[kanna.sridharan]

Originally Posted by Tgo

Which variant do you drive? Please share some details.

I drive the 110PS Explorer Edition, got them December 2015. Has the interiors same as of your AWD. The red letter 'i' in the dci badging denotes the 110 version, which I believe they started from the 2014/15 refreshed model. The odo reads 81K as of now, [touch wood] I haven't had any issues till date, starting to feel the AC wearing off though, the ASC says there's nothing wrong, so I didn't force them to double check.
Quite a running your vehicle has done, motivates me to keep mine well for a long time. My usage has been declining for the past couple of years, I used to be driving 30K kms every year, for the past 2 years it's barely touching 20k, looks like it will be dropping further the years to come as the place where I've moved now, trains are more frequent to most of the destinations I go.
Will keep following this thread on your progress, keep us posted.

Thank you.

[ARAY]

Being a fellow duster owner and thankfully doing the length and width of this beautiful country with a humble car like duster, I must say the vehicle is highly underrated. There are things you can do and then there are few things you can do much better with a duster. Thanks for taking the time to pen down the intricate details of your steeds. Keep traveling and sharing the experiences with us.

[accentgiri]

Thanks a lot for detailed review. I own a AWD, checked during my service for differential oil replacement as said in manual, ASC advised, no such thing required. I have covered 47k, as of now. After first two free services, I carry out oil service, replacement of filters by myself, after facing a bitter experience in an ASC. Now I have to replace the oils without hearing the advise of ASC, as specified in the manual for differential too.

[ampere]

Very detailed and and a fantastic review! Had a great time reading it. Have already read about some of your experiences on the Duster threads, but a full story is always a treat!

[PapaBravo]

Originally Posted by Tgo

...a bigger smile than an F-pace?

I love to go through your travelogues time and again. I wish to visit North Bengal and Sikkim too sometime, hopefully plans for a long drive are aye'd in the parliament.

Haha. F-Pace was a fling. Duster is more like a marriage.

Do let me know your plans, will help in you in planning the itinerary etc.

Cheers,

Pawan

[Tgo]

Originally Posted by kanna.sridharan

for the past 2 years it's barely touching 20k, looks like it will be dropping further the years to come

I totally relate to what you say. Have fun when you can rather than obsessing about it.

Thanks for the red "i" info. My interiors differ a bit now since my dad got faux leather covers installed when the car was with him. They match the grey shade of the dashboard and lighten up the cabin a bit.

Originally Posted by ARAY

Being a fellow duster owner and thankfully doing the length and width of this beautiful country with a humble car like duster, I must say the vehicle is highly underrated.

It is underrated, under updated, under supported (by Renault) however, it is still an underdog in many ways. I love going through your threads too. They have some very surreal pictures which add to the charm of the vehicle leaving its footprint across our country.

Originally Posted by accentgiri

Now I have to replace the oils without hearing the advise of ASC, as specified in the manual for differential too.

I am glad you like reading my side of the story. I wish to do the same after the warranty expires but cannot expect it from my dad. Do have a look at the part numbers I have mentioned in the google spread sheet. You will get the part numbers for the AWD specific items. Where do you source the parts form?

Originally Posted by ampere

Have already read about some of your experiences on the Duster threads, but a full story is always a treat!

It had to come out one day or the other. It took me close to 15 days to compile the thread. I always thought it could be done but would take much longer. here's how I got to work:

• I searched for all the posts I had on the Duster threads. Kept the links to the relevant ones in a notepad file.
• Searched my cloud storage accounts (Google Drive and Onedrive) with the keyword - 'car'. This gave me a list of all the pictures with cars in it. Sorted them in two folders, one for the white car and the other one for the green car.
• Based on the chronology of the pictures I got the timeline correct and started compiling text for each car's journey. Metadata of the pictures helped arrange the timeline correctly.
• Since both the cars were in different locations, photos for comparison in the post with differences were taken from the Official Review threads. Used an app to male the collages. Resized them with humble old MS paint.
• Interviewed my dad regarding his experience with the ASCs in Gujarat.
• Dug up some stats from sales analysis threads for the Duster.
• The maintenance log was a separate affair which I started compiling with an aim of calculating the extent to which warranty had paid for itself. It became something else altogether.

