[jacs]

Well composed report Rajoy. Nice clicks to support the points. FE looks attractive considering your daily route.

Wishing you a lively yet safe ownership.

[Chillout]

Excellent and detailed review, wish you happy miles on your ride. If only I had come across this earlier, I would have attempted a test drive and given the duster a go. Safety and build quality was paramount for me and also wanted value for money and felt most of the SUV's were overpriced for the features that they offered. Duster was the only reasonably priced vehicle but decided to skip it as it was an ageing design and wanted a true automatic. Creta was definitely over priced and XUV500 was beyond my budget.

Finally got my hands on a 3 month old Ecosport AT, black edition for a good price and settled for it. Mine is also silver color and I find it easy to maintain.

I am sure lot many bhpians would find your review useful and would definitely give the Duster AMT a try.

[catchjyoti]

Originally Posted by Chillout

Excellent and detailed review, wish you happy miles on your ride. If only I had come across this earlier, I would have attempted a test drive and given the duster a go. Safety and build quality was paramount for me and also wanted value for money and felt most of the SUV's were overpriced for the features that they offered. Duster was the only reasonably priced vehicle but decided to skip it as it was an ageing design and wanted a true automatic. Creta was definitely over priced and XUV500 was beyond my budget.

Finally got my hands on a 3 month old Ecosport AT, black edition for a good price and settled for it. Mine is also silver color and I find it easy to maintain.

I am sure lot many bhpians would find your review useful and would definitely give the Duster AMT a try.

If you don't mind me asking, how much did you have to pay for the 3 month old Ecosport Automatic? I was also inquiring about used ones past weekend. And dealers were quoting about 8 lakhs for 2 year old with about 30K on the odometer.

[PapaBravo]

Great Review Rajoy123. Thanks for such a practical & honest review. You have covered all major points.

The front windshield protection is a very wise decision. Duster seems to get a lot of sun inside through the windshield.

Regarding the brake pads, it would depend on your driving style but expect a change between 20-25k.

Wish you many happy miles on the Duster

Regards,

Pawan

[Anuruddhs]

Thanks Rajoy123 for excellent review of Duster AMT and when you are writing things from heart its much more enjoyable to read the experience . Have a wonderful ownership ahead .
My friend is also confused between duster and Creta and your review is going to help him for sure in decision .

[arch_hornet]

Thank you Rajoy123 for this ownership review - much awaited!

A couple of questions:

- Is there a way to add a dead pedal - any DIY or after-market products that are available? I TD'd the Creta diesel AT as well as the Duster AMT last week, and (for someone like me completely new to automatics) the dead pedal on the Creta was extremely comfortable and useful. It's a pity the Duster misses out on it.

- How difficult is it to use the ICE screen during navigation? I felt it was placed a few inches too low, and felt it might be a problem to use the ICE navigation as it meant taking the eyes off the road. Have you faced any such issues so far?

- How good is the ICE audio quality? I found the Creta AT's audio to be outstanding whereas the Duster output sounded tinny. Of course, I speak from spending just a few minutes listening to songs in these vehicles, hence wanted to know what you think - is an audio upgrade required in the Duster?

Many thanks, and wish you lots of happy miles in your monster!

[alphadog]

Congratulations!, on your new mini-SUV and for the comprehensive review of the Duster AT. I think the combination of a high seating position and an automatic is a sweet one for city driving. And from what you have reported, the highway performance and overtaking ability of the AT machine is also good.

Just one question, the Garware sunfilm that you've installed for the windshield, is that road legal and if so,where can I get it done in Cochin?.

Wish you miles of safe riding in your new ride.

Cheerio!

[BigBrad]

A nice, crisp and concise report, hardly took time to finish reading it.

Originally Posted by rajoy123

Special mention to be made for a special safety feature: Even after successfully changing the gear to D or R, if the doors are not closed properly, the car will not move. Only after ensuring that all the doors are shut, can the vehicle be driven.

Very good safety feature IMO, I guess the mods can make a mention of it in the official review thread. Nice to see hill start and other safety features. And the hydraulic struts for bonnet, even the more than twice as expensive Toyota Fortuner doesn't get one. Shame on you Toyota!

Glad that you wrapped the chrome parts, it looks much better now.

Please keep updating the thread, specifically for the AMT since there's hardly any other ownership threads for the same.

[rajoy123]

Dear all,
I am deeply humbled by the encouraging posts from all of you. Thank you.

We have just completed a round trip to Bangalore city, covering around 1200kms. Highway drives and city usage will be covered in this post.

