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Dear @Kalahari, @J J and @Rinelle Sanaani. Thanks for joining the drive. For you and those undecided Intermediates out there, a few words about the drive. We have visited this previously neglected area a few times lately, with other Carnity convoys, plus 2 of my leads. Now that we have become more familiar with the does and donts of this terrain, the goal of this trip is to bump it up a notch, and execute a more speedy drive, navigating Lisaili's long range dunes all the way to Solar Park, then beyond it, through a small technical area, back on more long range dunes, through the Qudra basin, toward the Bab al Shams road. The drive would stretch through most of the north-western Dubai desert region: a longer trip, which becomes possible only at higher off-roading levels, requiring less "acrobatics" then a bowls' tour in Badayer or Big Red, but more speed and endurance skills. Looking forward to seeing you (registered and yet unregistered drivers) on Friday morning.

Good morning, @marks, @David Ortells, @Christian Andras I'm sorry but I have to withdraw your names from this drive as you haven't completed "5 drives at Fewbie level with Carnity". Christian I appreciate your enthusiasm and I fully understand that you want to learn faster, just one more Fewbie drive and you will be able to join Fewbie plus. @Roshan Abraham I added you to the drive. Please go through this drive post, including COVID precautions, and click on totally agree.

@Islam Soliman ur very much welcome.. first tine i saw ur beast in the meeting point... my first impression was Wow thats an elephant in the desert. But as we drove along, ureally dod well handling ur big belly beast... its impressive.. looking forward to see u again with ur beast. @Biju Abdul thank u biju.. im just like u all.. still learning the ways of the desert.. ow learning the ways of handling responsibilities in the convoy.. Thank u so much @Ale Vallecchi for having the confidence in me handling the center forward. Il continue to learn the ways of convoy responsibilities.. And also thank u for THE BEST TRAIL EVER... on bhalf of everyone who im really sure enjoyed much ur planned trail...

Thank you @Rahimdad and I believe in the community that I recently joined , Carnity Offroad club , and agree totally. In the coming drives it would my genuine pleasure to try capture the best what I can and share it in this respectful forum. cant wait for the next drive one more time with you guys.

Hi @Frederic and @Vanessa8580. Thanks a lot for the support and efforts u guys put in the drive . Although it was my first off road drive, I felt so comfortable coz from the beginning when some of the cars in the convoy got stuck u were there with complete energy to pull it out . That incident itself reduced my worries abt getting stuck . It was a such wonderful experience riding with you and all others and hope to join u soon in some upcoming events.

This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through below information and and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely. MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: BAN POST Two Way Radio Guidelines Every Offroader brings his own radio, programmed to the frequencies described in below advice topic. We will not share spare radios or program your radio on the drive. If you need assistance in programming the radio, post a topic on the Carnity website with your questions and we will help you out. Make sure your radio is fully charged. It will be your only way of communication while driving. Before buying, please carefully read below advice so you are informed properly on which model / cost / shops... No radio = No drive. It is an essential tool and you should make sure you bring it on every drive and learn/practice how to use it. Drive Details Level: Fewbie PLUS (= minimum 5 drives done at Fewbie level with Carnity) When: 28 Aug 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 5:15 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Al Faqaa Gazel Farm - https://goo.gl/maps/GBJyQEdSpdAoTiFY6 Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 09:00 AM End Point: Solar Park THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS DRIVE UNLESS YOU HAVE A COMPRESSOR. ANYONE ARRIVING AT THE DRIVE WITHOUT A COMPRESSOR, FLAG, PROPER SHOVEL AND DEFLATION KIT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE DRIVE. ALL TOW POINTS WILL BE CHECKED BEFORE DEPARTURE. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 12 cars only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 1 Lead Marshal + 1-2 Senior Members + 10 Members. If the RSVP is full and you wish to join, please mention your name on the drive thread to add on the waiting list. Latecomers will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members without RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Please withdraw your RSVP, if you aren't joining, so your spot can be taken by others. Repeated no-show members after RSVP will have their account suspended for a month. PLEASE RSVP THE BELOW CALENDAR EVENT

@Emmanuel we can repeat any time. I enjoy these fast, long desert crossings, at least alternating it every once in a while to the more technical spins in the "bowl" areas. Looking forward to it.

