[das_ren_auto]

Originally Posted by sahil624

I did a 250kms drive today and while filling up diesel from Shell, the guy checked the engine oil level and showed me that the level is a bit low from where it is supposed to be. He told me to top up with 500ml of oil and I agreed.

Was the oil checking immediately after 250 kms drive. Normally it take some time for all the oil in circulation to come back to the sump. In that case oil level may show low.

[sahil624]

Originally Posted by das_ren_auto

Was the oil checking immediately after 250 kms drive. Normally it take some time for all the oil in circulation to come back to the sump. In that case oil level may show low.

Yes, the oil was checked right after getting off the Mumbai-Pune expressway. Earlier too I got it checked right after getting off the expressway. Thanks for the suggestion.

Unfortunately, my car got scratched while reversing yesterday. Should I go for insurance? There will be no loss of NCB as I have already claimed once this year.

[das_ren_auto]

Originally Posted by sahil624

Yes, the oil was checked right after getting off the Mumbai-Pune expressway. Earlier too I got it checked right after getting off the expressway. Thanks for the suggestion.

Unfortunately, my car got scratched while reversing yesterday. Should I go for insurance? There will be no loss of NCB as I have already claimed once this year.
Attachment 2144540

It seems that the cut is deep and metal is exposed. If it is not so deep then you can try turtle wax rubbing compound. You can also explore the option of some classy decals on both side as the area scratched is in the middle of the door. Repainting it may not be worth as we will get minor scratches now and then every time.

[stallmaster]

Originally Posted by sahil624

Should I go for insurance? There will be no loss of NCB as I have already claimed once this year.

Please don't claim insurance. This is way too minor for a claim+filing charges imo. Any reputed denting painting bodyshop will do it under 2k. You could ask Gomechanic for a quote.

Also, if you have some spare time, there's the DIY route too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl_iSYYGBiY

[maxratul]

I have two questions:

1. How does the Remote Engine Start feature work in the Kicks?

2. What does the RES and O button on the steering wheel do?

Will be very grateful if anyone can their throw some light on this.

[maxratul]

Originally Posted by maxratul

I have two questions:

1. How does the Remote Engine Start feature work in the Kicks?

2. What does the RES and O button on the steering wheel do?

Will be very grateful if anyone can their throw some light on this.

Found the answers to both. Sharing here

1. Activate Remote Engine Start on the car by pressing Unlock twice on key card and then holding on to the 2S button for 3 seconds. This has to be done only once. Then you can remote start by pressing lock button followed by 2S button. In both cases, the hazard light will turn on as confirmation.

2. RES and O buttons are for resuming and exiting Cruise Control.

Hope this helps.

[J.r]

I have noticed that whenever I try to climb an incline from standstill, there is a an initial juddering after releasing the clutch and when the hill hold releases. The bonnet and dashboard shudders. Has this been noticed by anyone else. I am driving the Diesel XV premium. Thanks

[sahil624]

An update about my Kicks diesel XV. It crossed the 10k km milestone a few days after it completed 1 year in May 2021. It has been a pleasure to drive this every time I take it out on the highways. The phenomenal ride quality has surely spoilt me. The FE on the highways has been great, to say the least. I have been getting around 20KMPL every time. With this kind of power, the FE is incredible to say the least. Current odometer reading is 12600 km and going to complete 13k kms tomorrow .
Couple of pictures to end the post.

[eccentric]

Could someone please let me know about the location of the coolant temperature gauge in the instrument cluster? Does the Kicks even get one?

And, it'd be grateful, if someone could throw light on why the Kicks is priced at a premium of 2+ lakhs when compared with the Renault Duster. Thanks!

[jeganatu]

Originally Posted by eccentric

Could someone please let me know about the location of the coolant temperature gauge in the instrument cluster? Does the Kicks even get one?

And, it'd be grateful, if someone could throw light on why the Kicks is priced at a premium of 2+ lakhs when compared with the Renault Duster. Thanks!

Hey Eccentric,
I am one of the early owners of Diesel Kicks (40500 Odo) , first among Team Bhp and was first to take delivery at Jeevan Nissan Madurai.


Kicks does not have dedicated temperature gauge but has illumination sign with blue for cold and red for hot engine respectively.

Regarding the price difference of 2 lakhs.

Kicks has several features exta viz a viz to similar variant of Duster. To mention a few, Kicks has 360 camera ( only in manual top), 17 inch diamond cut alloys, intermittant wiper, auto head lights, follow me home and cornering function,Auto ac, rear ac vent, VDC/ ESP, Hill hold assist, modern design ( I know it is same inside, but add the cost of new design development) , Graphene body structure, cornering fog lamp, and lots more. You have to get both brochure with price list and compare side by side with similar trim to know the real reasons for the premium.
I was on the same boat during the launch, but smashing exterior design and practical interior made me to choose kicks. More over Jeevan nissan provides one of the best services to the customers.

