[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by jeepster_chd

What all the 'gyan' you gave about the pulling power of Bolero (I own m2dicr), I have experienced it first hand (steam locomotive), however, didn't knew how it correlates with cc. What you told in nutshell was indeed an eye opener. Thanks!

Bolero is fun to drive, put it in the second gear and it will climb the basement parking at the mall or office with ease without accelerator inputs and would instead require brake inputs. You don't fear halting on an incline anymore, I remember it was scary to stand on an incline in my Santro, though it would race like a mouse down the highway

I didn't feel that raw torque on slopes like you mentioned. In my Palio Stile 1.3 MJD, even in 3rd gear, the torque pull is crazy. You can be at 30 kmph in 3rd gear, let go of the accelerator and the car just keeps on going at 30 kmph. This isn't the case with the Bolero m2dicr. Sure, if you tap the accelerator a little bit to supplement the engine, you can chug up a slope even in 4th gear, but pull without the accelerator pedal pressed, i.e. only with clutch release is not outstanding.

In fact, after getting so used to my Optra Magnum 2.0 and Stile 1.3, both of whose torque pull is insane, the Bolero is a lot more sober.

My 2 paisa.

[Philistine]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

I didn't feel that raw torque on slopes like you mentioned. In my Palio Stile 1.3 MJD, even in 3rd gear, the torque pull is crazy. You can be at 30 kmph in 3rd gear, let go of the accelerator and the car just keeps on going at 30 kmph. This isn't the case with the Bolero m2dicr. Sure, if you tap the accelerator a little bit to supplement the engine, you can chug up a slope even in 4th gear, but pull without the accelerator pedal pressed, i.e. only with clutch release is not outstanding.

In fact, after getting so used to my Optra Magnum 2.0 and Stile 1.3, both of whose torque pull is insane, the Bolero is a lot more sober.

My 2 paisa.

Hey Bydesign! hve been following your review closely. I am considering buying the Bolero ZLX. Have read and re-read your thread a multitude of times. Seek help on what insurance you chose while getting the car? Did u get this from the dealer or were you one of those who scouted for a better insurance in the market as well?

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by Philistine

Hey Bydesign! hve been following your review closely. I am considering buying the Bolero ZLX. Have read and re-read your thread a multitude of times. Seek help on what insurance you chose while getting the car? Did u get this from the dealer or were you one of those who scouted for a better insurance in the market as well?

Hello Philistine (I laughed at the name haha!). Thanks for reading. I'm sure the objective of team-bhp has been fulfilled every time a member or reader is helped like you.

I just went for the insurance the dealer gave me. To be completely honest with you, I didn't even ask what it was till I signed the forms. I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to insurance. But what I did find out was it was "Bharti AXA insurance" and it is NOT a zero depreciation one. It came to about INR 22,000 in total for the year. Good luck with your decision making!

[BeingCynical]

Great Post ByDesign. A lot of effort must have gone in to come up with this.

I am told, Bolero has this weird A/C which is anything but ineffective during summers. It may have to do with the size of the vehicle but at the same time it could be because of the low powered compressor.

And what about the noise level inside the cabin? Must be higher than that of a Scorpio.

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by BeingCynical

Great Post ByDesign. A lot of effort must have gone in to come up with this.

I am told, Bolero has this weird A/C which is anything but ineffective during summers. It may have to do with the size of the vehicle but at the same time it could be because of the low powered compressor.

And what about the noise level inside the cabin? Must be higher than that of a Scorpio.

Hello! Thanks for reading my thread. I'm a little confused as to what you just said. You say the A/C is anything but ineffective, but has a low powered compressor?

The A/C is exceedingly effective, and I love the way even the jump seat row is chilled during a hot day. The only problem I experience is the fogging of the bottom part of the front windshield. Then there's a lot of condensation on the dashboard as well due to the extremely cold A/C. The condensation also fogs up the MID and I have to wipe it off to be able to read the display haha!

Anyway, got some funky upgrades this week. And they are -

ICE

• Pioneer MVH 355 BT head unit with bluetooth. Awesome sound and very clear calling. The mic's superb as well, and I've got that fitted behind the rear view mirror. I'm a little used to the Pioneer HU in my Palio which has multi line display where I can actually browse folders and see much more on the screen, whereas this is a single line of display. But I'm very happy with the overall quality of the setup. Equalizer options and various sound options are more than satisfying. Controls are super intuitive to use.
• JVC CS-VS607 components in the front with dashboard mounted tweeters. Excellent budget components for sure. Love the sound on this all through the ranges. On a side note, the build quality of the tweeters and the speaker cone and cover are wonderful too.
• JBL GT6-S266 6-1/2" speakers at the rear. Excellent sound from these as well. Set the fader to about +5 bias at the rear and it's just perfect for me.

