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Sorry for this photos but it’s something that all off-roaders (and passengers) should see and always keep in mind. Never ever throw plastics or anything.

Very well said @Emmanuel We should not throw anything in the desert or in any offroad area, as it's a living habitat for thousands of species. Any piece of plastic, glass, metal, cardboard, coal will eventually kill these species when they eat it. Many offroaders and visitors are unaware of this fact and think that the desert is a landfill area, so humbly explain those uneducated people and help save thousands of lives.

Hi @Sunit To add re: servicing, since you are at 116k kms, your next major service should be done @ 120k kms. Habtoor estimated for me costs of approx Dhs 2600 for this service. I've asked a couple of garages and all have provided me a quote ranging from Dhs 1400 - 1700 for the same job. Also, did you check with the previous owner if he has already changed the timing belt and spark plugs? These are supposed to be done @ 100k kms. You'll need to check with Habtoor since he's claiming to have done the 100K service there. Because if not done yet, then you are looking at another Dhs 2-3k to spend, depending on which garage you'll get this done (Habtoor is not an option, unless you have an extra Dhs 4-5k burning a hole in your pocket...).

Ohh, that's unfortunate. I've actually never made an insurance claim with them. I hope I don't have to!

I agree a very hard pedal and weak brakes do indicate a weak brake booster. If it has ABS then the ABS module could be knackered which usually means big $$$$

Thank you Frederic. After reading the comments, i will go with Mobil1 0W-40, Souk is selling 4LTR for AED 185, would need another litre i believe. I don't believe the tyres are fake, it seems legit. the date stamp is 482018 which means its manufactured almost towards the end of 2018. Thanks a lot for the schedule. Hi Gaurav, thank you, Mobil1 it is, will change to it starting next interval at 5K itself on the current one. Regarding tyres. i do not feel they are fake, i was actually given the impression, and yes, the person was basing his reasoning solely on the price. I too believe that that UAE market is fairly reliable unless you are visiting some really shady stores. This particular tyre shop has given me a stamped bill and moreover, i did do some visual check and they seemed legit. It has the date stamp and no spelling mistakes the exact tyre range is GEOLANDAR H/T G056 P265/70R16. I think it was stock clearance and hence priced that low. Thanks Rahimdad, yes, i believe that is the case here as well. I plan to change a 10K oil at 8K interval. Exactly, 30 doesn't sound right, but the person was very confident and even said we put this in Patrol's and Land Cruiser's 😮 personally, i will yet go with a 40 grade since this number should be closer to the max temperature of the area that the car is driven and considering UAE temperatures that can go upto 50 deg. C, a 40 oil can handle it but 30 will most definitely suffer and would adversely affect the engine (correct me if i am wrong).

I have New India Insurance, and for recovery they will only cover within the city limits. So if you have a breakdown in Dubai they will tow your vehicle only till Dubai which for me is frankly of no use.

Most of the insurance don't make comprehensive if car for more than 10 years but I checked with other companies also, the car value is 28000, its perfect motor insurance from axa

For a 2008 model, your premium seems to be very high. My 2014 Pajero's insurance is Dhs 2K, full comprehensive from RSA. Just out of curiosity, what is your car's insured value?

Well, that (budget) escalated quickly...

@Gauravso you are telling not to go for nativa? at least as a beater ? found a good deal for this one, and am thinking should i go ahead or not

I did with AWR workshop in Rashidiya, they did it free For me as it was their fault.

@Brette any DIY advise for this stubborn stain?

@Rahimdad where did you do it?

When have you got the last service done? And how many km car has been driven?

Qasim, First check your brake fluid If it is okay I have a feeling your brake booster is the issue. The ac depends on which car you drive. because if you drive a wrangler and expect nissan sunny cooling it is never gona happen.

If you can't polish it out, its probably went through the lacquer and down to the paint. I have a good guy who does smart repairs, can fix it without repainting the whole panel. Message me if you want his number.

Yesterday I renewed my car insurance comprehensive for AXA for AED 2100, Pajero 2008 3.8, they said with offroad coverage but I had very bad experience and I didn't used it in offroad because I trusted someone after accident in offroad, I shouldn't

Thanks for sharing your details as I never knew that Dubai National Insurance does offer an offroad coverage. Have you read the offroad coverage clause and does it restrict to certain meters or unlimited?

I have comprehensive insurance with off-road coverage from Dubai National Insurance. It's 2k a year on a 2015 Pajero 3.5l LWB.

Nothing is nonsense here at Carnity @Jayakrishnan. People like you, Emmanuel, Frederic who ask a lot of questions help many other users in clarifying their doubts without even asking. Insurance is more or less the same as the road coverage: the Third party will not cover your car and Comprehensive will most likely cover your car for any offroad damages. Yes, you do need a police report for any damage done in offroad so that insurance can open a claim. If it's a collision it's a straight case of red and green paper like on road. If it's accidental damage hitting the dune, trees etc. then police report will come with a fine amount of 400 dhs (I guess) as it's your fault and the insurance will take care of the damages within the stipulated excess amount you have as per your policy. Most insurance companies don't cover offroad damage, and others like RSA, AXA and Oman do cover offroad damage and one needs to read their offroad coverage clause carefully as some mention 5 meters away from the road and others have no distance limitation. If you behave well and follow all the rules and convoy discipline chances are you will never damage your car. Almost all the accidents I have seen are caused by drivers who either think they can venture by themselves or just like to try some more adventure by breaking the convoy. In my last 12 years of offroad, I have accidentally damaged my car twice - first was in 2006, when I was learning and broke the convoy to go little left and right and ended up on nose dive. The second was in 2017 when dune ended with a sharp drop and soft sand resulting in nose dive again because I was too fast in technical dunes (my mistake).