Regarding discount you mentioned during late 2019, was due to unsold inventory and BS6 transistion dead line. After the pandemic, Nissan kicks is made to order and they dont stock it. One reason is they can make and ship the car within 2 days from factory, second being the priority given to Magnite , third being the factory schduling need to be borrowed from renault due to the sudden surge in Magnites sale. Note, Nissan still make Sunny and kicks 1.5 diesels for the export market like nepal or the Middle east market.

[eccentric]

Originally Posted by jeganatu

Hey Eccentric,
I am one of the early owners of Diesel Kicks (40500 Odo) , first among Team Bhp and was first to take delivery at Jeevan Nissan Madurai.

Dear Jeganatu,
Thanks for the in-depth reply. The quantity of miles munched in such short span of time amidst the pandemic is truly commendable!

Kicks does not have dedicated temperature gauge but has illumination sign with blue for cold and red for hot engine respectively.

So, how do we know if the engine has reached the optimum temperature? In analog gauges, the needle would stay at the halfway mark indicating the necessary. Kindly clarify.

Regarding the price difference of 2 lakhs. Kicks has several features exta viz a viz to similar variant of Duster. You have to get both brochure with price list and compare side by side with similar trim to know the real reasons for the premium.
I was on the same boat during the launch, but smashing exterior design and practical interior made me to choose kicks.

Have to agree with you on this. The interiors of the duster just pales away even when compared with our 09 Swift. My experience with the Duster and Kicks as follows,

Originally Posted by eccentric

Yesterday, I drove the Renault Duster in the morning and the Nissan Kicks in the late night. Both were turbo petrol versions. The AC performance of both the cars were good, almost on par with the Civic but it's also a rainy day. What sets them apart from the Kushaq is the cabin width.

While, the cabin of the Kushaq felt longer, the cabin of the Kicks is wider! It definitely eliminated the sense of crampedness, I felt in the Kushaq. I witnessed all the windows of the Kicks fogging up when the AC was set to Low, within few minutes after starting the car. I fell in love with the Kicks, it reflected minimalism. Handled well, the steering just speaks like the Civic, was able to hold 120 KMH in the sweeping corners of highways, masked the pathetic broken tarmac very well, NVH levels were good, offered a broad sense of space albeit the dull interiors and some ergonomic flaws like cramped foot well, fouling armrest and the tall seating position!

The Duster may seem more VFM yet it's terrible inside. Steel flats for fastening the seat base and door sheet metals were all exposed! The doors too felt skinny! Ruled out.

Would insist you to TD the Kicks as well. It may not surpass the Kushaq in the electronic features, cosmetics, creature comforts and European finesse, but, it satiates your need.

To mention a few, Kicks has 360 camera ( only in manual top), 17 inch diamond cut alloys, intermittant wiper, auto head lights, follow me home and cornering function,Auto ac, rear ac vent, VDC/ ESP, Hill hold assist, modern design ( I know it is same inside, but add the cost of new design development) , Graphene body structure, cornering fog lamp, and lots more.

Our present cars are from the pre-2010 era, an 09 Swift and an 07 Civic. The Kicks would take up the mantle of the ageing Swift, performing the daily driver duties which means frequently traversing mines, carrying heavy payloads.

Having lost interest in the present gen feature rich and tech loaded cars, the Kicks was the only car that reflected the mechanical superiority which stayed true to the old times. The steering was not so different when compared with likes of our cars, exhibiting perfect heft and feedback. The gearshifts and clutch travel too felt seamless which was quite opposed to what the reviewers say! With the quoted features baked in, it'll be a learning curve and definitely a generation upgrade in each and every aspect, atleast for us.

Regarding discount you mentioned during late 2019, was due to unsold inventory and BS6 transistion dead line. After the pandemic, Nissan kicks is made to order and they dont stock it. One reason is they can make and ship the car within 2 days from factory, second being the priority given to Magnite , third being the factory schduling need to be borrowed from renault due to the sudden surge in Magnites sale. Note, Nissan still make Sunny and kicks 1.5 diesels for the export market like nepal or the Middle east market.

