[mayjay]

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

@mayjay, what do you wish to say ... just because the implementation of laws is lax, this doesn't mean that we can be irresponsible citizens.

Further, have you ever tried travelling haggled with RTO Officers at the borders of the state, I bet you could get away in city at times with people in jump seats in 5-seater Duster, but, not there. And god forbid, if you are caught somewhere else, you will be travelling back by the STU buses rather than your Duster, unless you bribe the cops ().

I hope this isn't what you meant.

No no, nothing of the sort. Just a somewhat sarcastic commentary on the sad state of enforcement in the country.

Anything from Jugaads - who registers them , dilapidated buses and trucks, polluting vehicles and overloaded vehicles with people hanging out of them are a common sight. Not to mention vehicles with non-functional lights, etc.

Very seldom will you see anyone getting fined for any of these, unfortunately.

Just to reiterate, not talking about bribing but the sad situation where you can get away with pretty much anything.

(Thought I should clarify, though it is off-topic)

By the way, there is at least going to be a drive against 'fancy' number plates in Hyderabad:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle3745510.ece

Though, one does wonder why such initiatives part of 'drives' rather than regular enforcement

[snkjr]

I received the official price list of Duster accessories from Renault India today (after waiting for a week before sending a reminder email). Please refer to the attached PDF.

Duster Accessories Price List.pdf

[n_naik]

Originally Posted by snkjr

The guys at motorbeam.com claim to have confirmed news of a Nissan-badged Duster straight from the mouths of Nissan`s top management.

The article states that "Unlike the Renault Duster, Nissan is seriously working towards a 7-seater version of this crossover." Great News.

During my visit to the showroom i noticed that there were many people who were more interested in the 7 seater version of this SUV than its current avatar. If the above news is true, then Nissan, i believe, is heading in the right direction. This vehicle,if priced properly, will be a sure hit with the masses.

[snkjr]

Originally Posted by n_naik

The article states that "Unlike the Renault Duster, Nissan is seriously working towards a 7-seater version of this crossover." Great News.

IMHO, the Duster's body dimensions do not provide for it to be a comfortable 7-seater. Whichever way Nissan get around to doing it, I think it's going to be a little tight for the people in the third row. And then there would be little space left for the luggage or the shopping bags. All that Nissan should do is increase the rear legroom, and keep it as a 5-seater.

If one is looking for a 7-seater, one should not be looking at the Duster at all. There are vehicles in the market that are dedicated for this purpose and are designed to move more than 5 people in comfort.

[ampere]

- The instant a vehicle becomes a 7 seater, I think it ceases to be a compact X-over
- In case one wants a 7 seater, in this foot print, many things can go wrong:
- One may not get get a good leg room, or vehicle can be under powered or if both are addressed, price may not be good. If all these are good, one may not like the looks!
- Its for a reason they are called compact X-overs.
- So I think we need to prioritize our needs and decide accordingly.

[skandyhere]

Originally Posted by snkjr

If one is looking for a 7-seater, one should not be looking at the Duster at all. There are vehicles in the market that are dedicated for this purpose and are designed to move more than 5 people in comfort.

I don't think even that is true. No 'car' in India seems to be able to ferry more than 5 people in comfort. Let's dismiss that apology-of-a-seat in the third row of the Innovas and Scorpios first please. If a true-blue 7 or 8 seater is to be built, I'd say it necessarily has to be bigger than the Innova at the least. The third row is the punishment row in all Indian cars I have traveled in so far.

Originally Posted by ampere

- The instant a vehicle becomes a 7 seater, I think it ceases to be a compact X-over
- In case one wants a 7 seater, in this foot print, many things can go wrong:
- One may not get get a good leg room, or vehicle can be under powered or if both are addressed, price may not be good. If all these are good, one may not like the looks!

Observations are spot-on!

[sarthakgupta]

It's been a month since launch. I haven't seen a single Duster on road. Haven't the deliveries started?

[sumeshmani]

Originally Posted by skandyhere

I don't think even that is true. No 'car' in India seems to be able to ferry more than 5 people in comfort. Let's dismiss that apology-of-a-seat in the third row of the Innovas and Scorpios first please. If a true-blue 7 or 8 seater is to be built, I'd say it necessarily has to be bigger than the Innova at the least. The third row is the punishment row in all Indian cars I have traveled in so far.



