I own a bolero 2wd sport - 2007 model and have clocked approximately 50, 000 kms as on date. Mahindra owners will agree that this is a world war product with consistent cosmetic upgrades once in every six months. This is neither a jeep nor a refined SUV and it has created a unique slot for itself.
I own the DI engine model which is very noisy, shudders & basically rough - almost a tractor like feel engine. But do not expect too much from the bolero cause it is home grown, cheap and affordable. The engine has no major set backs and the fuel efficiency is pretty good. I have driven my bolero mostly on hilly / forest terrain and conclude that this is one MUV which can withstand a fair amount of abuse.
The seats constantly rattle and interiors are very basic. The fitment levels are poor and quality of the dashboard, interiors are below average. The speedo needle variates too much. The suspension is quite good but the steering is too vague and hyper sensitive to inputs. Brakes are not very good though & speeding over 90 kmph would be risky. It has a boxy appearance and the is best looking when viewed from the front.
Buy this piece of bolted & welded metal if you are using it in rural parts. Bad roads are not much of a problem when you are driving a bolero. Air-con is noisy but cools well. Gear box ( BA510 ) is not good at all and vibrations are spread all over. Best to use / own the bolero for a max period of 80, 000 kms or 4 years whichever is earlier. Sell it later as problems ideally crop up around that time. Resale value is quite good. Cheers !!
Adding to my review :- My bolero had a unique problem right from day one. Even when it was spanking new and had hardly covered 300 kms, I was shocked when I took it out on a hill drive to ooty. The fifth gear used to slip into neutral all by itself. The technicians at mahindra were quite unsure of a solution and always made hollow promises to correct the problem. At the first service ( 5000 kms ) the dealer promised to have attended to the problem and blamed mahindra for improper fitment of gear box. The problem again frequently occurred and overtaking / cruising etc.
Was difficult as the 5th gear easily slipped back to neutral. So I decided not to engage the 5th gear itself and continued to drive on 4th as the top gear. Mileage slightly dropped by say 1km/litre. Still I used to drive on and note the same at every service interval of 5000 kms. After several attempts to set it right M&M did not correct the problem, the company took no interest to respond. I was constantly trying to get in touch with the higher-ups at M&M.
Finally I was fuming and the vehicle had run about 35, 000 kms & to my horror M&M told me that the warranty had expired !! After consistent visits to many service centres , I was advised by my friend to contact SM Works - India Garage - Authorised service centre for Mahindra vehicles. The manager one Mr. Prasad was patient enough to hear my cries & promised to set right the problem once for all - But at a cost ! I was so frustrated that I didn’t mind paying - if it was rectified. Atlast a mechanic there understood the nature of the problem & diagnosed that there was a problem with the fifth synchroniser. I had all the parts of the 5th gear changed and the fifth now worked well. I was charged a NOMINAL 10, 000=00 !!
Finally I realised that Mahindra boleros are hand-crafted ( LIKE BENTLEY’S !! ) and no two boleros are the same. You need to be really lucky to buy a new mahindra. Your time, rahu, kethu, pooja etc... all counts. Think twice before investing in one OR simply buy the lowest variant of Innova !!