idea of buying it. Anyway though of TD'ing it as we were anyway in the showroom, but we were told that TD vehicles are not availabe (despite calling and booking a TD)!

We ended TD'in the Skoda Rapid next doors.

If I do not want the rear AC vents, is the only option to go for the base model?

There are 3 trim variants of the Duster: RxE, RxL and RxZ. Only the RxZ comes with the rear AC. You can go with the other variants if the rear AC is a problem for you.

Originally Posted by hurricanes

Congratulations on owning a Duster ! This car is quite a looker. Really liked the review.

The ride quality of this car is superb. Me and my friend took a test drive of this vehicle in Hyderabad and were impressed with it.

Keep updating the thread with your ownership and service experience.

Thanks

Thank you! Yeah as I said, I purchased the Duster primarily because of its ride quality.

Originally Posted by himadrimondal

I have faced the same problem but only once. Drove through an area with foul smell and I got a hint of it inside the cabin. But that's not all. As I switch on the AC in static condition, the cooling is perfect but when on the move, the chill factor is not there.
I doubt the showroom guys would be of help, I need to do a smoke test myself with a incense stick while the car is cruising at good speeds to check if air is getting inside the cabin from somewhere.

Congrats Gennius on the sparkling red Duster.

Thank you Himadri! Hmmm please keep me updated with your smoke test and this issue. It would be very useful feedback for the service center out here.

Originally Posted by ajayc123

Nilesh, congratulations for your new acquisition. Wishing you a problem free & pleasant ownership experience.

When, I got my first sighting of the brown Duster a few weeks back near near Azadpur in Delhi, I was impressed & interested. The icing on the cake was that it had a team bhp stickers on it. So I won't be surprised if the enthusiastic owner of the same stumbles upon this post, or may already be contributing here.

I am glad to learn that it has got the big things right. However, I am disappointed by the quirkiness in the peripheral things. You can't expect us to be ascetics & ignore the ergonomics. But as you said you can change a few & get used to the others. Would like to hear about the mods that you do on your way.

By the way, I am ignorant about the high security number plate. What is different & how do they help?

Regards, Ajay

Thanks Ajay!

Haha I wouldn't be surprised either! It's quite reassuring to be connected with other Duster owners through a common network.

Well I guess that's how the Frenchies roll eh? Interior quirks can be considered as Renault's trademarks. Yeah one can think of it as shifting from a PC to a Mac. Things may seem complicated initially. But it's all good when one gets used to it.

AFAIK, the high security number plates are mandatory for every new car purchased in Rajasthan at least. They have a unique ID for ever car whose chassis number is registered with the RTO, a hologram, different style of number stickers, an IND logo and a sticker on the windshield for further identification. I think it basically helps in cases of car thefts and number plate forgeries.

Originally Posted by idofsuresh

I own a Civic and I don't need 2 cars. Booked a Duster but the wind noise is making me think whether I should buy the Duster or not. A fast highway cruise is Civic is fantastic with almost no noise inside. Do you think wind noise is a deal breaker ? It is so hard to test in city conditions in the test drives. The car will be used for long highway drives a lot. Any advice would immensely help since you own both Civic and Duster. If it is a deal breaker I will keep my Civic and wait for new ones like Ford Eco-sport.



Though Duster is no comparison to the high speed stability and swerveability of Civic, do you feel unsafe in Duster while cornering or lane changing or swerving ? Do you feel confident to swerve at 80 kmph in Duster ?



Thanks a lot. You must write more about the differences between living with a sedan and living with a SUV! Will help a lot of folks.

Well the wind noise is definitely an issue, but I don't see it as a deal breaker. In fact, my brother who just traveled to a remote village in the Duster, was pretty ignorant about the wind noise and doesn't see it as an issue. On the contrary, he is in love with the way the Duster handles itself on the highways and other broken village roads. He says that cruising at 140kmph feels like cruising at 80/100! And to top it all, he saved almost an hour of travel time because of the Duster!

Personally, I love driving the Duster in city. I usually cruise on speeds of about 80kmph in the city and it feels like the car is going at 40kmph or something. Sharp cornering at high speeds is the issue I'm highlighting here. But considering Duster's much higher center of gravity than the Civic, I think I'd give it to Renault.