This is a very exciting plan @Ale Vallecchi, if I wasn’t leading another drive at the same time I would definitely have loved to join!

understood Emmanuel. i missed the "Plus" in the title

Thank you @Mohamed Seidam. We are a community and like you thanked everybody for their comments means you understand the meaning of community. We all share one passion and want to help each other learn and grow in this sport. We would also highly appreciate any material you can capture during our drives to help the community to learn and grow. We are already having trip reports for each drive with the pictures and videos being shared in the Gallery drive wise to recall the drive. This topic was started to share other people's misfortune and allow us to learn from others mistakes so we don't repeat the same.

Hi @Emmanuel .. can u please add me. Roshan.. Regards

Hi @Emmanuel! I really wanted to joint this drive, realising I only have 4 Fewbe drives so far, this would be my fifth...Could this be accepted...? I promise to make up for any lack of technical skill with enthusiasm and willingness to learn...:-) Asking this for @David Ortells also... Thanks,! /Christian

Hi @Emmanuel I did RSVP here by mistake, please ignore and you can remove me from the list. Sorry for that.

As Gaurav said above, I have a big military bag with everything in the bag (multiple compartments, yes also the jack). I always secured it with bungie ropes (or how do you call these things) up to last week when I made a big jump. I realised that it might be not strong enough if you start rolling or in worse case scenario a forward flip. Don't underestimate the g-forces that occurs during an accident. (Imagine your jack flying on to your head) After this incident, I bought tie down straps and secure the bag firmly. Yes, it takes more time to secure, but we are talking about your life.

I can't thank you both, @Frederic @Vanessa8580 it was a fun driving with you guys. They way you took care of every single one of us at the convoy and the way you guys managed to keep the wheels rolling, Hatts ofd. Learned alot from you guys and impressed by the way you guys drive. Highly skillfull i must say. Looking forward for loads of more rides with both of you. CHEERS

