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Hi @redonettii welcome to Carnity and I hope to explain a bit about your shortlisted cars, so you can choose whatever fits the best based on my explanations. V6 Prado: Best combination of all the things that you expect from her, but minus the intermediate level off-roading in case you wish to do. It will be good for newbie to fewbie level, unless you trim or modify the front bumper. But it's adequately capable to reach to any decent level of off-roading (not extreme off course) in terms of power. For road it comes with comfy ride and features to check almost all the essential boxes. Y61 Patrol: Tiny bit lesser comfy for road, but super ready for off-road for any level in stock shape. And like Heisem mention super thirsty. I had older one 4.5 and on highway at 140 speed I could feel the fuel tank needle movement. Being 4.8 must be more of a fuel guzzler. Y62 Patrol: Best of all in terms of comfort and power but with limited off-road capabilities and unless you do serious bumper trimming, bash plates, lift kit etc. In stock state it's OK for newbie levels only if you drive it sensibly, the day miss the "sensibly" part front bumper will take a nasty hit. For fewbie level - I haven't seen any Y62 reaching there yet without breaking the bumpers, but recently seen 2020 Y62 model with very good clearance and they might survive better than the older shape. Land Cruiser: Same if not better than Y62 in terms of road comfort but with good off-road stance that can easily get you till fewbie drives without much headache. But again LC200 and Y62 are inherently heavy beast that require special skills to learn to offroad with such heavy cars. If you are buying this 4x4 purely for off-roading then I would highly vote for Prado or Y61 Patrol, because no matter which type of offroading you will "eventually" like after few months (sand mostly), these two vehicles will scale to those needs perfectly. Last but not least, if you don't have big family or big plans for visitors than SWB (short wheel base) Prado or Patrol will be more fun for off-roading in the long run. Short and nimble to go anywhere, light and powerful to scale to any off-road needs plus slightly lesser of fuel guzzler than LWB.

@Gaurav, I think thats very clear, thank you. I was told by the JLR salesmen that the Discovery Sport is perfect off-road, so I guess it was more of a sales pitch then anything accurate!

@redonettii in that case go for the 4L V6 Prado, it is a very capable car. You don't need the crawl mode or multi terrain modes. People on this forum including myself never use this stuff anyways. In the desert most important is that you have traction control and abs switched off and the right tire pressure. I drive on 11-12psi on stock rims with Yokohama Geolandar tires, but my friend who also owns the same model FJ had a tire popout with his Dunlop at 13psi on same rims, so id say good tires are also important.

Getting stuck is not a badge of shame. Too short distance from car in front is a key contributor - while this should be avoided, sometimes a sudden slowdown from the car in front (while you are concentrating on immediate terrain) is unavoidable. And getting stuck rather than try to pass on challenging terrain is the safe call.

In this list i would go for Y61 Patrol. It is all in one kind of very capable beast. Also i believe you will love to drive that on road as well. In this country Patrol means getting Respect on the road. Y62 or Land Cruiser will be very heavy unless you need that big of space. Prado V6 can be a good choice if you are sure you not goin to go for higher level drives. Fortuner basically Hilux truck with closed bed. It is very capable but i don't think it will be much comfortable. Pathfinder new models are useless. Pre 2015 models are also not very capable unless you trim the bumpers and lift it. But you can look for Xterra. Xterra as well closed bed Nissan Frontier Truck. It has minimal comfort, but very high off road capability.

Congrats @tcarrimjee!!!

Good morning Desertnauts. @Christian Andras, @Islam Soliman, @Kailas, @Biju Abdul, @Jeandre Bezuidenhout, @Anish S, @Tamas Hoffmann, @Tero Vallas, @Rizwanm2, @tcarrimjee, @Chaitanya D and @Foxtrot Oscar it's time to start savoring next Saturday's drive 🤤. Once again, as it's happened lately, Carnity has added a new dish on its menu. In fact, this drive will take us into yet another new area. Even better, considering that we only did a partial recce of this itinerary, approximately half of the drive will be an exploration, in search of enjoyable dunes. One of the reason why this part of Dubai is little explored by off-roading clubs is that this is where on of the Royal villas is located. The property is huge and well fenced, so that this drive will develop all around it, without infringing on any of its boundaries, while we'll be looking for clean playable dunes to ride. We may also encounter locals practicing the art of falconry, as well as camel farmers. The vegetation here is enough to sustain year-round grazing, even though it will not be as abundant as in other parts of Dubai. The terrain will vary from wider open yellow sand dunes (never quite high, nonetheless intriguing), to tighter technical areas (especially in the second part of the drive), which are however always surrounded by flat stretches, that allow relatively quick exits and re-directions. The skills we'll practice on this drive, besides adapting and reacting to a new terrain in the exploratory part of the itinerary, will be side sloping, ridge riding and crossing. While looking forward to seeing you on Saturday, please enjoy your week.

