Renault Duster 85 PS RXZ: New Inning on Unknown Roads

[abhiind]

Section One: Background and Buying Overview

In 2016, our Verna completes 1L KM and itch for new vehicle starts. We were expecting kid also so we thought of replacing Verna with new car .
We travel from hometown to NCR (around 500KM) in a single day on highway so do not want to take risk with Verna whose rubber parts start giving up.

Our requirements were --:

1) Big Boot

2) Touch screen infotainment system.

3) 11-12L Budget

As we already have Verna (Sedan) so I want to buy diesel CUV or SUV. From launch itself I like Creta a lot and was sure I will purchase it, we also consider Brezza , Duster , XUV , BRV , Honda City even Hyundai Verna .My uncle have Honda City and he crib about low ground clearance when loaded. So I left sedan and took test drive of Creta, Brezza , Duster , XUV and BRV and details are as below

1) Hyundai Creta (1.6) Diesel.

Pros – Power, pickup, looks, best seller, easy availability of spare parts, service center nearby and known people

Cons – Price, availability (1 month waiting during Diwali), space compare to competitors.

2) Renault Duster (110 PS)

Pros – Good ride & handling, inside space, big boot, good average

Cons – No service center nearby, too old in market, dated interior (but I like it).

3) Maruti Brezza (ZDi+)

Pros – Good looks , ride , fuel average , national engine , maruti service center

Cons – Build quality , less space in boot as per our requirement.

4) Mahindra XUV (W6)

Pros – Big & spacious , big boot if used as 5 seater , service center nearby, good looks & features

Cons – Old in market, Big size not easy to park and drive in tight roads, less average than other cars.

5) Honda BRV (V)

Pros – car like ride & handling, inside space, big boot, good average

Cons – Too long , looks like MUV , seats not comfortable

6) City & Verna not considered due to low ground clearance

I stretched by budget & planned to take Creta 2017 model in January which were costing around 13.5L. Then came news of price increase and I checked with dealer and as per him price will increase by ~40K and they do not have any vehicle left in first week of December. Also news came for Duster price hike. Renault was offering 80K discount on Duster and I got call from Chandigarh dealer that they have 85PS RXZ in stock and can deliver it anytime. In end we got Renault Duster (85 PS RXZ) as it fulfils our need and come in budget (Saved 2L compare to Creta). Creta was left only due to budget and small boot compare to Duster. I was confused between 85PS & 110 PS but in end went for 85PS as spending ~90K more for power does not go well with me.

First impression was good, missed Verna power surge but as it was new vehicle so did not push it hard. Drove 250Km straight from showroom to home same day. Ride was comfortable and without any issue. Used cruise control for 5-6 KM and found to be good feature.

Dealership experience was not bad. Renault had good offers running on in month of December so 5 Duster & 6 Kwid deliveries were planned. I went at 10 AM and paperwork and accessories fitting took time and we were out at 4:30 PM. I did PDI with help of known mechanic of Renault and everything was fine, as per VIN , Duster was November built and tyre were October made. Meter reading showing only 16KM . SA made a goofup and gave me normal mats in place of 3D mats which I found next day as I was getting late so forgot to check mats.

Total cost of purchase was around 12L on road for 85 PS RXZ.

Section Two: Initial Ownership Impressions

As it is top model of 85PS so Car was fully loaded and I add only mud flap , window visor only. First impression of car is as below ( as I already have Verna so comparing few features with it) --:

1) It contains automatic AC but Verna automatic AC was better , Duster automatic AC looks more of JUGAD , after 26 Degree only hot option is present which do not show temp..

2) ABS, EBD & BA – Must have features for highway drive.

3) Breaking is good and it stop with in few meters.

4) Clutch is very light , do not feel that I am driving new vehicle.

5) Good ground clearance which give confidence to drive in rough patches in hill area.

6) Getting in & out from car is very comfortable.

7) Missing Verna power and have to live with it as Duster is 85PS only.

8) Rear Defogger is useful during rain & fog.

