[ambarish_0013]

I bought a Duster Turbo MT in Jul 2021. I have covered ~1500 kms so far which includes a mix of highway and city driving in the thick of Bangalore traffic. The engine is sensitive and easy to stall, however you get used to it within a week or so. The auto start feature can be helpful if you are worried about stalling your vehicle.

Dont worry much about the protruding arches. They make other drivers/riders conscious and it enhances the Duster's road presence.

The car has been fun to drive so far and it is a pity that due to poor sales and marketing, it sold in very few numbers.

[mav3r1ckblu3]

Some of the additions/modifications I made on my Duster 1.3L Turbo (pics)

These were done keeping in view the Motor Vehicle rules and regulations, and also keeping in view the warranty (hopefully), since no wire cutting was done.

Caution: Please try this at your own risk. I'm not responsible for anyone else's misfortune of either getting a driving ticket/challan from the traffic police or messing up the vehicles electricals, if you are thinking of doing this to your vehicle.

1. Changed the OEM speakers to JBL GTO 529 on the front doors.
2. Changed the halogen lights to OSRAM 25W H7 LED's on the low beam projectors.
3. Changed the halogen lights to LED's in the cabin, boot, glove box and the rear licence plate as per their socket specification mentioned in the manual.

[aKrain]

Originally Posted by mav3r1ckblu3

Some of the additions/modifications I made on my Duster 1.3L Turbo (pics)

1. Changed the OEM speakers to JBL GTO 529 on the front doors.

I am also looking at upgrading the speakers of my Duster. Couple of questions:

1. How much improvement is there in the sound with the new speakers?
2. Also, what about the rear speakers. Any plans/need to upgrade them as well?

Thanks

[mav3r1ckblu3]

Originally Posted by aKrain

I am also looking at upgrading the speakers of my Duster. Couple of questions:

1. How much improvement is there in the sound with the new speakers?
2. Also, what about the rear speakers. Any plans/need to upgrade them as well?

Thanks

Please go through the below thread, where I tried to understand and discuss "front staging" and why the rear setup can be left as it is, in case you're not upgrading the OEM headunit.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-e...ml#post5146025 (ICE upgrade : Renault Duster & Nissan Terrano)

Let me know if you need more clarity.

[sbm]

Originally Posted by ambarish_0013

I bought a Duster Turbo MT in Jul 2021. I have covered ~1500 kms so far which includes a mix of highway and city driving in the thick of Bangalore traffic. The engine is sensitive and easy to stall, however you get used to it within a week or so.
The car has been fun to drive so far and it is a pity that due to poor sales and marketing, it sold in very few numbers.

I am contemplating to buy a CSUV and no matter how much I ignore it, Duster always comes to mind. It's the first car I drove on highway after I learnt driving and I love it's looks and road presence (interiors are a different case) and given the discounts available, it's a tempting choice as under 15L, only NA variants of Creta/Seltos/Astor are available. The things that I worry about are the reliability of this 1.3L unit and since Renault has officially announced halting production of Duster this month, the long term availability of spares is also a doubt. Being a recent buyer of this car, can you pls share your experience/opinion on these topics. Also, what are the fuel efficiency figures in city/highway traffic?

[ambarish_0013]

Originally Posted by sbm

I am contemplating to buy a CSUV and no matter how much I ignore it, Duster always comes to mind. It's the first car I drove on highway after I learnt driving and I love it's looks and road presence (interiors are a different case) and given the discounts available, it's a tempting choice as under 15L, only NA variants of Creta/Seltos/Astor are available. The things that I worry about are the reliability of this 1.3L unit and since Renault has officially announced halting production of Duster this month, the long term availability of spares is also a doubt. Being a recent buyer of this car, can you pls share your experience/opinion on these topics. Also, what are the fuel efficiency figures in city/highway traffic?

The HR133DDT engine is the alliance's workhorse . It is being used in many Nissan and Mercedes models in various markets including India(Kicks, A Class, GLA). The turbo unit is sourced from Garrett which is a decent brand.

