brandan

Following the other mobile radar camera discussion here, I think it's a good idea to create a list of mobile radar camera that we spot and share the location to help each other.

• I have spotted one on Oud metha road near Ras al khor wildlife sanctuary, highlighted with yellow circle on map below.

Fuel price impact is not gonna be so soon man, these things take slow effect from 6 months - 2 year economic cycle and by that time the consumer will forget about the fuel price raise and think it's global inflation in UAE at the time whole world is heading for another downturn.

Toyota Yaris takes it all, as just like with any other toyota cars far more reliable and durable than any other brand in this region.

After the fuel price substantial rise, I am sure many of us will consider more fuel efficient alternate cars. Let's make this thread for listing the cars with fuel mileage from best to worst in any specific category you know based on your experience or on research.

Compact Car Category

• Honda Civic: 6-7 L/100
• Nissan Sunny: 6-7 L/100
• Mazda 3: 7-8 L/100
• Hyundai Elantra: 7-8 L/100
• Toyota Corolla: 7-8 L/100

It's totally a car owner's choice and why would anyone bother....! I used that for months when my baby was small and to protect the fabric seats for few extra months. Of course driver seat plastic was removed but rest everywhere I retained it for child proofing. Such a dumb thread in my opinion.

Performance is more than every green light start when you really want to overtake a snail driver with minimum and safest gap this comes extremely handy everyday 50 times a drive. As we all know here in Dubai people for some reason love to drive extremely slow (60-80) in fast lane of 120 so to beat the idiots this performance will impress you and bring smile every time. In my eyes and based on my experience cushy comfy luxury is not important than the extreme performance and agility to drive and move in today's Dubai traffic. 

Well that's a toll we have to pay if we like Internet in all our future cars as that will open the big black hole of security issues, that can be accessible by anyone sitting in any country.

Watch Blackhat movie and see how hacker blow up the nuclear reactor by attacking the water pump with a single keystroke.

Im sure time will come when Car antivirus and internet security will cost more than a car insurance. 

That's super strange though only Ford, Honda and Toyota's have been affected. What about other German brand's which supposed to be bigger delicate darling over emission and fuel rating specifications.

Which fuel station you were using? And which type of Petrol you had?

I so agree with shadow79 as Prado is way better (yes expensive) but comes with solid build quality (not plastic only), proven track record and awesome resale value whenever you like to part with it. After Prado and before pathfinder I will advise Pajero which offers great value for money and comes loaded with all possible bells and whistles.

You can stick on right down of the windscreen and left side having parking car stick to the glass makes it look even and balance. That's what I am doing.

You can also stick to the sunroof and I don't think Salik card reader has anything to do with car height as Salik toll gates are really huge design and I am sure they must be charging the big commercial freight trucks which is far more taller than any 4x4.

I hear you and understand fully on the maintenance issue, I call it a defer maintenance for the next buyer.

My point here for being offroad ride older than 15-20 years it's gonna break more often overall and not in general maintenance issue, lIke axle joints or axle itself due to lot of strain on 15 years old metal it gives up. Shock absorber, springs, differential, 4x4, auto gearbox, Radiator, AC compressor, bushes, foundations etc. Been there, done that. 

Do you know every car manufacturer in the world have two different service interval for normal road use vs adverse conditions because in adverse condition (too hold or too cold or too dusty) car component takes a serious toll on everything and after some time, things will break faster than expected. This is why desert safari guys love to flip their Land Cruisers at 100-150k km mark, where as cruisers have been running on road for 300-500k km with regular and minimal maintenance.

I agree shadow cherokee post 2003 was good offroad ride, but now beating a 18 year old ride will invite more frequent trips to workshop than any enjoyment. I tried same with other brand and due to age and harsh desert bashing I decided to sell off within a year's time.

Mark has put very valuable info already, once that stage is satisfied you also need to check the gearbox functionality and more importantly find a new gearbox that mates with the new engine. This way it's lot easier to swap the engine and gearbox at one shot and get the car moving on its own asap. In scrapyard you usually get these two both joined together so no more extra hunting or headache. Even if you don't use the new gearbox buy it and keep it handy as more than likely you will need it soon to replace or get the donor parts.

