[ringoism]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

The Bolero was stolen day before yesterday. ... i got to know that DI Bolero's are prone to being stolen as Mahindra doesnt equip them with an immobilizer. The M2Dicr Bolero's are though equipped with an immobilizer and thus cannot be started with a duplicate key...I hope I manage to get it back- although I do not really expect to do so... I would like to buy the Bolero again (this time the 4x4) but unfortunately the 4x4 only comes with the DI and not the M2Dicr and I cant afford to have one stolen again.

Mods- please close this thread. Thanks for reading everybody.

Extremely sorry for your loss, but maybe you could wait a couple weeks and see if it reappears before closing the thread (let's hope and pray)... Many "lost" things are indeed found, and many of us have enjoyed following you on this journey, wishing it could continue.

I suspect that the intention of those stealing such a vehicle would be to put it into rural taxi service in whichever neighboring state... there is certainly no better vehicle than a rigid-front-axle, LWB Bolero for such, and it would be likely to do another fifteen years out there in rigorous duty.

I earlier lived in an extremely theft-prone city - one year I remember was that in my section of that city alone (and this was a city of only a million people), five and a half thousand cars were stolen. There were certain cars that had the unfortunate distinction of being both very popular and ridiculously easy to steal. The standard Bolero is not much different, I'm afraid.

Just FYI, though, if it comes to searching for a replacement, and for the sake of others owning theft-prone cars: factory immobilizers, while effective, are not the only viable means of reducing theft risks. On one of my cars I did have one, which required a digital code to be input - through the radio controls if I recall - in order to activate the ECM (that was a BMW)... Another car had an aftermarket alarm system with motion sensors;

Equally effective as either of these, however, was the system I devised for another vehicle which had neither (as per recommendations of the street-level "experts" of that time/place - whose cousins were possibly the ones doing the stealing!) - by which the fuel pump could only be activated via the proper combination of two separate micro-kill switches / relays that were hidden in easily accessible yet extremely inconspicuous and basically impossible-to-find places in the driver's compartment. A would-be-thief would've been frustrated out of his mind trying to figure out why that car wouldn't start, and as the wiring was direct to the pump itself, his only way around it would've been to run a separate wire from the pump buried somewhere at the back of the car up to the battery or other power source... not an easy thing to do in the rush these guys are always in.

I also was in the habit of putting a lockable "Club" (long bar, basically) on the steering wheel which made it un-steerable without them either breaking that lock or cutting the steering wheel to remove it. Other people use foot brake/steering or gear lever interlocks. All these can be overcome by experienced thieves, but then again, a lot of cars are stolen by lower-level thugs, and basically the objective is to make things difficult / complicated / unpredictable enough that they either never try, or else half-way into their effort, they start getting uncomfortable about the delays they're experiencing, and decide to run before someone notices them, and find an easier target.

Being that our Marshal is parked right outside our home all the time, is painted metallic orange and has a loud tractor silencer (not easy to get it past several police checkposts to the south without being noticed), and does have some other unique deterrents in place as and when deemed important, I haven't generally worried too much about it... but your thread does give me reason to pause and consider what more might be done.

Again, really sorry to hear about this, and hope it works out well for you in the end.

-Eric

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

I hope I manage to get it back- although I do not really expect to do so. Looking at buying either the Force Gurkha 4x4 or the Scorpio S4 4x4 as replacement.

Rahul, Very sorry about what happened.

Don't bother with Force Gurkha, in it's current form, it is absolute POS. They have been talking about changing the flaws, but not sure when that model will see the light of day. Hopefully my grand kids will be able to buy one .

The S4+ 4x4 is the cheapest 4x4 tourer available now. For a few thousand more you get the airbags and ABS compared to the S4.

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

38000 Kilometers. The Bolero was stolen day before yesterday. I had parked it in front of my office building besides the road. When I got out at 12:30 am it wasnt there. I went to the police station, filed a complaint, notified the insurance company and the bank and went home saddened.

Rahul, so sorry to hear about your loss. Hope you get the vehicle back in the same condition. What did the police say?