I did a thorough PDI and stress tested the vehicle immediately after buying it to flush out any niggles. As a safety precaution you can opt for the extended warranty as well. The car has few electronic components which directly translates to fewer maintenance hassles. It's hydraulic steering unit is old school. Add to that the analog instrument cluster. The Renault factory in Chennai produces spare parts for exports, so one can be sure of parts availability in the near future.
However, should the engine or turbo unit develop problems, it will definitely burn a hole in your pocket. The only solution to that is preventive maintenance i.e. turbo idling, using high quality fuels, not using the car for short hauls, etc.

I have driven 2500 kms so far in heavy rains, sludge, hilly areas, potholed roads and insane traffic. I must say it has been a great experience so far. The car is sheer power. Rarely has the car not responded back as I had intended it to. It has a superb suspension setup, excellent nvh and the automatic climate control does a decent job as well. You can barely hear any engine noise even at 90-100 kmph. The turbo lag is well contained and won't bother you at all in normal driving conditions. It is these qualities which make it too hard to ignore in the 15-20 lakh price bracket.

Coming to the fuel economy figures, the lowest mileage which I have received from this vehicle in heavy traffic conditions with AC on is around 11km/ltr. It has bumped up to 13 km/ltr on highways. It is respectable given the duster's power credentials. I always use Shell V Power. European engines are a little sensitive to adulterated fuel.

[pseudo_coder]

I am considering the RXZ MT 1.5 variant. Is there any review of this? I had driven the same engine with CVT, and it was too sluggish. If it's manageable with MT, then I think it's a decent deal to get at 11-12 lakh on road.

[Ritz2010]

10k km run 2020 MY 1.3 RXZ Duster CVT is available from a second owner. Whilst the car looks good, service history also has no issues I'm bothered about taking it as third owner somewhere between 12L and 13L. First owner sold off at 3k km due to heavy steering. Is steering heavy in Duster ?

From the test drive everything appeared okay except for brake pedal squeak when pressing and de-pressing.

Couple of utilitarian things,

Also the under body mounted spare tyre is of little concern for me - IIRC 1.3 MT TD vehicle had spare tyre in the trunk or am i getting confused with 110ps diesel models. Can some owners clarify ?

I noticed the trunk door don't have provision to insert fingers and pull them up. The 110ps I had checked out in the past has (inside the provision) soft buttons to unlock trunk. But in 1.3 Turbo CVT I saw the keyhole working as button with no provision. Please clarify.

CVT as stick instead of cut-out forces one to look at dash or the stick - is it so, owners please comment.

Any thing in particular to be taken care or anything to watch out in this deal, especially being CVT - please do advice.

And what's the company warranty - 2 years and extensible before expiry ?

[Ritz2010]

Back to back post again, but I just purchased above mentioned 1.3 Duster CVT so it's okay I guess.

What's the recommended PSI for R17 wheels ? I had 30psi set on all 4 tyres and completed 1000 kms highway run last weekend.

But today a city runabout had huge nail puncturing my tyre. A triple puncture was done (three puncture plug-ins were used), waiting overnight to see if it holds up good.

Checked prices for 215/60 R17 tyres cost it's above 12k !! More info
Bridgestone 12k
Michelin 13.5k
Continental 12.5k

Puncture wala charged me a bomb (550 INR) and the owner was hand in glove as well. This is at Bridgestone tyre center in Kanakapura Main Road opposite Adyar Ananda Bhavan. Suggest everyone to avoid this shop.

The technicians (literally boys) are inexperienced and one of them jammed my friend's Honda City tyre nut and I had to visit Magnum Honda for replacement. Ayudha puja had service closed on long weekend and poor Honda City was running with three nuts !

PS: I'm okay to pay those boys extra when they do neat work ! It's shoddy for sure.

[mav3r1ckblu3]

Originally Posted by Ritz2010

Back to back post again, but I just purchased above mentioned 1.3 Duster CVT so it's okay I guess.

What's the recommended PSI for R17 wheels ? I had 30psi set on all 4 tyres and completed 1000 kms highway run last weekend.

But today a city runabout had huge nail puncturing my tyre. A triple puncture was done (three puncture plug-ins were used), waiting overnight to see if it holds up good.

