[shyamk]

Originally Posted by Herbie98

Hi Rahul,

- Mahindra authorized service centers are pathetic. I stopped going to them after 40K kms, now i get the service done from a trusted local service center. I still use Mahindra genuine spares only.

Regards,
JP

Where is your service center located ? Bangalore or Salem ? Further, can you let me know points to be taken care of for 40k km service ?

I just moved into Bangalore and hence this question.

While in Chennai I used Ignite and all I needed to do was to drive into Raghav's garage and relax. I am hunting around for a good one in Bangalore now.

Thanks
Shyam

[Herbie98]

Originally Posted by shyamk

Where is your service center located ? Bangalore or Salem ? Further, can you let me know points to be taken care of for 40k km service ?

I just moved into Bangalore and hence this question.

While in Chennai I used Ignite and all I needed to do was to drive into Raghav's garage and relax. I am hunting around for a good one in Bangalore now.

Thanks
Shyam

Hi Shyam,

For 40k service, i would do the following:

• Engine Oil and Oil Filter change (every 8-10k).
  >> Engine Oil, i found Valvoline to well suited to the DI engine (Valvoline 15W40, API CI-4/SL, branded as Valvoline All fleet Gold). I had used Gulf for sometime, but found the engine noisier and oil getting thicker and darker by 5k kms.
• Gear box & Differential oil change (every 20k once).
• Replace Fuel Filter pair (every 10k)
• Replace Air Filter (generally needed once in 20k, not needed if done at 30K, do this based on the condition of the air filter).
• Coolant - Topup if needed. Replace if vehicle is older than 3 yrs.
  >> Please ensure you use Distilled water or atleast soft water while mixing water with coolant. Using hard water leaves salt depositions, reducing the Radiator life.
• Check & top-up Brake oil, Power Steering Oil.
• Check & adjust all three belts.
• Brakes pads (front) and Liners (Rear) - Inspect & Clean / Replace if needed.
  >> Brake liners I found the brand TVS Apache better than the regular TVS Girling ones.
• Underchasis all bolts & nuts tighten. (every 10K).
• Rotate wheels, balance & align. Preferably rotate all 5 wheels once in 10K so that tyres wear out equally.
• A good water wash and grease the differential & propeller shaft joints. (every 5K once).

I get my vehicle serviced at Salem. There is a garage - Autocare. The owner is a very nice gentleman who earlier worked with CAI (a Mahindra dealer). They deal with Bolero, all Bolero based pick-ups and old jeeps. They stock Mahindra Genuine Spares for Bolero series.

At Bangalore, I haven't explored much to find a simple nice garage. If you find, please do share the information.

Thanks,
JP

[shyamk]

Originally Posted by Herbie98

Hi Shyam,

For 40k service, i would do the following:

• Engine Oil and Oil Filter change (every 8-10k).
  >> Engine Oil, i found Valvoline to well suited to the DI engine (Valvoline 15W40, API CI-4/SL, branded as Valvoline All fleet Gold). I had used Gulf for sometime, but found the engine noisier and oil getting thicker and darker by 5k kms.
• Gear box & Differential oil change (every 20k once).
• Replace Fuel Filter pair (every 10k)
• Replace Air Filter (generally needed once in 20k, not needed if done at 30K, do this based on the condition of the air filter).
• Coolant - Topup if needed. Replace if vehicle is older than 3 yrs.
  >> Please ensure you use Distilled water or atleast soft water while mixing water with coolant. Using hard water leaves salt depositions, reducing the Radiator life.
• Check & top-up Brake oil, Power Steering Oil.
• Check & adjust all three belts.
• Brakes pads (front) and Liners (Rear) - Inspect & Clean / Replace if needed.
  >> Brake liners I found the brand TVS Apache better than the regular TVS Girling ones.
• Underchasis all bolts & nuts tighten. (every 10K).
• Rotate wheels, balance & align. Preferably rotate all 5 wheels once in 10K so that tyres wear out equally.
• A good water wash and grease the differential & propeller shaft joints. (every 5K once).

I get my vehicle serviced at Salem. There is a garage - Autocare. The owner is a very nice gentleman who earlier worked with CAI (a Mahindra dealer). They deal with Bolero, all Bolero based pick-ups and old jeeps. They stock Mahindra Genuine Spares for Bolero series.