While offroading, we cross dunes by using different methods, based on how the dune is formed and what the drive level is. Once you have spent some time in the desert, you will slowly start to pay more attention to the dune formations and how we cross them. Once you reach Intermediate and Advance level, you'll need to start learning how to read these dunes in order to navigate and create your planned routes in the desert. As a rule of thumb, the prevailing wind in UAE is blowing from a North-Western direction to South-East direction from 10AM onwards. At night and in early morning it will be reversed and blow from the South-East to North-West. This is something you should remember and you will notice when you zoom into certain areas with your navigation app (Google Maps, Gaia, MotionX, Mytrails,...) you will notice that the wind from that side has caused the dunes to take on their shape. This is a general rule and will not always apply, as you will see that in certain areas where wind is coming from different directions, you will see for example "star" dunes appearing. There are different types of dunes which are separately described below. As you can see in below picture, a dune is formed when the prevailing wind blows on a mound of sand, where the grain will move into the wind direction and create a ridge. The sand which falls on the other side of the ridge, creates a slipface, and this sand is not compacted by the wind. This is the main reason why we generally drive on the prevailing wind side or the convex side of the dunes on the Newbie level. "A dune is a curiously dynamic creature," wrote Farouk El-Baz in National Geographic. “Once formed, a dune can grow. It can change shape and move with the wind. It can even breed new dunes. Some of these offspring may be carried on the back of the mother dune. Others are born and race downwind, outpacing their parents. [Source: Farouk El-Baz, National Geographic, February 1982] The shape of dunes is affected by things like the strength, direction and consistency of the winds; the consistency and amount of sand; the hardness of the terrain and the amount of vegetation. Below we will describe the most common dunes found in the UAE. Different Dunes Crescent or Barchan Dune This is the most common dune. It forms the shape of a crescent moon when the wind blows from one direction. We generally use the words concave and convex to describe both sides of the dune: * Concave is a shape that curves inwards. * Convex is a shape that curves outwards. Crescent-shaped mounds generally are wider than long. On the concave side you will have the slipface. These dunes form under winds that blow from one direction, and they also are known as barchans. Parabolic Dune A parabolic dune is similar in shape to a barchan, but it is just the opposite. The tips of this dune point into the wind, and its main body migrates with the wind, forming a depression between the tips. Because of this formation, parabolic dunes are also known as blowout dunes. These dunes often occur when vegetation stabilizes sediments and a U-shaped blowout forms between clumps of plants. Example of Parabolic dunes near Faya: https://goo.gl/maps/ob8xu3y8VJJvF6hk8 Longitudinal or "Seif" Dunes They are also often referred to to as "sand ridges" or "seifs". Their length can range from a few meters to many kilometers and their height from a couple meters high to a couple hundred meters high. Wind pushes the sand and forms ridges parallel to the prevailing wind direction with slip faces either side of the crest. Linear dunes are straight or slightly sinuous sand ridges typically much longer than they are wide. They may be more than 160 kilometers long. Linear dunes may occur as isolated ridges, but they generally form sets of parallel ridges separated by miles of sand, gravel, or rocky interdune corridors. Some linear dunes merge to form Y-shaped compound dunes. Many form in bidirectional wind regimes. The long axes of these dunes extend in the resultant direction of sand movement. Barchanoid Dunes These ridges are similar to Barchan dunes. They are connected in long crescentic waves as the sand supply is much greater than that which forms a Barchan Dune. Star Dunes These dunes are formed when there are several prevailing wind directions - there is a complex wind regime. Typically there are three or more slip faces, whilst the dunes do not migrate they grow in height. Star dunes are radially-symmetrical, spyramidal sand mounds with slipfaces on three or more arms that radiate from the high center of the mound. They are created when the winds blow equally from every direction, causing the sand dune to grow many extensions and resemble a star. They are rare and are fairly stable and remain in the same place. Some are landmarks with names. Example of a Star dune: https://goo.gl/maps/jRnYghQc8ACzVz6T7 With this knowledge, the next time you step into the desert, you can start looking at the different dune formations, and this will give you lots of knowledge that you'll be able to apply in the future when leading and navigating off-road drives.

