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-   -   My Mahindra Bolero DI: A tough nut, but not as tough as I would have liked. EDIT -Stolen & Recovered (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/135621-my-mahindra-bolero-di-tough-nut-but-not-tough-i-would-have-liked-edit-stolen-recovered.html)

I have been a regular on Team Bhp for quite some years now. Always prowling around the site, reading reviews, travelogues and first-impressions of newly launched vehicles, I was more of a casual observer than a hardcore enthusiast. But then things changed as I spent more time on this site and indulged in a few of my passions; namely long distance driving. I remember the first long distance trip I took some years ago, Ahmedabad-Pune-Bangalore-Pune-Ahmedabad. I was a bit apprehensive, a bit nervous- but having read on T-bhp, a thread of someone having done the same route in a Mahindra Scorpio, I felt a bit at ease. (I did that route in a Hyundai Accent)

Coming back to the Mahindra Bolero, I read each and every review of the Bolero on Team Bhp atleast four or five times in a bid to make a decision as to the variant (read engine) which would be the best fit for my usage. My passion for owning a Bolero started way back in 2008 (when a neighbor working on a construction site used to have a Bolero which he would use for official duties). From the time I saw it, I fell in love with it. Then in 2009 (or was it 2010), when the Bolero Storm was launched, I thought to myself ‘there’s my next car’, but sadly- the lack of finances and the fact that I was a student at that time (driving a Santro CNG) did not let me make the dream a reality. A couple of years later, I read with extreme disappointment in the newspapers that the Storm is now discontinued and the M2Dicr has taken its place. Researching a bit, I found that this new engine was basically the sturdy DI mated with a Common Rail head.

Finally in February 2013, I made up my mind to buy the Bolero and sell of my Santro. But I was confused about which engine to buy- the DI or the M2Dicr. I test drove a M2Dicr SLE (with AC & PS) and was impressed by its refinement- but the long list of appreciation reviews by users of the DI engine on T-bhp kept pulling me back to the DI. So I asked the showroom guys to provide me with a DI engine Bolero for a test drive. While the showroom at Ahmedabad (Param Automobiles) did not have any DI’s available for a test drive, the showroom at Gandhinagar (Param Automobiles) said that they would be able to arrange a DI for me, but I should keep in mind that the DI engine is now no longer available with an AC or a Power Steering. I was shocked. I emailed the Mahindra Customer care and CC’d everybody I could think of but they confirmed what the dealer was telling me. Additionally- the dealer said that the DI would be available in the long-wheelbase version of the Bolero and not the shorter-wheelbase version which is now used by the M2Dicr’s. (Please note: I am not referring to the seating capacity- but rather the chassis. The Bolero it seems is made on two different chassis units. Earlier it was the DI on the longer wheelbase with a curvy roof and the SLE’s and SLX’s {also DI engined} on the shorter wheelbase. After that when the M2Dicr came in, only the DI got relegated to the curvy roof & longer wheelbase chassis while the M2Dicr took over the shorter wheelbase versions.)

Essentially it seems that the DI engine is Bolero being produced is a quasi-commercial-range of Bolero’s while the M2Dicr’s are the Personal Range of Bolero’s. I also found out that the DI Bolero has the handbrake on the right hand side of the driver’s seat (between the driver’s seat and the door) and also Rigid Leaf Springs on all 4 wheels (as compared to IFS on the front and Leaf Springs on the rear- for the M2Dicr’s and also the older short-wheelbase DI’s).

Not knowing what to do as an AC is definitely a necessity in the Ahmedabad heat, I contemplated putting in an aftermarket AC unit into the Bolero (the dealer said that he could fit it in and give me a dealer warranty on it) and asked for a test drive of the DI. The dealer arranged a DI for me (curvy roof- long wheelbase- no PS- no AC) and let me drive it over for about 15 minutes. I was impressed! Refinement aside, the Bolero DI scores over the M2dicr in just about every aspect. I found that

1- The torque in 2nd gear of the DI cannot be compared to the M2Dicr. It is humongous. While the latter needed accelerator inputs to coax it on, the DI would start shooting away as soon as I took my leg of the clutch. Knowing that if I got into an uphill jam, I might need to scoot away directly from the 2nd gear- I performed a couple of 2nd gear start-off’s and came back highly impressed. No engine knocking- just waves of torque.