Originally Posted by TheARUN

Congratulations on the DUSTER. It was very interesting and educative, the review. One thing I couldn't find, how is the view from the Driver's seat? Especially is the expansive bonnet visible?

Thanks Arun! The view from the driver's seat is pretty good actually. When the seat is adjusted to max. high, the view is pretty much what you'd expect from an SUV. The expansive bonnet is very clearly visible and aids in city maneuvering.

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Fantastic review Gennius. I am surely going to be hooked to this thread in the coming days. Is the AC effective in cooling the whole cabin? I hope you got a chance to drive in the heavy downpour that lashed Jaipur recently (came to know that this is the highest ever single day rainfall that Jaipur has witnessed in the last 30 years). How did the Duster fare in the torrential rains? Were the wipers doing their job effectively? I hope there is no water leakage inside the cabin.

Thanks man! Well as you know it's been raining cats and dogs in Jaipur, the weather is usually pretty cool and hence I haven't been able to test the AC in the usual boiling Jaipur climate. Nonetheless, the AC is very effective. The car usually cools down in a couple minutes and you have to turn it down thereafter. I have the AC's thermostat set to a 40% warmer level. The rear AC chills your spine in no time!

Also, due to the heavy rains, the Jaipur roads are a nightmare. I haven't seen worse roads out here in years. In such a situation, I dread driving my Hondas and only feel like driving the Duster. The Duster makes the journey way more comfortable. The wipers are doing an effective job as they should and there are no water leakages whatsoever. The only thing I miss a lot is the single wipe feature.

Originally Posted by niv26

I came across this link for better sound insulation (but this is not in english but gives good idea)

Insonorizare Dacia Logan

This one for door.


Antifonare capot

Thanks! But I guess this is for the older versions of the Logan. It would be pretty risky to rip apart a new car for this solution.

Originally Posted by ampere

Nice review! Any ideas on the availability of wheel cladding?
I think that is most important accessory that would be needed for this guy.

Thanks! Yeah I think it is important too. I believe they are selling the whole package of front bull bar + side steps + side cladding + wheel cladding for about 25k+. Not sure about the break up of these accessories.

Originally Posted by h.s.r

Many many congrats on new purchase.
I have also booked Duster,but now i am in dilemma whether to go for it or not.
My only concern is After sales experience.
Regarding that air getting into cabin,please get it checked from Renault.
When is the first service due?
I was waiting for an ownership thread.
Please keep us updated.

Thank you! Well although I'm skeptical about Renault's after sales, I'm a little relaxed since the service manager of Renault Jaipur knows us pretty well and keeps us on priority. So I don't think it should be much of an issue. I'll keep you'll updated on the service experience too. The first service is due post 2000kms.

Originally Posted by sharanvenu

Congrats on the purchase. Wishing you many more happy miles!

Please provide your views on the following. Sorry to trouble you with kindergarten kid questions now.

How did you find the head lamps of the duster? How bright are they? Is an upgrade required for this? How much are the bulbs rated at?

How assuring are the brakes at your highway speeds?

How effective is the rear AC? Is this jugaad really required. I have booked an RxZ too. Little skeptical about this rear AC unit.

Also, enlighten me regarding the booking procedure. Is the VIN actually conveyed to the customer after booking?

Thanks Sharan! No worries :

1.) The headlamps are pretty good actually. The low beam is really powerful. When I switch the low beam on, I sometimes feel that I've switched on the high beam! The low beam+high beam+fog lamps combination gives a pretty good range and brightness at nights. No upgrades required here for me.

2.) Although the brakes could be better, I don't have any complains with it. Upon breaking, the car always stops calmly in a straight line without any skid or other drama.

3.) The rear AC is pretty damn effective. Switch it on and it instantly throws freezing air right in your face. It's mostly either on position 1 or is off. Required? To cool the rear benchers in the boiling Jaipur weather, yes. For not such hot weathers, probably not.

I did not receive any VIN after booking. I was told I'd receive my car on or before 15th August, which I did.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by gennius

Thanks! Yeah I think it is important too. I believe they are selling the whole package of front bull bar + side steps + side cladding + wheel cladding for about 25k+. Not sure about the break up of these accessories.

Nice to know that.
Is it a part of accessory list today? I have not seen it on the Renault site.