On a regular basis, we get requests from the more "modern" SUV owners if their car is suitable for offroading in the desert dunes. There have been many new vehicles introduced in the market that are sold as All Wheel Drive vehicles, and the showroom will be filled with banners showing this car drifting through the Arabian deserts, enticing the potential owners and making them believe they can take on any terrain. Within Carnity, we are openminded about accepting SUV's as long as they have sufficient ground clearance, and have proper tow hooks so we can recover the vehicle safely. But after a few drives, some owners might come to realize that this vehicle is not the right match for offroading, and that those banners in the showroom didn't tell the complete story. Below i will highlight a few main factors that might help in new potential offroad vehicle owners make the right decision based on their wishes of type of terrain they'd like to concquer. Ground clearance Ground clearance describes the distance from the ground to the lowest point of the car. In offroading this is important, as a vehicle with ground clearance below 8inch (200mm) might get stuck on boulders, or bushes, or other things you might come across once you go offroad. Less ground clearance also means that as soon as you sink in the sand it will be much harder to recover yourself as your vehicle's underbody will be immediately resting on the sand. Approach and Departure Angles For dune driving/bashing, the approach and departure angles are essential to know and understand. If you approach a dune, you might hit the front bumper if you have insufficient approach angles, and when descending, a too low departure angle will scoop up the sand and might break your rear bumper. Most stock offroad vehicles will have an approach angle of 30-40° and a departure angle of 25-35° - Toyota Landcruiser Prado LWB: Approach angle 30.4°, Departure angle 23.5° - Mitsubishi Pajero LWB: Approach angle 36.6°, Departure angle 25° - Jeep Wrangler SWB: Approach angle 44°, Departure angle 37° - Jeep Wrangler Unlimited: Approach angle 42.2°, Departure angle 32° - Landrover Discovery Sport: Approach angle 25.°, Departure angle 31° - Nissan Xtrail: Approach angle 17.2.°, Departure angle 25° - Nissan Pathfinder R52: Approach angle 14.7.°, Departure angle 22.3° As you can see in above specs, certain SUV's will have issues with low approach and departure angles, with the resulting risk of damaging or breaking the bumpers. Fitting bigger wheels or a lift kit / suspension kit will improve the ground clearance and also the approach and departure angles. Overall Performance The Hp/Ton ratio will help to understand how the vehicle will be able to get through the terrain. For light offroading, most vehicles should be fine as long as your expectations are realistic. Anything below 80hp/Ton will most likely struggle on soft sand, crosstracks, but again it will also depend on the skills of the driver. Low Range Gearing Any regular proper 4x4 is equipped with low range gearing (4L lever selection), which enables to do self-recovery by utilizing the maximum torque at a very slow speed. This acts essentially as a crawling gear. On more modern SUV's this option is often left out, and as a result self-recovery in the dunes becomes impossible. It goes without saying this is a major dealbreaker and when driving in a club environment it does spoil the fun for yourself and your team-mates, knowing that on every stuck the only option will be to use a kinetic rope. Types of Offroading in the UAE Hard gravel, desert farm tracks (LIGHT OFFROADING) Any vehicle with AWD or 4x4 should be able to deal with this terrain. You can deflate to 25psi on desert tracks to increase flotation, but be careful with low proflle tyres and the fact that deflation will decrease your ground clearance. Wadi driving, Rocky Roads, Mountains (MEDIUM OFFROADING) In this type of offroading, your ground clearance definitely comes into play, and the approach and departure angles will also make the difference between succesfully crawling over a boulder, or hitting it with your bumper. Low profile tyres are definitely to be avoid in this terrain, as it might puncture or damage the sidewalls and/or rims. Dune driving, Dune Bashing (TYPICAL UAE CLUB OFFROADING) The most thrilling of the three types , where all above factors such as ground clearance, angles, and performance all play important roles. This is where SUV's will just manage on Newbie levels, but from Fewbie level onwards one or more of the mentioned factors will become a major hurdle (power, angles, or clearance). So whenever you look at changing your vehicle, or when someone asks you "Is my vehicle suitable for offroading ?" you might want to look at above factors and clearly ask him if he wants to drive on farm tracks, or wants to go dunebashing.

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.

This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through below information and and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely. MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: BAN POST Two Way Radio Guidelines Every Offroader brings his own radio, programmed to the frequencies described in below advice topic. We will not share spare radios or program your radio on the drive. If you need assistance in programming the radio, post a topic on the Carnity website with your questions and we will help you out. Make sure your radio is fully charged. It will be your only way of communication while driving. Before buying, please carefully read below advice so you are informed properly on which model / cost / shops... No radio = No drive. It is an essential tool and you should make sure you bring it on every drive and learn/practice how to use it. Drive Details Level: Intermediate and above When: 28 Aug 2020, Friday Meeting time: 5:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Action Plan: Long range dunes and some technical areas, side cresting, ridge riding and crossing, faster pace. Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gWpiP3f7oRxKpotd9 Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 09:00 AM THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. WE WILL STARTING AND ENDING THE DRIVE AT THE SAME POINT, WHICH IS NOT CLOSE TO AN AIR LINE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A COMPRESSOR, PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS DRIVE. IF YOU ARRIVE AND HAVE NO COMPRESSOR YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO JOIN THE DRIVE. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 10 Intermediate and above drivers. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. If the RSVP is full and you wish to join, please mention your name on the drive thread to add on the waiting list. Latecomers will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members without RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Please withdraw your RSVP, if you aren't joining, so your spot can be taken by others. Repeated no-show members after RSVP will have their account suspended for a month. PLEASE RSVP ON THE BELOW CALENDAR