Observations are spot-on!

This is good news, but it looks like Nissan's version of Duster will be priced more than the Renault version. As it is I feel that Renault has overpriced Duster (top ends) by ~50 to 75K.
Nissan Plans Rebadged Duster By 2013 | MotorBeam - Indian Car Bike News & Reviews

More features that they plan might include 4x4, just a guess from me.

[Rada]

Originally Posted by Neil Roy

More than the delay, it is the lack of clarity or on a worse case scenario the inability of the Local dealers to get the approval.
Renault themselves have a huge role to play in getting the approval by submitting the necessary manufacturer documents. I dont know where the fault lies, but I'm already having panic attacks when I look at the sheer helplessness that the dealers are displaying.

Completely agree, Neil. On following up with the dealer on my RxL (O) delivery (pre-booked around the 20th of June!), the total lack of information is quite shocking. After several runarounds, Renault Mount Road called me couple of hours later, only to say that they have no definite information. Maybe end of September..er..maybe early October...Come on!

In a fix now, as I have already disposed of my Honda City.

And what purpose did our pre-ordering the cars serve?

[zen kobane]

Hey GTO,

Something I might have missed or I'm not sure if you reviewed, the call quality through Car bluetooth.

Is the mic clear and audio clear?

What is your overall take on the quality of in-built calling options?

[drbones]

Fantastic review GTO.

Duster is on my radar of buying it even before it was launched, I first saw it in Delhi auto expo ( jan 2012).


But was totally disappointed after it was launched. No 4x4 ?


I want to beat Renault like this for not launching 4x4 version .


It has a fantastic 4x4 gearbox with differential locks. It has the capability to rival the best offroaders in business, and give them a run for their money for sure.


Renault can take full advantage with 4x4 version if launched soon. I feel there are many buyers like me in this country drooling for such SUV with a good 4x4.


Wake up Reno.


Can any one know about Renault launching a 4x4 version of the Duster ?


Another shocking news, I heard from Renault sales person is price, 4x4 variant will be around 18 lac. ( You people know, how well informed are the sales people in India )


But good news is it will be launched with a 2.0 lt engine.


Can any one here throw some light on Duster 4x4 launch ?

[troublemaker]

I'm sorry for going a little OT but Nissan should seriously think about bringing Qashqai 1.6 dCi instead of rebadging Duster. Qashqai already has 5 seater and 7 seater versions and it is a super successful crossover.

Just my 2 cents.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by troublemaker

I'm sorry for going a little OT but Nissan should seriously think about bringing Qashqai 1.6 dCi instead of rebadging Duster. Qashqai already has 5 seater and 7 seater versions and it is a super successful crossover.

Just my 2 cents.

Absolutely. But they will never be able to price the Qashqai competitively.
It will end up being more expensive than the Yeti and hence will find limited number of takers too.

[BUXX]

^^ if the 7-seater version is a bit more expensive than the Yeti , then why shouldn't it find good takers?
Bit OT discussion, I would say...

On the topic, I wrote to Renault India and at their Global portal on the issues that we are already seeing with their Test/Display Cars. Got a call from Banagalore from a lady who said "she will fwd my concern to the Marketing team" ! I said , if possible, please get some Technical guy to connect with me.

I have curbed my enthusiasm of the Duster after getting to know of issues like the Power steering and Door locks getting jammed.. Disappointing turn of events.. Maybe one should wait for the dust to settle down a bit... ( gets a little tiring, since I am a pre-booking guy, March booking ! )

[vigneshkumar31]

1. I ve taken TD both in Delhi and Gurgaon.On both occasions, I found the AC vents' plastic deflectors of the showroom duster broken.There was just a gaping hole where the AC vent and honeycomb generally are.One was on drivers side and the other was on 2nd row vent tower. I feel the plastic quality of the interiors leaves lot to be desired.
2. The doors and general built of the body feels hollow and very light.Is this a weight saving advantage or would it prove costly in terms of easy dentage on road or worse a collision?