Best offroad car lifespan in UAE

[derik 81]

I understand that offroad usage put extreme stress on the best offroad car even, so wondering to know more in how much intensity will it impact? 

Example: regular offroad usage slash 25% of car usable life or 50% or 75%, just an approx as per offroaders experience here in UAE sand desert.

Secondly which component dies first by using car regularly in offroad: Engine, Transmission or 4x4, Suspension or any other?

P.S. I don't meant for maintenance, but actual dying of any component due to offroad stress

[Rahimdad 4,661]

@derik Very hard question to answer. I have had brilliant luck and my 4x4s have never died on me before. I guess a lot would depend on your driving style and how well you take care of your vehicle. I have previously driven a Land Rover Discovery 1 which was a 1998 model from 2010 - 2015 with very little trouble and a lot of fun,sold it with still quite a bit of kick left in it, the mileage when I sold it was showing over 400K Kms. I now have a Nissan Pathfinder for the past year or so with 220K kms on the clock and it is running smooth for a 2001 model and Gaurav Bhai with his trusty 1999 Pajero has done his fair share also.

My experience is as long as you take good care of your vehicles, they will take god care of you in turn. Part availability depends on the number of those vehicles in use and as long as scrap yards in Sharjah these 4x4s will always keep running. i have seen some 1992 Jeep Wranglers (YJs) and some Land Criuiser and Nissan patrol from the same era still running on the roads and still looking in good condition. I remember a couple of years back Nissan had asked owners of Nissan Patrol who had purchased their vehicles from AWR and driven it for 25 years or more for a celebration and there were quite a few and most of them were on the off-road scene as well.

In conclusion a careful driver, who maintains his ride well and as long as parts are available, these machines never give up.

[derik 81]

Sorry but totally useless answer.

Can someone please help by answering my question with an answer I'm looking for lifespan (in percentage). Thank

[Barry 3,194]

I've never looked at any vehicle as having a useable lifespan. A car will keep going as long as you keep putting parts on it when they become worn or broke. Of course, this eventually leads to the triggers broom scenario.

There is no doubt that driving off road will cause parts to wear out faster but any numbers or percentages put on it would just be completely made up numbers. It depends on different factors, the drivers personal driving style, mechanical sympathy, terrain i.e. mainly flat ground or small dunes or attempting huge hill climbs. The weather is also a factor. If you're off-roading in summer compared to winter, the extra heat will put more stress on rubber parts and oil filled parts such as suspension, engine, gearbox and diffs.

Again, which parts wear out first will also down to the above factors. If you're driving on level ground, the engine, drivetrain, suspension etc will not be taking much abuse. If you're doing a lot of small dunes the suspension and 4x4 system will be working a lot harder, if you're doing hill climbs the engine will be taking more abuse. 

Im sorry there isn't a more definitive answer to your question but how long is a piece of string?

[Gaurav 7,638]

If you are looking for numbers like 10 years lifespan on road = 5 years if off-road, then it won't be a good idea to compare. This is what everyone here trying to make you understand that you can ruin the 10 year lifespan car in first year in offroad if you drive like a maniac, whereas you might get 8-10 year lifespan from same vehicle if you know when and how much to push with gentle heart and sane approach (-) minus EGO. I have seen people destroying their brand new cars in first year thinking it's a tank, king of offroad or indestructible off-road ride and soon after cursing that model / brand.

Engines, Gearbox and Transmission are generally speaking built very very tough to serve at least 200k - 300k kms easily. How people use / abuse is entirely up to them. If you don't change engine oil, any engine will be cooked after 15-20k kms. Same for gearbox and transmission oil change as per their schedule interval it must to keep car in healthy state. As far as you are following all car manufacturer instructions for servicing each and every part on time and replacing the worn out or broken parts with OEM or equivalent quality, then car can run for years and years.

I once ruined the Land Crusier differential, which was in pristine condition and I was new in off-road and I listen to someone advise but with half instruction. Totally my bad and nothing to do with Land cruiser or Toyota build quality, it was just based on driver's stupidity.

I also like to mention that don't measure any car lifespan in terms of years but instead of odometer reading, as everything in car wears off with the number of kms it is driven and not only from the number of years of age.

I do drive 1999 MItsubishi Pajero model with 188,000 Kms and still drive like a charm on off-road and on-road. And I am so much in love with that, that I ditch my 2012 Mustang GT for office on few days to spent more time with my Pajero.

[derik 81]

Thanks Gaurav for clarifying the air, as one of my office mate mentioned this lifespan point that regular off-road cuts the vehicle life by half and with that fear in mind I have been really scared and thinking of killing my family bbq drives even to not to have big toll on my Pajero. Off course I am very careful driver and don't do any stupid stunts, just drive safely to some roadside sand area for picnic over the weekends. Hope that much is fine. If your Pajero can run after 18 years, I am sure mine will last that long too.

[amid 48]

The only thing I like to add here is that vehicle built before 2005 has much better build quality than what afterwards. unfortunately today's built all vehicles are timed to fail soon after their warranty period so that car companies can make money and survive on parts (better) than selling new vehicles. With competitive auto market all across the world no car manufacturer has a choice to prefer the build quality and stay hungry and face company shut down. Many cars of the past has been discontinued due to the same factor that they bloody never fails and become loss for the mother company eventually.

[ethan 59]

I really like reading what everyone said here, beautiful display of knowledge + experience.

My input on above are very descriptive, hope it helps.

Average life with almost no unusual trouble

• Japanese: 5 years
• German Cars: 4-5 years
• UK, US and Korean: 3 years

Average life with half life trouble

• Japanese: 5-10 years
• German Cars: 5-7 years
• UK, US and Korean: 3-6 years

Average life with too much trouble, hard to keep car on road with reasonable expenses

• Japanese: 10-15 years
• German Cars: 7-10 years
• UK, US and Korean: 6-8 years

[ma7amad 7]

all famous brands and manufactures following high standard in car built most of replies was accurate in not given specific figures by years or mileage it is depend on you and the damn genius mechanic!!!

[Gaurav 7,638]

9 hours ago, ma7amad said:

all famous brands and manufactures following high standard in car built most of replies was accurate in not given specific figures by years or mileage it is depend on you and the damn genius mechanic!!!

Very valid point made +1,

After certain years it's your mechanic and your choice of spare part combined together declare the remaining lifespan for any car.