Varun Mehndiratta

@Gaurav fully agree with you and @Mario Cornejo driving and taking the whole team together is part of learning process. and managing to maintain ones momentum and patience while new entrants to a level struggle with is am important element of process - we all have been there and were well supported by seniors. It's our time to give back. However also agree with @Abu Muhammad - due to recent changes in promotion criteria many of us have been on Intermediate level drives for quite a bit and at times want to test our driving skills as well - which I am sure you will agree becomes a bit of issue when we have new intermediate drivers on same drives, irrespective of how beautiful and challenging the terrain. Again not discrediting any ones performance it's just a fact - experience at a level makes a big diff. I remember my first few Fewbie or Fewbie plus or intermediate drives - I as most of my peers struggled the same way. Some of us have been waiting for qualification drive for extreme drives - would appreciate if you can please share the plan on that?

WOT downshifting is surely an issue I observed didn't know it was Jeep thing, thought I was doing it something wrong missing the right RPM level etc... Tried multiple things - bit of blip blip acceleration (same as feather the throttle you mentioned) ended up losing momentum pretty fast - good that I checked was blaming my technique and trying some diff combos everytime 🙂 .. tuning is off the chart for me as well due to warranty issue . Offlate been sticking to pre judging all the way in 2 or 1st gear - surely misjudge at times but takes it through the most cases, seems that's the way to go....thanks @Lorenzo Candelpergher for sharing your thoughts..

Thanks @Lorenzo CandelpergherbYup that's what I thought read on a forum with someone complaining about upshifting in M mode...sounded strange to me too, it was also about a Pajero so thought perhaps some issue with it's system ..👍 98% is pretty awesome, I have somehow developed tendency to move to M on every steep dune ...surely makes it a bit easier. Somehow it always upshifts in D while reaching around 4500-5000 rpm.

Hi All missed the actions..just a query @Lakshmi Narasimhan @Danish Mohammad were you trying the area in M or D mode that it was leading to upshifting? Asking it as read somewhere that vehicles automatically upshift even when on M mode (haven't experienced it yet). Personally I have not been able to go through Area 53 or Shuwaib in D mode on my Jeep, however understand many manage to do so..so just a bit curious. Also Jeep gang - @Ilya @Lorenzo Candelpergher would really appreciate your feedback - do you manage to push through your beasts in D mode in this area (especially the climbs and descents) or switch to M while handling steep climbs. Just trying to understand if I am relying on my Jeep too much. Also have you experienced upshifting while in M mode on your Jeep.

Sorry @Ashok chaturvedi had taken permission from wife and the maid, however baby was just in too naughty a mood yesterday for both of them to handle. 🙂So had to step out at last min.

Sorry but one of those sleepless nights with a small baby.

Hi @Lorenzo Candelpergher sorry won't be able to join. See you next time

Tried this and almost tried below one...both are garbage....threw it after a month...surely don't have patience for these plus hose and electrical are crappy A good thread for anyone joining in new and looking for compressor wish had this insight when I spent 70-80 aed on these...😃😃

Nice initiative @Enrico Biscaro ....i am intrigued by while how diff the stories they all seem so similar. So here's my story - hv always hated driving for as long as I can recall.. Was always happy to allow my brother or friends drive me around - who can complain about a chauffer driven ride. Been in UAE since 2007 ( @Niki like your golden cage metaphor 🙂 just I prefer to call it an amusement park) and just like @Alain Canivet-Abikhalil always stayed close to the office - ..have always spent more time taking car in and out of home/office parking then on road....For last 12 years drove a Lexus IS - nice vehicle however stuck to it not for love of it but just to avoid searching around for the next ride and then Who Cares.. Couple of years back, bored of usual outings to restaurants, staycations, home parties, my wife cajoled me into a camping trip to fujairah beach and somehow next I know we were driving all the way to Salalah. One thing led to another and demand for a SUV started to rise at home and somehow my 8yo was adamant that it has to be one with a Spare wheel at back...don't ask why as I am still looking for answer. As soon as I sought some help at work, a friend took me to Jeepers and next I know 2 months later - we had a Jeep at home - again while being a nerd I did all the research deep inside, got to know about all jargons however was sure I wasn't going to use any of the features - I mean I had never even parked my car on a kerb, expecting me to hit the desert or off road was beyond my humble imaginations. And demands continued to grow as after a month I garnered some courage to visit Qudra lakes (yeah not the desert but just the trip to these love lakes etc itself needed a lot of determination). Story of how I shifted to 4H and even 4Lo to reach Qudra lakes became the office banter when a friend pushed me to join a drive to Pink rock with another club around Oct last year. And the bug had it's laugh, as soon exploring clubs I ended up with Carnity in Nov20. And now those 100km drive early in morning (or late night) to reach the meeting point seem like a fun drive and missing out on a weekend drive makes the whole week seem incomplete. 6:55pm on Sunday doesn't need any alarm. For a guy who would hire a handyman to fix bulbs in lamp to someone who is cleaning car filter every weekend I have come a long way and I thank team @Carnity for the same. Thanks all

