India's largest selling SUV: Mahindra Bolero - Page 8 - Team-BHP

vinod_nookala · 11th July 2008, 12:56

Guys ,
Read this months autocar bolero touched 4900 units ahead of innova i guess!! Congratulations mahindra!!

Brief reasons why bolero has struck chord is

1. Price
2. Fuel efficient Di turbo engine (IDI engine though refined didnt really do this well)
3. Updates from time to time to keep interest in vehicle
4. Brand image improvement due to scorpio has helped bolero gain space in personal segment
5. Well thoughtout lineup like LX, SLE, SLX and DI plus LWB along with camper has hlped them tap almost every segment
6. Cheaper spareparts and low cost of ownership and almost everywhere repairability has helped the cause
7. This is one damn tough vehicle and now able to hold itself together better over long time

There are minus to bolero as summaried elsewhere in the thread, but in value for money equation nothing comes close to Bolero. Now just wish it is launched with crde engine to give performance buffs some joy driving it with 4wd and IFS. (to me a Jeep which bolero is , is not complete without 4wd !)

Spitfire · 11th July 2008, 13:27

About performance lets talk real everyday routine.

0-100-0 is all good and nice and i am amazed and follow up this figures for cars in India and abroad. I have been to the tracks to see the varied Indian makes race each other.

In city traffic (almost all major cities in India) forget about performance, if you can get into anything over 3rd gear you are living outside the city. Here a Luna 50cc takes about 5 mins more then your BMW M Series for a distance of 5-10 kms.

On Highways: Yes the Bolero struggles, but its manageable. Two situations i noticed on my highway drives.

We drove from Bangalore to Belgaum(i do often, but this one time) with one of my friend in his Viva Diesel. He reached Belgaum 45 mins before me. I maintain a speed of 90 kmph max on our highways, call me a meek driver but i value my life and that of my family more then saving 1-2 hours of my journey trusting the morons on our national highways. At 90 kmph the vehicle is very stable, engine is turning at 1500-2200 rpm and mileage returned is very good. So i am comfortable with that. On this particular journey, my friend used to speed off and let us know where he is stopping for a break, we used to reach the same spot after him by about 5-10 mins, by then his order was probably getting to his table along with ours

. By the time we reached belgaum through all the traffic he saved a mere 45 mins over me. I dont mind that.

Last year 31st December 2007, driving home to Goa we come across lot of vehicles moving towards the same destination. In this particular drive we came across a rather big group in a Skoda Octavia, a Honda City and a Chevy Aveo(i think). My wife knew someone from the group. We all had left Bangalore around the same time (4 am). We met these folks at the CCD close to Tumkur. They left before us. Later we met them again at the A1 food court close to Rannebennur. They were leaving and we were driving in. After that we did not see them till we reached the really bad ghat sections and roads between Karwar and Hubli. We overtook them and reached the Goa border before they caught up again. Then they left us for good on the better roads in Goa. So overall they probably reached before us by around 45-60 mins. They may have been delayed en route because there were 3 cars involved. But considering 700 kms approx, if i lose 1-2 hours over a faster car i dont see a concern. Again i maintain 90 kmph.

Overtaking is a concern on highways and i do follow faster trucks if required instead of overtaking with an underpowered Bolero.

Now with the CRDe engine all this would be a thing of the past

So if you know your vehicle and its limits you will be happy with it. The Bolero is no drag racing tool or to quote 0-100 figures, its a 1.5 ton vehicle with 72 bhp for heavens sake. If you do have to compare two vehicles atleast see that they are from the same segment.

Sumo is faster to the 100 dash i am sure. By how much i have no clue. Maybe 20 secs. If you are so freaked by the 20 secs difference of a Sumo over a Bolero then these vehicles are not for you.

jp1 · 11th July 2008, 13:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinod_nookala

.... Now just wish it is launched with crde engine to give performance buffs some joy driving it with 4wd and IFS. (to me a Jeep which bolero is , is not complete without 4wd !)

