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Thanks. The workshop guy asked me if it was worth doing costs on a 1999 car. The car was fuming but for a little while i was too. He apologized immediately and i don't think he will every ask me that question again 😖

Call Ahmed at Jabal Tokyo as he is the best importer for our shape Pajero stuff. 056 9675230

Really sorry to hear this @Frederic Nuyttens. Your co driver is going to be really annoyed. Hope you can get it back to it glory days soon.

Even if it's his lucky day, all khaleeji (GCC) 3.5 are choked to death either by offroad abuse or by high mileage. Japanese import 3.5 get quickly exported to Oman and other GCC countries for big fat premium with internal super active contacts. Secondly, plonking 3.5 in place of 3.0 do your research if it fits on same engine mount or not. If not don't bother as RTA will not pass it unless job is 2 billion light-years % perfect or comes with wasta paper.

OMG, that's very sad and surprising. On the bright side, plonking new Japanese import engine is far better than rebuild as your shape 3.0 engines are very easily available in shj. Must be around 2-3k tops with low mileage. Rebuilding this might cost you 1-5k depending on surprises what it holds underneath. Good luck and keep us posted.

Pajero tappets are badly designed. The hole for the oil to enter is tiny, so any bit of dirt or even the wrong oil can cause them to not work properly. Mitsubishi realised this a couple of years ago and changed the design. The new ones have a bigger hole and are a lot more tolerant to temperature changes, different oils etc. In fact, I don’t think it’s even possible to order the old ones anymore, they will automatically send you the updated ones. Good news is they’re not overly expensive and they’re easily replaced. You can pop the cam covers off and change them one by one so no need to strip the engine, mess with the timing belt etc. Only cost is the tappets, 2 cam cover gaskets and around 2 hours labour, maybe 4-5 if the mechanic hasn’t done it before. Are you sure the noise is coming from the top of the engine? It’s a tap tap and not a knock knock? Both are fixable but tap tap is easier to fix than knock knock. Im off work for a few days, I can take a look at if for you if you like and give you a proper opinion. Feel free to message me.

Newbie Drive This is an easy-level off-road drive designed to help beginners get comfortable with the basic techniques of driving on sand dunes. Drivers will learn how to safely go up and down dunes, perform small side slopes (“sideys”) and rainbow arcs while driving in a convoy. The drive focuses on mastering throttle control and smooth acceleration while negotiating the dunes. Participants will also receive an introduction to ridge riding, side sloping, and crisscrossing broad dunes — all in a safe, controlled, and beginner-friendly environment. Who can join: Any Newbie or first-time member with a 4x4 vehicle having 8–10 inches of ground clearance and front & back tow hooks. Fewbie Drive This is a moderate-level drive where drivers will further develop and practice ridge riding, side sloping, and crisscrossing techniques on more challenging terrain. Participants will learn how to handle different dune situations while understanding vehicle limitations and working with gravity rather than against it. This level teaches drivers to become more calculated, disciplined, and technically aware, going beyond simply being a capable off-roader. The pace, terrain, and challenges are several steps above Newbie-level drives. Who can join: Any Fewbie and above level off-roader. Fewbie Plus Drive Fewbie Plus is an extension of the Fewbie level, designed for more experienced Fewbie off-roaders who want to tackle greater challenges at a faster pace and with increased technical difficulty. This level serves as a bridge between Fewbie and Intermediate drives, helping off-roaders transition smoothly while building confidence, control, and technical driving skills. Who can join: Any Fewbie Plus and above level off-roader. Intermediate Drive This level combines and refines all previously learned skills on more technical terrain and smaller, sharper dunes that demand precision, vehicle control, and advanced driving techniques. Drivers will also be introduced to larger dunes and learn how to safely navigate and connect dune lines while maintaining momentum. Intermediate drives require a high level of discipline, patience, awareness, and consistency, all while driving at a significantly faster pace than Fewbie-level drives. Who can join: Any Intermediate and above level off-roader.

I feel it’s lost the magic the original Supra had. And when you learn that it’s just a reworked BMW Z4 with the same engine and a running gear, the last remaining bit of magic is gone. Toyota have had so many opportunities in the past few years but they seem to be failing miserably in the sports car department. The GT86 was massively hyped but in reality, it was a million miles away from the AE86. Ive driven a few and every time I was left disappointed. It was marketed as a drift missile but it’s impossible to get a good drift out of it if you have an ounce of mechanical sympathy.

Thanks, i got a front bumper from him a while back, will check availability.

Thanks buddy. I’d love to go for the 3.5 but that might involve lots of extra costs and mods.

OMG this condition, I wish its not serious damage to the engine

Nice BMW! They took everything from BMW but why they didnt take steering also. What is that fat bulky steering?