[souravc]

Congrats on your new Duster ! Will keep an eye on this thread for knowing more about the SUV , please do keep it updated as much as possible.
Thanks

[vkaul1]

Congrats on your Duster Nilesh.. Pls keep the thread updated. I too have booked 85 PS RXL (O) as primarily it would be a city ride & turbo lag would have been an issue - as it would be a lady driven vehicle. But then did not want to skimp on the safety features hence went with the (O) pack.

I agree get the OVRMs changed to body colored (even if you want to keep the door handles unchanged) - the silver looks an eyesore on the red beauty. If you like Bling, Chrome will look good on this color as well.

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by snkjr

Am I right in saying you are detecting the invading pollution by smell and due to discomfort in breathing?

This could also be how Duster drivers have experienced uncomfortable wind noise during drives / test-drives. What I am saying is that where the pollution is entering the cabin from could very likely also be the inlet for the wind noise.

Most of the SUV's have wind roar/noise at high speeds due to their slab sided body and big ovrms. If your car does not leak in the monsoons, then mostly there is no/negligible air leak also. Please note: no car is hermitically sealed/airtight. For pollution smells inside the car, please check if you have accidently left the fresh air setting on in your a/c. If the recirculate button is pressed and still pollution and external smells are coming into the cabin check if the a/c filter is fine.

[gennius]

Originally Posted by ampere

Nice to know that.
Is it a part of accessory list today? I have not seen it on the Renault site.

I'm not sure about that. The price is what the Sales Manager quoted me. I have seen nothing on print though.

Originally Posted by souravc

Congrats on your new Duster ! Will keep an eye on this thread for knowing more about the SUV , please do keep it updated as much as possible.
Thanks

Thanks Saurav! I'll try my best.

Originally Posted by vkaul1

Congrats on your Duster Nilesh.. Pls keep the thread updated. I too have booked 85 PS RXL (O) as primarily it would be a city ride & turbo lag would have been an issue - as it would be a lady driven vehicle. But then did not want to skimp on the safety features hence went with the (O) pack.

I agree get the OVRMs changed to body colored (even if you want to keep the door handles unchanged) - the silver looks an eyesore on the red beauty. If you like Bling, Chrome will look good on this color as well.

Thanks vkaul! Perfect decision. I purchased the 110PS RXZ only because the car would be driven primarily on highways.

Hmmm I think so too. I think I'll go ahead and change them.

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

Most of the SUV's have wind roar/noise at high speeds due to their slab sided body and big ovrms. If your car does not leak in the monsoons, then mostly there is no/negligible air leak also. Please note: no car is hermitically sealed/airtight. For pollution smells inside the car, please check if you have accidently left the fresh air setting on in your a/c. If the recirculate button is pressed and still pollution and external smells are coming into the cabin check if the a/c filter is fine.

Hmmm thanks for the insight! However, I've sat in many SUV's wherein the wind noise is hardly noticeable, despite they having huge ORVMs and slab sided bodies. What could be the reason behind that? Is design flaw the only reason behind the wind noise or could it also be due to poor insulation?
Hmm I'll check on that. It would be really strange if the A/C filter is damaged within 1000kms of driving the car.

Another niggle:
The individual door locks cannot be locked/unlocked manually. The locks have a very rubbery feel to them when pushed/pulled and fail to lock/unlock even after that. Have any other Duster owners experienced the same issue?

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by gennius

I

Hmmm thanks for the insight! However, I've sat in many SUV's wherein the wind noise is hardly noticeable, despite they having huge ORVMs and slab sided bodies. What could be the reason behind that? Is design flaw the only reason behind the wind noise or could it also be due to poor insulation?
Hmm I'll check on that. It would be really strange if the A/C filter is damaged within 1000kms of driving the car.

Another niggle:
The individual door locks cannot be locked/unlocked manually. The locks have a very rubbery feel to them when pushed/pulled and fail to lock/unlock even after that. Have any other Duster owners experienced the same issue?

Well its difficult to say unless we put your SUV inside a wind tunnel. Personally I hear wind noise at speeds >120kmph in my Safari, heard it in the Xylo, Scorpio, Endy and even a Skoda Roomster. So i believe its at par for the course. But if you are feeling a windy draft inside with windows rolled up, then it is definitely a leak somewhere. As long as your A/c cooling is not affected and no windy drafts anywhere, it means there is no leak from the door seals. Hope this helps. Cheers!!!

