[Samba]

This thread is like a Bible for Duster owners. I have been reading this thread from the very first day. Kudos to you for jotting down all the details like this.

Rated a well deserved 5*.

Introducing Red Express to his seniors thread!



The fact is Duster as a vehicle is good and capable, but Renault is arrogant enough to not look after the most common niggles. If we come across 10 Duster ownership reports, we will see a similar trait of niggles/parts failure in all the vehicles. Plus owning a Renault with a bad A.S.S in your city will be a real pain. In Kolkata, we are somewhat lucky to get good service backup from Renault.

We have a small Duster owners group (20 members), where 8 Duster AWD's required Injector change out of 18 AWD's. One needed a fuel pump change. Almost 80% of them have faced a leaked Shock-absorber. 4-5 Duster owners faced fuel meter malfunctioning & this list goes on & on. With AT tyres most of the Dusters pull towards left. Correcting the left pull required a lot of attention.

In an ownership of 21,000 km, my Duster AWD has undergone 2 fuel injector failures, one fuel tank with fuel hose replacement and now am facing a decrease in coolant level. Am yet to visit the service center for this. God know what's in store!
Am still more confident to take my 9 years old bare-bone Etios with 98,000 km on the odo, for a road trip than my 2 years old Duster with just 21,000 km on odo!

Despite of all these issues, I still love the car. It's a love hate relationship.
There is not a single car in the market which can off-road well, can return a mileage of 20 km/L, utmost comfortable, is fast on the highways with controlled body roll and car like handling!
Yes, the Jeep Compass is there, but the Compass AWD is costlier by Rs 10L than the Duster AWD.

And after all these Renault as a company is so lame at making decisions, they are still not bringing their Euro Spec latest gen Duster. Even the Euro spec Duster started to look dated with the new arrivals in our market. They have learned nothing from their Captur = Kaptur blunder!

The latest gen Duster with the 1.3L Petrol & AWD (optional) can somewhat interest people to visit the Renault showroom. Duster as a brand has a goodwill in the Indian market, but Renault is simply killing it by delaying things. Launching the 3rd gen face-lift Duster in India, by not bringing the Euro spec Duster was a real bad decision.
If things go like this, in future, I will think twice before buying another Renault!

[Tgo]

Originally Posted by Samba

This thread is like a Bible for Duster owners. I have been reading this thread from the very first day. Kudos to you for jotting down all the details like this.

Thanks for the appreciation. Your thread is also very detailed and supremely more visually appealing than this one. And, I assure you that one of our cars is going to be in the same frame with your Red Express someday.

There are many reasons I did it this way and one of them is Gannu's benchmark thread which I wanted to emulate and the other one that comes to mind is Renault itself. It has mostly hit the target with capable, practical and affordable car launches, but it has watered down the customers' interest in the brand and its offerings by way of providing poor after sales support.

Its not that the dealers fleece you or fool you like Skoda, just that there is no uniform approach across dealerships, no standardization of procedures, absurdly high parts pricing and too many failures. Renault has to be the manufacturer which has issued ZERO recalls since its entry in India (personal opinion). Though they have changed parts on cars of complaining customers (first gen clutch pedal spring is the only one I remember). It is one of those foreign manufacturers which has tuned itself quickly with the Indian way of getting things done, which is "if you have some pull".

I have generally had a good relationship with the usual service centers I visit, but that's only because they know how much I know and care about my car. Renault is quickly losing customers form the other bunch.

[Tgo]

Update on the White One

Lets pick it up from this post.

Jaipur - Hanumangarh | Here we go and soon we're back.

The white car's outings have reduced quite a bit since COVID-19, but this is what the usual break looks like in these times. Packed food and quick dose of coffee at a safe and shaded spot to stop by the road.

Originally Posted by Tgo

update on the White One
We were not quite happy with the engine roughness and weird sounds cropping up under acceleration. It also developed a stickiness in the clutch pedal which was felt while releasing it. Furthermore the driver door latch mechanism had worn out and would stop working if not tickled a bit before closing the door.