This is where everything goes wrong against the Kicks. I will run them down,

1. Located in a Tier-2 city and having a dealership nearby which has sold only 1 Turbo petrol variant till date, am unsure of the skill level of the ASC to handle the Kicks
2. The volume of Kicks sold is very low. This translates into paltry amount of spares manufactured and the lead time for acquiring the spares would be sky high too. On contrast, I placed an order for a Turbo at MSGP outlet and received it the next day! Can the same be said for Nissan? No way
3. Ever rising fuel prices! Even if I pay full cash for the car, my heart skips a beat when I refuel. What if the fuel prices rise to Rs.200/L? This is where diesel sounds economical for my running and paying a premium equivalent to a diesel variant, for the turbo petrol variant doesn't make sense at all
4. Non responsive and disinterested sales network. I've seen salesmen run around prospective buyers. But, at Nissan, it's the other way around. We already have 3 BHPians who have cancelled/dropped the product

More over Jeevan nissan provides one of the best services to the customers.

Am sorry but the the Tirunelveli branch of Jeevan Nissan never seemed to care. They have operated without a TD Kicks since the BS6 inception. Only when I had enough and dropped an email exposing my frustration to the higher management, they budged. Due to that email, 7 other prospective buyers were able to take a TD. So, where did the TD vehicle come from? Not from Madurai but from EVM Nissan, Coimbatore. Clearly reveals that the entire Jeevan Nissan was/is operating without a 1.3 Turbo Manual Kicks!

Fine, I was impressed with the TD and decided to proceed with the negotiations. Though opting to pay full cash, they are unwilling to offer any discounts apart from the OEM cash benefit of Rs.15,000/-. Sir, if I was able to pay full cash for this car, Rs.15k which is a price of a damn mobile phone doesn't count at all! Why should I invest my full money when I don't get anything in return?

The sales personnel seemed clueless, he stated that I'd be receiving an email from the head office quoting the final offer. It's been 13 days since then. Still no replies, nothing.

Therefore, million thoughts maraud my mind. Negotiating with EVM Nissan currently...

[Godzilla]

[quote=eccentric;5184682]Dear Jeganatu,
Thanks for the in-depth reply. The quantity of miles munched in such short span of time amidst the pandemic is truly commendable!

So, how do we know if the engine has reached the optimum temperature? In analog gauges, the needle would stay at the halfway mark indicating the necessary. Kindly clarify.


Hi Eccentric

What variant are you looking to buy in Nissan Kicks?

I am hoping there will be news about discounts post Diwali in 2 weeks (End of the year).

Related to the optimal temperature, the low temperature indicator turns off when the engine warms up. That's how you will know that the engine has reached optimal temperature.

Kushaq base variant seems good on paper and VFM, but plagued with so many issues, hope you have read the thread in this forum. I beleive Duster does not get ESP in lower variants, definitely Kicks would be VFM compared to Duster. Although please note that I haven't done a detailed comparison to arrive at which makes the most VFM. Apart from these two (Kushaq and Kicks) XUV700 base variant is a option I would explore considering your views but do keep in mind, it is just bare bones, no safety features such as ESP.

[eccentric]

Originally Posted by Godzilla

Related to the optimal temperature, the low temperature indicator turns off when the engine warms up. That's how you will know that the engine has reached optimal temperature.

Dear Godzilla,
Thanks for the prompt reply.

Also, please let me know,
1. Whether the top end variant comes with tinted/UV cut glasses?
2. What is the safety rating of this car?

Kushaq base variant seems good on paper and VFM, but plagued with so many issues, hope you have read the thread in this forum. I beleive Duster does not get ESP in lower variants, definitely Kicks would be VFM compared to Duster. Although please note that I haven't done a detailed comparison to arrive at which makes the most VFM. Apart from these two (Kushaq and Kicks) XUV700 base variant is a option I would explore considering your views but do keep in mind, it is just bare bones, no safety features such as ESP.

We test drove all the three cars mentioned above. KUSHAQ doesn't justify the price it commands for the narrow cabin width it offers and inadequate cooling of A/C, but it sported an imported engine. Only that was its USP.

While the dynamics of the DUSTER were spot on, the interior fit and finish, the exposed sheet metal, NVH, skinny doors left a bitter taste. Didn't really feel safe inside. Also, a simple ingress inside the KIGER was the last nail in the coffin. It proved how terribly outdated the Duster is!

The demeanour of KICKS impressed us! Except for the cramped footwell, the awkward seating position where my left leg constantly fouled with the dashboard trim and the position of the arm rest which made me impossible to fasten the seatbelt and operate the hand brake lever, I couldn't fault the car at all.

XUV 7OO felt impressive on paper. And I did TD the vehicle. Honestly, I don't need such size for my usage. Also, it felt soulless. The steering is lifeless, I couldn't understand the orientation of tires for the steering inputs at low speeds. It didn't engage me in the drive.

Haven't(Don't want to) driven the Korean twins yet.

What variant are you looking to buy in Nissan Kicks?

It is the top end variant - 1.3 Turbo Manual XV Pre(O). In this way, the car will remain future proof for the next 10 years.