This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through below information and and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely. MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: BAN POST Two Way Radio Guidelines Every Offroader brings his own radio, programmed to the frequencies described in below advice topic. We will not share spare radios or program your radio on the drive. If you need assistance in programming the radio, post a topic on the Carnity website with your questions and we will help you out. Make sure your radio is fully charged. It will be your only way of communication while driving. Before buying, please carefully read below advice so you are informed properly on which model / cost / shops... No radio = No drive. It is an essential tool and you should make sure you bring it on every drive and learn/practice how to use it. MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING Drive Details Level: Newbie and above (All Level) When: 28 Aug 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 5:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/ig4VJTHWRh9hyxSa6 (Mahafiz Tree Shade) Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 09:00 AM LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 15 cars maximum. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 1 Lead Marshal + 2 or 1 Senior Members + 12 Members. If the RSVP is full and you wish to join, please mention your name on the drive thread to add on the waiting list Latecomers will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members without RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members that do not confirm the terms of the COVID requirements will be removed from the RSVP list. Please withdraw your RSVP, if you aren't joining, so your spot can be taken by others. Repeated no-show members after RSVP will have their account suspended for a month. PLEASE RSVP ON THE CALENDAR

@Anish S you need to see the grade of oil considering the ambient temperature. For this time of the year 15W-40 is the recommended grade for your Pajeros. You can reconfirm with your owner's manual. The Shell off-road warrior oil doesn't cover this range, so it's of not much use to you.

Yes @Gaurav I recently got 4 Geolander G015 2019 Juma Al Majid for AED 1328 for my FJ. I got the last set from dec 2019 tyres but 2020 batch would cost higher. Anyways it’s worth checking with them for any running promo since I believe they are a strong distributor of Yokohama. Hi @andy_macdxb you can reach Richard at +971504660765 from Juma Al Majid Sharjah.

@Javier Lucero you have been added on to the drive. See you on Friday at 5:00 AM

Good Afternoon Qudra Quadranglers, @Jeandre Bezuidenhout @Nivin @Christian Andras @David Ortells @Islam Soliman @Ahmed Farghaly @h1fny @Tero Vallas @Heisem @Nabil Bishara (reserve @marks) Congratulations on your choice of drive on Friday morning. The Qudra area has a lot of different challenges: from long wide dune plains to short technical dunes and everythign in between. It is also an area that can be easily ramped up or toned down depending on the ability of the convoy. For this reason, be ready Friday for some slide sloping, dune crossing and technical dune navigation that will challenge your skills and get you ready for more difficult conditions and dunes. Myself and @Brette the other senior on this drive are looking forward to seeing everyone. The plan is to play on the wide dunes for as long as we want, weaving back and forth and practicing criss crossing before making our way back to the Qudra lakes and dune complex. A quick reminder - if you don't have the right equipment with you, you don't drive. More to come. As ever, if you need to driop out of the drive, please advise ASAP - there is at least one driver eager to replace you in case you cannot make it.

You can check juggernaut motors they can do a flag pole mount which was fixed on my car

All good @Javier Lucero . You are Waitlist #1. Will add you as soon as something opens up.

Still there is 1 spot left in Morning Newbie in Fossil Rock, grab it fast if it interests you.

Please Join Carnity Drive Notification For getting all drive notifications and messages.

Hi there, I am trying to join for this event but can^t see join button.. :$ Best Regards,

Dear All - as some of you know , I've been having trouble with my Prado Low4 not engaging. My regular garage has on two occasions said that nothing is wrong and the Low 4 is quite idiosyncratic. It engages sometime and doesn't on other occasions. Not ideal in the desert. I would be grateful if you could advise where I can take it to be fixed or should I just go to Al Futtaim? Much appreciated! Avi

Thanks Gaurav!

Secure the Jack, in case of flip it will bounce all around and may hit someone on the head.

thank you @Rahimdad for the topic of what went wrong. thank you all by each ones name who commented on the threads which I tried my best to see it all over the week end. for me it was so useful and life is a learning process indeed. watching others incidents and analyze it from different angels is one of best tools to sharpen the growing experience . that’s why I suggested previously if at all possible to document our drives in Carnity to the best we can in a way that the seniors in Carnity see it better. Let our vehicles move on sand in convoy of trust ,safety and thrill. cheers 🌷🚙

This is my setup and I am generally happy with it.