I am happy to report that the above mentioned issue has gone for good. The engine is running smoothly again and no more is there that rough engine note in the 2000-2500 rpm range. I would say the self learning of the ECM must have come into play here, since the car hasn't visited the ASC since then.

The driver-side door latch had started playing up again. It required a very gentle but firm push at the door for the door to latch. We were living with it thinking of getting it attended at the next ASC visit which was supposed to be the 190K service for the car. Boodmo sourced Monroe shock absorbers for the rear we also lying at home waiting for a maintenance visit.

Somewhere in the middle of June and close to the 184K mark, the car had an unexpected shunt with a Jeep. The whole front-end was damaged and required immediate repair. Luckily, the last insurance renewal was from IFFCO-TOKIO, which was still offering a full bumper to bumper coverage. Since we had opted for it there was only the claim charge and the salvage charge which was levied and amounted to INR 10K. the rest of it was covered under the insurance and as a result in the eighth year of ownership the car got a makeover. Fresh headlamps, one frog lamp, a new bumper and grille, a bonnet on the outside. Whereas the AC condenser, Intercooler and the Radiator + Fan, along with the front apron and the radiator convergent section on the inside were the parts that were replaced.

For some reason, the repair took a really long time and the car was at the service centre for almost a month. Soon after that, mom and dad decided to drive down to my place from Jaipur and that's when I had the hopes of penning down the three lakh kilometre update for this thread. I had decided on the picture location, side-by side shots and all but this is all I could manage... you will soon know why.

The refreshed front end.


A little rough around the edges, but that's alright.

I drove it for around a 100 km while it was here. Traversed some really bad roads leading up to a lake nearby, and with the new rear shocks along with the front ones replaced at 180K have brought in some new life in the car's handling. Though I must confess, that I have forgotten how the 2WD drove when it was new. Maybe its time to swap the cars for a while.

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Update on the Green One

The car was not running fine since my last visit to Jaipur. I could feel a little vibration in my feet accompanied with a groaning sound from the engine bay when shutting the car down. It would only happen sometimes. Bu the time I could Identify the pattern or find the source, it had been too late. The day it gave way, I was running some errands inside the township and I could hear the tapping noise while switching off the car on two occasions. On the way back home I went over a small speed bump and it sounded like something broke loose inside the engine bay and fell to the floor. I drove the remains way back home gingerly, and while parking I could see some smoke coming out from the engine bay. Immediately rolled down my windows and switched off the car. Opened th hood and found a smoke cloud inside the engine bay, accompanied with smell of burning rubber. I was shocked, but could not find a flame or anything burning, and soon after switching opening the bonnet, the smoke vanished.

I tried starting it again and after running it for 5 minutes I saw the radiator fan bracket shake (fore and aft) abnormally. I guessed something might have snagged it up, so turned off the car and tried looking for the culprit to no avail.

On the third run, I lost AC cooling and even after running the car for 10 minutes with AC on, the fan didn't kick in. So that's how, after a good 20minutes of probing I zeroed it down to the fan jamming up. I was sort of relieved that it wasn't something major, like a fuel leak, but also had thoughts of the invisible culprit that might have jammed up the fan so badly running through my head giving me nightmares for the coming couple of days.

Booked a tow truck to take the car to Renault Etawah through Renault Roadside Assistance (RSA). Glad to have renewed the package which costs just 2500 bucks for 3 years. It has paid for itself.

https://youtu.be/lM-ZYOpLpG0

RSA is provided through TVS Auto Assist. The truck came on the third day. The same day, when the white car arrived here from Jaipur, and the photoshoot was the next thing to happen in a couple of days...

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Combined Odo reading: ~ 2,98,XXX km... Messed up my sums a little bit. Or, call it building up suspense.

[Tgo]

Update on the Green One

The car is back on the road. It took a while since the required parts needed to be ordered from Chennai.

