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@Gaurav@Frederic@Looper@Hisham Masaad@Gautam Banka Thanks to you and so many others from the Carnity forum for giving your unbiased and candid views and feedback on my query to buy off road vehicle. Gained some valuable insights and knowledge. Did not anticipate this when i asked the question. Simply awesome folks... And great community! After checking a few preowned and new vehicles and frustrating some sellers and car dealer salesmen ...have decided to go for a new one ( i want to have some level of control over repairs and warranty!). The pre owned prices for FJC (new ones are not available anyway) and LC Prado are quite high...in my opinion. same for other 1-3 year pre owned vehicles. My final choices are (taking to consideration offroad capability plus maint plus resale etc.) : 2023 Prado GXR (or VXR) with a delivery of minimum 3 months (but is summer anyway) . @Gautam Banka had mentioned that some modifications may be required for intermediate and beyond approx 30K! Would be good to get some more info on stock prado and modifications required! or as @Gauravhad suggested may go for a 2023 Wrangler Rubicon (after managing to get a contact for some discounts)...and stock may be good enough. Its is also readily available. Would like to know of any limitations / caution in taking a new wrangler off road! Had fun though test driving (on-road)lots of vehicles including Bronco and nissan patrols. Cant rent a car in Dubai to take a car off road else would have liked to try that or maybe join join carnity folks for a drive or at least take some training / refreshers. But that will have to wait.

Hi @Jessica Lambert, I guess I am more focused on my next drive, rather than my past ones. Surely, having come so far, a special thanks is in order, to @Gaurav, @Srikumar and @Fred, for creating and maintaining an "environment" where driving so much, so often, and so passionately is possible. And thanks to all those innumerous ones who join every drive I post ( @DP1011 thanks for your message: you are one of the most loyal fellow drivers). Speaking of the "next" drive, the one we just completed was truly one I was looking forward to, not so much for the 200th drive landmark (which I had forgotten), but because of the challenge I wanted to give myself, with a long-range drive, both in length and altitude. In fact, I had attempted many other times to go from Tawi Nazwa to Bezhad Ranch (that is well past Al Madam), and always failed but once. That one time, we managed to climb 1,118 meters, covering 68 Km. This time we enjoyed a superb drive, going for 88 Km. and climbing 2,046 meters, in 3:13 hours of driving time (4:14 hours total), at 27 Km/h moving average speed (21 Km/h total). Considering that most of the stoppage time was used to change Jessica's slashed tire, we had a great, almost seamless run, through Pink Rock, Big Red, Badayer's "sunsetters" dunes, Iftar and Super Bowl, all the way to the planned exit, until the last minutes of daylight. So, thank to @Jessica Lambert and @Pieter Pot for allowing me to have so much fun, and, yes, to celebrate the 200th drive with excitement and joy. See you soon out there.

@DP1011 actually i am considering to join all the drives this weekend 😂, am just trying to balance between my life and the desert 😅

You can't go wrong with either, Prado with little mods, and Rubicon is a perfect beast for sand offroading. Go with whichever suits your style, comfort, preference, budget, and availability. Rubicon will be a tad better in performance and Prado will be a tad better in comfort and reliability.

@M.Seidam - @Simon D will definitely be there, he is bachelor these days, as his family is not in town 😁

Totally agree with @Simon D, word by word. Oil is cheap and the engine rebuild is expensive. Folks still in doubt, please check your owner's manual as it has two columns. Normal condition: 10K. Adverse: 5K. In Dubai, many dealers consider road driving is under adverse too due to extreme heat and the presence of sand in the air. If you drive one off-road drive in a month, then also my highest recommendation is to get your engine oil and oil filter changed early. The reason is with extreme heat, when oil cools down it's no longer as efficient as before. So after 5-10-20 drives engine oil loses its lubrication property and starves engine critical components when you redline on the next drive. I busted one engine on top of Faya, by listening to the same BS. Must be around 8-9K when that incident happens. So bottom line, if you like to do 10k service, join NB drives only.

Absolutely agree, Being a proud Rubiconer for last 18 months, my take away would be : If your usage is 70:30 Offroad Vs Onroad, Rubicon deftly, and if its more than 30-40% Onroad, then Prado. Rubicon doesnt have a great sitting comfort room for rear passengers, so its more for 2 adults and 2 kids, but more than that, Prado is better.

@M.Seidam confirmed.

@M.Seidam confirmed from my side

@M.Seidam I am in Doc.

Amazing @Ale Vallecchi That's a lotta weekends!!!! 👏👏👏👏

Congrats @Ale Vallecchi on a double century, you always set the bar too high.

That's indeed one heck of a milestone ! Well done @Ale Vallecchi ! hope you can keep blessing us with your adventurous and unique drives !!

Congratulations @Ale Vallecchi on your double century of drives , and what a way to celebrate this - 200th with 2000 mts 😎🤘 Not always a lucky day, and today was one for me , still on call ! will miss this drive ! and have fun & a Safe drive ! @Pieter Pot , @Jessica Lambert !