As mentioned in the opening post of the ownership report, the Duster feels well planted at higher speeds, and the toll roads from Salem to Bangalore are worth the toll paid. Clear and well-maintained roads, with clearly marked intersections & cross-roads.

Highway cruising: we were at a constant speed of 110kmph, mostly varying between 5th and 6th gear. Car was very easy to handle in the Krishnagiri inclines. Please note that we were 4 adults, 1 toddler and had 4 large suitcases plus few large bags in the boot (blankets to teddy-bears ).

City Usage: there was no need for manual gearshift even once. Our outings and sight-seeing included major flyovers, traffic-snarls and many pocket roads. Parking at the allotted area near MG road metro station was crowded even on a weekday afternoon, but it was done without any fuss.

A special thing to be mentioned is that Bangaloreans have this special telepathy with car/van drivers. Neither of them gives way for the other. I had to swerve few times to avoid the pedestrians, who cross the road, giving blessings with their palms stretched.

The car has now completed 8800kms and we have an upcoming weekend drive to Munnar, Kerala.

Attaching few pics of the trip:


Total Kilometres & the Fuel-Efficiency for the trip.



Parting Shot.

Thank you all once again.

[rajoy123]

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

Why was XUV ruled out from your first choice of three short listed cars?

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

I've the same doubt as Dhanush - why made you rule out XUV?

We didn’t really prefer a 7-seater and parking/reversing the car had to be easy since this car would be used by my dad too. The extra row of seats and rear-visibility was a major factor for deleting this from our selected car-list. The automatic variant wasn’t as impressive as the manual one, and the front-passenger felt tossed around while going through bumpy roads.

Imagine a scene where a school boy has his school-bag on his back, and starts running. The bag would slow him down, giving him a feeling of extra bulk behind. It would also bounce back occasionally when he slows abruptly. I felt the same when driving the XUV through our pre-decided course. The car felt good on the regular roads, but felt very heavy to handle on bumpy roads. I thought this could be due to an abused TD car. So the next day, I was offered a car with only 15kms on the odometer, that was actually scheduled for delivery the very next day! Imagine, if the same can be done to a pre-delivery vehicle, what would the scenario be when I give my car for regular service? What assurances do I have about the dealer and the unethical practice?

Originally Posted by microaubin

What did you find lacking in the Creta? Some dealership tend to fumble up from time to time...but a good sales person will make up for it just like the case here.

The Creta was much smoother to drive and had better score in the looks department. But as mentioned, the backseat comfort was a notch below. Also, the price difference of Rs. 2.5Lakhs for a car with better interior but lesser safety features was let-down for us.

Also, the absolutely casual attitude of the sales-person including the TD car fumble made it tough for me to explain/demo the car to my family's satisfaction.

Originally Posted by rxpaul

Btw, did you not take a test or compare with the recently introduced Terrano AMT ?

The terrano wasn’t introduced until late October 2016. (We purchased this car in August 2016).

Thank you!

[rajoy123]

Originally Posted by arch_hornet

- Is there a way to add a dead pedal - any DIY or after-market products that are available?

I totally agree that the duster sorely misses out on the dead pedal. If there are any car accessories shops that can do a proper installation of it, that maybe good. During driving, if the DIY fix comes off loose, and it gets stuck behind the brake pedals, then that’s a scary situation. Personally, I wouldn’t suggest a DIY job for this, unless you are very sure of the fitment.

Originally Posted by arch_hornet

- How difficult is it to use the ICE screen during navigation? I felt it was placed a few inches too low, and felt it might be a problem to use the ICE navigation as it meant taking the eyes off the road. Have you faced any such issues so far?

The media-navigation unit is located slightly lower, and operating it can be done safely only if the vehicle is parked. During noon-time drives, expect reduced visibility of the screen due to sunlight-reflection. For audio controls or switching between radio and media, we can use the joystick behind the steering wheel. In a way, this positioning of the MediaNav system is a safety addition

Originally Posted by arch_hornet

- How good is the ICE audio quality?

The audio output is pretty good for stock speakers. Equalizer can be tweaked for that satisfactory output, and the speakers are apt for jazz and regular music. But an audiophile listening to EDM or heavy bass music will surely be disappointed. (PS: I have infinity speakers and a Mono-block subwoofer setup in my i20, and I find the duster’s speakers more than enough for daily usage).

Originally Posted by alphadog

Just one question, the Garware sunfilm that you've installed for the windshield, is that road legal and if so,where can I get it done in Cochin?.

I have only covered the front and rear glass area of the car. The main aim was to reduce oncoming headlight-glare at night. The legality of the sun-films is still being debated on, and if the verdict says it’s illegal for front windshield, I will immediately remove it. The installation was done at Rytheon car accessories, Tripunithura.