Sheepishly tucking its toes away from the rain.

The total damage for the two things came to INR 21,322/- of which 20k was for the fan itself. Have Updated the Maintenance log for the car. And here is the summary which includes the Insurance renewal done in June for the 6th year of ownership.

The car is back from the ASC with a new radiator fan. It seems like a bearing failure which caused the fan motor to seize and heat up. The Heat build up is what was seen as smoke from the engine bay. And the rattling bearing is what might have caused the groaning sounds I heard while turning off the car. I am pretty sure the motor is cooked too. The new fan runs quieter than the one which came out. Talk about poor localisation, the fan is made in Romania, The motor had a made in Poland marking.

https://youtu.be/BcDgTBBWz1A

Apart from this, while disassembling the peripherals, a damaged O-ring was spotted. The records I maintained came in handy since they were not able to find the part in their system against my VIN. I sent them a copy of the bill in which this part was replaced earlier.


LIP SEAL | P/N: 7701071156

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Update on the White One

It is doing most of the running required to reach the 300K km milestone. It'll be running this weekend to Agra and Karauli.

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Combined Odo reading: ~ 2,99,XXX km

[Tgo]

MILESTONE UPDATE


The cars have been running minimally but have been steadily racking up miles. And this time I have done my sums right.


Combined Odo reading: ~ 3,00,085 km


Pictures from a recent trip to Agra on the day we had a torrential downpour in Jaipur.

[Tgo]

Some posts should just be fun. I had to visit my great grand mother who is a centenarian. We left early from Auraiya and were back by evening. Apart from the slushy village roads on the outskirts of Agra, we were dealing with good roads all throughout which usually translates to a boring drive. However, we had the weather keeping us attentive this time.

We had a splendid drive back home. Just take a look at the pictures and try telling me that they aren’t from the same day.

Agra-Lucknow Expressway


Rural backroad near Auraiya

[Tgo]

Update on the Green One

I was driving on the e-way on a Sunday and realized that I haven't given the car an Italian Tune-up in a long while. Also wanted to check whether the tyres need a balancing or not. Carefully placing myself in open sections without traffic I started gunning it. in the third pass, this happened. and I lost Cruise Control.

Was quite troubled as I didn't know what to do or why it happened. Stopped in the service lane. Shut down the car after idling for a minute. Opened the bonnet and checked the coolant flash tank which had the correct level. Checked the engine oil, which was also at the right level. Saw some oil on the intercooler which is a result of the intercooler hose design. A lot of cars have this problem and it seemed normal. Checked the air filter and it also seemed to be intact. Got back in the car and drove for another 2 hours to reach the destination. There was no difference in the way the car performed, no limp mode or abnormal noises. Just that Cruise Control was not functioning. Hence kept driving cautiously and eventually settle into the natural driving rhythm.

Before beginning the return journey, I checked the manual which said that the light was glowing Amber and there was no need to stop driving. It needs to be driven to the nearest ASC for a check-up. Couldn't do that on the way back as Renault-Etawah was closed that day. Lived with the anxiety for the next week or so and ordered a OBD-II scanner for the first time. This is the fault code summary I got off the first scan report of the vehicle.

Was able to clear the code and it hasn't showed up again. Will get it checked at the ASC in the next visit. I am guessing it is something to do with EGR or MAF sensor. The EGR valve might be needing a clean-up.

[Route66]

Originally Posted by Tgo

Was able to clear the code and it hasn't showed up again. Will get it checked at the ASC in the next visit. I am guessing it is something to do with EGR or MAF sensor. The EGR valve might be needing a clean-up.

Hi Tgo,

Recently I faced similar issue on my Duster. As it is 2013 model, the instrument panel and warning lights are a bit different. But I too faced this warning light while driving on Delhi-CHD highway. Although I could feel that the engine became a bit sluggish and the turbo would spool a little later in RPM band than usual, but otherwise it was fine. I even drove the car back to Delhi next day without any issue. This is the light which popped up:



I asked ASC to check for error codes and I think they found the same error code listed on top of your list. I don't remember exactly as it has been few months, nor did I take a photo.