At Bangalore, I haven't explored much to find a simple nice garage. If you find, please do share the information.

Thanks,
JP

Thank you for this information. Wouldn't the differential oil come into picture only for 4x4 ? Or is it valid even for 2-wheel drives too ?

I shall report if I come across a good garage.

Fellow members - Any recommendations ?

[Herbie98]

Bolero is a rear wheel drive. Hence the presence of differential on the rear axle to transmit power from engine to wheels. Only Front Wheel Driven cars do not have differential. In case of a 4x4 there would two differentials, one on the front axle and the other on rear.

Also in your 40k service, do wheel-hub greasing (for the bearings in the wheel hubs) for all 4 wheels. This is required once every 40k kms. All these details are also available in owner's manual.

[JediKnight]

Originally Posted by Herbie98

Only Front Wheel Driven cars do not have differential. In case of a 4x4 there would two differentials, one on the front axle and the other on rear.

Front wheel driven cars also have a differential although it is not visible separately since it is incorporated in the trans axle.

Some 4x4 especially full time 4wd have three differentials: Front rear and center.

[rahul4321]

7000 Kilometer Update (Post Free Service 1): The Bolero seems to be performing decently. I had the same stabilizer bar bushes and clamp checked during the 1st free service for any signs of wearing down but they appear to be okay as of now.

I have now gotten used to driving without a power steering so much so that when my mom asks me to fill up fuel in the Accent I actually twist the steering like an Xbox one; thats how puny it feels

The fuel efficiency the car seems to return is somewhere betwee 15-16.5 km/litre which i think is pretty decent considering all my driving is highway driving at speeds between 80-90 km/hr. And it brakes beautifully. Never does it step out of line even under panic braking. Nor do the wheels ever lock up or go "screeech".

The only grouse i have is that the dashboard makes a 'flapping' sound over pothole ridden roads or even roads with medium size undulations. Sometimes i feel its going to fall off and i'll see the steering column go right into the engine bay (but thankfully it hasnt happened still). Another small grouse i have is the lock/unlock fiddly lever which has broken down twice. Both times i had to go to the service station to have it fixed up. After the lever breaks down the key moves freely and neither does it lock or unlock the driver's side door. Since the passenger side door does not have a keyhole, i have to enter through the boot, and then jump into the middle seats and then into the front seats. I am growing old doubt i will be able to do this 3-4 years more down the line


Oh and here's a confusing element. The lock/unlock lever is counter intuititve. For all those who have used a Tavera or an Accent, you will know that when the lever goes in and is flat with the rest of the locking gear, the door is locked and when the lever is jutting out, it is open. The Bolero is completely reversed. Its a hell of an effort deciphering whether the door is unlocked or block when i jump in from the Bolero to the Accent and vice-versa

Other than these minor problems, the car is excellent. Since i have the original DI Turbo long wheelbase version, the legroom in the middle row is excellent and earns me rich praises. Ofcourse the ride of the 4 leaf spring suspensions then takes away those same praises. Having said that i have often noticed that when the car is loaded to the gills with luggage/people/both, the ride is quite smooth and sorted. So i always make it a point to try and load more people into the car (People think i'm being kind- in reality i am just 'cushioning' myself).

Since the monsoons came in early this year, we have been having a terrible time. Two weeks back there was a short spell which though being short was very very powerful. It left small roads and bylanes clogged with water. I saw a BMW 5 series on a small by-lane which was standing in waist-deep water; apparantely the car broke down there. I could not see it tyres though- just the body shell. The wheels were completely under the water. The bolero just chugged its way through till the BMW without any tantrums, got down from the road (as the BMW was sitting on the road) chugged on the dirt road next to the main road and came back up on the road and went past. I love this car!!!!

I am now leaving for Mount Abu tomorrow morning (with 5 people and luggage) and since it promises to be my first long drive in the monsoons, i hope the trip goes well

[Simple_car]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

... steering so much so that when my mom asks me to fill up fuel in the Accent I actually twist the steering like an Xbox one; thats how puny it feels

The fuel efficiency the car seems to return is somewhere betwee 15-16.5 km/litre which i think is pretty decent considering all my driving is highway driving at speeds between 80-90 km/hr. And it brakes beautifully. Never does it step out of line even under panic braking. Nor do the wheels ever lock up or go "screeech".

Hi Rahul,
Greetings from fellow bolero DI owner!

