[BeingCynical]

Congratulations HillMan on your purchase. Wish you miles of happy driving

Just to double check, a friend of mine who owns a Duster has this problem with the gear box for some time. Upon getting it checked the service center told of a minor problem with the gear shaft and fixed some weakly torqued bolts. It went through smoothly for a month, only to appear again but more prominently. Do you have similar issues with your Beast's gear box?

[HillMan]

Originally Posted by BeingCynical

Do you have similar issues with your Beast's gear box?

Thanks for the wishes. Mine was assembled in May. Haven't faced any niggles yet. Done only 2.2k yet, so have to wait for a few more miles to really give some serious feeds. For now it is doing fine.

[HillMan]

My two months of ownership was nearing and I had hardly clocked 1200km on the Odo. I wanted to do 2K before the 1st service. The opportunity was there as 9-10-11 was long weekend. So made a quick plan and hit the road.

My idea was to drive as much as possible so we took a de-tour from Nanjangud and drove through village roads. The roads are narrow, yet in good shape. Pollution free and no traffic. We took a few pictures and drove leisurely. The kids and wife were enjoying the ride. Music was turned off, so we were enjoying the talks and silence.

The drive through Masingudi with 36 hairpin bends was a wonderful treat and kids enjoyed it a lot. The roads are exceptionally well maintained. With large convex mirrors at every bend for visibility. The Duster pulled steady with no fuss and had enough power for quick overtakes. I was keeping rpm below 2500 because my car was still to go for first service with below 2K on the odo. The temperature peaked up to 6 bars at one point. You see enough smoking cars standing on road sides cooling down with bonnet open.

Google navigation was the worst companion you can ever have for these trips. It is good for highways and long distance maps. Waze was amazing in Ooty and knew a lot of roads. Waze sometimes will not calculate routes more than 25mile, so best suited for cities and towns.

Ok now will let the pictures do the talking ;

[pahwa]

Originally Posted by HillMan

Accessorise:

Imperial Leathers did a fantastic job with the fit and finish. They have all types of leatherette and genuine leather available out there. Have to order a week in advance.

But was worth the wait. Comes with a 2yr warranty on material and workmanship.

Thanks for this reference HillMan. Your car and seat covers look awesome. Can you please share the final cost of covers + handbrake + steering grip?

[HillMan]

Originally Posted by pahwa

Can you please share the final cost of covers + handbrake + steering grip?

10K for the Luster Leather seat covers
700 bucks for the Original Leather hand brake & steering wheel grip.

Rounded off to 10500/- for billing.

The cost quoted for different colour combinations were same, I preferred to use single colour as it looks premium on a large surface.

The butter scotch colour I used on the seats need frequent cleaning for obvious reasons

[pahwa]

Originally Posted by HillMan

10K for the Luster Leather seat covers
700 bucks for the Original Leather hand brake & steering wheel grip.

Rounded off to 10500/- for billing.

The cost quoted for different colour combinations were same, I preferred to use single colour as it looks premium on a large surface.

The butter scotch colour I used on the seats need frequent cleaning for obvious reasons

Thanks Hillman. I have also ordered my car seat covers to Imperial - Shiv Kumar. Since my Duster is silver color, I chose charcol - dull black single color seat covers. Will share the pics once I receive it after long wait on 12th Sep!!

[HillMan]

Originally Posted by pahwa

Since my Duster is silver color, I chose charcol - dull black single color seat covers.

Imperial guys are always booked. At least Shiv Kumar will not disappoint on appointment time, max half hr +/-.

Good choice. Duster looks real nice with single color leather seats.

[HillMan]

Guys,

I am capturing data for long term ownership in a spreadsheet. The link is avaialable at the end of opening article as well.

Have a look and let me know what else can be captured. There are a few tabs on the sheet for various data. Feel free to suggest me for making it better.

Thanks

[HillMan]

Got a call from someone I know. If any of our Bhpians is looking to book a Duster in Bangalore, PM me if you need the contact. He could help with pricing/accessory on Duster bookings. The discounts may not be steep, guess its a loyalty thing through customer relation.

Please dont take this as any sales pitch. It is not. I own a Duster, and thats it

Note: Mods if this post is going against policy, please feel free to delete.

[subpra]

Right now I've booked both the Ecosport top variant and Duster RXL. I'm totally confused. The car will be in Tumkur, will be used in rural roads and also very occasionally might need to do some heavy work, lift heavy loads and do off roading as well.

My hunch says ecosport is too soft for my requirements.

Well, confused.

[HillMan]

Originally Posted by subpra

The car will be in Tumkur, will be used in rural roads and also very occasionally might need to do some heavy work, lift heavy loads and do off roading as well.

Between EcoSport and Duster, for your requirements The Duster is a clear winner. The Vehicle is quite capable and glides well on bad roads. Has a solid floor in the rear to carry load.

In wet conditions any 2x4 will lose traction. So not sure about your off roading requirement. Scorpio 4x4 might fair better in such case.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by subpra

Right now I've booked both the Ecosport top variant and Duster RXL. I'm totally confused. The car will be in Tumkur, will be used in rural roads and also very occasionally might need to do some heavy work, lift heavy loads and do off roading as well.

Does More load = More space ?
If yes then answer is obvious ... Go with Duster.

If you are going to tackle more of bad roads, I would say again Duster is a better choice. You need a perfect urban ride, bit no concern for back seat and boot, Ecosport wins hands down!

[pahwa]

Originally Posted by HillMan

Attachment 1122071

1st Service at Whitefield Renault, Bangalore:


The job card was made quickly. I was offered to go for LBLACH79 Engine Lacring and 3MEC Engine Coating. The total damages for which including taxes was Rs.683/-

This is purely optional. I went for it has its benefits, specially when the .

Hillman

I am taking my vehicle to Renault Whitefield for the first service on Friday. Any tips or suggestions for me?

What is engine larcing and its benefits?

Thanks!

[BUXX]

^^ engine lacquering.. I guess the same thing that they do to AC cooling pipes. Makes them a little corrosion-resistant?

[HillMan]

Originally Posted by pahwa

What is engine larcing and its benefits?

Call up and get an appointment. They would have your name posted on a board with the name of SA who will attend to you. I have not seen this anywhere before. Clear your dashboard before leaving home.

When leaving the vehicle, let the SA know you will wait at the service center and pick the vehicle when ready.

First service is more of a verification, so don't expect any difference in feel when you take delivery.

I've posted an image of my certificate/check list on the main thread for the list of things they undertake.

It takes around 4hrs of waiting. Plan for it. Phoenix mall opens by 10am

Laquer will do mild water proofing and anti-static. Because for almost next one year you won't see the service center, it is best to do it. To save from accidental water damage at local water wash. They wipe clean the engine area and a spray the lacquer.

Pressure wash is prohibited inside the bonnet. They have a warning sticker already.

But if you are careful with your vehicle, this is not necessary.