They checked the engine bay and found the Air/Oxygen sensor was loose. They clipped it back properly, clear the code and vehicle has been running great since then (done over 5,000 Kms after this checkup),

Hope this helps.

[Tgo]

Originally Posted by Route66

They checked the engine bay and found the Air/Oxygen sensor was loose. They clipped it back properly, clear the code and vehicle has been running great since then (done over 5,000 Kms after this checkup)

Thanks for the prompt reply. The code hasn't reappeared after clearing it out. Will give the MAF sensor coupler a wiggle to be sure and will get it checked in the next visit to the ASC. Will probable coincide it with the 120K service for which there are 3,800 km to go.

[Tgo]

Update on the White One

Today is also the day which marks the completion of 8 years of ownership of this car and it has achieved an average yearly run of 23,750 km/year.

Since its 180K service in August it has been used quite a lot. The last three weeks were quite miserable for all of us since dad tested positive. Thankfully, he was out of it soon, without any complications. He was feeling bad about the car also being under quarantine and asked my mom to click a picture for him.

That's how it sat parked outside the house for 2 weeks.
However, soon after that, the the car needed attention.

9th year Insurance renewal

I had made up my mind to spend rationally on the car from now on. Was surprised that Royal Sundaram was offering Zero-Dep add-on for the car. At INR 27,000/- it felt a bit higher. Acko and GoDigit were considered but their track record was unknown. Finally went ahead with ICICI Lomabard - Comprehensive Plan with no add-ons for 9K.

190K service

This was supposed to be a regular service with three non-scheduled items.

• Clutch pedal sinking occasionally
  
• Driver seat belt buckle wouldn't click sometimes (added by the SA | P/N: 878161836R, INR 1,400/-)

  
  The faulty buckle

• Replacement of one fog lamp bulb (added by the SA | P/N 262923820R, INR 1,400/-)

It was kept overnight for the clutch issue. They bled the clutch circuit completely and performed a simple test which involved keeping the clutch pedal depressed overnight to see if it returns back when allowed to release. Since it passed the test, the car was returned the very next day.

The SA also added 4 Renault branded valve stem caps (P/N: 7711760925, INR 120/-) since two were missing and made the car look bad.

The brakes and tyres are good to bring it in to the next service too. Things like the door latches playing up, seat belt retract mechanisms on their last legs, stuck CD in the stereo, torn driver side seat vinyl, rattles and creaks do make it feel like a jalopy, but the engine is healthy and still has the grunt, drivetrain is all new with the whole set of new clutch components and gearbox oil. The suspension too is all new, after being overhauled with new components over the last 20K km.

Its, kind of a shame to even think about it, but we've kind of made up our minds to replace the car in the coming year or so, that's why there will be frugal spends for this car from now on. There is just no need for 3 cars in the garage. If this and the Figo are sold, we might pick up the Nexon EV for the city with the AWD doing the highway runs.

Will be looking to salvage some parts off of it for the other Duster before parting ways. Parts which were better built in the 2012 Model:

• AC Compressor
• Driver seat rails
• Tail gate gas struts
• Separate set of lug bolts for the steel wheel

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Update on the Green One

I'm happy that the check engine light, after being reset hasn't showed up again. But will get it checked in the next service to see if they can direct me to the root cause.

After refraining from unwanted add-ons including the lubrication package for a year, the door hinges have started creaking. Needs some attention.

There are some oily spots in the engine bay which need to be checked. Look to be old leaks from the intercooler hose which is a problematic part on the AWD.

And there are squeaks from the front suspension on poorly surfaced roads. Suspecting the anti roll bar links/bushes.

Minor things but need to put aside a wad of cash for the upcoming 120K service which required both the timing and accessory belt kit replacement.