2- I had read a lot of reviews/comments/suggestions/feedback on T-bhp and a lot of other websites telling people to stay away from the Non-PS version of the Bolero as it would surely be counterproductive in the long run and that the arms and torso would take quite a bit of ‘maintenance.’ I even did some extensive googling (beyond the first 5 pages of a search) and found various instances of questions being asked by users on various automotive websites of where they could install an aftermarket PS on a non-PS Bolero (All of these users were people- who had extensively used the car and were then evaluating on where to fit a PS as compared to users who would want to install a PS immediately after taking delivery of their vehicle. So I knew for a fact that ‘Yes- the absence of a PS is definitely a cause for concern as reported by countless users)


3- As the DI made available to me for a test drive was a non-AC-non-PS version, I found out first-hand what the Mahindra ‘Armada, Commando & Savari’ drivers experience daily. The Steering Wheel was having a wrestling match with me and my arms were facing a slight ache after the 20 minutes drive. But it was kind of a feel-good-ache (like the one after a heavy workout in the gym).


4- The M2Dicr had an AC, the DI did not. So could not compare the AC effectiveness of both. But having said that, I did like the cooling speed of the M2Dicr AC


5- The biggest point of confusion for me was the suspension. The front-IFS & Rear Leaf Spring suspension of the M2Dicr SLE definitely insulated me over the bumps and broken roads better, but the DI with the front & rear Leaf Springs made me feel like that was absolutely nothing between the road and me. The steering provided me with the strongest feedback of everything and I do mean- everything that I travelled upon- right from the smoothest roads to the smallest imperfections to huge craters.


6- As is common knowledge I felt the PS of the Bolero (M2Dicr) to be overassisted at speeds over 65-70 km/hr. Also the PS took away some of the feedback from the steering as regarding what kind of terrain I was travelling on (Although this actually can be considered as an advantage or a disadvantage both depending on an individual’s perspective)


7- Just to recapitulate, the refinement of the M2Dicr was way better than the DI, but this refinement was offset by the fact that I had to give the former more stick while the DI would just start to run away (in low gears) without the need of any accelerator inputs. The DI also pulled consistently in all gears. The M2Dicr on the other hand had an awfully small 1st gear and 2nd gear range (as is also the case with the DI), but while the DI had an awfully good range in the 3rd gear (from 15 kmph to almost 50); the M2Dicr barely went to 35-40, before I felt the need to upshift. Same was the case with the 4th. 5th was more or less equal on both. Having said that, the M2Dicr is for those who would prefer over outright acceleration over pure torque while the DI is for people who prefer an abundance of torque in every gear over outright acceleration. The Storm from what I have heard was a rocket (Sadly I never got to drive one)



Having driven the DI and the M2Dicr back-to-back I was in a bit of a dilemma of what to do. The heart said DI, but the mind said M2dicr. The only thing stopping me from booking a DI outright was the harsh ride quality of the DI and the absence of a factory-fitted AC. Other than that- I was okay with absolutely everything. I then told the manager at the Gandhinagar showroom that I liked the DI but as it is not available with a factory fitted AC, I wanted to postpone my purchase while I made my mind up about the M2Dicr. To my surprise, within the next week he called me up saying that he ordered a DI AC from the factory at Nasik/Navi Mumbai. I was skeptical about this fact as their main dealership at Ahmedabad had told me that the DI AC is now out of production (Also the same was confirmed on email by the Mahindra guys). So when the car finally came, I had a detailed look at the car and identified its month of manufacture. Sure enough the car was a late 2012 model. Then I asked the manager to show me some evidence as to how I could be sure that it is not a normal DI fitted with an aftermarket AC. The manager then showed me the email correspondence between his dealership and the billing department at the factory in which he had placed an order for a ‘DI AC- White and a Thar DI- Grey’. So I believe that I got my hands on a model which was discontinued but of which they had some stock lying by.