Overall, the ICE setup is very sober. Nothing as pumped as the setup in my Palio Stile, but this is all I want in this jeep for now. Does the job respectfully, and bluetooth pairing and call facility with phone menu browsing on the HU is new for me. Love the experience.


LIGHTS

• Bright white Philips headlight bulbs. Excellent visibility and looks hot.
• Multi SMD white LED parking lights. T10 size, probably Chinese. Works and looks good.
• Multi SMD white LED interior ceiling light. Japanese. Makes a welcome change from the dull yellow stock bulb.
• Fog lamps. I wasn't very happy that the top variant Bolero didn't have company fitted fog lamps. The one's I've got now are made for the Bolero specifically. The super snug water tight fit into the bumper made me happy. Yellow light and very bright. The switch was fitted into the slot next to the micro hybrid switch. Looks OEM too!

HORN
If anyone remembers my first post or knows otherwise, the horn of the Bolero is extremely meek. Enter Minda's double trumpet blasters. Superbly fitted behind the grill with down facing trumpets (so water doesn't ingress). They needed relay's cause they're high powered. Get's people out of the way real quick!


CARPETING AND UPHOLSTERY

• Complete floor mat set (carpet fabric type) including for the boot floor. Fits into every last bit of floor space. Nice and soft too! Have rubber mats on top of this for the additional grit and water proofing.
• Dual tone stitched jute seat covers. Comfortable and excellent fit and finish. No wrinkles, and nothing out of place. Breathable material makes it easier in summers against the skin. Foldable arm rest covered too.

MISC

• Gear lock. 5 years warranty. Functional. Not too happy with the way the floor carpet was abused during fitment. Will see if I can jugaad the carpet and tuck it in properly.

[Murugan]

Congrats on your Bolero. Nice thread. The Bolero has many times been on my short list. Apart from other issues that pushed the Bolero off my list, the lack of an automatic transmission was a key issue for me. I am not sure how many would have seriously considered the Bolero if it had an automatic transmission variant? I would have.

[Philistine]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

Anyway, got some funky upgrades this week. And they are -

Wonderful! So you've completed your first set of major upgrades.

Do post the approximate cost of each of these. I'm expecting the Bolero to be delivered by the 15th of this month and this information will be useful as I'm looking for most of these upgrades as well! Post pics if possible too!

Cheers.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

..
Anyway, got some funky upgrades this week. And they are -
...

Do post some pics!

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by Philistine

Post pics if possible too!

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Do post some pics!

And here are the pics! Prices included for you Mr. Philistine. These prices are quoted by the dealer. Your call for additional discount. Please don't ask me about discrepancies in pricing. Thanks.



I've given up getting the black spare wheel cover. I think I've grown fond of the white one now.



Jump seats (I didn't get seat covers for those). Visible below is part of the new carpeting (INR 1600) I got.



A closer look at the carpeting in the boot.



JBL decal on the side. This won't last even a short while, it's not waterproof!



Front fog lamps now installed! Very satisfied with the build and fit! (INR 1,200).



Looks smashing.



Look inside you'll see down facing double trumpet horns made by Minda (INR 600).



The top of my jeep. New seat covers (INR 3500) are partially visible).



Not too happy with the way the wiring hangs about, but I don't think I'd want them to be stuck to the bumper either. Probably some insulation or plastic ribbed piping later.



Right side fog lamp, and partially visible is my other baby's rear quarter and alloy (not the Santro!)



New gear lock by Autocop owned brand 'Scorpio' (INR 1100) with 5 years warranty. New seat covers also visible.



Closer look at the front carpeting. Love how soft and complete it is.



An even closer look.



Snugly fitted fog lamp switch on the right. The middle switch is the micro hybrid control (always off in my case), and the left most switch is the head lamp leveler.



A nice shot of the new seat covers.



New Pioneer MVH 355 BT HU (INR 5800). Sound quality is excellent.



Roof mounted mic for bluetooth. A job well done.



Another outside shout of the new seat covers. Love the black and beige combo.



Rear seats and their new cover. Also visible is the rear carpeting under the waterproof additional floor mats (old ones so no price here).



A closer look at the rear floor.



And there she is. Back from the workshop!



Front perspective view.



Super sexy headlight design with new white bulbs by Phillips (MRP INR 1200). Also visible is the new multi-smd LED parking light (INR 250 for the pair, generic Chinese stuff, does the job).



Close up view of the parking light bulb.



Key fob, provided by Mahindra.

