Leaderboard

Trip Update: Date: 26 July 2023 Country: Oman Region: Dhofar - Salalah to Duqm As we were not keen on taking the same road as to where we came from, we decided to take the coastal route which is longer but far more scenic. We left around 11am in Salalah today and arrived around 7pm in Duqm. A coastal city where a lot of economic development is currently ongoing, mostly related to oil and gas. The road from Salalah to Duqm is absolutely amazing as it alternates between mountains and driving next to the beach itself. There’s so many pristine beaches and hardly any development as of now. Due to the Khareef it was very windy and the weather was extremely pleasant. Some highlights: Sadah Beach: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vbH26P7ZNPuwTXWB8?g_st=ic Wadi Al Nakheel: https://maps.app.goo.gl/g5ejCFrPvn2225TR8?g_st=ic Manji Beach: https://maps.app.goo.gl/31Cush9EynNLJVbf6?g_st=ic Out of the mountains and into the sea: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bJBTsViDpbbeuTWG7?g_st=ic Photo from Google: Along the way:

Hi Vishnu, you should always drive any automatic car in Auto gear in the desert. Auto is 90-95% able to do whatever you want them to do and the more you drive on Auto, the Auto will learn the downshift pattern and be able to serve 95-98% of the time. Only 1-5% of the time we use manual 1st gear for long hill climb if the gearbox upshift from 1st to 2nd. Main advantages: You will never over-run any gear by mistake. Auto will efficiently serve you with the best gear as per the rpm. You will have one less thing to worry and stay focused on desert driving skills. In short, your Auto gearbox is safer, more efficient and long-lasting in Auto mode.

We have had a few Bronco's here in the past and let's see what those owners have to say @Marco B. @Vivek Khetan @Mark Stark and @Mehek Merchant I have done Masterclass with two of these guys and Bronco seems as ready as FJ and Wrangler based on the first drive.

Tiptronic can be useful if you have a sluggish auto gearbox. I remember on Vanessa her Pajero that gearbox was always up and down shifting at the most inappropriate times and I see same behavior on my Y61 patrol. As I came from driving manual i still prefer it. Except for Newbie level or Overlanding drives of course that’s where “D” does it for me

Here you go. How should you order Bronco badlands from Ford doesn’t come with Sasquatch pack as standard, WildTrack does that’s why it is top model in US. In UAE dealer orders Badlands with Sasquatch package by default so making it top end here. PPPS: my DP is inspired by Ford Bronco logo. While getting it done I suggested the designer to do something like that and they “chapofy” it.

Everytime i hear about Bronco, i remember old joke: A town in the West American steppe. Saloon. At the table sit two cowboys, a local and a visitor, and drink whiskey. Suddenly, someone rushes along the street at great speed, firing revolvers in all directions. There's no one in the saloon with an ear. Local visitor: - Bill? - Yes, Harry? What was that, Bill? - It was the elusive Joe, Harry. Why is he called the elusive Joe, Bill? - Because no one's caught him yet, Harry. - Why hasn't anyone caught him yet, Bill? - Because no one wants him, Harry. ==

70/30 on road vs off-road I’d take the Prado as you have lots more comfort and options on board. The 4Runner is more rudimentary and drives more truck-like. It looks more Off-road capable as well as it provides a bit more ground clearance especially in the front. Trimming the bumper or getting a lift in the Prado would solve that issue. I have a friend that drives a US spec Tundra and often complains he’s waiting for parts to come from the US, so like @Gaurav mentioned this might be a bit of an issue. As it’s US specs you won’t be able to get full comprehensive insurance I think (not sure though). My 5 cents: keep the Prado and modify to your own personal likings. It has fantastic resale value and parts are easily available.

Double-check the weight of 4Runner, if it's lighter than your Prado and offers more power-to-weight ratio, then only it makes sense from a performance perspective. I would any day stick to the GCC model more than an import because parts and mods are locally available quickly. So the difficult repair or major services can be handled easily. I once had EU spec Lexus GS430 and remember how badly Al Futtaim used to treat that car like an orphan.

