Battle of the Entry Level UVs: Sumo Gold vs Bolero

[Raja]

Re: Tata Sumo Gold GX - An Ownership Review

Correction to my earlier statement, I made somewhere on this thread, about the 9-seater option unavailable in Bolero. It is very much available along with the BS4 standard & called Bolero Plus with long chassis.
Mahindra Bolero Plus Specifications | 4x4 vehicles | Mahindra Bolero Specs | New SUV <a href=http://1000loanpayday.net/a/7165/ title=women+and+small+business+loans ><img src=http://1000loanpayday.net/bg.gif border=0 ></a>

Brother you please start a ownership review of your Bolero too please . There is just one ownership review of Bolero on TAI . It will be a huge contribution from your side if you write one .

 

[IndicaDLS2002]

Congrats IndicaDLS2002 that's awesome I am sure its a M2DICR one right?

Also Twinstar Sumo Gold GX must be arriving. So now we can have better comparisons
as Raja Said please do start an ownership thread

Thanks konkantrip, yeah I am planning to do a review thread after a long trip I might be going on soon, so hopefully I should be able to add more feedback.

Meanwhile here is a slightly better daytime photo, where the colour does not look greyish like earlier.

 

[TwinStar]

@IndicaDLS2002 - Congratulations on the Bolero !! Do you plan additional add ons ? Fog Lights ? Alloys ? How many Kms have you driven ?

 

[IndicaDLS2002]

Thanks Twinstar & Congrats on your Yokozuna too. Well for the Fog lights I started a thread in the Accessories & spares section & got a lot of mixed advice, some suggesting I put round shaped regular driving head lamps there instead of yellow fog lamps. No plans for alloys as of yet. I am already putting together the review & will add a lot more details in that. Barely driven about 1000 kms, bit busy at work.

 

[Raja]

Thanks konkantrip, yeah I am planning to do a review thread after a long trip I might be going on soon, so hopefully I should be able to add more feedback.

Meanwhile here is a slightly better daytime photo, where the colour does not look greyish like earlier.

Wow simply amazing

Butch , tough and rough .

Boss your SUV looks killer , now eagerly waiting for the ownership review .

 

[Simple_car]

These two vehicles are my fav UV cars. Deciding b/w them is like choosing b/w babies!

However, 4 years back, the decision was simple. Bolero. I use this car daily for work and must say, this thing just refuses to be beaten. Takes abuse like nothing else I have come across. Cheap to run and maintain, and extremely barren. Mine is the DI base model, which has a 4 speed gearbox w/o synchro, and no A/C, and leaf springs all over. Really nothing in there.
The engine has good low end torque and pulling power. It runs out of breath after 100 kmph and announces your arrival a kilometer in advance with its noise "accentuation" tech. But damn it, this thing refuses to die.
I am trying a variety of things to dispose of this car: drive like a maniac on no roads:
Potholes?, what potholes?.
Craters? What craters? I do not see any craters..
Landslides.. meh.. who are they to stop me from visiting my doctor for treatment of my shattered spine?

Look out there is a huge boulder on the road! Nah.. these brakes don't stop man. You see that brake pedal, it's just there for show man, you know.. just to fool the government. Besides, that boulder might break, not this thing.

Safety? You have a square metal box with 4 doors. What more do you need? What? did you say what will happen in event of a crash?..Well then.. it's your day to die. Don't you know the Hindu code? God want's you up there with him. Seat belts? Hahaha.. you expect to much from mahindra.. I mean look, they provided you with a strap and buckle na, what more do you want? It is safer than a bike I tell you..

I am a man.. ooh yeah.. I like to sweat and work hard.. oooh yeah.. I like the smell of the sweaty cabin... ooooh yeah...

Don't you maintain this car? Just look at this engine oil. It's all thick and gooey. Yuck man.. Give it for service. Service? Those service centres are all a part of the government nexus man. They are after your money man. Don't listen to them. This thing is running on same engine oil since it came man.. Those service centres remove the factory filled engine oil and pour in some oil which is designed to kill your engine slowly man. I tell you man.. this is all a part of the government scheme. Don't listen to the advisories telling you about the importance of car maintainence man.. The government is after your money man..

I don't fill normal diesel.. Oh no no.. I fill in from that place...oh don't act like you don't know what I am talking about...THAT place... which pours in some kerosene with the normal diesel....Improves "performance" you know.. I mean look at the smoke from the exhaust. Normal diesel doesn't give that! Oh yeah..

What are those holes in the bonnet you ask? Oh that, well my friend is the best feature of this car. You see, when the car was new, there were no holes. But then in this hot weather we face, well even the engine wants some cooling. So, when it rained, this car decided to rust at places so that some cold air goes into the engine. I asked Mahindra guys about this you know, and they told me that this car knows its problems and solves them!... WOW... I know! Even the GTR isn't intelligent what with all those computers inside. Now you see why I like this car soo much.

Floods? Just hop in, take a bath in this car as it ploughs through....Oh no!.. some water entered the fuel tank via the leaky and ill-fitting filler cap. Oh no, what am I going to do?....... I know! This will surely kill this thing. I want that sumo so bad.......Damn. Still going. What is thing made of? What? No wait I cannot hear you.. What did you say? I think I have gone deaf.. come closer.. no no it's not due to the loud engine, you speak very softly..
.
.
.
On a serious note:

Sumo Gold is a revelation. It is better than the bolero (even if you were to compare the top end version) in almost all aspects. And it happens to be one of the more reliable tata vehicles! It is superb, and I love it. Unfortunately, my bolero just doesn't die to let me go for this car..

Thanks,
Simple_car

 

[dharmesh]

These two vehicles are my fav UV cars. Deciding b/w them is like choosing b/w babies!

