[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

Oh and BlackPearl! It's a small world! Palio + Bolero combo owners! I didn't know the Bolero came in a 4x4 variant in 2012! Is that the DI engine then?

Yes, mine is a LX 4x4 with Di turbo engine (MDI3200 TC). Here is the thread that I had started -
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ro-lx-4x4.html

[JediKnight]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

I will driving this jeep to Hyderabad from Delhi (3 day road trip at least) this month. I'll take plenty of photos and create a nice travelogue on the site. I'll share plenty of details about the drive and vehicle too.

Did your Hyderabad trip materialize. It would be interesting to know your opinion of the vehicle after this long trip.

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by JediKnight

Did your Hyderabad trip materialize. It would be interesting to know your opinion of the vehicle after this long trip.

Hello! Yes it did. It took 4 days of driving, but we did it.

The route was Delhi - Udaipur - Daman - Pune - Solapur - Hyderabad. I thought of doing a full travelogue but I just haven't had the time due to my new job and finding a place to stay etc. I promise I will post a detailed reply here in my thread about the advantages and disadvantages of the ride along with photos. I still have a lot of work to finish here before I settle down!

[ratsharm]

I bought a ZLS in July and am impressed with the vehicle. However, there were a couple of issues which were finally sorted after the third approach to the dealer. The yellow light glow would pop up on the dash board and the accelerator pedal would have no effect. Meaning- press the pedal and there is no response. So overtaking a vehicle on the highway almost got into an accident. Twice the vehicle was taken for a look up and the greased the pedal etc saying it was an Electronic malfunction. On the third experience, they changed the pedal. Small snags like suspension noise, dashboard noise etc are common. The car comes out of the workshop fine and after 20-30 kms the noise starts. I finished the first service and am happy now (with the noise still around). Let me know if there is a solution to the same. Regards, Ratan Sharma (+91-9845095113)- Bangalore

[ByDesign]

Left this thread due to shifting base.

I ended up selling the Palio Stile with some 30k odd on the odo. The new owner told me that he had gone through my detailed ownership thread and really pre-related to the car, which I thought was cool. Plus I'm grateful to team bhp where I can store all my great automotive memories.

Almost one and a half years later, I'm still going strong with the Bolero. Lots of little adventures and a whole lot wiser about living with this AC truck.

The Bolero drove us from Delhi to Hyderabad Delhi - Udaipur - Daman - Pune - Solapur - Hyderabad as I mentioned earlier (that was one month after we'd reached Hyderabad).

The car hardly had a thousand km on her and we made the trip A ok. This car was extremely sure footed on the highways at any speed. The under tuning of the engine however plays a major role while overtaking, and by major role, I mean it really let's you down at times. The car can't do more than about a 100 comfortably. At 110 kmph the engine's really loud. The funny thing is it's still not revving that high, it's just at its peak. Slow and steady was the motto for this road trip. We managed some fantastic memories on this one. Through the windy roads of the pune-lonavla highway, the coast ride near Daman, the extremely top class roads on the Surat Ahmadabad highway, to random offroad strolls.

A few pictures from along the way will really tell the story.

The Bolero seems like it can take a lot of luggage. I mean, it's one massive tank.



I did manage to stuff all my essentials in (Note the speakers just have to come with. I love my music), but please don't get me wrong. The Bolero has a lot of space, and at the same time it's the most cramped vehicle I've ever sat in. Sure there's plenty of bulk cavities like the boot to stuff luggage in, but wow, they sure did goof up bad on the ergonomics. The leg room at the back is nothing short of terrible. A human of average male height, say about 5 7" would have a terrible time sitting in the back seat. We had to shuffle pretty darn often cause out of three of us, one was around 6 1" and the other was 5 10" or so. Grumpiness in short bursts was inevitable, with stern threats to "now let me drive!" coming every 100 km or so. I managed to do about 323 km at a stretch once, the record for that trip I might add, and it was purely cause I was in the zone, where everything else just fades away, and all that's left in the world is you and the open road.

Lovely tunnels through the mountain sides in the ghats were a brilliant experience.



A quick offroad adventure just before entering Karnataka.



The highway from Solapur was pretty amazing close to evening time.



We reached my friends house in Hyderabad, 4 days later to be greeted by old Jeep friends.



He kept the peace through the journey when it was needed.



The rains came. And when it rained, it poured.



The wise Ahura Mazda held the ship steady and our morale high through the endless drive.



Some epic moments along the way. And really, the Bolero just stood up to each and every test the length of this great Country had to offer us.