Cheers Luke I’ll Catch you on the next one Thank you Anoop! I will see you soon I will do Mario! I will see you soon mate

Welcome to the Off-Road Hall of Fame, a place where we celebrate the fearless, daring, and ingenious legends of the off-road world. This is the home of the trendsetters who have pushed the limits of off-road driving, supporting, and inspiring all types of adventurers. Off-road driving is not just a hobby, it's a way of life. It requires a rare combination of skill, bravery, and respect for the great outdoors. From conquering the tallest dune to racing through the sands, and wadis to traversing long distances, off-roading comes in various forms that demand unique skills, patience and above all - great teamwork. Only a few have gone above and beyond, leaving their mark on the off-road universe, and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. These heroes have not just driven off-road but have really defined the true meaning of off-road community while taking the sport to new heights. Whether you are an experienced off-roader or just starting, we invite you to join us as we explore the stories and legacies of the off-road greats who have earned their rightful place in the Off-Road Hall of Fame. This is a place where we take pride in their achievements and honor their spirit of adventure. So, fasten your seatbelts, hold tight, and let's embark on a journey of exhilaration, inspiration, and honor in the Off-Road Hall of Fame. Period: April - June 2023 Drives in the spotlight Leading and successfully executing a high-level offroad drive is always a challenge. Finding that delicate balance of pushing our best off-roaders to the limit while still keeping things safe is very difficult and mentally tiring. When @Asif Hussainposted this drive, the expectations were high, knowing that the terrain had fantastic bowls and that the thrill seekers would be present. Asif laid out a buffet of monster bowls and kept the blistering pace throughout the drive, and the feedback after the drive was uniform: "It was unforgettable"... Keep up these fantastic drives @Asif Hussain !! Member in the spotlight Most of you have driven in Abu Dhabi, and if you did, chances were extremely high to come across @Zed who is always around and carries the biggest smile and positive attitude. You'll spot him either in his fully restored black LC100 or his Grand Cherokee 5.7 roaring monster. Always ready to help out and extremely knowledgeable about offroad vehicles, coding, and food (so we've heard )... Keep infecting us with that positive attitude @Zed !! Lead Champion Big congratulations to @M.Seidam for being our lead champion this quarter with a massive 10 drives ! Your dedication shines bright and your passion for off-roading is unmatched ! Support Champions Big congratulations to @Looper and @DP1011 for being our support champions this quarter with a whopping 17 and 16 supports this quarter ! Special Mention A special mention goes out to our marshal @GauravSoni who has kickstarted our sustainability campaign by showing the right example straight away! Let's all do our part in keeping the deserts clean ! Message to all our champions: Your dedication is an admirable quality that is truly valued and appreciated. Your unwavering passion for off-roading has not gone unnoticed, and it is an inspiration to those around you today. We thank you and look forward to seeing the many great things you will achieve in the future.

fantastic work guys. Wonderful to see all friends doing their bit. @Asif Hussain @Gaurav Soni @Looper @DP1011 @M.Seidam @Zed Keep inspiring us.

Congrats @Asif Hussain @GauravSoni @DP1011 @M.Seidam @Looper @Zed. well deserved to be part of the hall of fame

Wow that's even cooler, a 10 out of 10 😁 Thank you @Gaurav and @Carnity team for granting this. And congrats to the others too, good job everyone, keep up the spirit 🫡 @Asif [email protected]@Looper@DP1011@GauravSoni

Thank you @Frederic and @Carnity and congratulations to others @Asif Hussain @Zed @Looper @DP1011 and @GauravSoni . Proud of being part of this fabulous and appreciating community which keeps connecting ppl and inspiring others always be it old or new members .

Congratulations @Asif Hussain @GauravSoni @DP1011 @M.Seidam @Looper and @Zed.. well deserved all of you

Congratulations to everyone above @DP1011 @Gaurav [email protected] @Zed @Asif Hussain @Looper well deserved everyone! thank you again @Frederic for hall of fame. Whereabouts can I vote you in the hall of fame? 😁

Congratulations to all the great heroes of Carnity. @Asif Hussain @M.Seidam @Looper @DP1011 @Zed and @GauravSoni Keep rocking guys. Many thanks, @Frederic - The data god to bring the best ones into the spotlight.

Thanks @Frederic ! Pleasure to be making it to the podium😁🙏🏼 and congratulations to other so well deserving ones too 💥! @Asif Hussain @Gaurav Soni @M.Seidam @Looper & @Zed ! I have driven with you all this quarter except @Asif Hussain - When is next one bhai? 😁, looking forward

Congratulations @Asif Hussain @GauravSoni @DP1011 @M.Seidam @Looper and @Zed.. well deserved

@AlexanderrrYes..Thats ideal. Have done test drives on few vehicles that i have shortlisted (New as well as preowned). Ultimately...want to be comfortable with the choice as this will be part of my life for some time!! Like the comments by some of the other folks here..that there is pros and cons on every vehicle. And..Taking a leaf out of Lance Armstrong's autobiography "Its not about the bike" (he is the winner of the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times ). Here it will be "Its not about the SUV"!! People have said it in this forum that more than the vehicle it will be the driving skills that needs to be given lots more time and thought. And ... am sure Carnity community will help!!

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.