Hi @Bhaskar the X3 is probably happier on the road, but if the car has 8inch ground clearance (definitely to be verified as the M plus package might come with lower bumpers), and has tow points at the front and the back, he can be allowed on the drive. Please be aware and the same goes for Discovery Sport and other luxury SUV’s that any damage incurred on the car will likely result in hefty bills, and these cars have lots and lots of electronics holding back the vehicle from unleashing it’s full power in the desert. Traction controls and airbag definitely need to be disabled when coming to the drive.

Hi @Frederic, one question - a friend has a BMW X3 M Plus model and he's interested for newbie drives. Can he join with his car? Thank you!

What i dont really like about the AOR flag is that they are so heavy, which makes it more difficult to properly mount them. That might also be the reason why many offroaders fold the flag instead of unscrewing it. Many offroaders (me too) are using the metal holders for the very thin bicycle flags. So you can just stick in your flag easily. They used to sell them in DM but did not see them in the dune buggy shops anymore for a while now. Another option would be to try to fabricate a kind of quick-coupling like below. Maybe the compressed air quick couplings can be used for this. They have those in Speedex.

@asifk I have seen a few Pajero offroaders that have used a U-Bolt type of system mounted on the rails. So you will use a U-bolt with an attachment similar in the below amazon listing: https://www.amazon.ae/Antenna-Mount-Bracket-Jeep-Wrangler/dp/B07NVSLRWG/ref=asc_df_B07NVSLRWG/?tag=googleshopp09-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=355845872598&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=106438847774670512&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1000013&hvtargid=pla-767810469540&psc=1 Alternative is that you could drill a hole on the metal located between the rear door and the spare tyre and then mount the flag. I will see if I have a picture somewhere

Another one to explain further.

And those some need to be shot for giving false information to spoil engines for increasing their livelihood. After all this is what you get from an "electrician" and not a mechanic or a technician. All researchers, scientist motorsport industry and multi billion dollar corporations are really stupid......? As the price difference from the cheapest and the most expensive oil is a 100 or 200 dhs for 5000 kms = 2 or 4 fils/kms. NO ONE SHOULD DRIVE THE CHEAPEST OIL FOR OFFROAD VEHICLES IN UAE. PERIOD. Check the below video explaining the basics of engine oil and importance of using fully synthetic engine oil for extreme conditions (offroad) and in extreme temperatures (UAE). @Asif Hussain my highest recommendation is to switch to "Fully Synthetic 5W30" engine oil of any "reputed Company" which claims for 10k kms, but change at 5,000 kms if you are driving your Xterra for offroad. Mobil 1 (the best), Castrol, Shell, are all good brands to trust. During offroad in summer, when car runs warm (slightly above normal temp range) then Engine oil breaks down much faster and mineral oil will lack in providing good all round lubrication during those warmer times and might fry engine internals. That's why going for fully synthetic is highly advisable and changing at half life because you are touching extreme temperature every week. Race cars change engine oil before every race because engine oil test really comes in play at high revs and in high temperatures.

Personally using 20w50(mineral oil) for new generation engine is not logical. But since they already used 20w50 before you should follow that. Otherwise you may notice your car will burn oil.