"Welcome to your Bolero. Take on anything, with India's number one SUV!"
(This is the automated playback message played everytime you gun your engine).



I particularly love this photo.



The cons of this vehicle

• Absolutely the worst ergonomics I have ever experienced in a car. To have enough leg room up front, you'll leave pretty much nothing at the back.
• Terrible, terrible seats all around. They're almost completely flat with no thigh support whatsoever. It's like a truck driver's seat! Imagine this on a 2,000 + km road trip.
• The steering position is really high. It's not even adjustable folks. It's something that took me quite a while to get used to.
• Don't even ask about the quality of plastics and/or fit and finish. It's sub par.
• The engine is so undertuned! Not built for highways. Or if you do decide to pull off a road trip, just settle for a cruising speed of 80 - 90 kmph and let the Bolero get you there.
• Terrible crude suspension. Hydraulic up front, sure sure. But the leaf springs at the rear? It'll have you jolting about for every bump. Couple that with the horrendous leg room? It's the equivalent of torture. No sleep, no comfort.
• No individual power window control. There's four buttons, but it's behind the handbrake up front! Everytime someone at the back wants to raise or lower his/her window? Ask up front buddy! Or leeeeeeeean forward, do a bit of yoga and reach for the button yourself. Wow Mahindra? What really were you thinking?
• Pull the handbrake up? And there's no engaging the reverse gear! The handbrake literally stops the gear halfway through. There have been more than one occasion when I'm stopped on a slope and want to reverse out from a standstill parking with my handbrake up. Forget it. First let the handbrake down, keep your brake pedal AND clutch depressed while you engage reverse and move!
• No air direction control. Want your feet warmed? Forget it son. Come winter and you can pray you can feel your toes later.

The Pros

• Decent power steering and handling on the road. Car feels super stable at all speeds. Also thanks to my Yokohama Geolandars.
• Bone chilling AC. Extra large compressor cause of no rear vents/AC i'm guessing. Does the job well. You'll note the blower is pretty damn powerful even at 1, the lowest blower speed.
• Very very driveable in the city. The clutch does most of the work, and the car's comfy in any gear. You could be trundling along at 35 kmph in 4th gear and the car will not show any signs of shudder. Thank you jeep like gear ratios and undertuned engine.
• Better than a hatchback fuel efficiency. I regularly clock 14.5 kmpl with constant AC usage in the city. 13 in bumper to bumper traffic. and the lowest of about 12 with AC in solid traffic in summer. Again, thank you undertuned engine.
• Super low maintenance costs. All paid service with all fluids changed and general filters replaced, 5k.
• Insanely powerful road presence. No checks at barricades. No panga with two wheelers. Most cars are below you. Literally. Oncoming traffic steers clear. The upsize Yoko's give this beast a whole new look of aggression and everyone takes to the car in awe. It's something you remember.
• Steel bumpers? Yep. The front bumper is made of steel, not plastic/fiber. That's just crazy. I bump into rash bullying tempos/autos and hog bigger SUV's out of the way cause of the 'nothing to lose' attitude. Dent on the bumper? take a hammer and hammer it right back out. Epic.
• Absolute meaty upsize tires swallow anything. stones, pebbles, ditches, speed breakers, all just appetizers.
• Watch your friends bounce around uncontrollably on every breaker. Or wait, is that a con? Passengers CANNOT, sit still in this vehicle.

Overall, I feel the Bolero is a lifestyle. It makes you appreciate the good and bad in life. It's terribly engineered when it comes to safety and comfort. But something just stands out in this car, and I can't seem to explain it in words. I have a feeling of pride whenever and wherever I roll through this in monster. Be it a village dirt track, an open highway dhaba, 5 star hotel entrances and porticos, the narrowest of gallis and ghetto roads, the Courts (I litigate), and people will notice. It commands a sort of respect. It stands pretty butch and proud. A few people I know own a Bolero in the city, but I don't think I've met anyone who uses it alone, i.e. not for family. I go everywhere in my Bolero, and it hasn't let me down yet. It's been 18 months and 14,000 kms since I bought this SUV. And even with those horrendous disadvantages, I have no regrets.

[benbsb29]

Beautiful. Just love the way you have summarized the Bolero.
I test drove the Bolero top end version before i bought my base variant Scorpio. To me, the Bolero while being infinitely more rugged, had its share of quirks which didnt appeal as a family vehicle.

Look forward to more updates on your ownership experience.

[SmartCat]

FYI, watching friends bouncing around at the back while driving over bad roads is definitely a PRO. But FAMILY bouncing around at the back under the same conditions comes under "CON" category.