I just pray the same, my wish is CRDe+16inch wheels+IFS+4Wd+split and foldable seat for 2nd row. There will be nothing to beat this Jeep at that price range

shankar.balan · 11th July 2008, 13:40

Again very well said Spitfire.

I couldnt agree with you more.

Jeep type MUV/SUV's are not meant for things like 0-100 sprints - stupid to even try.

And it simply does not take any skin off my nose if a friend/ group of friends driving the same route in an Octavia/Accent/Laura/Honda XYZ, reaches an hour before I do - I simply couldnt care less.

I love both the journey and getting to the destination and I am not at all in favour of 'racing against time' on the roads. Not worth it IMO considering one could end up as a statistic on the wicked roads / highways of our country.

I also agree about maintaining constant 90-100 max - and typically if I drive to Ooty from Bangalore, I leave Bangalore at about 0430hrs and am literally parked up at my destination in Ooty at about 1100-1130hrs or so. For Coorg, leaving BLR at 0530, we are again parked in front of our usual destinations around 1000-1030 hrs or so. This with a couple of rest/ wash stops, a peaceful sandwiches, coffee, stretch-the-legs and photography stop and leaving plenty of time to breathe the fresh air, maybe see a couple of Elephants and other friends in the Wilds, and enjoy the greenery en route.

After all, dont you think we have enough of rushing about like headless chickens in our daily working lives, without having to carry it over into our holidays as well?

Might be worth remembering that even if one WINS the Rat Race, one still IS a RAT!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire

About performance lets talk real everyday routine.

0-100-0 is all good and nice and i am amazed and follow up this figures for cars in India and abroad. I have been to the tracks to see the varied Indian makes race each other.

In city traffic (almost all major cities in India) forget about performance, if you can get into anything over 3rd gear you are living outside the city. Here a Luna 50cc takes about 5 mins more then your BMW M Series for a distance of 5-10 kms.

On Highways: Yes the Bolero struggles, but its manageable. Two situations i noticed on my highway drives.

We drove from Bangalore to Belgaum(i do often, but this one time) with one of my friend in his Viva Diesel. He reached Belgaum 45 mins before me. I maintain a speed of 90 kmph max on our highways, call me a meek driver but i value my life and that of my family more then saving 1-2 hours of my journey trusting the morons on our national highways. At 90 kmph the vehicle is very stable, engine is turning at 1500-2200 rpm and mileage returned is very good. So i am comfortable with that. On this particular journey, my friend used to speed off and let us know where he is stopping for a break, we used to reach the same spot after him by about 5-10 mins, by then his order was probably getting to his table along with ours

. By the time we reached belgaum through all the traffic he saved a mere 45 mins over me. I dont mind that.

Last year 31st December 2007, driving home to Goa we come across lot of vehicles moving towards the same destination. In this particular drive we came across a rather big group in a Skoda Octavia, a Honda City and a Chevy Aveo(i think). My wife knew someone from the group. We all had left Bangalore around the same time (4 am). We met these folks at the CCD close to Tumkur. They left before us. Later we met them again at the A1 food court close to Rannebennur. They were leaving and we were driving in. After that we did not see them till we reached the really bad ghat sections and roads between Karwar and Hubli. We overtook them and reached the Goa border before they caught up again. Then they left us for good on the better roads in Goa. So overall they probably reached before us by around 45-60 mins. They may have been delayed en route because there were 3 cars involved. But considering 700 kms approx, if i lose 1-2 hours over a faster car i dont see a concern. Again i maintain 90 kmph.

Overtaking is a concern on highways and i do follow faster trucks if required instead of overtaking with an underpowered Bolero.

Now with the CRDe engine all this would be a thing of the past

So if you know your vehicle and its limits you will be happy with it. The Bolero is no drag racing tool or to quote 0-100 figures, its a 1.5 ton vehicle with 72 bhp for heavens sake. If you do have to compare two vehicles atleast see that they are from the same segment.

Sumo is faster to the 100 dash i am sure. By how much i have no clue. Maybe 20 secs. If you are so freaked by the 20 secs difference of a Sumo over a Bolero then these vehicles are not for you.