[rahul4321]

Originally Posted by ringoism

Extremely sorry for your loss, but maybe you could wait a couple weeks and see if it reappears before closing the thread (let's hope and pray)... Many "lost" things are indeed found, and many of us have enjoyed following you on this journey, wishing it could continue.

I suspect that the intention of those stealing such a vehicle would be to put it into rural taxi service in whichever neighboring state... there is certainly no better vehicle than a rigid-front-axle, LWB Bolero for such, and it would be likely to do another fifteen years out there in rigorous duty.


-Eric

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Rahul, Very sorry about what happened.

.

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

Rahul, so sorry to hear about your loss. Hope you get the vehicle back in the same condition. What did the police say?

Thank you for your wishes and prayers everybody. An update- the Bolero has been located but still is not with me yet and I have no idea how I am going to go about recovering it. Here's the story in a little more detail

The Bolero was stolen on the 11th of February. On the 12th of February, i lodged an FIR with the Anandnagar Police Station in Ahmedabad. My insurance got over on the 22nd of February and since I was not technically the owner of the car anymore, I let it lapse.

On the 26th of February at around 4 in the afternoon I get a call from an unknown number. It was a cop from UP. He asked me if I owned a Bolero. I told him that I did indeed but it was stolen a few days ago. So he told me that the they found the Bolero parked in a ditch alongside the road in the village of Chaubia, Etawah District in Uttar Pradesh. Apparently, they had put a routine roadblock and were checking each and every car. Back in the line, the thieves lost their cool and took the car down a ditch alongside the road, abandoned it there and fled.

Next day, the police spotted a Bolero in a ditch. They ran the "UP Number Plates" affixed on it and found it belonging to a motorcycle in Lucknow. They then smashed a window, went inside found a document (or visiting card) belonging to me and gave me a call. Thereafter it seems, they also broke open the steering lock as they had to tow the car back to the police chowki.

Now, I am in a fix. I need to go and get the car back along with a police constable from the Ahmedabad Police Station. But how do I drive a car over a span of a 1000 kilometers which is uninsured? The insurance company is not ready to accept a renewal unless they see the car in person.

Is there anybody from a nearby area who can go and check on the car? It should ideally be okay as it was in running condition just before the thieves decided to abandon it. But I just want to check on whether it has taken any hits on when they lowered it into a ditch.

So near- and yet so far!

[madhu33]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

So near- and yet so far!

Hope the damages are not bigger than it seems from the above story. Hope it would be in a drivable state with some repairs.

You are lucky to have this option of retrieval on your hands. Just try to go there and get it back asap without second thoughts.
Try to solve the insurance puzzle once you lay your hands physically on your bolero there. You could try online policy renewal or may be send detailed pictures to your existing insurance contact point and plead him for renewal against those pics. In the return journey have the policemen accompany you (if possible) .

Just go get it back please . GOD BLESS YOU

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

So near- and yet so far!

Don't the insurance co have offices where the Bolero is right now? Try speaking to more than one provider and see if you can find one who is willing to carry out the inspection at the new location.

Last option could be to flatbed it all the way back, but that could cost a lot!

Glad you got it back!

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

Thank you for your wishes and prayers everybody. An update- the Bolero has been located but still is not with me yet and I have no idea how I am going to go about recovering it. Here's the story in a little more detail...

So near- and yet so far!

Great news though with a caveat. Lets hope the car is in good condition. Bolero is one tough nut as your thread title says, so good chance that nothing has happened. I would suggest to get the vehicle on a flat bed, transport it to your place and then sort out the insurance related issue.

[zalaps]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

The Bolero was stolen on the 11th of February.

I had spotted '46' twice in february itself. I just came to post about it.
And then what you get is news of vehicle getting stolen! From where it got stolen? Prahlad Nagar?

I thought it is having immobilizer.
Sorry for you. Just go and get it back!

[jinojohnt]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

But how do I drive a car over a span of a 1000 kilometers which is uninsured? The insurance company is not ready to accept a renewal unless they see the car in person.

Worst case, you could take a third-party insurance, which does not need the vehicle to be shown.

