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Showing content with the highest reputation on 06/17/2015 in Posts

  1. Another part that you might not know as many here don't know. Even if you are at 118 and someone comes close to you from behind and lane in front of you is empty YOU HAVE TO MOVE AWAY, even if you are at 200 speed. This law/rule is made for handling emergencies only, Imagine someone house is on fire or his pregnant wife is in pain who will abide the speed limit....? However, that said I also agree that plenty or majority of folks here abuse this rule for the sake of fun and then stop for hours in front of cafeteria and having tea and smoke. Simply lacks the maturity.
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  2. Agree with Taquir, not a single one of them is capable in the dunes, or available for near your budget...and most of them are too expensive to repair after a desert accident.
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  3. The key to having fun in desert driving is not too heavy a vehicle (as you want it to float on the sand), a big engine (4 litres or close to it), a short-ish wheelbase, and a real 4x4 drive system, with Differential Lock if you can get it. My three choices below all adhere to this. For that price, the only options I would consider is a Jeep Wrangler, an FJ Cruiser, or 3-door Pujero. I know that right now, there is for sale on the Abu Dhabi 4x4 club website a VERY nice used 2009 model year Wrangler with all appropriate offroad mods that has been used by one of the Marshals of the group, for a bit over 60k. So a bit higher than your budget, but if you can stretch it would be well worth it - I've seen him drive it and it will go pretty much anywhere you have the nerve to drive it. (http://www.ad4x4.com/club/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=22154&sid=cb76ec2e6c8ce9675a67cdb7fafb249f) If you want to use it on the highway as much as the desert (my vehicle is both a Daily Driver and a Weekend Warrior), then look for an FJ Cruiser - more comfortable and safer on the road than the Wrangler, much more survivable in a highway accident (but to be honest, not as good on the dunes as a fully upgraded Wrangler). But Toyotas really hold their value, and I fear that you might have to go back a few more years of age to get a similar price to a Jeep. You can go for a 3-door short wheelbase Pujero as well...the previous generation Pujeros are pretty nice, and in some ways better than the current generation, as they lack a lot of the plastic bits on the bumper that have to either be guarded or cut away to make the current Pujeros usable in the sand. Again, they hold their value, and not as good off-road as an FJ IMHO...so why not just get an FJ in my thinking? But if you can find a good used 3-door one, it will do the job. That is pretty much ALL I would consider, really. The short wheelbase Nissan Patrols are underpowered in my opinion, the long wheelbase Patrols excellent but would have to be very used to fit your budget. Anything that says "Rover" would be either too expensive (RR, RR Sport, LR3, LR4), unsuited (LR2), or too high a center of gravity (Defender) to really have fun with in the bowls and switchbacks. The other Jeeps are not as good in the sand as a Wrangler, nor as cheap. Besides Jeeps, the only American 4x4s that are fun in the desert are F-150 Raptors, but waaaay too expensive. The other American SUVs are basically jacked-up trucks with poor 4x4 systems, except Hummers, which are just WAY too heavy to do any real freestyle driving with (they WILL take you across the dunes...you will just be bored). Mind you, I was out in the desert last weekend and we saw some Korean-SUV that someone had put a HUGE lift kit on and was out tearing up the dunes...a lot of dune driving is the driver, not the vehicle. Oh, and your recovery kit...
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  4. I have owned the following three 4x4's . Jeep Wrangler 2013( Very capable offroad, but week engine, couldn't climb to the top of extremely tall dunes, whereas a Land Crusier, or previous version of Nissan Patrol could do it easily.) Nissan Pathfinder 2008, (Good Power, but capability is average, would hit the bottom due to low ground clearance, and 4x4 system is not that good.) Ford Expedition 1998, ( Week engine, Good ground clearance in pre-2001 models, extremely capable 4x4 transmission and good low end torque, but cannot make up to heavy dunes due to engine power and huge size.) I have heard good reviews about FJ, infact all Toyota 4x4's and Xterra. Off-roading is all about skills , you can manage with an average 4x4's, if you know the basics right. I have seen locals doing great with little Suzuki Jimmnys and RAV 4s. Your budget for 50K can fetch you pre 2009 models only, so it comes down to personal choice. If you know how to drive a manual may be you will get more options. But remember in such old vehicles chassis and transmission may have already taken lot of beating, better search for good condition one.
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  5. I will vote for first 5 options only for real offroad capability car for dubai and UAE desert. Though I have changed the order as per my thinking and experience. Jeep wrangler FJ Cruiser Xterra Nissan Patrol Land Cruiser
    1 point
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