Frederic

Hi Jamy, Sorry to hear that. I will keep an eye out in the drive bookings.

Unfortunately not. As soon as something comes available you can take the availabe slot.

@Mels Wolf @Shiju Manuel @luwaimn @Denizzalbayrak @Martin. @Pancho @Nizam Deen @Xaf @Ale Vallecchi Please take note that we will use the following Frequency / Channel tomorrow: CARNITY CHANNEL1: 446.006-25 Mhz Please set your radio to this frequency and switch on your radio when you arrive at the deflation point so we can commence the briefing over the radio.

@Mels Wolf @Shiju Manuel @luwaimn @Denizzalbayrak @Martin. @Pancho @Nizam Deen Hi guys, Please confirm with "TOTALLY AGREE" emoji if you have read above instructions with regards to COVID-19 precautions. This drive will end nearby 2nd December cafeteria, and not nearby a fuel station. Please make sure you have a compressor with you so you can inflate nearby the road.

Correct, but the ECM needs to be re-programmed from what i've heard, which is apparently not that easy.

UPDATE: So after bringing the vehicle to another technician i got the confirmation that the ECM needs to be replaced. After the initial quote of 13kAED the current quote is 6kAED, which is 3400AED for the ECM and the rest for programming, labour and some consumables (air filters, some hoses). The CTS is a 2009 3.6 model which needs some TLC but can be brought back into decent condition. Owner is not planning on putting 6kAED into it, and the scrap value would be 800-1000AED max. I am seriously considering putting the car in my driveway as project fixxer-upper car and getting a VIN-programmed ECM from the USA which would cost me about 300USD shipping included. The rest would be a decent clean-up / polish job and put it back on the market in a couple of months. The secondhand market is not fabulous now but let's see.

In light of these extraordinary times and with utmost respect for the measures put in place by the government authorities, we are moving forward with future drives by implementing and using strict rules and regulations for everyone's health and safety. These rules are to be followed STRICTLY, and no exceptions will be allowed. We all have a responsibility in keeping each-other safe and only by abiding to these rules we can continue to exercise our passion. No Gathering | No Briefing | No BBQ | No Eating Together | No Touching | No Hugging MUST READ Attention: Not following these rules and precautions will result in a permanent ban from joining any future offroad drives with Carnity. We are only allowed to drive through the desert, as we would be driving on the road. So we stay in the car and maintain our distance inbetween the vehicles during inflating, briefing, and during the drive. Just like before we like to continue our desert drives through out the year, but this time we need your immense support to understand the strict control and to help everyone follow them all the time. For members who are fasting, they can break their fast discreetly and convoy will be stopped during that time and until they offer their prayer. SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES -Meeting point will be set slightly (100m - 200m) inside the desert track so that you individually deflate your tires on the tarmac before reaching the meeting point. - While deflating tires keep the distance between the cars at least 10 meters. - Drive signup on calendar will be closed on Thursday morning by 9 AM. - Convoy numbering and briefing will be posted here on this drive post before 6 PM on Thursday. - All participants need to read & acknowledge the briefing by clicking "Totally Agree" reaction - Switch on your radio when you reach the meeting point on the set frequency advised by the trip lead in the critical briefing here. - Once you reach the meeting point, only exit the car for deflation, not for socializing. - Trip lead will do the roll call, convoy numbering recap, critical briefing over the radio. - Any suggestions or issues will be discussed over the radio. - You can also speak to other members through the radio only. - Your radio will become even more important, so please make sure that it's charged and tested on the set frequency. - Once all set, trip lead will start the drive as before. REFUSALS AND RECOVERY MEASURES - Every drive will have 1 lead Marshal and 1 or 2 supporting senior members/crew. - Whenever there is a stuck or refusal, only Marshal / Senior Member / Crew is allowed to handle the situation. - Everyone else including the stuck car driver, stay inside the car - AT ALL TIMES. - Marshal / Senior Member / Crew is only allowed to step out to access the situation and do the recoveries: - They will wear mask and gloves at all times when they are outside their car. - They will try to help self recover through the radio guidance. - If not they will use required recovery gear and do the needful (shovel, tug or winch, as required). - If at any time a Marshal requires help, then only you are allowed to step out by wearing face mask and gloves at all times. DRIVE COMPLETION AND INFLATION - There will be no gathering or sitting down together for food-breaks anymore. - Once the drive is finished, after reaching the tarmac, everyone is requested to move away 50-100 meters before starting their inflation. - For offroaders without means to re-inflate (compressor), should head to the near by fuel station (no borrowing of compressors). - If a drive is ending at a place where there is no fuel station near by, then the trip lead will inform in advance so that drivers having their own compressor can join only. NO SHARING OF COMPRESSORS, TOOLS, RECOVERY GEARS, RADIOS AT ANY TIME MANDATORY PPE (PERSONAL PROTECTIVE ITEMS) TO BRING TO EVERY DRIVE - Face mask - at least TWO face mask is needed in case one get damaged or flies away. - Disposable rubber gloves - at least two sets are needed. - Wear face mask and gloves at all the times when you are out of your car. - Carry plenty of hand sanitizer and object sanitizer (spray). - Use your sanitizers generously, whenever you step out to help or recover. - Sanitize your hands before getting back into your car. - Sanitize your recovery gears, if you have used them. - Fully charged radio - without any excuse - No radio = No drive. - Shovel - Must for every car, to do little self recovery when required. - Safety flag - Must for every car, like before - Compressor - If joining the drives that is ending far from the fuel station. MANDATORY PRECAUTIONS TO BE FOLLOWED AT ALL TIMES - Do not step out of your car UNLESS/OTHERWISE advised by a Marshal / Senior Member / Crew. - No shaking hands, hugs or touching each other. - No sharing of food, drinks or recovery tools. - If you are not feeling well, please stay at home and take a lot of rest. - If you feel unwell during the drive, please let trip lead know so he can plan an early exit. - Not more than 3 pax in a car and if all 3 aren't living together, then they should wear the mask inside the car too. DRIVE DETAILS Level: Newbie and all above - NO ABSOLUTE NEWBIE ALLOWED. When: 15 May 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 4:00 PM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Badayer Roundabout - Dubai-Hatta Road https://goo.gl/maps/EXYX6dipRiTPtDDW6 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: 8:00 PM End Point: roadside nearby 2nd December Cafeteria: https://goo.gl/maps/bzGn1DDviArbGyA29 P.S. JOIN ONLY IF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN COMPRESSOR LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 1 Lead Marshal + 2 or 1 Senior Members + 7 or 8 Members. Latecomers will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members without RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Please withdraw your RSVP, if you are not 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 THE CALENDAR