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Do let me know your plans, will help in you in planning the itinerary etc.

Will surely call upon you for that. Thanks.

[tirumalavoleti]

What an ownership review. I could see perfect pride in your explanation. Great to see owning 2 dusters and one being AWD. Definitely duster brings lots of smiles to the driver. This post helps everyone who would like to buy a duster. Definitely useful like an official review.

[driven646]

Excellent and detailed write up - i own a December 2012, 2WD RxZ model as well. It's now done 95K in mileage over some very rough roads in Himachal as I worked on a project in Manali.

Besides a few niggles, it has been a delight to drive and be driven in - it's suspension is just amazing and I would rather spend 8 hrs on poor Hill roads in my Duster than any Fortuner or Endeavour - whose stiff suspension and body roll give back spasms.

Just recently, I put in a new set of tyres and drove it to Manali and it was superb - I've decided to not sell it as I'd planned earlier and keep it for another year.

I have a couple of well engineered German automatic vehicles as well, but I feel none of them could have taken the abuse the Duster has and carry on with not one rattle or major mechanical issues.

I just love my Duster.

[mh09ad5578]

Wow, that's an incredibly detailed and exhaustive ownership report. Loved every bit of it. Really appreciate the effort and hard labor that has gone into making and presenting. I think Team-BHP should get you into the official review team- You are that gifted.

The Duster is one incredible machine. Feels like it's designed for Indian roads in mind. Handles like a dream, is fun to drive and can take abuse like there's no tomorrow. I love my April 2015 85ps RXL, am at 199k kms (and the car has never left me stranded- touchwood)and will update the odo picture on the official review thread once I hit the double ton soon.

So impressed with it actually that my wife is insisting on buying a second Duster as a replacement for our aging swift Dzire this Diwali. I wanted to buy something new/different but am still considering the latest facelift Duster as I know it can take all the abuse I can throw at it.

Renault service is the weak link here. They tend to overcharge and push unwanted replacements pushing up the overall ownership cost and make the owner feel that Renault cars are high maintenance cost cars. Get a good FNG and the duster has a lower maintenance cost than a Maruti hatch. And that's saying something.

P.S.- I always look out for your posts on the Duster official thread. Really knowledgable and insightful posts. Rated a well deserved 5 stars. Thanks for sharing.

[SajiNSalin]

Thanks for the detailed writeup on the two Dusters. You have a very nice writing style.
I have had an AWD since December 2015 and have driven close to 60K; will be going for the 60K service shortly. Overall the AWD is a fantastic vehicle, but I have had my moments of frustration with 2 injector failures ruining a Hampi drive holiday and a clutch which smoked in a crowded road. The beauty of the AWD became evident when I used a Dzire for a week and traveled the Ahmedabad-Vadodara express way where I missed the power of the AWD. Overtaking on a highway without downshifting from 6th gear is I think possible only on an AWD. The Dzire had me going down to 3rd and still it was not powerful enough. I intend to keep the AWD for many years, but the cost of spares will be killing.
You were lucky to get the shocks replaced under warranty; I think many owners couldn't and the warranty book lists clutch, shocks as exclusions.
Look forward to more material on this thread!

[Tgo]

Originally Posted by tirumalavoleti

Definitely duster brings lots of smiles to the driver. This post helps everyone who would like to buy a duster.

The idea was to pen every thing down before I start forgetting some instances. Although it may be useful for people, the irony is that I have stopped suggesting Renault cars to people who are considering them casually. It requires an understanding of what you’re getting into after buying the car. Never suggest it to first time buyers.

Originally Posted by driven646

It's now done 95K in mileage over some very rough roads in Himachal as I worked on a project in Manali.

