Vehicle OK But Customer Service Does Not Inspire. Review on Renault Duster

Original review has been edited

Edited on March 3rd 2016. My Duster has crossed 56000km.That is around 15000km since my original review. Much has happened since then. Enough to compel me to think differently about this vehicle.

Control Arms replaced(Under Warranty)(around 46000km)

Rear Shock absorbers replaced Not covered under warranty(at around 46000km)

Two tires worn to their cords from wrong toe I had to change them. Two are still fine, and will run till 60000km.(around 48000km)

One Front shock absorber replaced, Not covered under warranty

Strut mount replaced Not under warranty.(around 54000km)

In spite of all this replacements the ride has become unbearably uncomfortable.

Steering transmits road vibrations to the fingers.

Pedal transmit them to the legs.

Same thing with the floor board.

Body roll results in back and neck ache.

I have had enough, but I cannot get rid of it because we need a vehicle when the whole family travels together(infrequently)

So I have renovated my Palio and I am now back to using it.

It is far more comfortable. So, Vehicle is not OK

Original Review Below:

My Palio was getting old and I needed a spacious vehicle that I could drive a daily average of 100 km. I needed good acceleration for quick overtaking. I chose the top end 110ps version. It is now 17months since I bought it, and I have covered 41000 plus kilometers.

Tyres have another two or three thousand km left in them.

Pros:Good accelerationonce turbo kicks in.Crisp and precise gear shift. Insulated cabin. Comfortable seats. Lumbar adjustment for driver is very useful on long drives. Spacious boot. Good ground clearance. Excellent suspension. Minimum body roll on rough roads. Wide body with ample legroom back and front ideal for long journeys.

Cons: Jittery steering on some surfaces. Stupid Horizontally Un-Adjustible headlights which are fixed in a converging position. Night vision is bad for the sides. Turbo lag in some tricky situations therefore constant gear changes required.

After Sales Service does not inspire trust or confidence. Service Center does not answer simple queries, They have very little in-depth knowledge of the vehicle from my experience. The wiper blades failed within two or three months even before the rains started.They refused to give free replacement claiming it was normal wear and tear. On my own I replaced with Bosch wiper blades(Rs.350). They are still working fine after more than a year of heavy use, not victims of'normal wear and tear' like the originals!

Absolutely no transparency in what will be done to your vehicle during the service.You get the info only if you ask. Unlike others, Renault does not provide any details of what all will be done to the vehicle during each service.

Very poor washing and cleaning. I leave strict instructions "Dont wash my Vehicle". I keep the engine compartment clean(see picture), but when ever I got the vehicle back, it was all greased up, except the last service(40, 000km).

Mark all parts such as filler caps, wheels etc. Take photo of everything before handing in the vehicle for service. I got an old scratched up oil filler cap once.My last words on the Duster: Extremely good vehicle, but I would never trust the service.