Torqy · 11th July 2008, 14:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire

In city traffic (almost all major cities in India) forget about performance, if you can get into anything over 3rd gear you are living outside the city. Here a Luna 50cc takes about 5 mins more then your BMW M Series for a distance of 5-10 kms.

In reality, its the other way around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Jeep type MUV/SUV's are not meant for things like 0-100 sprints - stupid to even try.

But i do these sprints in city to keep those idiot "lane makers" at bay. These morons just don't understand why 10 cars are waiting in a line. They then proceed to make their own lane....and then the fun starts.

Regarding driving on highways, yes, the journey is more important than the destination. So i like to keep myself relaxed rather than doing a "track day".

The new bumper design has not solved the "water splashing on to windscreen" issue. It still does as i found out recently.

Ergonomics is where Mahindra can improve a lot...and that will make a LOT of difference. As i've mentioned elsewhere, the seat to pedal position is not proper. Even if you sit away from the steering, your ankle will still be in a funny angle and could lead to pain during long drives.
@Spitfire, @Shankar....has any of you felt this during your long drives?

Jammy70 · 11th July 2008, 15:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Jammy old bean
the Ingenio is a proper MUV - supposed to land up in the market to give competition to the Innova.
It also might be an option for you to consider going by your particular needs.
But I think heart of hearts you'll be happier with a Bolero Crde.
cheerio

Shankar, I too believe I would be more enthused about the CRDE Bolero. Hey, and as you suggested, let's hook up for the TD - PM me when you get any news of the launch.

Cheers

shankar.balan · 11th July 2008, 15:30

My comments below man ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torqy

In reality, its the other way around.

But i do these sprints in city to keep those idiot "lane makers" at bay. These morons just don't understand why 10 cars are waiting in a line. They then proceed to make their own lane....and then the fun starts.
Lane Discipline and courtesy in Bangalore is absolutely the worst. A dunderhead mobike boy or cross-bred infidel idiot autorickshaw will barge in when least expected and cause chaos - every morning, Koramangala 8th Main is the scene of interminable waits around 815-830am,largely caused by these disgusting BPO wagons, Taxi Indicas, Taxi Innovas and a million small and noisy monsters as above. None of them remotely understands why traffic is moving slowly and they never pay attention to indicators etc. I dont suppose they can see beyond their noses! Horrible. I just sit back, switch off, light a fag and chill till the traffic disentangles itself!

Regarding driving on highways, yes, the journey is more important than the destination. So i like to keep myself relaxed rather than doing a "track day".
Definitely worth taking it easy and enjoying the drive.

The new bumper design has not solved the "water splashing on to windscreen" issue. It still does as i found out recently.
Thats bad - in some Boleros Ive seen theyve put a mudflap in front of the vehicle in the wheel well - looks horrible but apparently is very effective.

Ergonomics is where Mahindra can improve a lot...and that will make a LOT of difference. As i've mentioned elsewhere, the seat to pedal position is not proper. Even if you sit away from the steering, your ankle will still be in a funny angle and could lead to pain during long drives.
@Spitfire, @Shankar....has any of you felt this during your long drives?
I ve not noticed this particularly when I had my Bolero. and I have not experienced this on long drives in the Scorpio. But then, I ve had some kind of jeep type vehicle all my life more or less so I suppose I havent really been spoilt in terms of comfort by these new fangled super comfy saloons and sedans. Somehow all going well, I think I will stick with a jeep type vehicle always, rather than a car.

Spitfire · 11th July 2008, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torqy

In reality, its the other way around.

@Spitfire, @Shankar....has any of you felt this during your long drives?

Regarding the BMW and Luna comparison i was being nice to the folks here.

About ergonomics its basically a jeep so well they are not the best. What you can do is try and get a set of adjustable pedals, available now and try them. Also try and modify the seat to accept your driving style. Nothing much beyond that you can do. I have the same problem and i do take rest, stretch walk around after every 2 hours on a long journey. Helps to keep me more alert, gives the Bolero some rest and i get to see the scenery too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinod_nookala

(to me a Jeep which bolero is , is not complete without 4wd !)