I would rather spend 8 hrs on poor Hill roads in my Duster than any Fortuner or Endeavour - whose stiff suspension and body roll give back spasms.

I have a couple of well engineered German automatic vehicles as well, but I feel none of them could have taken the abuse the Duster has and carry on with not one rattle or major mechanical issues.

Your car has a similar mileage as my green AWD. Your post also sums up why people love the Duster compared to some much more premium and better engineered products.

Originally Posted by mh09ad5578

I think Team-BHP should get you into the official review team- You are that gifted.

I wanted to buy something new/different but am still considering the latest facelift Duster as I know it can take all the abuse I can throw at it.

P.S.- I always look out for your posts on the Duster official thread. Really knowledgable and insightful posts.

Sir, Team-BHP reviews are at another level but I am glad you praised me for it. My knowledgable posts, I owe to my mechanical engineering degree. Some good came out of that 4 year grind. I wouldn’t suggest a low running Duster. A no non-sense car like a Santro/Ignis would be more apt. Thought I do have a soft corner for the CVT Duster.

Originally Posted by SajiNSalin

I have had my moments of frustration with 2 injector failures ruining a Hampi drive holiday and a clutch which smoked in a crowded road.

Overtaking on a highway without downshifting from 6th gear is I think possible only on an AWD.

You were lucky to get the shocks replaced under warranty;

Look forward to more material on this thread!

I have a theory about injector failures. I feel they are more prevalent in southern states. Haven’t come across any north Indian duster owners with this issue. I still feel like the ghost is looming behind my cars.

Similar overtaking characteristics are there in the 2WD 110 PS cars too. 4th, 5th and 6th ratios are the same.

The replaced shocks didn’t have a longer life though. Just that I became more careful of what I was driving over and how I was doing it.

Here’s some more content for you:

DDPAI mini dash cam pic on the Yamuna E-way trip to Delhi in the Green AWD. By the end of the third day, I was in Jaipur after covering 1000 kms.

I ordered two dash cams recently. Both the cams 70mai and DDPAI mini use the same D SONY sensor. The only difference is the 140 degree viewing angle in the mini over the 130 degree of the 70mai. Kept the mini since the box was damaged a bit and I couldn’t purpose it as a Birthday present for one of my uncles because of this. I like the picture quality for the price it comes at.

[Tgo]

Update on the White One.

The farm house was inaugurated and the car got a nice interior cleaning done after 14 months of field service.

• CD does not eject.
• Stereo screen goes blank when parked in the sun.
• Stereo input (aux/CD/USB) changes on its own sometimes.

Update on the Green One.

Completed a 1900 km outing over 10 days last night. Transported a washing machine, a dog and 5 suitcases full of stuff totaling up to 120 kg (at different instances) during this trip.

The high beam switch failed in the last 20 kms before getting back home. The high beam flasher is working but the position where it switches on the high beam is not working.

[mh09ad5578]

Originally Posted by Tgo

The high beam switch failed in the last 20 kms before getting back home.

Hope the car is still in warranty. It's a pricy at 8k odd rupees per piece. It's called a headlight combination switch.

Mine failed at 100k kms. I ordered one online for 1.8k rupees and they were for the older model and didn't fit. (Don't remember the website but they didn't respond for refunds or returns, gifted to my mechanic to use on other vehicle)

Finally my garage electrician opened it up and resoldered the contacts and voila it's working fine. Repair has held good for 100k kms, cost only Rs 400. But the guy was not too keen to do it initially as I guess more time to repair and less money to be made.

[Tgo]

Originally Posted by mh09ad5578

Hope the car is still in warranty. It's a pricy at 8k odd rupees per piece. It's called a headlight combination switch.

Ye it is under warranty. Just about 2,300 km left before it expires at 1,00,000km. Will get it replaced on the coming weekend.

Thanks for the info on its repair-ability.

[Kartik Kumar]

Lovely review, need to go through it at leisure to absorb all the details. My 110 PS RXZ has held up well so far but only 49K odd kms in almost 6 years so not pushed at all.