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

the Bolero has been located but still is not with me yet and I have no idea how I am going to go about recovering it. Here's the story in a little more detail

On the 26th of February at around 4 in the afternoon I get a call from an unknown number. It was a cop from UP. He asked me if I owned a Bolero. I told him that I did indeed but it was stolen a few days ago. So he told me that the they found the Bolero parked in a ditch alongside the road in the village of Chaubia, Etawah District in Uttar Pradesh.

Just as I expected - it would be heading to a rural UP/Bihar district where it would have suffered the horrors of daily taxi duties for the next 20-odd years...

Kudos to the police, and expecting that one way or the other everything should work out.

Never personally been in such a fix, but seems the insurance company, in light of the situation, should be able to do something for you. It should be their responsibility, I should think. Some great suggestions below by other members.

I don't know how it is here in India, but in the U.S. the usual "comprehensive" insurance policy would include things like towing/transportation. Long story short, it would cost the insurer a lot more to pay out a claim for total loss (theft) than for the associated costs of this recovery / repair, and being that they likewise can hardly prove the car's been recovered without "seeing it in person" it would seem it's going to be in their best interest to do what it takes to get the thing back where it belongs. Might be good to check your policy and if need be contact the head office and confirm what's covered. If it needs to be transported back 1000km by truck and they're liable to cover that expense, then your problem's largely solved. If not, then ask THEM what it is you should be doing. Either way, they've got to pay for something one way or the other.

-Eric

[Motard_Blr]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

...

Now, I am in a fix. I need to go and get the car back along with a police constable from the Ahmedabad Police Station. But how do I drive a car over a span of a 1000 kilometers which is uninsured? The insurance company is not ready to accept a renewal unless they see the car in person.
...

If all the theft reporting formalities (police, insurance) were completed before the previous insurance policy ended, you have a valid claim before the insurance company. The insurance policy would have a clause which says exactly the above. The same clause covers both theft and damage. You could not reasonably expect to recover the vehicle and therefore renew insurance for it.

If the insurance company insists on seeing the car, I suggest you put some pressure on them under the clause I mentioned above. They cannot hide behind legal mumbo jumbo.

Good luck!

[Turbanator]

The insurance company is not ready to accept a renewal unless they see the car in person.

They are playing smartly / safer, because your claim of lost vehicle is no longer admissible, they want to be safe on damages to this vehicle & technically since you don't have insurance you will have to bear the cost for damages as it will be difficult to prove when exactly did this got damaged within or outside insurance dates.

Given the situation you should go or send someone to pick this from Police Station ASAP

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

They are playing smartly / safer, because your claim of lost vehicle is no longer admissible, they want to be safe on damages to this vehicle & technically since you don't have insurance you will have to bear the cost for damages as it will be difficult to prove when exactly did this got damaged within or outside insurance dates.

What slimy people of devious minds they are...

There is a central government office in India concerned with complaints regarding insurers; can't recall its name at present. I tend to think that subtle threats towards availing of their services might help. In my one experience of dealing with an accident claim (albeit abroad), I was armed with a little relevant info, and once the equally slimy, devious company in question realized I wasn't going to make a good victim and in fact might end up creating a lot more liability and cost for them via a court case, they shut up and did what they knew they should be doing in the first place (and what I'd paid them for), which was to compensate me for damage/loss to my vehicle.

-Eric

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by ringoism

There is a central government office in India concerned with complaints regarding insurers; can't recall its name at present.

Is this it?

https://www.irdai.gov.in/ADMINCMS/cm...eNo233&mid=7.1

http://www.policyholder.gov.in/ombudsman.aspx

Cheers,
Vikram

[rahul4321]

So I set out for Etawah in UP on the 10th of February with my friend and 2 cops from Ahmedabad. We booked a train from Ahmedabad to Delhi, changed trains at Delhi and then boarded a second one from Delhi to Etawah. We reached Etawah close to 12 noon on the 11th and then took a taxi to the village of Chaubia located 18 kilometers away from Etawah.

This is what I see the moment I walk into the police station. Ouch!!!