It's definitely not on the bulb mount or on that wiring's end. It was clean with no corrosion and no loose connection. And like a true expert, I tried moving, tapping, pushing, shaking, shouting and cursing at it after mounting the new and old bulb hoping to get it to work, or even just a flicker. No dice though. I haven't tried tapping (or cursing) the relay though, so I might do this later.

Thanks @Barry. It seems to be more of a tap tap (rattle) than a knock knock. There is a knock during sudden acceleration, but that's another thread/topic, after which I'll probably post about the joys of buying a used car in Dubai! Anyway, thanks for the offer. I will surely take you up on that. Will message you.

Check out Shmee's YouTube channel he posted the indepth inside and outside tour of the A90. And yeah looks like a generic Toyota. They all look the same now. Twice this week I was trying to get into a white corolla thinking its my rental Yaris. This could be mistaken for any of the new lexus sports lineup. I really hate this trend where manufacturers are trying to make all their cars look the same. Damn Porsche for starting this trend ans damn the rest for following those idiots. And if you think its bad on the outside its worse under the hood and inside. It has a BMW straight six meaning shitty overheating unreliable engines which blow head gaskets if you look at them wrong. All interior switch gear from the old BMW parts bin, including that shitty BMW shifter you get from the 3 series to the 7. All BMW electronis Basically a BMW with a new Toyota body. Toyota seriously shot them selves in the foot collabing with BMW on such an iconic car. The whole appeal of the old Supra was its 2JZ relaible and its undestructible motor which you could tune upto 7-800hp with basically the same internals and even 1000 with slight inner mods. But now you have that stupid inline 6 from a 3 series. Toyota shot themselves in the foot ( did I mention that already? ) by making a BMW in Toyotas clothing. Proving Toyota has lost all creativity when it comes to making new cars. The last attempt was the 86, which was basically a rebadged Subaru. The new Rush SUV is a rebadged Daihatsu. The Land Cruiser and prado are overdue for the next gen but Toyota just added more chrome ans uglier lights and grill ans called it new. Should have just rebadged a BMW M3 as the new Supra and saved themselves the trouble

What's wrong with Toyota designer to show fats like a sumo wrestler for a sports car........!

Sounds like your brake servo is on the way out. It’s totally fine to drive as long as you’re aware. Your brake pedal will get harder over time and you’ll have to stand on the pedal harder to exert the same braking force. You can either change it out now or wait until it gets worse then you really have to change it. An hours work. A second hand unit will suffice. To test a second hand one before you buy, push the rod in and cover the hole where the hose goes in with your finger. The rod should remain in position. If it comes out again, the servo is scrap.

I dug this old thread: https://carnity.com/topic/12804-tick-tick-noise-from-engine-bay-06-mercedes It seems to be the same issue, albeit not as loud. Anybody remember if this was resolved?

Every offroad convoy has to follow these rules to keep moving the whole convoy safely at all times: Follow the car in front of you all the time. And also follow the path taken by that car (STRICTLY), until you learn to lead. As an occasional exception, if you see the car in front of you struggled or churn up the path, it is advisable to drive little left or right and then follow the same path again. Keep 5-10 cars distance all the time. Keeping it too close you will risk an accident and keeping it too long, you will lose the path. If you cannot see the car behind you, please stop and notify on the radio so that the leader can stop until they all catch up. Stick to your convoy numbering at all times, if changed due to some situation fall back to the same order as soon as you can but safely. If convoy is not moving due to some stuck / refusal, please be patient and stay safe at your designated position. No playing, side sloping or any breaking the convoy activities will not be tolerated. Radio communication is PRIME, listen and respond to it promptly all the time. Convoy positions Leader: The first car who leads the drive and everyone has to follow the leader instructions precisely with respect. Second lead: The second car in a convoy, who drives behind the leader and avoid or fix any unforeseen situation as it may happen. Everyone in the convoy needs to follow the "second lead" path like a magnet - at all times. Sweep: One or two cars at end of the convoy to help and recover stuck vehicles or advise the correct path after the refusal. Flying Sweep: This car can be anywhere to do the sweep duties of recovering stuck vehicle or coordinating the convoy movement.

Instead of knocking I got coolant coming out the exhaust this morning 😓 probably the head gasket is gone. Workshop is more keen on putting in another engine instead of doing the head gasket work. They’ve yet to open it up so let’s see where we’ll arrive. No off-road drives for a few weeks I’m afraid.

Mystery oh mystery buddy... drove to work this morning like always on normal speed and not redlining. Suddenly started to misfire and massive white smoke. Towed it to the shop and after firing it up again coolant spat out of the exhaust. No hoses broken, temps were fine and stable.

I wish it was only that. Car was fine this morning. I nearly reached work in Jebel Ali when it started to misfire and massive white smoke came from the back. Engine did not overheat. Towed to the workshop and fired it up again: after revving it a bit the white smoke came back accompanied by green water. So it’s a done deal I’m afraid.