Why Fewbie Plus? It was empty last week and this week will be same. There is more FB drivers than FB+ currently active. Why not to make it FB and increase the level during the drive if everyone will be ready for it. Almost every FB drive transforming to FB+ after 15 min anyway.

Appreciate any views / thoughts on Ford Bronco...especially the Wildtrak and Badlands models...for offroad (especiually dune / deserrt driving in UAE. Positioned as a strong competitor to Wrangler / Rubicon. Test Drive was great (but of course on road only!!). Seems to bridge the On road / Off road (at least from specs) balance...but with a slightly (!!) higher price tag .. And...repairs and resale untested. Don't think this will challenge / displace the UAE Dune premier league dominated by FJ , Prado / LC, Safaris etc but nevertheless worth a look.

We request every member that joins this drive to go through the information below and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquette, and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Environmental Policy Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquette's Emergency details for all off-roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities Drive Details Level: Fewbie Plus and above (all levels) Meeting time: 3:30 PM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/cRDSWUBTXBGPQ5wv9 Action Plan: Continuing in the tradition of Tolkien inspired drives, after last week's excursion through the gap between Fangorn Forest (of Ghaf trees) and the Misty Mountain (of solar mirrors), and around Isengard (the solar tower's Eye of Sauron), this time we will enter the depths of the forest, to trace our way back, entering from the Gap of Rohan (Faqa's northern sabkha, just south of the solar tower) and taking the path leading back to safety, in the vicinity of the Innovation Center. If possible, an even more challenging technical route, with soft sand everywhere, including the ridges and bottom of the low but very close and complex array of dunes and bowls, which we'll cross from the slip-face, throughout the drive. We'll be aallowing ourselves not more than 3 hours to escape Isengard through the forest of Ghaf trees, or else...... 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: 06:30 PM P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 10 cars maximum. RSVP will close on Wednesday - 5 PM. 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 below calendar

We request every member that joins this drive to go through the information below and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquette, and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Environmental Policy Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquette's Emergency details for all off-roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities Drive Details Level: Fewbie Plus and above (all levels) Meeting time: 3:00 PM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Action Plan: Planning an enjoyable midweek drive, tracing the setting sun's route, from Bezhad Ranch (Area 53) to Badayer, and perhaps beyond that, climbing a few star dunes throughout the area, looking for the best spot for a scenic picture, or to enjoy the sun as it falls below the horizon. 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: 07:00 PM P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 8 cars maximum. RSVP will close on Wednesday - 5 PM. 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 below calendar

With my Toyota Fortuner 2023 automatic, I'm wondering if I need to switch the gear to manual while going off-road in deserts. I've seen some videos suggesting that switching to manual mode when driving in sand can lead to better performance and help on avoiding transmission issues ( Heating Transmission ). Being a Newbie driver, do in need to focus on this or it's just for experts who rule the sand dune terrain Help be on this....

I agree with all of the above automatic enabled transmission cars are designed to be in auto mode for most situations as the car learn the style of the driver and adjust by time . However the manual mode option can be useful in some short lived specific situations when a sustained Torque / power needed to get you from point A to point B such as steep climb or descent especially in sand , sustained speed and control over longer time riding a ridge or side slope or while recovering yourself from a stuck while in low gear . for sure it’s incomparable to the manual transmission cars where the synchronisation between the right hand on the stick , left foot on the clutch and right foot on gas is , I would say , another unique skill to acquire in sand driving which quite fun as well

Hi @Vishnu Ramankutty I totally agree with @Gaurav automatic should serve you very well with most of all off-road situations. personally I do use my manual tiptronic option on my wrangler as it allows me to have full control over the car and which gear it is in within relation of the RPMS. (Note you should have no problem doing automatic all the way to intermediate). Using tiptronic can help you control large climbs but for the most part auto will assist you. if you plan on using auto-manual I highly recommend using it on normal roads to understand more thoroughly when to shift and what your car is comfortable doing. This is only because tiptronic will put more stress on your transmission and engine using low gears to climb dunes (note: I don’t recommend “slamming” the rpm’s ensure you always steer down when you’ve lost momentum to ensure safety of you and your car.) In the wrangler I find starting in 2nd to gain maximum torque then shifting down to 1st tends to impact the best. However every car is different I hope this helps from someone who uses auto and tiptronic

