First Duster AWD to Sandakphu

[@ism890]

In difficult terrains more than the vehicle it's driver's driving skills which is most important.

[@sumitroin]

You are right!!

[@aaryansingh7704]

excellent driving ..10 on 10

[@scfedfefe9054]

Aaryan Singh

[@sumitroin]

Thank you :)

[@rajmohite-patill]

duster is such a nice car. it looks difficult terrain to drive. but duster is effortless on it. superb

[@EbinJohn]

You call that effortless?

[@rajmohite-patill]

@@EbinJohn yes bro. Considering the power and the steep incline that too without low ratio gear. Its = effortless to me. 🙏😊

[@EbinJohn]

@@rajmohite-patill No offense mate. But it might look effortless only when compared to a FWD vehicle, and that was my point. I just wanted to emphasize the importance of 4 wheel drive and low range gears. Cheers

[@MrRahulKumarKandula]

Nice driving!! Just watching the road was giving me chills.

[@sumitroin]

Thank you!

[@halim.30]

Wow! Excellent driving skills..

[@sumitroin]

😃👍

[@amitdutta4206]

Guys, Excellent ......... thanks for sharing .....dusting Dreams!!

[@sumitroin]

Thank you!

[@testerr4u]

Duster AWD is a great vehicle and the driver is pretty good

[@sumitroin]

😃👍

[@Sammy-bl9jf]

Awsome, this is how you drive this car....

[@shouryasinghranawat2508]

The thar was crawling like a boss.

[@sumitroin]

Yes 😁

[@kundanpatil3133]

Obviously Cz it has low range

[@keshabnayak]

@@kundanpatil3133 low range means? ground clearance

[@TechvirusIndia]

OMG ... Where is this place !! Awesome road for 4X4 test ;)

[@rohitvikram9393]

Tech Virus it's Darjeeling West Bengal..

[@draculareloaded2151]

you had thar crde 4x4 ? i want to buy one . my requirement is I want long distance drives, for eg: from South India to North . also want off-road appearance. thar crde version is good for that ?

[@suryavamsy]

Dracula Reloaded get a duster. much more comfortable

[@sumitroin]

If you want to do more off-roading then go for Thar. But Duster will be more comfortable than Thar on long distance trips.

[@bivektamang9385]

Darjeeling, sandakphu

[@peer25275]

The Duster is best of.

[@sunnyIndian8519]

Excellent driver

[@sumitroin]

Yes he is a very good driver :)

[@ancientmedicos5709]

fabulous

[@sumitroin]

Thank you!!

[@subhayansett8446]

You made it look so easy.

[@sumitroin]

:) thank you

[@BiShakh525]

khub moja laglo 👍👍

[@sumitroin]

Thank you :)

[@speakthetruth2593]

Awesome style to hold camera

[@ajasalikhan]

great video for offroaders

[@rahulsaikia9014]

duster seems legit!!

[@rakeshrastogi5293]

good drive

[@shotray]

excellent video Sumitroda

[@sumitroin]

Thank you :)

[@surajsagar242]

Do duster have any extra maintenance or issue for the awd mechanism??? How was your experience riding duster at such steeps ..do you recommend duster for such road trips or u have any better suggestions

[@sumitroin]

Duster is very good but it has known injector issues. The injectors are prone to failure and are quite costly once warranty is over. Suspension components are also expensive. It is a fantastic vehicle and the AWD is very capable but would not recommend if you travel to bad roads frequently. Scorpio Bolero etc will be much better for rough roads.

[@surajsagar242]

@@sumitroin oops...that's sad..Actually I drive a safari dicor...I was searching for a car ..as it will be completing 15 yrs in 2023...what car you suggest for roads towrds Sikkim and normal highway runs...ecosport duster Nexon..

[@sumitroin]

@@surajsagar242 if you do not need a 4wd/awd then both Ecosport and Nexon will be good. Otherwise you can also have a look at used Endeavour/Fortuner.

[@surajsagar242]

@@sumitroin Thanks bro..but tats out of my budget..duster is the only option with awd.. in my budget

[@sumitroin]

@@surajsagar242 then go for Duster. If you fill diesel from reputed pumps the injectors should be fine. You have to be a bit careful. For suspension and other things, if you maintain the vehicle properly it should not give trouble

[@ranerohit1205]

you did this route on a Bolero 4 X 4 too right?

[@sumitroin]

Yes, several times :-) www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/135765-bolero-4wd-takes-us-sandakphu-3rd-time.html

[@niladrisaharoy2470]

Sumitro, Can you tell me which one performed better? Thar or Duster?

[@sumitroin]

Thar performed much better than Duster. Unlike Duster, Thar has a low ratio gearbox which helps a lot more in steep inclines.

[@niladrisaharoy2470]

Thanks!

[@sumitroin]

True that Thar is body on frame, so it will be more robust than Duster. But Duster has a lot of electronic aids that Thar lacks, so Duster is sometimes more capable in slush and snow.

[@ashishansda3501]

it takes serious guts to drive there... hats off to your bravery and how did you manage to get permission from the authority to drive uphill?