After seeing white steel wheels on the Defender and the Thar, my mind is begging me to go get Sparco Terra wheels and a matching white roof wrap. Should freshen-up the car a bit. Lets see...

Toying with the idea of these with a white roof wrap.

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Combined Odo reading: ~ 3,06,200 km

[Tgo]

Update on the Green One

I was driving back from Jaipur a few days ago. Both the Dusters were in tow. We had taken a break at Abhaneri to see the Chand Baori Step Well. To merge back on the highway we too the route through the village. The differential felt like it was binding up so did a quick test and the trusted forwards back wards movement with full lock on soft sand to free it up. Had plenty of unpaved roads cutting across the ravines. Switched to 2WD afterwards from AUTO and then resumed our journey towards Agra.

Chand Baori, Abhaneri - RJ

As we were approaching Bharatpur, there was a pop we heard from the engine bay and immediately after that there was a gas leak noise every time the accelerator was pressed. Stopped and checked that it was from the engine bay. Even located it to be originating from somewhere on the driver side between the engine and the firewall. I felt I could continue driving since there wasn't any warning light on the dashboard and I felt a leak is still better than some air getting sucked in the engine without passing through the filter. Was only concerned about something else getting really hot by the leaking air and hence kept the revs below 2K for the remaining journey till Agra.

Got on the Agra-Lucknow E-way and contacted Renault Etawah to intimate them to wait for me as I wanted to get it checked at an accessible town just in case I needed to leave the car, I could call a friend who would only be an hour away. The axle bind had gone for now. Drove into the service bay at 6 PM and their technician quickly poked his phone behind the engine and clicked the following picture.

They didn't have the part required to be replaced so I had to drive back home to Auraiya. Once at ease I enquired about the part on the WA group and the Facebook group. It has been a common part that fails on the 110 PS cars. Everyone suggested to get the rubber sleeve (Red) replaced which would mean reusing the clips that hold it in place. The Service centre guys were suggesting a replacement of the whole tube + sensor as per their knowledge. I wanted a cost effective fix if the child part was available. Here's what I found out.

P/N: 223211229R - SLEEVE - EXH GAS TUB | INR 715/-
P/N: 223211824R - TUBE - EXH GAS PR | INR 1,639/-
P/N: N.A. - The tube + the sensor it leads up to. | INR 4,500/- approx.

Etawah had the Rubber sleeve in stock but were apprehensive about getting the tube to seal with the steel tube after re-using the clip. Kanpur had the rubber + steel tube in stock, which is what I went for. Got it replaced yesterday. After driving 350 odd kms below 2K rpm, gunning it on the highway after the replacement felt like I had gotten a remap.

The blown tube which was replaced.

So that's one more thing sorted leading up to the expensive 120K service which is due in 2,000 km / February 2021. It calls for replacement of the belt kits, coolant, brake fluid, EGR cleaning. I'll add the differential oil, the brake pads, wheel balancing and alignment too. Have begun saving up for it. Let's hope a wheel bearing or a sack absorber doesn't give-up in the mean time.

I guess you all might agree, it is extremely difficult to get a good pictures of both the cars in a single frame.

The colours contrast quite a bit. I'll let you decide or suggest some tricks with this parting shot.

[Tgo]

Green One - 120K Service

Since the last update on the exhaust pressure sensor hose leak, the car had been doing daily duty. Last month it went in for the 120K service. Was visiting Jaipur so got it serviced at my trusted outlet - Renault Sitapura, Jaipur.

List of Non-Scheduled Jobs reported to the ASC:

• Gearbox Oil replacement - Not in stock
• Differential Oil replacement - Not in stock

  There is no merit in the sealed for life statement. Life here, is a period of say 120,000 km fixed by the manufacturer. Long term cars definitely need a replacement. Unfortunately theese were not in stock. A result of the switch-over from elf to Castrol by Renault. Stock of elf products had finished and the Castrol one was sourced from the aftermarket and not from the genuine spares bin and hence the SA advised me to skip it this time.