@Bashar Beasha should be fixed now apologies for the confusion

Hi @Bashar Beasha no not cancelled, @Gaurav can you take a look as to why the calendar might not be accessible

Hello @Ale Vallecchi. Of course, thats understood. I will see you on Friday for the afternoon drive 👍

No spare parts, no upgrade kits, no specialized garages, absolutely nothing. Jeep, Nissan or Toyota you can repare at any coffee shop. "Please one Karak and one shock absorber... and driveshaft for the balance please..." Why people even thinking about cars like Bronco for offroading? It was the name long time back, same like Defender, but now they are typical mall crawlers

Hello @Bashar Beasha. As you have seen from the drive's page, you are the only member to have signed up for this drive. In consideration of this, in conformity with Carnity's safety guidelines (min. 3 drivers) I will have to cancel the drive. I would not want to find ourselves in any tricky situation and not be able to rely on at least another driver's support. Sorry for the inconvenience. I hope you'll be able to rearrange your afternoon accordingly. Hope to see you soon again.

Hi @Pavel Pashkovskiy. I guess you are right. I was just looking to execute a more advanced route, so I went for the higher level (and a smaller convoy). I have always had a good turnout at FB+ or IM during midweek drives as at that rank there seem to be more motivated drivers, but clearly (perhaps also due to the summertime) this time I was wrong. Too late to correct now I will be sure to follow your advice next time and plan a route that may be escalated during the drive. Thanks again for your input.

😂 yup I agree! Was just chasing CID officer myself this morning apparently all ‘clear’

Hi mate, nope same old dented fuel tank, it’s on the list 🤣( very long list) as for approval I am trying to get it sorted as want to make sure it’s all above board. Took it to the inspection station and the inspector said no need for suspension upgrade but not convinced that’s right so still chasing it. by the rules you need approval for everything non standard, we would all fail 😂

@Nilakantan Erode did you managed to get the used Prado. I am thinking to sell mine, and move to a new car for off roading. Pls DM me if you are interested. 😀 All Experts can I please have your views on Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro. A friend of mine has imported a new one from US as its not sold in GCC. I am considering buying that and have 2 more options - Jeep 392 / Ford Bronco Raptor. I would use the car for 70 % onroad and 30 % offroad.

Nil, create a new topic relevant to each car for better visibility and responses from respective owners.

Hello Hisham, No previous driving experience on sand

Hello Hisham, Thanks for having me. My car is a 2009 4 door brown pajero 3.8. My dad has let me drive on the sand a bit but thats about it dont really know much. I have two tow points in the front and one in the rear. I have all the essential gears mentioned and have seen the video.

Hello Hisham , Thank you for the message. This will be my first drive with the club and so excited to participate. My car is 2008 my FJ Cruiser. I have watched the videos and have arranged necessary equipments. best regards Shiju

Thank you @Benjamin looks will have long convoy, your support will be good along with @Looper

This looks awesome @Stumpy Paj! Your pajero has made a massive change since we started driving together in Newbie 😂 have you got that fuel tank fixed yet? also I’m interested in your subframe drop would this be categorized under chassis modification? I only really thought about it because I was looking at the new black points law because I’m looking to put the stickers back on my jeep long story short apparently you need permission for engine modification and chassis modifications (alongside stickers and paint)

Oh wow @Stumpy Paj looks awesome.

As we drove to Isengard via the gap between the "forest" and the "mountains", we will drive out of Isengard keeping further east, through the "forest" of Ghaf trees. 😉 Sauron will keep a watchful eye on us from the top of its Solar Tower.

Sorry @Varun Mehndiratta I have to remove myself. Issues with my differentials that needs sorting 😭