Also another reason as to why I probably was able to get my hands on this model is because I stay in Gandhinagar (BS3) while BS4 is applicable in Ahmedabad. All the M2Dicr’s (I think) are available in BS4 & BS3 while the DI is purely BS3 and so cannot be sold in the BS4 cities. Hence the Ahmedabad showroom was not too keen on ordering a BS3 for me.


Once I saw the car at the dealership, it was a simple affair of my love for it being rekindles. I insisted on taking a test drive of the car (even though it already had 675 kilometres on the odo being driven down from the factory) as I wanted to check the effectiveness of the AC. Sure enough- the AC was powerful. Plus it also had the vents near the windscreen for defogging the front glass (the earlier Bolero’s did not I believe). I drove it for almost 20 minutes and experienced the same harsh ride quality as in the test drive vehicle, the same oodles of torque and the same millimeter-specific steering feedback.


One point I would like to make here is that the steering of the Bolero is extremely hard at speeds close to zero. Navigating it out of parking malls, tight office spaces and other similar places makes you sweat hard even in winter. This is where experienced help came in. I remarked to my office driver who drives a Tavera Neo3 about the incredible stiff steering who gave me a tip about how to soften it as he drove a ‘Savari’ earlier. It was no rocket science- but what he told me was basically that- I should not try to turn the steering wheel when the car is at a standstill, but rather I should let it roll forward or backward and then turn the steering wheel when the wheels are even in a bit of motion. Initially I scoffed at this- but later found that, the effort need to turn the steering becomes ‘Exponentially less’ with an increase in speed of even a single kilometer


So finally, I decided to book the car. Never mind the 4 leaf springs, never mind the non PS, never mind the harsh ride quality- I just wanted it in my garage. Over the next few days I took many trips to the showroom just to talk to the manager or just sit and look at the car in flesh. Finally one day- on the spur of a moment, I went in and put down a cheque for 5k on it. Then it was time to put my trusty Santro up for sale. Exactly 20 days later, I took delivery of the Bolero.


I wont spend too much time on the delivery process because it was a quite smooth and pleasant affair. Not much to report except for the fact that my throat choked up when I gave them my Santro’s keys (The Santro was traded in against the Bolero as a part of the down payment)


I just completed 4000 kilometers yesterday. The car has been to quite a few places namely; Ambaji, Shreenathji, Little Rann of Kutchh (Zainabad) etc. However sadly- the ownership experience did not turn out to be as trouble-free as I anticipated.


1- 10 days into my ownership- I noticed a rattling sound coming from the front driver’s side wheel well. The sound also came up at strange times. If both the front wheels went over a bump- there was no sound. But if only the passenger side front wheel went over a bump/undulation/pothole and the driver’s side wheel was still travelling on smooth ground- the rattling sound came up from that side.

2- I took it back to the showroom and told them to identify the cause of this sound and call me back. They said that the ‘bushes’ and the ‘clamp’ on the stabilizer bar connecting the two wheels had given away and so they replaced the ‘bush’ and the ‘clamp’. I thought that it was pretty funny a car having done barely a 1000 kilometres would face this- but then thought maybe the driver driving it down abused it badly (Sadly we cant do much about that. Why Mahindra don’t you atleast give us an option allow us to pick up the car from your factory/dealership in the same city as your factory?)