9) Driven around 1500 KM and It is also fuel efficient, getting average around 16-18 in Hilly area without AC. Will check Highway figure next month.

10) Boot space is very good and it swallow lot of stuff which was our primary requirement also.

11) Gear shift is smooth till now , did not face any issue

12) Driving in hill gave more confidence compare to Verna as Body roll is less and handling is also better than Verna.

First service is planned this month and will update thread after first service and service details.

 

[itsmejohnhcl]

hey,
iam also planning to purchase 110PS
Dealership guys have stated that they have 2016 models and discount of around 90k.
Is it ok to purchase 2016 models now ? Will there be any refinement differences between 2016 and 2017 models ?

 

[bhvm]

Congrats on the Tested workhorse.
Wish you many happy miles ahed.

Are you finding the 85PS worth of power sufficient? Seems low for such a large car.

 

[abhiind]

@itsmejohnhcl -- Please check exact manufacture month of Duster , if it is nov-dec then please proceed with PDI and check for any issue. Rest 1-2 months do not make much difference if you need to sell vehicle 5-6 years later.

@bhvm--: I shifted from Verna 1.5 ( 110 PS power) to Duster 85 PS , so in general power is less , need to shift gears a lot , but I am not fast driver and drive mostly in between 80-90 in highway so it's adequate for me . Also difference between 85 PS & 110 PS is around 80K so do not want to spend 80K just for power. Till now 85PS seems fine to my driving style and I drove it fully loaded ( 5 Person & boot filled till brim) and it drove fine in hilly area also just need to shift to lower gears.
Also I am getting average of 20 KMPL in Highway & around 15KMPL in city ride , so I am happy with current 85PS duster.

 

[Ambylovers]

Hi,
Congratulations on your new Renault Duster. Wishes to clock many more miles without issues.

 

[abhiind]

Thanks @Ambylovers.

First service was done last week and experience was good.
Reached service station at 9:10 AM and gave car for service. Serive advisor put cover on seat & stearing wheel which is new to me as Hyundai service center never did such stuff. It took 1.5 hour for checkup & washing of vehicle. SA told me that service will cost 45 Rs as they put only washer soap. So paid 45Rs and came out happy. Did 250KM highway drive after service and engine feel more relaxed may be due to 2.5K KM on ODO.
Next service due at 10K KM or 1 year which come earlier. Current reading is 3100 KM .
Till now I am happy customer but only concern is service center in my native town of HP. Hope Renault open service center in my town also.

 

[vijay]

Heartiest congratulations on your Duster,wishing you many happy miles with it.
Hows your experience after shifting to duster compared to verna, higher stance, drivability, this steed is known for its best driving dynamics on any surface with good mileage.For day to day driving 85ps doesnt feel low on power but on highways yes 110ps does makes the difference.
Do share in some more images of your drive.

 

[abhiind]

Thanks @Vijay for your wishes.
Pros of Duster over Verna--:
1) Space ( Our primary requirement)
2) Ride ( Now I do not have to slow down on small patholes)
3) Handling ( Now I do not have to slow down on curves which I have to for Verna)

Pros of Verna over Duster --:
1) Pickup & Power
2) No rattle after 6.5 Years , need to check Duster as its only 3 months.
3) Lot of service centers.

Will share images soon.

 

[abhiind]

Re: Renault Duster 85 PS RXZ: Covered 16500 KM in one year

It’s almost a year when I purchase Duster RXZ 85 PS. It’s daily ride for going to office and covers 15-20 KM daily inside city. In between we cover long distances to Shimla, Amritsar & Delhi. I know from starting that I am going for lower power version so know it’s limits in highway & Hills. As I drive mostly between 80-100 kmph so that’s fine with me.

First free service—Did first service at 1900 KM from PMG Chandigarh and it cost 45 Rs for washer fluid. As it was only checkup so vehicle was ready in 3 hours as promised. They checked oil, filter and wash vehicle. Vehicle was not giving any issue so nothing extra was done. Added seat cover & foot mats from sec 28 Chandigarh market. PMG dealer did goof up during deliver, they gave normal mats in place of rubber mats which I asked during delivery, as I had to travel after taking delivery to my native place so even I missed it and came to know after 1 week during cleaning.