Checked prices for 215/60 R17 tyres cost it's above 12k !! More info
Bridgestone 12k
Michelin 13.5k
Continental 12.5k

Puncture wala charged me a bomb (550 INR) and the owner was hand in glove as well. This is at Bridgestone tyre center in Kanakapura Main Road opposite Adyar Ananda Bhavan. Suggest everyone to avoid this shop.

The technicians (literally boys) are inexperienced and one of them jammed my friend's Honda City tyre nut and I had to visit Magnum Honda for replacement. Ayudha puja had service closed on long weekend and poor Honda City was running with three nuts !

PS: I'm okay to pay those boys extra when they do neat work ! It's shoddy for sure.

If your Duster came with Apollo Apterra's (pretty sure as they're OEM fitment), well you can never be sure. I had the same on my Turbo Duster, and one of the tyres burst when it encountered rocks during a drive on gravel roads. I immediately changed to Continentals (Cross Contact LX2) and they've been trouble free so far. Regarding tyre pressure, 30-32 PSI when single driven, and 34-36 if your Duster is fully loaded.

Better to check TBhp threads to see which tyre service centre is best in the city you live. Better to be safe than sorry.

[ambarish_0013]

Originally Posted by Ritz2010

Back to back post again, but I just purchased above mentioned 1.3 Duster CVT so it's okay I guess.

What's the recommended PSI for R17 wheels ? I had 30psi set on all 4 tyres and completed 1000 kms highway run last weekend.
...

35 psi as per.the owner's manual. I traded Apollo Aptera for Michelin Primacy 4ST last week. I got it done at Madhu Tyre Center, Lalbagh. They charged me 32k for the tyre change and 650 for wheel alignment after discount.

You can try Balaji's at JC Road as well. I read in a few posts that their prices are competitive too.

[Ritz2010]

Originally Posted by mav3r1ckblu3

If your Duster came with Apollo Apterra's (pretty sure as they're OEM fitment)

Yes it's Apollo Apterra's.

Originally Posted by mav3r1ckblu3

Regarding tyre pressure, 30-32 PSI when single driven, and 34-36 if your Duster is fully loaded.

Sure, thanks for first hand info about PSI for R17 tyres of 1.3 Turbo. After lots of search found the OEM sticker on door's outer edge. I do remember but get doubts every time I fill air. This happened with Ritz as well.

Originally Posted by mav3r1ckblu3

Better to check TBhp threads to see which tyre service centre is best in the city you live. Better to be safe than sorry.

Yep found Madhu's. Instead of triple puncture he recommended mushroom puncture, did wheel alignment and balancing which gave 2500 bill. The R17 are definitely costly to run and maintain.

Originally Posted by ambarish_0013

35 psi as per.the owner's manual. I traded Apollo Aptera for Michelin Primacy 4ST last week. I got it done at Madhu Tyre Center, Lalbagh. They charged me 32k for the tyre change and 650 for wheel alignment after discount.

At Madhu's I was offered Michelin with old tyres trade in at 2.5k per tyre. But wanted to see if I'll have anymore ill fate with Apterra's and then make decision. Fingers crossed.

[Kailas]

Originally Posted by mav3r1ckblu3

Regarding ownership thread, I'm part of the soon going to be extinct species who went ahead and bought himself a Duster in the age of Venue/Sonet/Seltos/Creta (I had my own reasons BTW). Who's gonna be interested in the ownership review of a decade old designed vehicle?

I just booked a RXS MT. If you are anyway going extinct, might as well do it with company

[Ritz2010]

Does international Dacia Duster have back lit steering mounted controls.

While driving in dark it's tough to figure the controls and such a pain it has been.

Please share if anyone has any hack for the same.

[Kailas]

Originally Posted by Kailas

I just booked a RXS MT. If you are anyway going extinct, might as well do it with company

Spoke too soon. Without repeating much of what I posted in the PDI thread, long story short: I wasn't convinced with the car allotted to me owing to missing plastic seat covers and a couple of marks and sign of wear on the seat. The 'new car smell' too was a bit faint (no way to say this objectively, of course). Have asked for a different piece. The SA is not confident something will become available. And am not comfortable in taking a display piece, especially since it wasn't told to me earlier.