3- The sound came back. On the 34th day of my ownership. The exact same sound. The exact same rattle. On the exact same circumstances. This time I took a leave from work and decided I would not move until I myself checked what the problem is. Same issue- The drivers side bush on the stabilizer bar was again worn out (incrementally in less than 700 kilometers from the last replacement). Upon investigation, we determined that the bush which was fitted was not the size which should have been fitted and it was also fitted in a slightly across way so that made it wear out pretty fast. Not willing to take any further risks- I asked them to change the clamp and fit the right circumference bush this time (I also checked that it was a tight fit). Now it seems to be fine, but it is still early days. This is my 3rd bush now. And the car has only done 4000 kilometers. Some days, I sit back and wonder about the magical things I have read on T-bhp regarding the DI engine of the Bolero and the robust build quality that the members claim about. It seems that I have been handed a bad egg.

4- There’s also a squeaking sound from the rear suspension on bad roads. The technicians said that leaf springs are generally prone to squeaking noises when dust gets in between the leaves. The explanation would have convinced me- were it not for the fact that all Bolero’s come with a Rigid Leaf Spring at the rear. (Mine has the same at the front too). How come I’ve never heard this complaint from anybody else or even read about it. I will make sure these things are taken care of at the first service of 5000 kilometers.


I guess some people would want to know how I fare without the Powersteering. Surprisingly I have now gotten used to it. I love the feedback it provides me and also the fact that it turns in to the exact millimeter in sync with the steering wheel movements. I do have to provide it small corrections on the highway at speeds above 70- but on the turn in’s, it is highly precise. I love it! I do not think I will need a power steering fitted on the Bolero, but as they say ‘Never say Never’



I will come back and add to this review- especially with more photos.

Some more pictures of the Bolero with the Team-bhp stickers. Planning to get some mods done - bells, whistles & lights ;)

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Thanks

Congrats Rahul on the purchase.But the worn out bushes etc have nothing to do with the legendary DI engine. Infact all models of Mahindra and the Tata's are known to have niggles as we all jokingly say that for them the customer runs the QC department.
Noises, rattles, bushes wearing out, electricals failing are all issues plaguing the indian manufactures. I have the experience of owning both the Tata safari and the Mahindra scorpio when I was in India and faced new niggles almost every alternate month and also saw some of them going away on their own, which is another feature common to these 2 manufacturers called Self healing:D.
But having said that, the engine was always robust and reliable.
Thats why you are in a better position as bolero doesnt have all the electrical bells and whistles present in the scorpio/safari which are prone to failures.

Wishing you lots of happy miles on your bolero.:thumbs up

Its always a heartening story to read the triumph of heart over mind and congratulations on this decision. The Bolero is surely a tough nut as you have mentioned it and would last for ever especially the mechanicals and powertrain of Mahindras. :thumbs up

The niggles you have faced hopefully are one offs even though recurring in nature during the initial ownership but may surely sort out as your white brute settles down. Again best of luck and wish you many thousand naa many hundred thousand miles of driving ahead!clap:

Congratulations on the buy. I read here on someone replacing leaf springs on a THAR with composite ones, maybe you could try that. Have you thought of getting last row front facing seats? With the space you have, I think it's possible. Your BOLERO looks like those long American SUVs, different from the other BOLEROs

Hi Rahul,

Welcome to the Bolero.
As explained by Alter_Ego, Tata & Mahindra vehicles have niggles that pop-up every now & then, some of the issues are self healing too :D

The bushes on the stabilizer rod are prone to wear. Infact that is the only thing that you may replace multiple time. I own a Bolero SLE with IFS, the stabilizer rod bush gave away thrice at - 35K, 50K and 100K kms. The first time it gave away was in the middle of Bisle ghat (Karnataka) which is a stretch of steep dirt road for around 40 kms. The noise was so huge, the metal rod banging, almost felt it would break away. We didn't have any option but to drive on another close to 60-70 kms to the nearest town - Virajpet.

We replaced the bushes with TATA 407's (we stopped at a TATA commercial vehicle service station for the repair which was open on a Sunday, Thank you TATA).

The rear leaf sprint squeaking is common, as dust / sand particles get accumulated and make the noise. The front may not squeak even though it has leafs in your case, because the dust gets kicked up and accumulated at the rear mainly.