• Power Steering Oil replacement - Done

  Had noticed a little heaviness in the steering. It could be due to the wear on the Michelin LTX Force tyres on the car which were at the half life. I did notice a little lightness on the steering wheel after this service but that has always been the case in previous services as well. At least I had the peace of mind of knowing that I have fresh fluids in the system.

• EGR Cleaning - Done

  A much needed cleanse of the system necessicated due to multiple check engine light (minor fault) instances on the e-ways. Though it was something else which was causing.

• Wheel Balancing & 4Wheel Alignment - Done

  I had asked specifically for a 4-wheel alignment job. Hopefully it was carried out correctly. Didn't have any complaints other than the slight left pull without which the car wouldn't be called a Duster.

• Sound from Headliner - Attended - INR 400

  The roof liner had an annoying noise coming from it. The ASC guys replaced the 4 plastic clips holding it in place. Problem solved.

• Right Rear Door alignment - Done

  From the repair done on the RR door, 3 years ago, the door was not sitting flush with door aperture. Adjustment of the door strikers

• Dashboard alignment - Done

  From a previous air-box replacement job, the center console surround piece was misaligned. It stayed in place but had wide gaps all around.

• Checking fault codes and clearing them - Done
• Creaking Noise while operating the inner door handles - Done
• Leaking RR Shock absorber - Inspected and deferred

Issues found in the vehicle after a thorough check by the ASC:

• Leak from engine sump - Attended - INR 2500 + INR 500 (labour)

There was a minor leak from the sump gasket. It could be due to reuse of the old gasket by Renault - Etawah (when they stripped the threads on the sump and hastily replaced it at their own cost. Clearly, they cheaped out.

Another Diesel Filter Update:

New P/N: 164000862R -KIT DIESEL FUEL- (INR 2,849/-)
Older parts that have been used in the past: P/N164033646R and P/N: 164034510R

In all, the service cost amounted to INR 27,422/- which includes major items like the Timing and Auxiliary Belt Kits. Detailed maintenance log can be viewed here. It is updated with the latest part numbers, cost and service charges etc.

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The Jaisalmer Trip

Immediately after the service, the Duster was put to good use. Jaipur-Hanumangarh-Ellenabad-Jaisalmer-Jaipur were on the itinerary over a period of 1 week. The car performed flawlessly. While in Ellenabad (close to Dabwali - The Jeep Mod Capital of India) I got the car checked at a trustworthy garage which came with a good recommendation. They gave a good look at all four corners. As per them the shockers are serviceable parts and they never go bad.

The refurbished the leaking RR shock. Replaced the Shock top-mounts on all four wheels. Replaced "link ends" at the rear. I never got a chance to ask for the brand of parts they installed but, there was a considerable change in the ride quality. The rear which was effectively working on just one shock, firmed up after this visit. The work was done neatly and there was no soiling on the interior of the car which usually is taken for granted. They even checked the alignment after the suspension work.

All for a paltry sum of INR 2,800/- (small town perks). That's a major suspension overhaul expense deferred.

Splendid drive from Hanumangarh to Bikaner, RJ


At the Bikaner Civil Airport, sharing the lot with a Porsche.


Tea break at Pokhran, just a little more to go for Jaisalmer.

We had to borrow a car from a relative as our car suffered a minor crack on the windshield en route to Jaisalmer. Didn't want to risk it as we were travelling with friends and their kid. The borrowed car turned out to be a 2012 110 RxZ with 140K on the ODO on its original clutch. Not as well kept as our White One. But still, it was there and got us to places we needed to be. So this trip was completed in three Dusters. Who would have thought?

Drive to Tanot through the arid expanse.