Sumo Gold is a revelation. It is better than the bolero (even if you were to compare the top end version) in almost all aspects. And it happens to be one of the more reliable tata vehicles! It is superb, and I love it. Unfortunately, my bolero just doesn't die to let me go for this car..

Thanks,
Simple_car

Nice description man, But aint it good that your Bolero is with you and not leaving you.

When you say Sumo gold is better than Bolero in all aspects. Can we please have a small comparo? please?

 

[Simple_car]

Nice description man, But aint it good that your Bolero is with you and not leaving you.

When you say Sumo gold is better than Bolero in all aspects. Can we please have a small comparo? please?

Ah well, I am not the one to complain. I like this car.. I really do, but after some time (especially after 270k kms), you just want to come back with your spine intact, and smelling nice. Of course, the lack of power steering and the gearbox has ensured that my body has a decent workout.

I don't want to compare with the sumo and bolero since I have not sat in the typical bolero you find on the rural roads. I haven't got the chance to sit in the bolero with IFS and A/C and all such amenities. Mine is a bare bones model. And I have sat in the top end sumo, not driven it. But it was what I had expected. It is a nice vehicle built by tata.
Both cars have their merits and demerits in my eyes. Frankly, after travelling in cars made by indigenous brands, I realize why they are worth every penny you put in them.

Thanks,
Simple_car

 

[Tornado]

@ dharmesh, simple car 's bolero is 270 kkm run DI model and not m2dicr. And comparing it with sumo gold won't be a fair comparo. So if at all a comparison is to be done it can be done with Iron Rock' s Sumo, though this bolero is 4 years old and IR 's Sumo is 15 years old.
Here is IR' s review of his sumo.

Viewer's Discretion Advised, some gory pictures :-

I was intending to post this as an ownership thread, but I don't think ill be able to do justice to it regularly as this is not my regular ride. So this is my little tribute to a 15 year old Tata warrior - this is as reliable as it could get when it comes to a TATA - in my books the most reliable TATA ever!

Background :- 15 years of Duty done in abusive terrain and includes many cross country runs too(in the very distant past).

Key Points to note :-

• Never ever left us stranded even when painfully abused in bad roads
• Maintenance cost next to ziltch , mostly DIY maintenance with timing belt changed on time
• Still starts in a single crank every single time - most reliable basic DI engine i have had the maximum experience of ! Its a toyota made by Tata literally - at one point of time one of the highest selling Tata breeds!
• Over 3.5 Lakhs kms(a safe estimate though speedo has been changed several times and it has been running without speedo for long as well) done without any overhaul whatsoever.
• Has a 0 accident history ( I wouldn't count bull horn hits, tree falling and other odd mishaps in a farm as accidents )
• Everything is nearly original!

Some pictures as below :-

Its parked in the open place which has one of the highest rain fall in MH.

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Ageing rusting, but still serving - A worthy die hard soldier.
The rust is nothing compared to the age of the sumo warrior!

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Hole in the bonnet which pours rain on the air filter - caused by something that hit it from the sky!

View attachment 99177

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Has had no dents/touchup jobs whatsoever, all original panels!

View attachment 99179

Spartan interiors!

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Some flora growing in the interiors as well - am sure a few organisms/rodents have made it its home

View attachment 99181

Seats are still so hard , you might wonder which cushion Tata used then

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Just a 9k run Sumo

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Bald tyres which make you feel as if you are rallying at 40kmph!

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To me this is the epitome of Tata reliability - in my books nothing beats this! Old Basic, Spartan but trust worthy war hardened soldier! My little salute and tribute! I probably will never ever sell this!

Current state is engine works in great condition, suspension makes noises but all is well, tires are way beyond their life span.

This weekend replaced the fan belt as it got ripped off and lost somewhere and we realized it because the brakes were far too hard and nearly not working (its fun to drive a brake less vehicle in rural roads! ) - I fitted the fan belt and now everything works including the water pump and alternator - its back for the soldier drill! Current running is limited to rural areas only, hence not much running about 8-10k annually!

 

[IndicaDLS2002]

My Bolero review here as promised.

 

[Raja]

BBC TopGear Magazine India Car-Reviews - Review: Tata Sumo Gold

So after all these years, the Sumo still has its basic mantra right in place. It is a plain, simple, no-nonsense people-mover that offers a lot of space. Over the years, it has gained a few basic luxury touches like the Bluetooth-enabled audio system, power windows and rear AC vents, which have kept this humble UV in the race. At a price of Rs 8.79 lakh (on-road, Mumbai), the Sumo is not exactly cheap, but for the utility it offers, we think it just about makes the cut.

 

[smooth rider]

the ultimate proof of the reliability of bolero - even honda will certify

 

[Vishwas]

the ultimate proof of the reliability of bolero - even honda will certify

Know what? Trident hyundai(famous) in Bangalore uses Bolero and Omni as well as spare/fleet car applications.

And after so many years where bolero and Sumo has rocked our markets, Bolero's still the best selling SUV, no one can beat the ruggedness of that beast, and not that Sumo is to be left out, it's a best vehicle for cab applications and i see lot more sumos added to my company's fleet.


Ecosport might be a competitor for these two, but somehow it misses the utility quotient in front of these two.

 

[MrRanger]

I spotted A bolero near Tin factory, Vehicle was around 2 years old and serving BMTC as SARATI, I noticed deep rust allover the vehicle.

I guess that bolero is a defective individual since vehicle was clean and maintained well by BMTC officials.

Showing some dealers bolero and comparing it to HONDAs reliability pays nothing and waste of time.

 

[dr_desai]

yet one more review of Gold by car trade
Tata Sumo Review - Expert Review: 2013 Tata Sumo Review | cartrade.com