Based on my long ownership (113K kms, 3.5 yrs old) with Bolero I can assure you that Bolero is a tough nut indeed.


Pros:
- The MDI engine is a work horse will keep going on and on with out getting tired. On few occasions I have kept driving the engine on more than 12+ hrs.
- The fuel efficiency that it gives is around 14 kms on a average. In city i get 13.xx kmpl and on highways i get 14.5-15kmpl with AC on cruising at 100 kmph.
- Starts with the first crank (kind of a quick half crank), inherent quality of DI engine.
- The tyre life is incredible.
- The wheel alignment never gets disturbed.
- AC is effective, no fogging on wind shield when it rains.
- Seats look basic, but trust me they are super comfortable for the back for long drives.
- Excellent suspension, good ride quality.
- Nice insulation from outside road noise.
- Spares are available outside and a normal mechanic can take care.

Cons:
- Braking is strictly average. Be cautious, exercise safe braking distances.
- Outside rear view mirrors lack width, rear coverage on mirrors are poor.
- Switches are rough / brittle (on older Boleros), feels like they would break if not handled with care.
- 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.


I follow the below things religiously:
- 8k kms Oil & Oil filter, Fuel filter change.
- A good water wash with Joint Greasing (important for ensuring lubrication to the propeller shaft joints) every 5K kms.
- 10K kms - All 5 wheels rotation, wheel balancing & alignment.


Major things replaced till now:
- Clutch plate with release bearing at 98K kms
- Fuel line (from tank to pump) at 100K kms due to a slight leak.
- Radiator at 110K kms
- Tyres at 87K kms mainly to get better grip, the old ones (Bridgestone had another 20K kms life in them comfortably.
- Brake pads (front and back) at 40K and around 90K kms.
- AC gas recharged recently at 110K kms


But remember from a personal vehicle perspective, "Bolero is not everyone's cup of tea". This is the sentence that i read on a review several years back about Bolero ownership, though i wondered about this statement then, now I agree to this completely.

The love towards this vehicle will make you forget its minor noises/niggles/squeaks. My family is so attached that if my Bolero squeaks on a drive (which it does occasionally) everyone laughs off stating that he (Bolero) is tired or hungry :)

You will not repent buying a Bolero if your expectation is a tough and no-nonsense vehicle, no fancy stuff here. Infact after a period of time you will not find a suitable replacement if you want to.

Keep mile munching.
Drive safe, wear seat belt always.

Regards,
JP

Well put Herbie.
My classmate, who is a civil contractor purchased a Bolero ZLX Di last year and uses it extensively at his construction sites at CG & MP and has done around 100k kms in one year and he too, like you, is thoroughly satisfied with his ride.

It is not without reason that this veteran, based on the CL550 MDI of WW-II vintage sells around 10,000 pieces every month.:thumbs up

Thank you Alter_Ego. Your comment did put a huge smile on my face. Having practically grown up with Hyundai's, i have never ever encountered this funda of self-healing, but like you said- it is an attribute of only the Indian Manufacturers. I will look forward to the future then and hope that no more problems crop up and if they do they all get sorted out by the 'self-healing' medicine:D. Thank you for your wishes

Thank you so much for your wishes Girish. Yes it was definitely a head v/s heart decision and i too am very happy than the heart triumphed. I am also sure about the tough build of the Bolero- especially the engine, transmission and the chassis. Its only the these connecting rods and other small bits & pieces which are causing me a bit of problem. Hopefully you are right and these are just one-off problems about my white brute. Thanks once again!


Hi Arun, thanks for the info. Well- i am yet to come across this thread you are reffering too, but i will definitely check it out. Yes, i did think of getting the last row front facing seats, but the only issue is that the last row seats are sitting on more height than the middle row (in the current scenario). And so- people sitting in the last row seats will hit their head often (tall people need to sit in a hunkered down position). So as it is an uncomfortable place to be in, i was just wondering about the justification of this investment of getting these seats changed to front facing ones- since the headroom is still going to be the same and people will still be uncomfortable for long drives. But having said that- i am still giving it some serious thought. Thank you so much for your compliment, i too am kind of in love with the stance of this particular curvy-roof model Bolero! It does look more butch, muscular and well- lengthy! Thank you!!