Second Free Service – Covered 10K km in seven months so planned 2nd service and took appointment from PMG Chandigarh in Aug 2017.Total cost came to 3670 Rs ( including viper blades) Had few issues with Duster at that time --:

1) Wiper blades were leaving lines so changed in service cost around 700 Rs.

2) AC button was not working sometime but can’t show it to service advisor at it works in service center.

3) Driver side door power window was not working properly. Service guys informed to change it but part was not available so they told me to change it later or try some other service center where it is available. As vehicle was new so part replacement was covered in warranty.

4) Used Gang of duster coupon from wheel balancing.

Changing driver side motor become an issue. I told service center guy to indent part and replace it later but every time I call them they said that they forgot and they will order part. Even after2 months they did not order part so I raise issue in twitter and got response from Renault (From this incident came to know how important to have twitter account), they looped PMG service manager and I was at Noida at that time so Renault patch me up with Renault ASC. Part was not available in Noida 63 ASC as this motor is not readily available. At same time I got assurance from PMG ASC that part is available and I can change it any time. So after 1 week I went to PMG Chandigarh ASC to change it. I gave vehicle to service center at 2:00 PMand they promise to give it back at 5 PM . I got call from SA at 4:00 PM that vehicle is not ready and they are still checking and will update me. I got call at 6:30 PM that vehicle is ready and total bill was 0 rs as all was covered in warranty. As per SA motor was fine issue was with door beading and they rectified it and told me to verify it for few days and revert. It was a good experience.

Some brushes and dents--:

In last one year ,I had 3 instances of small accidents.

1) One weekend we went to Noida Mall of India and it was very crowded. Parking was also full and it took 40 min to get parking space. During parking duster rubbed with wall and I got my first dent in right hand side fender.

2) Duster was standing in parking and someone banged right side passenger door and had big dent

3) Was standing in red light in Chandigarh and one uncle banged his amaze in my duster. Checked amaze , it did not have any visible damage but I got small dent in rear hatch and marks in rear bumper silver skid plates.

I planned to get all covered in insurance and called PMG service guys. They check damage and gave estimate of 16-17K & asked for 10-15 days’ time. As this is my only vehicle so I rejected this option and asked them for some other option. They said that if I go without insurance then it will take 2-3 days to repair it. My experience with Hyundai was very good for insurance claim and I ask them to follow what I follow with Hyundai vehicle.
Insurance surveyor should inspect my vehicle and share details with insurance company
I will get it repaired from ASC in 2 days, ASC send claims to insurance company

I paid full amount & insurance company pay my claim later

Renault ASC rejected this option also so I checked from outside and got quote from 5-6K to repair and 1 day. So this option to repair from outside looks better to me and I went with it. It took 7 hours & 6K to repair it. I did not get factory finish and looks like paint is also not matching. I called denting painting- guy and he told me to bring vehicle to him. As vehicle is in Himachal so will check it later during Chandigarh visit.

I also did floor mating but it is also not looking good need to visit again that shop to fix it. Floor mating cost me 2200 Rs and around 2 hours. It was readymade.
I did insurance renewal from Renault only ( new India insurance) which cost me 20K with 20% NCB and 9.3L NCB.

In last one year, I have some good and some bad memories with my Duster.

First want to share good things --:
1. Ride quality – As said many times by other Duster users, it is very good and road feel smooth.
2. Ground clearance – Connecting roads near my city/village are not so good so it helps a lot.
3. Boot space – As I need to travel with my small kid so it is a big plus. It is like small truck. Cancelled Creta due to boot space. Whenever we planned long trip boot space become a big boon and we carry a lot of stuff due to it.
4. Cruise control – Earlier I was thinking I should have gone for RXL version but now after using it I feel it was good decision going for RXZ due to cruise control. I use cruise control during long drive and it gave rest to my right leg. Speed can be increased and decreased just by press of button.