Congratulations @tcarrimjee 👍

Just to clear one thing here, last I heard Toyota does not provide the V6 for the SWB anymore. It seems because they are concentrating on telling the Ruba.

I didn't know I was so popular. 😜 Here is the waitlist for this drive. 1. @tcarrimjee 2. @Mohamed Seidam 3. @jodha singh shekhawat 4. @Javier Lucero 5. @Senthil Kumar i@javieri Will notify you if anyone signs out of this drive. I wanted to name this drive "Following @Wrangeld shadow" as this is going to be a repeat for me when I got delayed and just could not catch up with the convoy.

Thanks @Heisem ! Budget wise, the Prado would be better for me - am I sacrificing a lot capability wise if I go for the Prado over the Land Cruiser due to budgetary constraints? I note that the Prado doesn't appear to have multi-terrain select modes, or crawl mode - which only the Land Cruiser has. Not sure how much I would need such features?

Hello everyone, new member here. There are so many useful posts and I have really enjoyed reading them all. I am in the market for a 4x4 SUV to go camping, trail driving to wadis, up and down mountain roads (like Jabal Akhdar in Oman), and the odd desert camping trip / dune bash (not too extreme, just going up and over dunes mainly for movement from Point A to Point B across the desert. By the way, I have another car for daily driving which I enjoy, but it is a sports car, low to the ground, so I am looking for something that will offer something different. My shortlist so far are the Toyota Prado (v6), Nissan Patrol Y61, Nissan Patrol Y62, Toyota Land Cruiser. I also heard that the Fortuner (v6) was good, but the newest generation does not have full time 4 wheel drive - will this be problematic? I was very interested in purchasing a Land Rover Discovery Sport, but after reading this forum I got discouraged as many people said it is not a true 4x4 due to lack of low range gearing and transfer case. My question is, I would love to hear people's opinions on my shortlist - the best combination of comfort for a long range trip, and then off-road ability as well. I am attracted by the Prado for example due to its large fuel tank (150L), are there other cars with large fuel tanks as well? I also heard that although the Patrol is super popular, it isn't necessarily the best offroad car on sand due to its great weight. Is the 320HP V8 engine enough power for such a large car, or do I need to go for the 400HP VVEL DIG engine in the LE Platinum? Would be grateful for all your help!

%99 of Xterras you will find will be 4x4 some of the American imports might be 4x2 anyway get a GCC car for piece of mind. Off road version is full option package. It has better suspension and diff lock. Most of the Xterra owners here doesn't have Off Road package including me. It is not necessary. Try to get low mileage nice example it will serve you well. If you find a clean, low mileage Off Road package that will be the best deal. Try to get above 2011 model. Before 2011 models there is an issue called SMOD(you can google SMOD Xterra). Which means gear oil and coolant getting mixed in the radiator. But some says GCC versions are not effected. Personally i tried to avoid that and bought 2012 model.

Thank you! Is Any XTerra OK? Do all of them have the required 4x4? I see that there is an offroad version, but apparently it is hard to find, I only find very high mileage ones that are still expensive.

Congrats @Alexander Alcala!!!

Congratulations 👏🎉

Congrats @Anand Nataraj. Well done!!!

Congrats @Anand Nataraj

@Shyam Karat nice picture capture really 👍 I like the red wrangler with black star ,though !

Congratulations @tcarrimjee. I was in love with the way you handle your beast. Absolutely good steering and throttle control. Enjoy learning at a whole new level.

Congratulations! @tcarrimjee

First dune crossed even before reaching the sands 😄 @Ale Vallecchi Thank you for the opening brief..Looking forward for the drive now..