Thank you so much for your feedback JP. You are truly right- these were just my expectations and the needs that i had from my new vehicle. A tough no-nonsense vehicle in which i should not have to worry about driving it on roads (or the lack of it) or on any terrain whatsoever. Plus- coming from Hyundai's- the cost of maintainance used to bite me even in regular services (accident repair costs went through the roof). So one more criteria i had was economical spare parts/replacement parts.

I am already starting to fall in love with the Bolero and its attributes- so much so that i do not even miss the absence of a powersteering now (95% of the time) Looking at your comment- i can see that you have truly understood your Bolero and also have identified its capabilities and its weaknesses which i am sure will be very useful feedback for anybody wanting to know how to live with a Bolero. I have my 5k service due in the next 2 weeks and i will definitely follow the same service schedule as yours. The only difference is that- i am not yet aware of a reputed outside mechanic so will need to stick to the Mahindra Service Stations.

Thank you once again for your feedback- it promises to be invaluably helpful!

Congrats Rahul on your Bolero Di. The Bolero Di is extremely tough and and can handle abuse. Mine has the same setup as yours with shorter wheelbase. It has seen the worst possible roads in India over a a stretch of 42K kilometers in just over a year, and absolutely nothing has gone wrong. Even the wheel alignment is still perfect. What it is needs is a thorough tightening after every 5-10 thousand kilometers. So don't worry, the Bolero is indeed a tough nut. Enjoy the ownership and please put up more pictures :).

Were you not discussing some clutch and steering related experiences on one of your recent adventures? Must be the extreme terrain though.


Can you elaborate as to what exactly gets loose that needs tightening?

As an ex-Bolero owner, I can say that the chassis bolts need tightening. It is recommended in the service manual too.

And I fully agree with Herbie98. Bolero owners find it difficult to replace the car with something else. One simply gets extremely spoilt by not having to care about the surface one is driving on. :D

Clutch and steering problem in my Bolero?

lucifer has answered this.

Fully agree with this. I cannot imagine a vehicle that can give so much peace of mind except maybe the Toyotas. The ride quality is quite harsh though in the 4WD due to the front leaf springs.

Thank you Blackpearl! You are absolutely spot on; The Bolero can indeed handle quite a lot of bad roads/no roads/ abuse. 42k kilometers in one year is just mindblowing. How is the tyre degradation after 42k kilometers? How many kilometers more do you think your current tyres will last you? (Which tyres do you have btw)? I did put the Bolero in for its first service a week ago. Got all oils changed including the differential oil and got the nuts and bolts tightened up. It does run more smoothly now and feels more 'solid' than it earlier was :).

Completely agreed on that. I just do not bother to look at the bumps, potholes, bad roads, no roads and sudden steep elevations now (which would have scraped the underbody of my Santro)

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My Bolero came shod with Maxxis 751 tires; currently at 45K kilometers. I think they will last another 5K kilometers unless the Bolero goes to another harsh terrain.

The Bolero is a strong, reliable beast.

Given your kind of use it is absolutely perfect.

Great tough vehicle and pretty much nothing can faze it. In its 4WD avatar it might be one of the most competent, cheap to maintain, no nonsense vehicles around.

My only grouse with it was the back aches and neck aches that I was getting because of our horrid roads here in Bangalore. Mine was the old XD3PU engine which pushed out 68 bhp. Not much, but very torquey and it would chug pretty much anywhere. The DI Turbo engine sounds very agricultural (just like a tractor or a pumpset) but is hugely fuel efficient, has a good turbo, excellent torque and can pretty much lug you anywhere you want to go...

May you have many safe miles of cheer, enjoyment and fun with the Bolero.