The update, doesn't end here. Owing to an unfortunate incident, the car is currently at the body shop in Jaipur. Had to complete the journey back to Auraiya in this rig:

Have been romancing with the Fortuner for the last two weeks. This is a 2013 3.0L 5AT version. A car form two segments above and one which feels excessive for daily duties. I want my Duster back, soon.


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Update on the White One: Its nearing the 2,00,000 km mark. Nothing major to report. Took it out for a long drive to Udaipurwati while the Green One was at the Service center. It chugs along.

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Combined Odo reading: ~ 3,17,084

[Tgo]

Consider this a midlife Rejuvenation

Immediately after returning from the Jaisalmer trip I met with an accident. A bird hit the windshield and I panicked. While trying to brake after recovering I rear ended a pick-up which resulted in a smashed front end of my vehicle. The power steering reservoir was also leaking through a crack. I noticed it in time and instead of risking the pump and sending debris into the steering rack, I decided to pull the fuse which powers the pump. Believe me when I say, It was a troublesome experience which made me appreciate the level of assist offered by the system.

Had to send it for repairs to the body-shop the next day. After a thorough inspection and assessment of the damage, I was informed that quite a few things need to be replaced which included:

Condenser, Radiator, Intercooler, Headlamps, Left fender, Bonnet, Bonnet Hinges, Front Apron, Intercooler Hose, Upper and Lower Grilles and the Bumper. Also the power steering pump and its reservoir that had cracked was a single assembly so the whole pump assembly required a replacement. Luckily, the airbags didn’t go off. The windshield had to be replaced too.

Got the approval from the insurer within a week to begin work on the vehicle. Waited for a week - 10 days for the power steering pump to arrive. I was okay with the delays since I had a spare vehicle to use in the time being. The SA requested permission to go ahead with type-2 facelift parts for the repairs. I was apprehensive in the beginning because of my car being a stock vehicle and my plans for keeping it that way. Later after some back and forth with the body shop, I understood that the spares for the facelift are cheaper than the type-1 - which made sense since in the long run when Zero-Dep option on the future insurance policies run out, I would have to shell out less in repairs. For an example:

Old Grille - 40K | New Grille - 14K
Old Headlamp - 13K | New Headlamp - 6K
Old Bumper - 13K | New Bumper - 9K


The body shop kept me in the loop with the progress and insurance approval process. They kept sending me updates and pictures of the car during the process. I asked them if they could arrange for a replacement windshield sticker (which is called the TLP - Third Licence Plate). I eventually had to arrange it by myself, but they were thoughtful enough to keep a cutout from the windshield glass which had the sticker on it in the boot when the work was completed. I have retained it even though I have the new sticker which is colour coded now as per new norms.


The first glimpse while the paint gets buffed.

The final delivery of the vehicle was being delayed by the year end closing phenomenon which delayed the delivery order from the insurance company. In the meanwhile, I pointed out that the silver cladding from the bumper (as per RXZ model) is missing. Which is a separate part not approved by the insurance company as it was not damaged in the older bumper. I though about getting it installed at my cost, but also thought of living with this look for a while. A large silver painted cladding is anyway prone to scuffs which would look awful. The black would hide the scuffs better. In the mean-time, the SA talked me into installing the wheel arch cladding kit on the vehicle. There was a discount on the kit and I thought of going ahead with it since I had no qualms now of retaining originality. This required repair of a dent in the LHS rear quarter panel as the cladding was not covering it, leaving a seam open for dust and water to get trapped in between the cladding and the panel. Gave them a go ahead for repairing it at a reasonable cost.


Necessitated repairs

The cladding does gives it a butch look and drastically reinforces the fenders as well. There is negligible flex in the panels now.


The final touch.

Finally, after a delay of 10 days the DO was issued by the insurer. The bill was a huge one and was glad to know that I had to pay only the processing fee for the claim. The windshield replacement, LHS quarter-panel repair and the wheel arch cladding was on my account which was a separate bill. The vehicle was finally ready and delivered after spending a month at the body-shop.