I would say that if your engine has been using 20w50 and since it has already clocked 250k km, stick to this grade. Plus this grade is acceptable in your owner's manaul. Generally as engine gets older some suggest to go for thicker oil and with the summer approaching better to have a thicker oil

Here is the list of very simple tips that every car owner should know to take care of his/her car in the UAE: Don't start and go: As soon as you start the car, wait for rpm to drop to idle rpm (600-800 rpm) from 15-30 seconds in a newer car and 30-60 seconds in an older car before driving it off. This will help the car to circulate all fluids to necessary place in engine, gearbox, steering and brake boosters. Driving it immediately will starve some critical component for few seconds and may cause damage in the long run. Don't block the driver: While parking cars in the tight spot, leave more space on the driver side than on the passenger side. In parallel parking, move vehicle little front or back to avoid hitting side view mirror while opening. This will save a lot of scratches and bumps on both the cars. Don't drive on underinflated tires: Learn to check your tires with visual look every day and inflate them to owners manual tire pressure asap. When tire pressure is down, then the bottom tread of the tire is very less visible and worth a stop and checking. Most tires when underinflated screech while turning on cemented flooring like in building parking, fuel station etc.. So if you are not used to hearing screeching while turning then that can be the very first signal of low tire pressure. If in doubt, simply inflate to 30-32 psi in general for most of the cars in UAE. Don't hit the curb: While parking once your car hit the curb, move little away from the curb because leaving the car with tire hitting the curb will damage tire over time and may result in unusual bulge, cuts or leak resulting in wobbling ride. Don't ignore the leaks: Learn to check for leaks visually. Every day when you walk towards your car just have a look under the car engine and sides to have any wet marking or oil drops or pool of oil. Minor few drops or stains are acceptable to some extent if they are occasional, but regular drops or pool of oil or any other fluid require an immediate check. Clearwater dripping when the car is on - AC condensation - nothing to worry Clearwater droplet coming out from exhaust - it's a good sign of healthy engine Front side underneath - golden or brown oil = Engine Oil leaking - Immediate check needed Front side underneath - green or red water-based fluid = Engine Coolant leaking - Immediate check needed Under front driver or passenger side - red or brown oil = Gear Oil leaking - Immediate check needed Don't drive with weak brakes: When you hear screeching noise while braking then it is an indication that gets your brake pads and/or brake disc replaced. It's a first telltale sign of worn out braking system and you should not be ignoring it for a long time. Don't ignore the warning lights: You should never ignore any fault code light appearing on the dashboard be it for check engine light, SRS, ABS or battery icon. Warning lights in red color are critical ones and yellow are least critical but still, they all are warning light and trying to tell you to check or fix something in the car.

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.

Congrats to everyone at the Carnity off-road community as we now have a system by which we can see how we are progressing.

Ok, I'm going to throw this out there. There is no such thing as a 5k service. I started a massive thread on this. Mitsubishi recommended an oil and filter change every 10k. Sorry to say, but you have been scammed. There is no 40k service in the Mitsubishi schedule. If anyone has told you otherwise, they are trying to rape your wallet. Below I will post the official Mitsubishi service schedule, direct from the factory, Once a year or 10,000 km: Change engine’s oil and filter (1) Replace air filter if used in dusty area Inspect coolant hoses Inspect brake hoses Inspect brakes – discs and pads, replace if necessary. Rotate tires Inspect ball joints and steering components for grease leaks Inspect drive shafts boot for tears and grease leaks Grease the propeller shafts joints. Adjust the valves (diesel engines only) Check the differential oil level Check the transfer oil level Check the engine driving belt – replace if needed (dry/cracked) Inspect fuel system 3.2 diesel engine – check the upper timing guide Every 2 years or 25,000 km (which ever comes first): Change automatic transmission lubricate and filter (2) Change manual transmission lubricate. (3) Change transfer oil (4) Change differentials oil (5) Drain, wash and refill the cooling system (with new coolant) Inspect spark plug cables Replace air filter Every 5 years or 100,000 km (whichever comes first) Replace timing belt (If any) Replace spark plugs Replace spark plug cables This is all information copied and pasted from the Mitsubishi factory service schedule. You can google it if you want. Don't fall for dealer scams telling you this needs done and that needs done. If they tell you it will invalidate your warranty, it's bullshit. This is the official Mitsubishi service schedule. If the dealer has a problem with it, tell them ok, I'll ask Japan. They will soon change their tune.

I vote for Mobil 1 as the best engine oil, over the other brands. My choice is based on my own experience since last 10 years and Mobil 1 quality and engine response always surpassed other brands.