I agree with you totally. Around 1999 when the offroading bug stung me i was out looking for a good 4WD. Saw a number of Willys(mostly jugads and fakes), Mahindra's(mostly abused) and some other mix and match Jeeps. Couldnt make up my mind. The serach continued for a couple of years. Evaluted a lot of jeeps over time and the CJ3B(albeit a good one) fitted into what i was looking for. Found one and was about to go for it, when a friend drives home in a Classic and says "Dude, saw you obsessed for a Jeep. Found this, interested?" Bought it the next day.

Got out of college, got a job in Bangalore, required a Jeep again. Bought the Classic to Bangalore, some folks got inside and damaged some parts. Promptly send the RD350(vandalised on airport road) and the Classic back home. Started a search again, needed a jeep with doors now. Thought of going for the Bolero 4WD, but i was sure it wouldnt handle the terrain i was used to in the Classic. Stuck again. Thought over it again, if i do find a Jeep i will be stuck with two(offroad and onroad). Search completed but nothing came close to being a good offroad and everyday drive too. But loved the Bolero and had to go for it. Took the 2WD only cause i had the Classic. Got a loan and some money from dad (i was going to fund it myself by selling of the Classic, but couldnt do it), payed an emi which was 75% of my salary and lived on one meal a day. But everytime i saw the Bolero nothing else mattered. Imagine a brand new Bolero parked outside a boys hostel. Slowly got a better job and got into better times.

Yes a Jeep needs to be 4WD but being in India i had to do a bit of a compromise.

Works equally good though - i can never drive the Classic on highways and the Bolero is not so good offorad(yes even in 4WD guise).

Quote:

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I couldnt agree with you more.

And it simply does not take any skin off my nose if a friend/ group of friends driving the same route in an Octavia/Accent/Laura/Honda XYZ, reaches an hour before I do - I simply couldnt care less.

I love both the journey and getting to the destination and I am not at all in favour of 'racing against time' on the roads. Not worth it IMO considering one could end up as a statistic on the wicked roads / highways of our country.

@Shankar, Torqy: Hey whats it about Bolero owners, understated but mighty effective.

shankar.balan · 11th July 2008, 15:55

This sounds familiar to me.
Like I turned up in Bangalore some years back to take up a new job - had sold my old Esteem and blown up practically all my savings on a travel/experience jaunt, so was down to bare minimum cash availability till I started earning again. (Just about enough to survive without any frills and fripperies.)
Borrowed a Gypsy from my Brother in Law, paid for it in bits and pieces. (The "Play now- Pay later" plan!!)

Used to spend hours at Vijai Auto sales in K'Mangala every Saturday poking around and fiddling with the Bolero Sportz/ GLX and everything.

Evaluated and evaluated and evaluated, desperately trying all tricks in the book to organize enough funds to get a hold on one. Finally, a year later, just decided overnight, sold the Gyp, put down the Down payment,arranged an EMI scheme and drove off in my dear old green bolero... Great feeling.
I miss that Bolero a lot still, though I "upgraded" to Scorp with my eyes wide open 3 months ago!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Search completed but nothing came close to being a good offroad and everyday drive too. But loved the Bolero and had to go for it. Took the 2WD only cause i had the Classic. Got a loan and some money from dad (i was going to fund it myself by selling of the Classic, but couldnt do it), payed an emi which was 75% of my salary and lived on one meal a day. But everytime i saw the Bolero nothing else mattered. Imagine a brand new Bolero parked outside a boys hostel. Slowly got a better job and got into better times.

musicmanaman · 11th July 2008, 15:57

The bolero is a very good jeep, just wish it had a tad more room for rear seat passengers, and now that it's going to get the 2.6 scrop heart, it's going to be absolute value for money, if M&M get the pricing right.

ranc · 11th July 2008, 17:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicmanaman

The bolero is a very good jeep, just wish it had a tad more room for rear seat passengers, and now that it's going to get the 2.6 scrop heart, it's going to be absolute value for money, if M&M get the pricing right.