Now some Bad things --:

1) ASC --: ASC number is very less and Himachal have single dealer which have some issue and is bankrupt but Renault did not appoint any other dealer from last 2 years. Nearest dealers are Amritsar/Chandigarh which are around 250 KM.
2) Part availability --: Spare parts availability is also an issue with Renault, ASC do not store parts. I had Verna transform 1500 CC which was discontinued from 2011 and getting its parts are very easy still now.
3) Build quality --: I did not know about earlier Duster (before 2016) but current duster has very thin sheet metal. Came to know about it during door repair. I thought Maruti use thinnest sheet metal but after watching Duster door my views changed.
4) Rattling sounds – Hearing few rattling sound from dashboard and rear of Duster. Driver is now not slowing down on small potholes so can be that reason as he was driving Verna carefully on same road but driving Duster without slowing down or breaking for broken road.

I am looking for some long drives during new year and visit to Chandigarh for some repair works.

 

[abhiind]

Renault Duster 85 PS RXZ: First major accident

In May this year my Duster had a major accident. As per my driver a lady was driving ahead of him and lost control of her two-wheeler and her two-wheeler skid on road. While saving her driver turn duster to right side and crashed with electric pole. By first look damages were not looking much. Called Renault roadside assistance and they send truck to pick Duster.
This accident happened in Himachal, as no Renault service center is currently active in Himachal, so I had 2 options to send to Jalandhar or Chandigarh. I preferred to send to Chandigarh and had to pay 6000 Rs extra for extra KMs and interstate toll/taxes. Duster reached service center and as per first check advisor gave estimate of 1.25L. Next day after opening bumper he increased estimate of 2.4L. He told that front parts are damaged and need replacement but from estimate it looks like I am replacing whole engine. Also, advisor told me that I have to bear expenses of 10-15K for rubber parts and spares. As it was Saturday, so he told me that insurance advisor will come on Monday for final estimate. Final estimate was around 1.2L and I spend around 4K total (2.8K for handling charges & 1.2K for coolant). They replaced front bumper, fender, right headlight, radiator and some front assembly parts. It took around 25 days for all repair which in my point of view is too much, but I was happy as I got my duster back.

 

[bhvm]

1.25L Is way too much for the simplistic parts that I see (Mostly Bumpers, Hood & Grille etc)
Did the driver drive with busted Radiator/Intercooler? (Before towing?)

That could have caused extra damage to the engine.

 

[nagaraj_rathinam]

Duster after sales service is the worst i have experienced so far. i have Duster petrol 104ps within 3 years i started getting a lot of problem. 6 months ago the ECU had to be replace which took them more than the month to fix it and i have started getting new problems after that and the car broke down in middle of the traffic. Now my car is still at the service centre since September 29th.
I really enjoyed the ride with Duster but the after sale service is something which i should have checked before the purchase and Mumbai has only one service center which is in Thane.

 

[abhiind]

1.25L Is way too much for the simplistic parts that I see (Mostly Bumpers, Hood & Grille etc)
Did the driver drive with busted Radiator/Intercooler? (Before towing?)

That could have caused extra damage to the engine.

No, driver just moved it to side from road, may be 50-100 mts.
Front bumper cost a lot ~25K with all separate parts, from windscreen was also changed due to crack in it.
I got attached estimate during first visit if insurance agent but final bill was around 1.2L

 

[VISHNUCARCRAZY]

Renault parts are costly.

What about the dent near rear fender which occured earlier , its a crucial area to paint , as diesel tank is is close proximity , you can't heat to clear the dent there.
Update the work bro.

 

[abhiind]

Renault parts are costly.

What about the dent near rear fender which occured earlier , its a crucial area to paint , as diesel tank is is close proximity , you can't heat to clear the dent there.
Update the work bro.

Rear fender dent was repaired outside service center with rear right door. Total cost was 6000 Rs and took around 6 hours due to rush & Painting time. Paint did not match with original paint but not much difference to normal eyes. I added cladding over fenders.
Pics below