Hope you enjoyed the pics!

[BlackPearl]

Congrats ByDesign. The Bolero is looking stunning in Black along with the alloys and fat tires. I did not like the white part in the stepney cover though. Did it come from the factory with that colour scheme? I have a 2012 Bolero LX 4x4 and love the vehicle; my first car was a Palio as well

[Philistine]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

And here are the pics! Prices included for you Mr. Philistine. These prices are quoted by the dealer. Your call for additional discount.

Hope you enjoyed the pics!

Thank you ByDesign. The Car looks wonderful in black and I hope you enjoy her to the fullest!

I thought that your color choice would mean a black colored wheel cover too, surprising that this isn't the case. Frankly I haven't noticed other Black boleros on the road. BTW, why the wheel cover? You didn't have the alloy installed?

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

Congrats ByDesign. The Bolero is looking stunning in Black along with the alloys and fat tires. I did not like the white part in the stepney cover though. Did it come from the factory with that colour scheme? I have a 2012 Bolero LX 4x4 and love the vehicle; my first car was a Palio as well

Originally Posted by Philistine

Thank you ByDesign. The Car looks wonderful in black and I hope you enjoy her to the fullest!

I thought that your color choice would mean a black colored wheel cover too, surprising that this isn't the case. Frankly I haven't noticed other Black boleros on the road. BTW, why the wheel cover? You didn't have the alloy installed?

Thanks both! I'll answer both queries together since they're similar. The spare tire cover is supposed to have a body colored insert. Mahindra didn't pay attention to the nitty gritties and gave me a white one instead. Standard excuse? "Arre sir voh black color insert toh aa hi nahi raha hai factory se" (That color insert has stopped being issued from the factory). I don't buy that excuse for one second nor do I have the time to get it from them. They offered me an olive green one instead, which I declined. I'll get this one spray painted soon.

And no, I only got 4 tires upsized. The spare's still the old size. I was assured that the diameter isn't that different so I can safely run on the spare at least till I get the punctured tire repaired. If anyone has any inputs on this please let me know. Should I get the 5th tire upsized as well?

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

[JediKnight]

You Bolero looks pretty impressive though i am not a big fan of tyre upsize especially if they potrude sideways.

Nonetheless you have an impressive machine. I think an initial ownership review is due. Esp:

-Are you able to keep up with city traffic easily. I mean is the acceleration adequate in real world urban conditions.

-Did you go on long highway trip. If yes your feedback.

-How is the ride quality. How do your passengers rate your Bolero vis-a-vis your other rides.

[aneezan]

Mighty congratulations on your car. Some questions if you don't mind.

- how is the drive on highways? Normally I see boleros are able to keep up with some hatches.
- is it bumpy at the back seat?

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by JediKnight

You Bolero looks pretty impressive though i am not a big fan of tyre upsize especially if they potrude sideways.

Nonetheless you have an impressive machine. I think an initial ownership review is due. Esp:

-Are you able to keep up with city traffic easily. I mean is the acceleration adequate in real world urban conditions.

-Did you go on long highway trip. If yes your feedback.

-How is the ride quality. How do your passengers rate your Bolero vis-a-vis your other rides.

Ah yes! A few people I know are not too fond of the tires protruding like that. It's hardly crossed 1k kms Do you think it's time for an ownership report just yet? Thanks for the compliments, and I think your queries are superbly stated and balanced.

The lift off in first gear is pretty neat to pull away at a green light, but it doesn't keep up at anything above that. It just rumbles along like a truck or locomotive. No top end speed. The revs are always pretty sober, i.e. below 2,000 RPM all through, even on the highway.

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

Ride quality? Hehe, pretty bad if you ask me. I love the super high position and the way it towers above everything else. It commands respect on the roads and with the po-po too. It jumps about like anything on little bumps and stuff. The leaf springs at the back make sure of that. The front is ok, but it's like a ship being tossed about at high sea sometimes. I don't mind, but let's see what happens on our road trip haha!

I can't really compare this tank to the other cars I have, they're such sober refined drives comparatively. The Palio MJD is the second in line. Not a very soft suspension, though the upsized michellins there are helpful too. The i10 is a very smooth ride, and the Optra Magnum is super cushion soft.

Originally Posted by aneezan

Mighty congratulations on your car. Some questions if you don't mind.

- how is the drive on highways? Normally I see boleros are able to keep up with some hatches.
- is it bumpy at the back seat?

Thanks a lot! Please see the post above for the answers to your question. At to re-emphasize; Yes it shoots of the starting line (green light), but its just train like after that. Can't keep up with much. You need to make do with a super squat low speed, but very stable.