Regarding the doors, please check if the child lock buttons have not been deployed. Else it is impossible that doors cant be unlocked manually. If so, its a hazard, please show it to the service center ASAP.

[TaureanBull]

Did you happen to test drive the 85 PS RXe? How much does it differ from RXZ 110 in terms of handling and power? Any major difference between the two except the engine part?

I am more attracted to the 85 PS version and IMHO its a very good VFM.

[gennius]

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

Well its difficult to say unless we put your SUV inside a wind tunnel. Personally I hear wind noise at speeds >120kmph in my Safari, heard it in the Xylo, Scorpio, Endy and even a Skoda Roomster. So i believe its at par for the course. But if you are feeling a windy draft inside with windows rolled up, then it is definitely a leak somewhere. As long as your A/c cooling is not affected and no windy drafts anywhere, it means there is no leak from the door seals. Hope this helps. Cheers!!!

Regarding the doors, please check if the child lock buttons have not been deployed. Else it is impossible that doors cant be unlocked manually. If so, its a hazard, please show it to the service center ASAP.

Yeah that makes sense. I don't there's any leakage since I don't feel a windy draft inside. It's only the noise I guess.

Yeah I checked the child locks. I'll get the locks checked up soon. Thanks!

Originally Posted by TaureanBull

Did you happen to test drive the 85 PS RXe? How much does it differ from RXZ 110 in terms of handling and power? Any major difference between the two except the engine part?

I am more attracted to the 85 PS version and IMHO its a very good VFM.

No, I didn't TD the 85PS duster since we were sure on the 110PS. But I know that if your car would be limited to city driving, then the 85PS is the perfect choice for you!

[himadrimondal]

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

Most of the SUV's have wind roar/noise at high speeds due to their slab sided body and big ovrms. If your car does not leak in the monsoons, then mostly there is no/negligible air leak also. Please note: no car is hermitically sealed/airtight. For pollution smells inside the car, please check if you have accidently left the fresh air setting on in your a/c. If the recirculate button is pressed and still pollution and external smells are coming into the cabin check if the a/c filter is fine.

Apachelongbow, very true.
Another quirky design from Renault.
The fresh air or circulating air option is done by a semi rotating lever under the blower control knob.
When pushing left towards the circulating air option, one has to push it a bit further with some more
effort at the end to enable the LOCK. No outside smell comes there after.

Originally Posted by gennius

Another niggle:
The individual door locks cannot be locked/unlocked manually. The locks have a very rubbery feel to them when pushed/pulled and fail to lock/unlock even after that. Have any other Duster owners experienced the same issue?

Strange but I have not. I remember locking the rear door manually as my son was sitting inside when I decided to get a bottle of water.
Will check on this and update once again.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by gennius

No, I didn't TD the 85PS duster since we were sure on the 110PS. But I know that if your car would be limited to city driving, then the 85PS is the perfect choice for you!

Congratulations on the Duster. Am a bit surprised to see the absence of Duster threads on the forum, more surprised to hardly see any Dusters on the road in Pune. Got to see the first one today, it was a looker! Almost banged into another bike, as my eyes were fully locked on that car The review thread might not praise the looks that much, but the car's got style when you see it on the road.

Do keep updating your thread - a lot of friends planning to purchase a car in the coming year, and I keep pushing this option in front of them!

[vkaul1]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Congratulations on the Duster. Am a bit surprised to see the absence of Duster threads on the forum, more surprised to hardly see any Dusters on the road in Pune. Got to see the first one today, it was a looker! Almost banged into another bike, as my eyes were fully locked on that car The review thread might not praise the looks that much, but the car's got style when you see it on the road.

Do keep updating your thread - a lot of friends planning to purchase a car in the coming year, and I keep pushing this option in front of them!

I agree with you Ninja.. It does have a presence. When we were going for the TD one of the white TD vehicles overtook up & for a second I thought it was a Koleos till I saw "DUSTER" written on the boot

I guess not too many deliveries have happened in Pune till now, hope that changes soon !!

[Jazzper]

Originally Posted by gennius

P.S. This guy's quite the looker, eh?

Attachment 971352

In this Pic, Duster looks stunning! I never thought a low cost compact SUV can have such good looks! Congratulations on your aquisition. BTW is that white patch the number plate? I would suggest you remove it and get the reg. number stickered somewhere on the side of the bumper, It would look even hot!

Regards
Ekz