So what should be the right pricing.

Scorp base model : 7.8 lakhs
Scorp M2DI : 7.0
Ingenio (soon to be launched): 6.5 lakhs
Bolero CRDE : ?????
Bolero SLX : 6.4 lakhs

My guess is that Ingenio will be launched around 7 lakhs and the Bolero CRDE around 6.5. They might move the slx to close to 6.0 lakh level

bhp1 · 11th July 2008, 18:33

What about BOLERO HYBRID price then? Mahindra is going to launch HYBRID version soon . It may be 70 k pricier than slx.
Mahindra are claiming a 3-4% gain in economy with the hybrid.

maddy42 · 11th July 2008, 18:39

Well spitfire is the water splashing on the windscreen problem solved with the new bolero front design?
Frankly telling you the reason bolero doesnt do wel in taxi segment is because you Cant make 4 sit in the middle row and No 4 people again cant sit in the rear. This can seat 5 comfortably and 2 in the rear.
One thing i notice is Dad had the esteem which was used for long trips but after getting the bolero the esteem has taken a back seat as all out trips are on this vehicle. We wont mind as this can take bad roads and it wont whimper. With only this vehicle did we have the guts to take the balele hunsur route to mysore as the roads in some areas are horrible and add to it the dense jungle and also the Best part is only 1 bus travels through this route daily.

manikjeet · 11th July 2008, 18:57

i had a bolero 2 years ago and i loved it so much

dad and bro use to call it a LTV had so memories with her

i took her where ever i went drove it for around 70k in a year used to give 16+ fe in city
even towed a uno with her which accidentally got caught in the back bumper
sold her to make way for a golden innova but really miss her

anjan_c2007 · 11th July 2008, 23:59

I too can proudly say as a Bolero owner that its among the best low end SUV. It has everything one yearns for in its class. I miss the tachometer in this 2001 model. It was a pleasant surprise to all Bolero fans when it has entered the TOP 10 best selling four wheelers in India since the past few months as per the SIAM figures.

11th July 2008, 12:56	#106 (permalink)
vinod_nookala BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: chennai Posts: 237 View My Garage	Guys , Read this months autocar bolero touched 4900 units ahead of innova i guess!! Congratulations mahindra!! Brief reasons why bolero has struck chord is 1. Price 2. Fuel efficient Di turbo engine (IDI engine though refined didnt really do this well) 3. Updates from time to time to keep interest in vehicle 4. Brand image improvement due to scorpio has helped bolero gain space in personal segment 5. Well thoughtout lineup like LX, SLE, SLX and DI plus LWB along with camper has hlped them tap almost every segment 6. Cheaper spareparts and low cost of ownership and almost everywhere repairability has helped the cause 7. This is one damn tough vehicle and now able to hold itself together better over long time There are minus to bolero as summaried elsewhere in the thread, but in value for money equation nothing comes close to Bolero. Now just wish it is launched with crde engine to give performance buffs some joy driving it with 4wd and IFS. (to me a Jeep which bolero is , is not complete without 4wd !) __________________ Go anywhere do anything!

11th July 2008, 15:57	#115 (permalink)
musicmanaman BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: kolkata Posts: 276	The bolero is a very good jeep, just wish it had a tad more room for rear seat passengers, and now that it's going to get the 2.6 scrop heart, it's going to be absolute value for money, if M&M get the pricing right. __________________ Amby Avigo 1800 Isuzu Petrol

11th July 2008, 18:39	#118 (permalink)
maddy42 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bangalore, Mumbai Posts: 728 View My Garage	Well spitfire is the water splashing on the windscreen problem solved with the new bolero front design? Frankly telling you the reason bolero doesnt do wel in taxi segment is because you Cant make 4 sit in the middle row and No 4 people again cant sit in the rear. This can seat 5 comfortably and 2 in the rear. One thing i notice is Dad had the esteem which was used for long trips but after getting the bolero the esteem has taken a back seat as all out trips are on this vehicle. We wont mind as this can take bad roads and it wont whimper. With only this vehicle did we have the guts to take the balele hunsur route to mysore as the roads in some areas are horrible and add to it the dense jungle and also the Best part is only 1 bus travels through this route daily. __________________ You get shot in one EYE you shoot BOTH the EYES. This is the only way peace can prevail.