Congrats @tcarrimjee you have quietly moved up the ladder, just like in the drives, never having any issues

The Y61 is a beast in the desert, but its inline 6 cylinder 4.8L engine consumes alot of petrol, more than the Y62 V8. It will get you anywhere though. The Y62 is a heavy car, but its very comfortable to drive. Although it is advertised as good in the desert Id say its not as good as the Land Cruiser or the Prado offroad. But in good hands it is a capable car nonetheless. I'd go for the Land Cruiser, I think its a good balance of off-road and luxury and its good for long drives. You got the low gearing and difflock. However if you're going for the Y62 then get the 400 hp, its really powerful. (Make sure you get the one with difflock though)

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 and above (all levels) (No Newbies) When: 02 Oct 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 6.00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Al Lisali Fort - https://maps.app.goo.gl/5hVW2Xfj8BJtHd9e7 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. Please also make sure you have all the equipment required on board as a Fewbie - Proper shovel, deflation kit, flag. THIS IS A COMPRESSOR ONLY DRIVE. 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. Approximate finish time: 10:00 AM End Point: Last Exit Al Qudra LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 10 cars maximum. RSVP will close on Thursday - 10 AM. 1 Lead Marshal + 2 or 1 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. 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 THE BELOW CALENDAR EVENT

Congratulations @Alexander Alcala for reaching the Fewbie Level with Carnity Offroad Club. Looking forward to seeing you growing further and helping others to learn the art of offroading in a safe environment. Please make sure your Carnity user profile is always updated with all the latest Emergency contact details. P.S. Trip lead might deny your participation if you don't have required off-road gear. Fewbie: Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 5 Newbie drives are required within last 3 months for Fewbie promotion. What you'll learn Basic dune and sand reading Basic self-recovery techniques Advance side sloping and hill climb Basic ridge riding and criss crossing Basic control over technical dunes Slightly faster pace desert driving Skills required Enthusiastic and positive attitude Willingness to learn and help others Presence of mind and attention to detail Car Worthiness Any 4x4 vehicle with low range gearing Suitable approach and departure angle Off-road gear required Safety flag, tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio (walkie-talkie), air compressor. Drive teamwork Manage second lead and sweep positions upon request Intuitive and proactive to support Trip Lead Observe recoveries and offer help, when needed Drive Joining Join Newbie and Fewbie drives And Fewbie Plus, after 5 drives at Fewbie level only Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

Dear @Badar Tariq the latest Pathfinder unfortunately has less than the minimum 8inch ground clearance as is required. The approach angle is also extremely low and not suitable for off-roading in dunes.

Hi all desert wanderers I found this by chance , I never sow before . Is it useful ? How safe ? What you think ?

Congratulations @tcarrimjee for reaching the Fewbie Level with Carnity Offroad Club. Looking forward to seeing you growing further and helping others to learn the art of offroading in a safe environment. Please make sure your Carnity user profile is always updated with all the latest Emergency contact details. P.S. Trip lead might deny your participation if you don't have required off-road gear. Fewbie: Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 5 Newbie drives are required within last 3 months for Fewbie promotion. What you'll learn Basic dune and sand reading Basic self-recovery techniques Advance side sloping and hill climb Basic ridge riding and criss crossing Basic control over technical dunes Slightly faster pace desert driving Skills required Enthusiastic and positive attitude Willingness to learn and help others Presence of mind and attention to detail Car Worthiness Any 4x4 vehicle with low range gearing Suitable approach and departure angle Off-road gear required Safety flag, tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio (walkie-talkie), air compressor. Drive teamwork Manage second lead and sweep positions upon request Intuitive and proactive to support Trip Lead Observe recoveries and offer help, when needed Drive Joining Join Newbie and Fewbie drives And Fewbie Plus, after 5 drives at Fewbie level only Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

Congrats @tcarrimjee

@topgear Thank you @Janarthan Than you

Hello @Ale Vallecchi! Thanks a lot for the briefing, sounds fantastic! Look forward for the drive!

Congrats @Ali Abas Ali!!!

👏👏Congrats @Ali Abas Ali

@SureshVNair well noted. Sorry for the mix up 😊

Hi @Gaurav please add me to the waiting list.

Congratulations @Javier Lucero for your well deserved promotion.

Congrats @Anand Nataraj

@Gaurav kindly add me to the waitlist.

Congrats @Anand Nataraj

Congrats @Anand Nataraj

Joined a Newbie drive. Prefer this one if I’m still able to get on. Many thanks.

Congrats @Alexander Alcala

That was incredibly fast in less than a minute all drives full 😅 even the wait list fills fast

@Rahimdad put me on waiting list please

@Alexander Alcala Congratulations!

@tcarrimjee Congratulations!

Congratulations @Alexander Alcala

Congrats @Alexander Alcala !! See you soon on one of my Fewbie drives

Recoveries from SolarPark Newbie Drive 18/09/2020 lead by @Srikumar and supported by @Janarthan