Talking to the police there, I came to know that the thieves had abandoned the car after toppling it. Finished the "formalities" which took close to 3 hours and tried to start the car. The engine turned over but it wouldnt catch. I suspected something was wrong then and there. However, with a little bit of prodding the accelerator, it did catch on. I then proceeded to drive it slowly to the town of Etawah. 3 kilometers in, the Bolero shuddered and died. The starter was fine but the engine refused to catch. Thinking it was the quantity of fuel (the last light was blinking on the instrumentation console), we bought 5 litres from a nearby pump and filled up the tank. The engine still wouldnt start. Finally, we got a tractor to tow us into Etawah to the Mahindra Service Station (Rajendra Auto)

These guys at Rajendra Auto were a big big help. We reached the service station just as dusk was falling and the guys were ready to leave for the day. I urged two senior level staff; Mr. Bhupendra Singh and Mr. Rajeev Sharma to look at the car. They identified a fuel line leak as one of the first issues and first wanted me to come back the next day. However, I told them that we wanted to leave by early morning the next day and if they could start the engine up today, that would be a great big help to us. We (me and my friend) were all on a tight schedule with regards to leaves and we couldnt afford to waste a single day.

The two gentlemen above gathered the technicians who were about to leave, ordered for a new fuel hose, replaced it and then primed the diesel filter for pressure. The engine still didnt catch. After that (when I was speaking to someone over the phone), they checked some other things and managed to restart the engine. We repeated the switch off-switch on exercise a few times and it started just like the good old days. They also pronounced it road worthy to drive it back home. They must have spent a total of 45 minutes after their scheduled departure time but did not charge me for anything but the fuel hose (not even the labour costs for their time). This is called Customer Service. Helping out a stranded customer from another state by going over and beyond their duty. I have emailed Mahindra and I hope they give these two guys their due accolades.

The next day early morning we left from Etawah. Without a front windscreen, we were really suffering from the buffeting winds and small tiny particles of dust and insects entering our eyes. 2 hours in we found a small town where we stopped for tea and bought plastic goggles costing 40 bucks a piece for everyone. We also tied a handkerchief around our mouths and nose for the long journey ahead. The first 100 kilometers were driven were slowly as I wanted to check the engine for any signs of overheating or strange sounds. The alignment and chassis were in good shape as well. A 100 kilometers down- the engine and gearbox felt just the same as it always had been. I then picked up speed and drove it between 80-90 km/hr and proceeded towards Ajmer (exactly halfway between Ahmedabad and Etawah) which would have been our halt for the night. We reached Ajmer at 9 in the night, checked into a hotel with a safe underground parking and slept like a log.

The next day was remaining 600 kilometers to Ahmedabad which passed without any major events. I checked the car in to the police station on the 13th of February after which I started with the court formalities for releasing the car. The formalities got done with on the 17th of January and I drove it to the Mahindra Service Station. I got stopped by a local cop along the way who ironically thought I was driving a stolen UP car.

Major Damages:
Top caved in,
Front Fender
Engine Hood
Both Front Doors
Both ORVM's stolen
Music System + Speakers + Amplifier Stolen
AC Starter Knob Stolen
AC Temperature Knob stolen
Jack and Tool Kit Stolen
Both the wiper and turn indicator stalks are broken
Steering Lock was broken by the cops to tow the car as the car was steering locked and then abandoned.


The surveyor will come to check the car in the next couple of days by which I should have an estimate.


I have attached two more pictures below. In the first one- thats me driving the car wrapped up like a dacoit and in the second picture are my friends and the cops who had accompanied me. Left to Right (Gaurav my friend from Ahmedabad, me, Dhananjay my friend who joined us from Delhi and then the two cops).





All in all- one thing has impressed me. The Bolero after toppling over, just stood up, shook itself off (just changed a 400 buck fuel hose) and covered a high speed 1200 kilometer journey without a whimper. I dont know which other engine would have been able to withstand such abuse and still manage to get up and go. Speaks volumes about the reliability and abuse tolerant nature of the engine, bodyshell and chassis of the Mahindra Bolero