11th July 2008, 18:57	#119 (permalink)
manikjeet Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: chandigarh Posts: 1,052 View My Garage	i had a bolero 2 years ago and i loved it so much dad and bro use to call it a LTV had so memories with her i took her where ever i went drove it for around 70k in a year used to give 16+ fe in city even towed a uno with her which accidentally got caught in the back bumper sold her to make way for a golden innova but really miss her __________________ *MANIK NANDA*

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11th July 2008, 13:27	#107 (permalink)
Spitfire BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 674	About performance lets talk real everyday routine. 0-100-0 is all good and nice and i am amazed and follow up this figures for cars in India and abroad. I have been to the tracks to see the varied Indian makes race each other. In city traffic (almost all major cities in India) forget about performance, if you can get into anything over 3rd gear you are living outside the city. Here a Luna 50cc takes about 5 mins more then your BMW M Series for a distance of 5-10 kms. On Highways: Yes the Bolero struggles, but its manageable. Two situations i noticed on my highway drives. We drove from Bangalore to Belgaum(i do often, but this one time) with one of my friend in his Viva Diesel. He reached Belgaum 45 mins before me. I maintain a speed of 90 kmph max on our highways, call me a meek driver but i value my life and that of my family more then saving 1-2 hours of my journey trusting the morons on our national highways. At 90 kmph the vehicle is very stable, engine is turning at 1500-2200 rpm and mileage returned is very good. So i am comfortable with that. On this particular journey, my friend used to speed off and let us know where he is stopping for a break, we used to reach the same spot after him by about 5-10 mins, by then his order was probably getting to his table along with ours . By the time we reached belgaum through all the traffic he saved a mere 45 mins over me. I dont mind that. Last year 31st December 2007, driving home to Goa we come across lot of vehicles moving towards the same destination. In this particular drive we came across a rather big group in a Skoda Octavia, a Honda City and a Chevy Aveo(i think). My wife knew someone from the group. We all had left Bangalore around the same time (4 am). We met these folks at the CCD close to Tumkur. They left before us. Later we met them again at the A1 food court close to Rannebennur. They were leaving and we were driving in. After that we did not see them till we reached the really bad ghat sections and roads between Karwar and Hubli. We overtook them and reached the Goa border before they caught up again. Then they left us for good on the better roads in Goa. So overall they probably reached before us by around 45-60 mins. They may have been delayed en route because there were 3 cars involved. But considering 700 kms approx, if i lose 1-2 hours over a faster car i dont see a concern. Again i maintain 90 kmph. Overtaking is a concern on highways and i do follow faster trucks if required instead of overtaking with an underpowered Bolero. Now with the CRDe engine all this would be a thing of the past So if you know your vehicle and its limits you will be happy with it. The Bolero is no drag racing tool or to quote 0-100 figures, its a 1.5 ton vehicle with 72 bhp for heavens sake. If you do have to compare two vehicles atleast see that they are from the same segment. Sumo is faster to the 100 dash i am sure. By how much i have no clue. Maybe 20 secs. If you are so freaked by the 20 secs difference of a Sumo over a Bolero then these vehicles are not for you.

11th July 2008, 18:33	#117 (permalink)
bhp1 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: PUNJAB Posts: 177	What about BOLERO HYBRID price then? Mahindra is going to launch HYBRID version soon . It may be 70 k pricier than slx. Mahindra are claiming a 3-4% gain in economy with the hybrid.

11th July 2008, 23:59	#120 (permalink)
anjan_c2007 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 335 View My Garage	I too can proudly say as a Bolero owner that its among the best low end SUV. It has everything one yearns for in its class. I miss the tachometer in this 2001 model. It was a pleasant surprise to all Bolero fans when it has entered the TOP 10 best selling four wheelers in India since the past few months as per the SIAM figures.