Every once in a blue moon i go on Dubizzle to have a look at the Japanese import BMW's. While their asking price is a bit on the high side, the mileage is generally low and they seem well maintained (something to do with the Japanese i guess). I've been hunting a nice E39 5 Series (528i and above) in the past as i have fond memories of a good friend of mine that had a 528i full spec with the M5 rims. For me these generation of German cars are amongst the best-built cars i have ever seen. Just closing the door was like closing the door of a bank vault. Driving it was such a pleasure too. I hope one day to have the money to own one again and the space to put it (and the time to maintain it)

And that's a damn fine beemer in the background !

If you’re out for a cheap ride, buy a 180cc like the delivery guys are driving. Plenty around, and good for a leisure drive. I had a 200cc Cagiva in Belgium and had the most fun with it simply because it was underpowered and i could drive TOW. (Throttle Wide Open).

Well it’s not my car. So I can only act as an intermediate and try to help her out. Agree there are far better workshops around but I haven’t met good electronics guys so far yet. Not even in my favorite shop 😜

It’s also itching to get a bike. My friend has a Ducati Monster that I hope he will sell one day so i can grab it 😅 Ducati has a great following here. I know the president of the UAE Ducati club and they do lots of trips and are like one big family helping each other out. Have a look at Ducati owners club Dubai on FB. There are hundreds of bikes covered throughout the year with hardly any miles on them and owners leaving the country. Have a look out and buy from an expatriate that looked after it.

Update: So i spoke to their service manager this morning and got the following info: Car battery was drained when it arrived in the workshop. Then they've put in a test battery and started diagnostics. Apparently the ECM is not sending power to the injectors, which makes them think there is something wrong with the wiring harness and ECM. I am pretty sure that the car can be back up and running with a bit of time and some parts (and probably lots of energy drinks). But as it sits now the workshop does not proceed without further ok-go on the quote.

Happy birthday buddy !

A friend of my boss is having the following problem with her Cadillac CTS. The car was fine before, but has been standing still for a while. At one point the car did not want to start anymore. Her husband left the country already so she was baffled to receive below quote from a well known Dubai Workshop: Looking at the quote they basically want to throw 13kAED at that car, knowing well that this almost exceeds residual value of the car. Either this, or the car is throwing all possible fault codes (which might be related to a harness, power supply, or grounding issue. Unfortunately i have little details about the car's symptoms. I will pass by the workshop tomorrow and try to get some more details about it. @Barry as you are our mad scientist around this place, if you're available freelance to help troubleshooting let me know (056 504 2632).

Hahahaha really cool and well thought off. But he should have put an electric engine to attract the ECO-hipsters

* Mercedes Benz W201 * Volkwagen Golf MK2 * Volvo 240

Superb video with a lot of technical details which are indeed a good lesson in Automotive Engineering. Finally some recognition to the BMW engine. How much i would love to buy this car and keep it in a dry garage bone stock. I'll just need to keep on dreaming.

Fully agree. I remember my grandfather who was always busy with his pigeons, chickens, and working in and around the house. It kept hem going and young. When he later moved to a retirement home it went downwards fast. That's why i have no plan of taking lots of rest, but keeping an active lifestyle with lots of animals and work to do on the land and hopefully some old cars to restore

In these challenging times, and with so much uncertainty, it's probably kind of hard to predict where you might be when you finally arrive at retirement age. However it is something that many people think of. What is your IDEAL DREAM scenario of retirement look like ? and where ? - For me personally, knowing that my children will probably be expats too, i would like to retire in a region where i can have a piece of land to grow my own organic veggies, and have a bunch of animals to look after. Ideally far enough from the city, but still acceptable to make the ride for essential groceries or other things.. - WHERE is the main question. I fell in love with France many times already, and certain parts in the south of Belgium are also nice. But this might as well be Oman or anyplace else where i could find peace and a visa

Ok this is purely a guess: 7.5 Billion is the population. I expect around 20% of the global population to have a car, so around 1,5 Billion maybe ?

@Yash1 is a Jimny driver that was in my convoy some weeks back. From what i've seen the Jimny managed very well. Maybe he can give his two cents.

I always loved watches. But i love my wallet just a little bit more. My 200dirhams classic G-shock is all i need around my wrist.

Welcome to Carnity ! That Prado sounds like a good deal. We are all missing the off-roading now and hope to be back in the sands soon. Stay tuned !