Well if it's a fully synthetic then you are good for 10K kms, if its semi (5K) and mineral (3K) for normal road usage. If you are regularly driving offroad every week then change fully synthetic at 5-6K max for a better life of an engine. I'm using fully synthetic 0W40 from Mobil 1 and changing every 5K kms (2-3 months time), as my Pajero is only used for offroading.

Actually, there are rules in UAE that forces engine oil manufacturers or traders (Oil Marketing Companies) to get their products certified by ESMA (Emirates Standardization & Metrology Authority). Federal law no. 28 of 2001 empowers ESMA to force manufacturers and traders selling consumer products (including engine oil) to get their product certified. Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) need to prove their products are complying with UAE standard GSO 1785-2013. This standard requires minimum API Service Categories (SJ) for gasoline engine lubricants & (CH-4) for diesel engines lubricants among other requirements. Many local OMCs will just write whatever they need consumers to read on their product labels without getting the product certified by ESMA and they will still be able to sell in the UAE market. On the ground, enforcing ESMA compliance on OMCs is still "under development". A good practice by engine oil consumers is to ask for ESMA ECAS or ESMA EQM Certificate before buying engine oil. This certificate should be available in garages, spare part shops and other outlets for reputable brands upon request.

Hi Sunit, welcome aboard I'm using Mobil1 for 8 years in my Pajero for extreme offroad conditions and it never failed. I tried many brands and in end, I love the Mobil 1 quality and expertise. You can get Mobil 1 in Dubai from any Grand Service Center or there is Mobil 1 quick lube in Sharjah Industrial Area 8 near tire market. Sharjah is a tad cheaper than Dubai. I also would like to know how you have a feeling of fake geolanders, UAE seems quite strict in counterfeit products so will be interesting to know how to find a fake geolanders. If it's based on price judgment only, then it won't be fair as every retailer has a different markup and you can't say that 600/piece is original than 400/piece. I bought my last set in 2017 for 450/piece for 5 tires I paid 2250 with fitting and balancing.

Thank you @Gaurav. It wouldn’t have been possible without your great support and advices before and all along the drive.

Congratulations @Emmanuel on successfully leading his first official drive so wonderfully that at no time, I felt it was his first lead and that too in Sweihan. The second most important thing I love about this drive was impeccable planning with plenty of exit strategies depending on time and situation and still keeping the whole convoy moving. Well done for doing a solo recce trip to scout the fencing and awesome dunes. Keep it up and I'm sure you will be a great asset to Carnity Offroad Club and other offroaders in the future. Congratulations @Javier M for joining the first intermediate drive and keeping the pace with the convoy at all times. I love your dedication to BBQ in the windiest and rainy conditions, to be honest, I was skeptical in the beginning, but later on, we found a way to hide under the mats, sunshades, and blankets. Truly a great night to remember, just because of the lovely company of like-minded enthusiast's from the drive - bbq - drinks - sleep in a car and waking up to yet another beautiful day.

Prado is my favorite and I have a soft corner for it. They are reliable and if your heart desires the Prado and price difference is not an issue for AED 85k you can get a brand new Pajero with one year free petrol, service and Salik. As the oils degrade over time I think the Prado needs a service every 10k kilometers or 6 months whichever comes first. So if major service is due in 20k kilometers you'll have to do that service within a year. I have had bad experience buying from the dealers their second hand cars as once bought they start giving you huge bills during your service, if you point out that the car is under warranty they just tell you that warranty is for major parts like engine and gearbox while these are only wear and tear items. Plus they are overpriced compared to the market. It's your choice, I like @Gaurav bhai advise of having one car for road and another for off road if your budget is AED 90k. My wife's car is still available and you can view and try it out any time. Wish you luck with your decision.

Hi Sunit, welcome to the forum and congrats with your Pajero ! Regarding your queries: 1) Yes, Mobil1 is a really good brand, @Gaurav his car runs on it. Not sure where you can buy it here in UAE. I have asked the same question to quite a few workshops and they all seem to have their own preference based on what they have available and the type of car. Have a look at the attached SAE grade range. 2) I bought Geolandar 265/70/16 about 6 months back and paid closer to 2000 i think, ill check my invoices and update you. I don't have the impression my tyres are fake but how to define this is the million dollar question. What matters is the fabrication date stamped on the tyres. Some shops try to get rid of their older batches of tyres at lower prices. 3) Have a look at the attached Pajero maintenance schedule. 4) I am not sure what the Habtoor guys do in every minor or major schedule. This might depend on the car history. If you just bought it and don't have enough reliable service information on what was done before, i would recommend bringing it do a decent workshop and going for a 25,000 service to remove any doubts you might have and let them inspect all belts while they are at it.

I am a male prostitute. Just kidding. I am a Corporate Leisure Supervisor. I am heading the team that looks after Business travel and making sure that all auxiliary services are provided to pur business travellers. These range from hotels, car hire, transfers, car with chauffeur for full or half day rentals, travel insurance, etc. At times handle small groups for meetings and incentives.

Welcome to the Pajero family.