I tested positive for COVID-19 and had to undergo home quarantine. So as to not affect the elders in the house, my wife and I decided to shift to the farm house. Luckily for me, spent the time in isolation by indulging in car stuff.

-There was my own car getting prepped and delivered.
-Then I booked the Fortuner I had borrowed for a service. This being bought as a used vehicle, had a lot of issues which I was following-up with the guys at Toyota.
-Then there was a colleague who had bought a used 2003 Santro and he needed parts for a full service from Boodmo, ordered and tracked those for him.
-Got in touch with my Father-in-law who was looking to buy a Duster AWD and scouted for cars for him.
-And was helping a fellow bhpian sort the mess he was in dealing with Renault. Time went by quickly.

Few more days before I get a go.

With the parents visiting us to re-stock supplies it had been 45 days later (since the accident) that I got to drive the car.

-Noticed vibrations from the engine bay. Got it checked and it turned out that the protection plate for the engine bay was loose.
With the new power steering pump at half turn the steering effort has reduced considerably.
-The new windshield is scratch free and is a welcome feature while driving in the night.
-The wheel arch cladding paid for itself after sustaining a minor scuff recently.
-The installation of the new grill is such that it is touching against the horn, which has muted it a bit.
-The tyre pressure was quite high due to wheel alignment carried out during repair so reduced it accordingly.
-Took it to some kachcha roads around the farm and got the four wheels spinning to give the AWD system a little workout too.

After its service and suspension check-up done recently, the car drives like new. The 450 km journey back to my workplace validated this further.

Had already bought a set of window shades for it. I don't particularly like these as they sit on top of the door frame and get squished in between the door seals and the frame. But they help in keeping the cabin temp low in this hot weather. Going to remove them in a few months.



And a set of OEM 3D mats to freshen-up the interiors a bit. The mats stay in place as they have welcro strips to secure them with the carpet. No, we cannot place the older carpet mats within these.



Took-up the suggestion from the Team-BHP homepage advert for turtle wax products at a discount, and re-stocked my car cleaning supplies after almost 5 years. Will probably try my hand at claying the car this time specially the older panels, as the newer ones were cut and buffed after the paint job. The products offer good value, I guess, that's about it.

After some 3 hours of TLC, lets have some colour back in our lives.














Two months and it turns 6.

Needless to say,
-I applied the plastic trim restores after these clicks,
-also did a once through with tyre finisher,
-it rained that night messing everything up,
-and now, almost always, walking up to it feels like walking up to someone else's car. Good or Bad? I am undecided...

[AntPaul]

Hi Tgo,

The car looks as good as new. You could swap out the tail lamps as well to complete the type 2 looks. But the alloy wheels will be a giveaway. While I am on the fence regarding the looks of the cladding, front and rear wheel arches in the duster are dent magnets due to how far they extend out. So its a good addition.

I own a first generation 110ps. The two things that were immediately apparent to me when driving a friends 2017 year model 110ps AMT were the much lighter steering and much better NVH.

[Tgo]

Hello AntPaul,

Hope your Duster is not giving you a tough time after all these years of use. Would love to hear about it.

Originally Posted by AntPaul

But the alloy wheels will be a giveaway.

Many more things which would be a giveaway:

-Door handles in silver
-Rear view mirrors in silver
-Rear bumper skid plate
-Roof rails

I heard that the updated tail lamp pins are wired differently and need some modification for them to function correctly.

So I have decided to give it a break for the time being. It still looks like someone else's car so I will let the look grow on me further before thinking of any more updates.

I own a first generation 110ps. The two things that were immediately apparent to me when driving a friends 2017 year model 110ps AMT were the much lighter steering and much better NVH.

The steering wheel diameter is reduced in the newer models, or it feels so due to the increased thickness which might contribute to the difference in feel.

The engine NVH is definitely different. I haven't been able to figure out which is better. The newer one feels quieter on the inside though. On the outside it sounds different and that could be in part due to the different intake routing on the two generations.