I am hoping there will be news about discounts post Diwali in 2 weeks (End of the year)

Yeah, will wait. Nothing seems lucrative as of now.

It should be a WIN-WIN situation if I have to buy this car. As far, the negatives outweigh the positives. When Team-BHP mentioned, "Nissan's tiny dealership network & lousy after-sales quality", I didn't mind at all. Only after my personal experience at the pre-sales level, I realized that this is gonna be a gamble for sure.

[Godzilla]

Originally Posted by eccentric

Dear Godzilla,
Thanks for the prompt reply.

Also, please let me know,
1. Whether the top end variant comes with tinted/UV cut glasses?
2. What is the safety rating of this car?

We test drove all the three cars mentioned above. KUSHAQ doesn't justify the price it commands for the narrow cabin width it offers and inadequate cooling of A/C, but it sported an imported engine. Only that was its USP.

While the dynamics of the DUSTER were spot on, the interior fit and finish, the exposed sheet metal, NVH, skinny doors left a bitter taste. Didn't really feel safe inside. Also, a simple ingress inside the KIGER was the last nail in the coffin. It proved how terribly outdated the Duster is!

The demeanour of KICKS impressed us! Except for the cramped footwell, the awkward seating position where my left leg constantly fouled with the dashboard trim and the position of the arm rest which made me impossible to fasten the seatbelt and operate the hand brake lever, I couldn't fault the car at all.

XUV 7OO felt impressive on paper. And I did TD the vehicle. Honestly, I don't need such size for my usage. Also, it felt soulless. The steering is lifeless, I couldn't understand the orientation of tires for the steering inputs at low speeds. It didn't engage me in the drive.

Haven't(Don't want to) driven the Korean twins yet.


It is the top end variant - 1.3 Turbo Manual XV Pre(O). In this way, the car will remain future proof for the next 10 years.


Yeah, will wait. Nothing seems lucrative as of now.

It should be a WIN-WIN situation if I have to buy this car. As far, the negatives outweigh the positives. When Team-BHP mentioned, "Nissan's tiny dealership network & lousy after-sales quality", I didn't mind at all. Only after my personal experience at the pre-sales level, I realized that this is gonna be a gamble for sure.

I think there is slight tint on the glasses on my XV diesel. I dont think it is a UV protect one.

As far as I know, there is no official crash test for Nissan Kicks (Indian version), we assume it should be around 3-4 Stars as similar vehicle received 4 stars (Duster with the same chassis and Engine configuration) Please note that the crash test results vary based on whether it is GNCAP or any other organisation and they keep updating them every year, so they cannot be compared across years.

https://www.drivespark.com/four-whee...94-029770.html

Just wanted to understand, How does the dynamic of Kicks compare to the Duster and Kushaq. I want to know more about how you felt, as many comment that Kushaq has good dynamics.

I personally got used to the clumsy seat belt and parking brake position, it does not bother me now.

Related to the pre-sales and service, I remember this quote by some BHPian. Loosely translated here 'People tend to expect too much or be finicky with sales and service as though they are gonna marry them'. In the last 2 years of ownership, I hardly interacted a few hours with any service/sales personnel. I know it is little better with Maruti/Hyundai, but IMO it is just plain absurd for people to think it is a deal breaker.

I personally had an issue with my Kicks and It was a headache until it got solved, but I knew I was gonna solve it no matter what. I got in touch with Nissan Area Sales manager, emailed senior managment and what not. It got solved after few weeks. For me the only thing that matters is whether the senior managment is responsive or not. In Nissan case we have Rakesh Srivatsva, one of the best in the industry and I trust him that he will ensure any issue with Nissan will be taken care off.

The sales person/service personnel can be uneducated on the nuances of variants and technical details or ignorant on what is a good customer experience. They work on poor salaries TBH due to dealer margins and I really could see why you can hire someone better. I know they could be improved, but it is not a big deal for me. BUT I was willing to take this risk, and everyone's risk appetite is different. So, I will leave it to you.

If you are willing to wait, then I would suggest to wait for another 6 months. I get a feeling that Kicks might get updated/replaced. Although I may be totally wrong as well.

[sidg]

Originally Posted by eccentric

Having lost interest in the present gen feature rich and tech loaded cars, the Kicks was the only car that reflected the mechanical superiority which stayed true to the old times.

I completely agree with this. I believe a car must be robust mechanically as the main reason of buying cars is to travel with utmost comfort. Ride quality of kicks and duster are miles ahead of its competition. Having said that, Kicks does cover almost all modern day features with Nissan connect.

I am also waiting for lucrative discounts to start as I am planning to replace my decade old Cruze.