[@sumitroin]

Thank you! This was in 2016, permission from Land Rover Association was not needed at that time. Now also one can drive is own vehicle once you pay the needed amount to LRA.

[@harisumw]

Why couldnt the duster just crawl, like the thar did???

[@sumitroin]

Because the Duster does not have a low range gearbox like the Thar.

[@harisumw]

@@sumitroin wouldnt that burn a lot of tyre or clutch? Isnt duster made for such serious offroading. Is it?

[@sumitroin]

harisumw yes in this scenario it burnt the tyres and clutch, but the terrain was very bad at that time. It was steep with lose stones. In other scenarios the Duster is quite capable.

[@nanjundims]

Awesome off roader.. Dude

[@sumitroin]

Thank you!

[@gyamargagung7868]

whao! just whao!

[@sumitroin]

Thank you!

[@Fortuneplanner]

Can an Ecosport(2wd) attempt it?

[@sumitroin]

Ecosport will go till tumling i think. It will be difficult after that. There is a plan to attempt it with an ecosport soon, will let you know what happens

[@Fortuneplanner]

@@sumitroin btw did you notice Boleros (2wd) do this route, therefore logically Ecosport should be able to do it.

[@sumitroin]

@Avik, I have not seen Bolero 2WDs go till Sandakphu. They might go till Tumling. I have taken my Bolero several times to Sandakphu and Phalut, but it is a 4WD Bolero.

[@nanjundims]

Share this location dude am going to there..

[@sumitroin]

This is on the way to Sandakphu. Sorry for not replying earlier. Somehow I had missed this post

[@sheelpriye]

How in the world I missed this? 4H 1st or 4L 2nd?

[@sumitroin]

4L 2nd :-)

[@srcob]

Can I drive to Sandakphu by my Scorpio (rear wheel drive)? It's a 2015 model car.120bhp.

[@sumitroin]

You will be able to go till Tumling for sure. Last 3 kilometers is still only doable with 4WD vehicle, better not to take risk with a 2WD.

[@sumitroin]

@Amit, Sorry i had missed your post. I had watched this video. They could not go till Sandakphu and they did not mention how many parts had to be replaced in that Polo! In the current condition a 2wd cannot go till the top

[@keshabnayak]

@@sumitroin tuv3 rwd with a mld will work to go ?

[@sumitroin]

Tuv with MLD will be able to go till Kalapokhri I think. It will be very difficult after that

[@akhilt.a8332]

can a bolero go thru that road

[@rohitvikram9393]

AKHIL T.A only if u have 4×4 in your Bolero

[@mayanksrivastava5826]

you cannot go here in bolero ,you will stuck because it is rwd car

[@sumitroin]

Yes Bolero 4x4 has been through this road many times

[@jimmysanjana]

Why does the passenger have to keep coming out of the Duster ? Doesn't it have enough power to climb up the incline ?

[@suryavamsy]

jimmy sanjana it's called spotting 🙂

[@sumitroin]

It does not have enough torque to climb the incline from a stop with full load.

[@harshahk3639]

There is something called TRACTION

[@nirmal148]

Which improves with increase in load.....in this case he had traction but less torque from standstill....else he has to raise his rpm n burn his clutch a little.....but then if I was stuck in a steep bend like that with dangerous falls on the sides, I would prefer to raise the rpms (in effect my takeoff speed) with my family member out of the vehicle even if it means lesser traction

[@sumitroin]

Very well said

[@benjaminneupane1519]

can scorpio 2wd go there

[@sumitroin]

Benjamin Neupane, no 2wd scorpio can go till tumling but not beyond that.

[@korlumchukhu5483]

now thats called driving.

[@sumitroin]

Thank you!

[@drsatindertravelandlifesty2613]

location plz

[@sumitroin]

Way to Sandakphu, highest peak of West Bengal

[@sankurkilling8475]

Deadly cliffs man

[@sumitroin]

Yes 😀

[@ujan_rudralove]

good to see bengalis becoming more adventurous

[@sumitroin]

:) Bengalis were always adventurous, specially in trekking and mountaineering

[@harmanbains5931]

Brother you can take swift dzire 2011model 4by4

[@yadvindersingh9223]

Real SUV is duster in its segment.breza Creta etc are front wheels drive cars only.

[@sumitroin]

Yes, Duster AWD is really very good!

[@suprotim4622]

My goddd... who r they... driving and sitting....

[@PopEye2384]

nah.... meri gaadi na jaa payega wahan....😐

[@prateekblaupunkt]

Very steep climb that was!

[@sumitroin]

Yes, the last 3 kms were very steep

[@AJsVIEW]

Duster wins..

[@arunrajk81]

Great drive.- But not the first - Someone did before that even using a 2WD duster www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/144932-climbing-heights-2wd-duster-110-a.html He climbed reverse in some places where his front wheel was slipping

[@sumitroin]

The one you have mentioned did not go till Sandakphu. It went till Tonglu. This duster is definitely the first one to have gone till Sandakphu. The last 3 kilometres is impossible to be scaled by a 2WD duster, trust me.