[funkykar]

Superb summation there Ranjan! So very unbiased points you have put up. Of course, the Bolero is a life style vehicle. I too briefly considered this as an option just before getting my Palio Stile. It somehow did not materialize. "Better than a hatchback fuel efficiency." is surprising to know, but would be so welcome during city drives.

Have a good time dude!

EDIT: Your Palio Stile is doing very well and has clocked quite a bit after coming to Bangalore. It has its share of niggles of course, its a Palio!

[Neil Roy]

I too owned a 2007 SLX bolero and totalled it (lucky to have survived without a scratch) before I got the Duster. My personal view is that the brakes then were are not meant for high speeds. Maybe the later/newer boleros have better braking.
Regarding the comfort and less jumpiness, I did the following with reasonable success.
1) Bilsteins shocks all round. It gave a very planted and stable ride.
2) Carbon leaf springs for the rear. It reduced the jumpiness immensely. Downside was that to drive with CFLs was like driving an airbus.
3) Please dont laugh...... Wheel spacers for the rear. If you notice, the rear track of the bolero is inside the front track by a good inch if not more. I fabricated aluminium wheel spacers which aligned the wheels at par and this reduced the rear twitchiness.
All this will make your ride more comfortable, even though comfort is a very relative term. I still sometimes miss the bolero and the presence that it commands.(sigh) Glad that it still commands the same respect after all these years.

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Beautiful. Just love the way you have summarized the Bolero.
I test drove the Bolero top end version before i bought my base variant Scorpio. To me, the Bolero while being infinitely more rugged, had its share of quirks which didnt appeal as a family vehicle.

Look forward to more updates on your ownership experience.

Thanks. I did test drive the Scorpio, which was infinitely quicker and definitely, but as you said, the family quotient was important in your choice. For me, single use, and the raw appeal of the Bolero outweighed the cons. Plus, most of the cons came to light after living with the car for a while. Replacement front seats are now in the lineup.

Originally Posted by smartcat

FYI, watching friends bouncing around at the back while driving over bad roads is definitely a PRO. But FAMILY bouncing around at the back under the same conditions comes under "CON" category.

Definitely. My parents just couldn't take it in this car.

Originally Posted by funkykar

Superb summation there Ranjan! So very unbiased points you have put up. Of course, the Bolero is a life style vehicle. I too briefly considered this as an option just before getting my Palio Stile. It somehow did not materialize. "Better than a hatchback fuel efficiency." is surprising to know, but would be so welcome during city drives.

Have a good time dude!

EDIT: Your Palio Stile is doing very well and has clocked quite a bit after coming to Bangalore. It has its share of niggles of course, its a Palio!

Thanks for the update about my first love funkykar! The fuel efficiency isn't surprising since the engine hardly revs

Originally Posted by Neil Roy

I too owned a 2007 SLX bolero and totalled it (lucky to have survived without a scratch) before I got the Duster. My personal view is that the brakes then were are not meant for high speeds. Maybe the later/newer boleros have better braking.
Regarding the comfort and less jumpiness, I did the following with reasonable success.
1) Bilsteins shocks all round. It gave a very planted and stable ride.
2) Carbon leaf springs for the rear. It reduced the jumpiness immensely. Downside was that to drive with CFLs was like driving an airbus.
3) Please dont laugh...... Wheel spacers for the rear. If you notice, the rear track of the bolero is inside the front track by a good inch if not more. I fabricated aluminium wheel spacers which aligned the wheels at par and this reduced the rear twitchiness.
All this will make your ride more comfortable, even though comfort is a very relative term. I still sometimes miss the bolero and the presence that it commands.(sigh) Glad that it still commands the same respect after all these years.

How much did the Bilsteins cost you? Also, the reason I haven't got spacers on is cause the front tires fling muck and water like a water canon front and back! I can't have that going on at the back too!

[jassi_jeeper]

Hi ByDesign, what a great thread. I have a Thar DI 2wd and I am glued to your thread. Could you please throw some light on servicing cost?

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by jassi_jeeper

Hi ByDesign, what a great thread. I have a Thar DI 2wd and I am glued to your thread. Could you please throw some light on servicing cost?

Thanks Jassi. I've mentioned the servicing costs in the earlier threads. For a complete general service including parts and labor it comes to about 5,500. This covers about 7 liters of engine oil (mineral, not synthetic), brake fluid top up, coolant top up, air filter cleaning, oil filter replacement, brakes cleaning, washing etc. This is what I pay at the Mahindra authorized service center.