Buon Viaggio... See you on Saturday .

Do we really plan to start at 7am?...justva check .though surely don't mind 2 more hrs of sleep...😃😃 It was undoubtedly the best drive I did...so my fingers weren't going to miss the chnace to explore again..

Looking forward...👍👍👍😎

Reg. Diff lock - yes sports and Sahara don't come with diff lock. However just to share JK and JL come with inbuilt BLDs (brake lock diff) which engages automatically in tricky situations ... I have experienced Jeep recovering itself without diff locks from situations where some other vehicles struggled despite diff locks .. somehow Jeep need to sell it better. I was also taken back that Sahara doesn't have diff locks but then driving over last 6-7 months realized that BLD is really smart.

Thanks @Wrangeld @Abdul Rahman AK@Dodi Syahdar

Thanks @Lakshmi Narasimhan @Hisham Masaad and @Niki for the wishes... 😃

Thanks @Niki this recovery seems will take it's time...after effect of visiting gym after a long break. I don't know why I always forget the rule - logically we pay to get our work done so that we don't have to sweat ...not pay the gym and sweat...😂😂 I surely missed being on this wonderful drive was looking forward to it (ofcourse the description from @Wrangeld is further adding to my pain of missing out) More than that the cupcakes in my car missed you all - we have been blessed with a little doll just 11 days back (that's why wasn't on drives for two weeks). Not an issue there is always the next drive and always a new box of cupcake...and hopefully soon our little one on one of these drives..😃 See you all soon.

Realized later that posted it in other thread...sorry @Wrangeld for last min change had to come back from the way as realized wouldnt have been able to go through the drive.

Hi @Wrangeld sorry won't be able to make it, woke up with some stiffness in neck- returning back from half the way won't be comfortable driving with it. . See you all soon. Have a safe drive.

Hi @Wrangeld sorry won't be able to make it, woke up with some stiffness in neck- returning back from half the way won't be comfortable driving with it. . See you all soon. Have a safe drive

I have only driven Jeep among the list shared by group above . And can tell you with full assurance it's something for which the liking grows with every day one drives it .. And this is coming from someone who was always reluctant to go for jeep for it's not so smooth drive - it's my first SUV, first 4WD and I have always been about smooth cars.. ..bought it just an year back and now I just cant step into my wife's sedan (and it's a good one). For offroading - it's RPM to Torque curve is super smooth and flat to make it fun through tech dunes as well as climbing steep hills. Crawl ratio is ofcourse the signature element of Jeep. On road, I have a JL Sahara and it's just a superb drive ..once it touches 100 K mark the sound, the rhythm is just awesome. And there is no limit on accessories and mods available off the shelf for it. Plus the fun of taking off the roof is next level especially in beautiful Dubai winters. Servicing isn't expensive and parts easiky available locally.

Looking forward, been 2 weeks since explored the sand.... Squeezed between two Raptors, jeep is up for challenge and ready to Roar!!!

Hi @Wrangeld added myself to the drive (rsvp was open) and is my first drive of the week. Hope it's okay?

Hi @Srikumar won't be able to make it. Have a nice drive.

@Srikumar I am signing in with 50-50 probability of joining due to some engagements .if someone on wait-list (not till now I believe) will step out. Owise will only be able to confirm by Tuesday. Hope thats fine? Let me know and will plan accordingly.

And we bring pizza into discussion. Think it's dinner time.