One question: Did your car come with the standard 3 way seatbelts for the front seats? Mine didn't, but then could be due to the fact mine is a camper.

A few warnings:
1. Please do have the bolts of the chassis tightened at every service.
2. Grease the leaf springs judiciously. Helps a lot in long term maintenance.
3. Be on the lookout for rust. I don't know whether mahindra has improvised on the body galvanization of its newer models, but the old ones sure did start rusting fast. Mine had a rust attack after 2 years. And how! All 4 door handles were eaten away. Replaced. Eaten away again in 2 years. The bonnet now has a big hole. It just starts at random places. I kept covering some areas with paint, but didn't help matters much.
4. Enjoy the vehicle. Its just so abuse friendly.

[dark.knight]

Was reading a thread elsewhere and then saw your post and recognised you. Rahul S without a doubt. We've spoken in another forum long back.

I see you've graduated to a MUV/SUV after being used to smaller cars. Accessorising it wouldn't be a problem for you eh? Yes the big upside to non-p.s is the feedback and precision and its good to see that few still prefer it that way in the era of E(zero-feedback)PS. Hydraulics has the best balance of drivablity and feedback but the way preferences are going in future people won't be even aware of what feedback and handling mean. Driving a car would be like a gaming console with zero feel of the road. That is taking "isolation" to a very wrong level. I'm glad I've driven non-p.s, HPS and EPS and understood the differences.

Enjoy the car!

[rahul4321]

Originally Posted by Simple_car

Hi Rahul,
Greetings from fellow bolero DI owner!

One question: Did your car come with the standard 3 way seatbelts for the front seats? Mine didn't, but then could be due to the fact mine is a camper.

4. Enjoy the vehicle. Its just so abuse friendly.

Hey, thank you so much for your feedback and your words of advice. This might sound silly- but i am not sure if there are more than 1 type of seatbelts available. My Bolero did come with seatbelts- yes; front and back both. But i am not sure what the 3 way seatbelts are.

I have been reading all over the forum that the Bolero needs to get its chassis bolts tightened at every service. I will make sure that i do that! How many kilometers have you covered with your camper till now? And how is the engine performing after those kilometers?

Thanks,
Rahul

Originally Posted by dark.knight

Was reading a thread elsewhere and then saw your post and recognised you. Rahul S without a doubt. We've spoken in another forum long back.

I see you've graduated to a MUV/SUV after being used to smaller cars. Accessorising it wouldn't be a problem for you eh? Yes the big upside to non-p.s is the feedback and precision and its good to see that few still prefer it that way in the era of E(zero-feedback)PS. Hydraulics has the best balance of drivablity and feedback but the way preferences are going in future people won't be even aware of what feedback and handling mean. Driving a car would be like a gaming console with zero feel of the road. That is taking "isolation" to a very wrong level. I'm glad I've driven non-p.s, HPS and EPS and understood the differences.

Enjoy the car!

Hey hey hey, how's you Mr. V? Long time no see. I still hate those poems!! (you know the ones which i am referring to). Fancy seeing you here; For a moment i could not believe my eyes. I mean, i knew you were liked cars but never thought that you would join an automobile enthusiast's forum!

Yep, EPS kills all the pleasure of a drive. The Getz hydraulic steering is a beauty though; as i have always maintained!

Good to see you here!!
Rahul

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[Simple_car]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

But i am not sure what the 3 way seatbelts are.

How many kilometers have you covered with your camper till now? And how is the engine performing after those kilometers?

Dear Rahul4321,

Well I actually maintain 2 campers. Note, I only maintain, I don't get the opportunity to drive it around much.
Of the two,
1) 1st one has completed 250k kms 2 weeks back. Running superbly. Not a single issue (except for the fact that it just loves to eat up grease). Did a complete brake overhaul 2 weeks back along with the regular service. Set me back 12k. Please do note, this is the first time in its life that its brakes have been changed.
2) 2nd one when I last checked was just over 200k kms. It was running absolutely fine until 1.8 lac kms service, when one of its piston rings broke. I had the engine opened and a new ring was put up, but since then its never been the same. Have kept it as a reserve vehicle now, its not run much since last 6 months or so. I am searching for a good mechanic who'll look up the car well.

Its surprising that inspite of so many of these vehicles plying across India, I am not finding a single good mechanic who will look after the car.