Sorry folks, I think 2000-2010 was the best decade, before that it was too boxy shapes and primitive looking cars were their in market and now post 2010 too soft edges, swollen eyes, Chinese looking cars are coming even from English and German auto makers.....Sad.

Look at 2004-2011 Range Rover, 2003-2008 Nissan Patrol, 2003-2009 Toyota Land Cruiser, all are amazing looking manly cars not flimsy and plastic feel like today.

Don't get so emotional sidhan, I appreciate whatever everyone is saying and I'm listening. Just picking with caution, so take it easy dude.

Thanks guys for all the help and advises.

Farook: Kenlow fan is a band-aid solution and not fixing what is causing that, but will keep that in mind.

Gaurav: Yes gushing and roaring sound is coming when car is hot means clutch fan is alive.

Cyborg: Yes I know June is hot in Dubai. 

Ethan & Sidhan: Yes, I agree and that's why we are discussing and thinking to proceed or not with major expense

Nutbolt: I have started sen, what you said recently in other forums and my research.

Let's see what holds the future of this poor Grand Cherokee (Grocery run vs desert queen).

You can check the VIN number printed on car registration card use any "VIN decoder" from google that will tell you which specs that car is.

Lane manners: You can drive in any lane you wish at any speed, but if next right lane is empty you need to move in that lane.

If everyone follow above lane manners then majority of problems will get solved automatically. I have seen people here cutting across 4 lanes in one shot that too without indicator, so expecting this far is totally impossible.

Hi Fellas,

My friend got the project car old 2004 model V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee for restoring and modifying only as a desert ride. He got the clean deal for cheap and factored around 15-20k aed for restoring and mods. As a first rule he brought the car to the bare stock model and replace couple of mechanical parts: Axel joint, drive shaft and new suspension etc. We took out for a drive and suspect engine need little love so got the new spark plus, coils, wires, filters etc and engine started roaring back onroad.

We drove onroad for a week and went to khwaneej desert in late evening to test the offroad gear and response. Did amazing set of dunes in first 5 minutes and then car started to gain bit of temperature. We went out and check the radiator, fan, coolant and all was working fine so we flushed the whole coolant with new coolant and added new radiator cap and went again in evening and same thing happen. This time we didn't touched the dunes, we were just playing in sand with 4x4 engaged. Seems like car is not heating on road but in desert within 5 minutes after engaging the 4WD drive it start getting overheat.

Being an old model, there must be 100 of things we can doubt but we want to take an educated guess than blowing the budget with unnecessary repairs. Any help or advise is highly appreciable. Thanks in advance.

Well best way to buy an offroad ride that is capable and economical by looking at what people drive more. Go to few desert drives with your friends and family or just go in sedan in Tawi Nizwa or Bidayer area on Hatta Oman road on any weekend early morning or evening and witness 100's of Jeeps, Land Cruiser, Patrol, FJC and Xterra. These 5 models are highly proven for Dubai desert offroading IMHO.

Ranchos is my first option.

Dobinson is the second.

Tough dog, is not long lasting and start squeaking in first year. Kings is bit expensive than above two.

That's a nice news, really. However what I read in newspaper: 5 meter distance is too less for 80 kmph speed, as per rule book it should be around 20 meters and at 120 kmph speed should be 30 meters gap. Whatever it is, it's a good news and good starting.

Some people are so stubborn, that you even dip light or honk at them and they don't want to move to slow lane. Then cops says tailgate is bad and they will fine those who tailgate, why can't they come up with something to tell people which lane is made for what speed. How difficult is that       

I also heard some news about same few days back from the person who stay in Sharjah that his car failed catalytic and become very sluggish to drive after the fuel up from Adnoc. If I am not wrong eplus is 91 octane level fuel and in most cars the manufacture recommend for 92 octane and above. I guess you should have checked your car owners manual if it's fit for so low octane fuel before taking the chance to save little bit.

Are you confuse between Camry vs Accord? and 4Runner vs Pilot? as it's a different league dude, altogether.

If Camry and Accord, my vote goes for Accord.

4Runner vs Pilot: Pilot, as as you must be getting imported 4Runner and in UAE heat GCC cars are always advisable than imported version.