[sam_babushka]

Absolutely love this vehicle, and the comfort it offers both in city driving conditions and the highway. I drive the Corolla, the Ritz and the Bolero in bumper to bumper city traffic, and I can safely vouch for the absolute zen like state of mind the Bolero induces. Pesky rickshaws, swarmy bikers, zipping hatches, absolutely nothing can disturb the peace you feel inside when perched on the drivers' seat of the Bolero. You're almost levitating above the roofs of all other mortals on the road

On the highway, this Babe can cruise endlessly at 100, and also does respond beautifully to panic breaking. Have had to step on the brakes and swerve to avoid a trio of black buffaloes strolling in the right lane at night at 100kph, in Gandhidham, and I must commend the Bolero for getting us all out of the situation alive (buffaloes included) I have done 2500 kilometer road trips both in the Corolla and the Bolero, and I can honestly admit that the Bolero is kinder to the body after a gruelling, non-stop 500 kilometer drive.

Didn't mean to sound like a Fan Boy, just that despite the shortcomings, the Bolero is an incredible vehicle to own and drive

[Sridutt]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

The cons of this vehicle

• Absolutely the worst ergonomics I have ever experienced in a car. To have enough leg room up front, you'll leave pretty much nothing at the back.
• Terrible, terrible seats all around. They're almost completely flat with no thigh support whatsoever. It's like a truck driver's seat! Imagine this on a 2,000 + km road trip.
• The steering position is really high. It's not even adjustable folks. It's something that took me quite a while to get used to.
• Don't even ask about the quality of plastics and/or fit and finish. It's sub par.
• The engine is so undertuned! Not built for highways. Or if you do decide to pull off a road trip, just settle for a cruising speed of 80 - 90 kmph and let the Bolero get you there.
• Terrible crude suspension. Hydraulic up front, sure sure. But the leaf springs at the rear? It'll have you jolting about for every bump. Couple that with the horrendous leg room? It's the equivalent of torture. No sleep, no comfort.
• No individual power window control. There's four buttons, but it's behind the handbrake up front! Everytime someone at the back wants to raise or lower his/her window? Ask up front buddy! Or leeeeeeeean forward, do a bit of yoga and reach for the button yourself. Wow Mahindra? What really were you thinking?
• Pull the handbrake up? And there's no engaging the reverse gear! The handbrake literally stops the gear halfway through. There have been more than one occasion when I'm stopped on a slope and want to reverse out from a standstill parking with my handbrake up. Forget it. First let the handbrake down, keep your brake pedal AND clutch depressed while you engage reverse and move!
• No air direction control. Want your feet warmed? Forget it son. Come winter and you can pray you can feel your toes later.

So, sometime, when you have a weekend free, could you do a comparo against the new Sumo Gold, and let me know your thoughts? I'm thinking about a second car. One that can be taken anywhere, driven in the city, gives decent mileage, can carry a lot of folks (Sumo comes in 8+D), has decent GC, and can be repaired anywhere cheaply. I know - asking for everything

Logically, an MUV, which is pocket friendly to buy, run and maintain is the solution. Bolero, GAMA and the Sumo fit the bill. As you would have realized, looks don't really matter that much to me.

Low end drivability (for city traffic and steep slopes), turning radius, ground clearance, and leg space are important - I'm a 6 footer, and among the shorter folks in my group of friends. Again - its Bangalore so GC for the speed breakers is an important feature as well.

I'd appreciate getting a Bolero owners POV on this.

[Herbie98]

Bolero is a low maintenance, pocket friendly vehicle for sure. Fuel efficiency has been good at an average 14 kmpl and on the maintenance front all it needs is oil, oil filter and fuel filter changes at 10k kms. (Guess this would be similar in Sumo). Other than this Bolero requires, minimum attention, keeps chugging along peacefully.

But the rear seat space is lesser compared to Sumo. If you are looking to accommodate 6 footers in the rear, then Bolero will not suit. Although Bolero's front seats are comfortable for 6 footers, but will leave very minimal leg room behind.

On the positive side, the build quality of a Bolero is very good. I own a Bolero for past 6 yrs and more than 180k kms on the odo, no rattles, minor squeaks have started up now. I don't know how strong is the build quality of Sumo Gold, the old Sumos used to rattle quite a bit and show ageing very soon.

On the turning dia, Bolero takes more space than a Sumo. So taking U turns in Bangalore roads is a planned move. The Sumo is quick and is easy at U turns for sure.