The 3 way seat belts are the one you were used to in the santro; which tighten when pulled abruptly.

One thing I wanted to ask you is I wanted to share the prices of various parts of this car. Do you know which thread is appropriate? I don't want to put up an ownership log of this car since I won't be able to do a full justice.
Or can I share it in yours?

Thanks,

Simple_car

P.S. the DI engine of this car is truly amazing. It ain't got too much power, but the way it delivers what it has is just too good.

[rahul4321]

Originally Posted by Simple_car

Dear Rahul4321,

One thing I wanted to ask you is I wanted to share the prices of various parts of this car. Do you know which thread is appropriate? I don't want to put up an ownership log of this car since I won't be able to do a full justice.
Or can I share it in yours?

Thanks,

Simple_car

Wow.... 250k and 200k on the Campers is simply superb!!! Hats off sir!! Any reason you can think of as to why the 2nd Camper had a piston ring problem? (Driving style of the first driver's camper v/s the second maybe?)

Please go ahead and post the prices (and anything else you want to).! I am sure it will be a immense value-addition to the readers of this forum!

Thanks,
rahul

[dark.knight]

We all arrive at TBHP in a way of sorts don't we You must be doing a lot of long distances now with the MUV. I'm still only comfortable with small cars as its always crowded city commute. Yep the hydraulic steering in the Getz is very symbiotic, it is a great corner carver in winding roads at comfortable speeds. Puts most modern hatches to shame. It has K&N intake and Turanza's now.

How're the panels and interiors holding up to the rough road travels? Service isn't an issue with Mahindra/Bolero, so small niggles can always be straightened out quickly. They are having a few issues with servicing only the Rexton since they're still learning about it.

[advaitlele]

some fantastic information being shared.
Thanks Rahul and others.

Rahul - wishing you many more peaceful miles ahead. My heart has always yearned to own one; but for the rear seat comfort have always been hesitant going for it.

PS : Would like to see more photos, especially the 2nd row and last seat.

[Simple_car]

Any reason you can think of as to why the 2nd Camper had a piston ring problem? (Driving style of the first driver's camper v/s the second maybe?)

Please go ahead and post the prices (and anything else you want to).! I am sure it will be a immense value-addition to the readers of this forum!
[/quote]
The second camper one fine day had the following symtoms:
1) huge drop in engine power
2) lot of black smoke coming out of exhaust
3) some very horrible noise from engine
This points heavily in favour of piston ring failure, which was seen on opening up the engine

Give me a month or 2 since I need to dig up the bills and I'll post it here.

Thanks,
Simple_car

[rahul4321]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

How're the panels and interiors holding up to the rough road travels? Service isn't an issue with Mahindra/Bolero, so small niggles can always be straightened out quickly. They are having a few issues with servicing only the Rexton since they're still learning about it.

Very true about the Rexton. Atleast thats what i have been reading on the forums everywhere. Panels and Interiors are about okay. The Dashboard though keeps on flapping like crazy and scares me half to death everytime I travel through a huge pothole at decent speeds.

But its only 8000 kilometers till now. There is still many a tale to be told. I will definitely keep you updated.

Originally Posted by advaitlele

some fantastic information being shared.
Thanks Rahul and others.

Rahul - wishing you many more peaceful miles ahead. My heart has always yearned to own one; but for the rear seat comfort have always been hesitant going for it.

PS : Would like to see more photos, especially the 2nd row and last seat.

Thank you so much Advaitlele. The rear seat comfort is just about average. I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone who has to travel around with people aged more than 40 as the back-seat comfort (even the front seat comfort on my Bolero with leaf spring's all around) is non existent and the car crashes into bumps with a nerve-wrecking "thump" if the speeds are even into double digits. Will definitely post more photos soon.

Originally Posted by Simple_car

Any reason you can think of as to why the 2nd Camper had a piston ring problem? (Driving style of the first driver's camper v/s the second maybe?)

Please go ahead and post the prices (and anything else you want to).! I am sure it will be a immense value-addition to the readers of this forum!

The second camper one fine day had the following symtoms:
1) huge drop in engine power
2) lot of black smoke coming out of exhaust
3) some very horrible noise from engine
This points heavily in favour of piston ring failure, which was seen on opening up the engine

Give me a month or 2 since I need to dig up the bills and I'll post it here.

Thanks,
Simple_car[/quote]


Will look forward to the price of the parts for sure!