Thank you!

[shiva_s]

Superb attention to detail on the review Mr. Rajoy.
I should thank you posting review, as it came right at the time of booking my RXL AMT.

I had lot apprehensions on booking the Duster AMT for sluggish gear box as Ameo, was was giving a 7 speed DSG.

Dropped Ameo as I owned a Skoda Ocativa earlier and frightened of the spares and service cost.

I booked a AMT RXL and taking delivery of the vehicle on this Friday (10th). But I had a lot of questions whether the choice was right enough. Your review finally answered everything.

I noted that you mentioned asking the sale guy on AMT clutch replacement expense. Did they provide you the detail on expense and maintenance timing of the gear box.

Also, thanks for highlighting the safety feature that the vehicle will not move unless the doors are closed, even if engaged in drive mode with brake depressed.

[tomraven99]

Congrats Rajoy123 on your new car.
Your vehicle looks amazing with those mods.
Where did you source those wheel arch claddings from? I need a set for my Duster. The ones available on the internet are priced high.

[rajoy123]

Originally Posted by shiva_s

Superb attention to detail on the review Mr. Rajoy.
I should thank you posting review, as it came right at the time of booking my RXL AMT.

I booked a AMT RXL and taking delivery of the vehicle on this Friday (10th). But I had a lot of questions whether the choice was right enough. Your review finally answered everything.

Happy to help! Do let me know if you have any more queries.

Originally Posted by shiva_s

I noted that you mentioned asking the sale guy on AMT clutch replacement expense. Did they provide you the detail on expense and maintenance timing of the gear box.

As per the service team, the clutch of the Duster AMT is expected to have around 4,000kms to 6,000kms lesser range than the manual variant. Shall update with more data when I take my car for the second free service in 2 weeks.

Originally Posted by tomraven99

Congrats Rajoy123 on your new car.
Your vehicle looks amazing with those mods.
Where did you source those wheel arch claddings from? I need a set for my Duster. The ones available on the internet are priced high.

The Wheel-Cladding is a genuine renault accessory, and the price is 4,200/-
Kindly contact the nearest Renault service center to know about the item availability.

Thank you!

[rajoy123]

Greetings to everyone!

My car has now completed 10,000kms and was promptly taken for service at 10,002kms on the 11th of April,2017.

Total Bill was Rs.4,400/- (Including the accessory costing Rs.1,161/- , mentioned below)

Below is the service bill:


I had a few extra works, as can be seen in the service bill. Reflective tail-lamp stickers, (Rs.1,161/-) which is an official duster accessory, was fixed. Also, the front left speaker had a rattle, which was replaced under warranty.


Underbody Wash, after wheel-alignment and balancing.


The Tail-lamp Stickers adds to the butch look.

A small work is still pending, which is, fixing the rear 12V socket, (also known as a car cigarette-lighter port or 12V auxiliary power outlet). There is no power supply in the rear port, which needs to be investigated by removing the rear seats. Since it was not needed urgently, I planned to visit them at a later time to address the issue. Also, the steering grip-cover was not in stock, so the next visit will complete the pending works.

The service advisor at Renault Service Center, Kalamassery, Mr. Venunath, is highly recommended in order to have an organized and satisfactory car service. Each component was carefully examined and the car was handed over at the promised time.
Also, the Customer Relations Manager, Mr.Paul Thomas, needs a special mention, as he was aware of my attention to detail, and ensured everything was done according to my expectations.

The car was then taken to Thekkadi and Kumarakom, along with my i20 for an easter-weekend outing, and the dirt roads and twisty-roads were easily conquered by the #HumbleMonster. Loose stones on an upward slope enroute the resort at thekkadi (Sarovar Portico) were causing grip-issues for the i20, but the Duster made it without any issues at all. Hill Hold was immensely helpful and my elder brother could confidently brake, and again resume the climb.

The i20 had to be stopped midway due to an oncoming lorry, and then tense moments followed. Imagine a wheelspin on an upward slope, with 3 adults and an infant plus 2 large bags in the bootspace! I managed to somehow reach the resort, and grinned for some time.

An evening outing for shopping and dinner, and I chose the duster for the return drive to the resort. I let the i20 go infront and witnessed the climb-struggle from 3rd person view. Only then my family realized the importance of the safety features of the duster.

Overall, it performed really well in bad roads, curvy roads, traffic snarls (at few locations near kumily and thekkadi) and the wonderful roads of Pala.

Thanks,
Rajoy.