Frederic

Congrats @Malachy McGrogan!!

Driving a manual comes with a steeper learning curve. As a beginner you will be very tempted to use the clutch to rev up a bit when you are taking off in a soft patch. While playing with the clutch is acceptable on-road up to a certain extent, offroad it kills the clutch very soon. We all had to learn that lesson the hard way. But once you have passed the initial stage, and become in "sync" with your vehicle and the exact right time to switch gears, the driving experience is more engaging and it gives you a better sense of control. If i get behind the wheel of an automatic car now, i quickly get annoyed by the fact the car is upshifting and downshifting by itself, resulting in me kicking it into tiptronic and taking over control. That also depends on the type of car of course and how "smart" the car reacts in D (which is something the ECU is adapting and learning from your drive style every week).

Welcome to Carnity Offroad Club @Aus Alzubaidi ! I live across the street in Mira, and yes it's ideal to make a quick trip to the desert from that place. Soon the desert will become your backyard and the Wrangler will be the perfect companion to take you anywhere. Looking forward meeting you on one of the coming drives !

Brands/ Models to avoid: - X-cessories. These are just Chinese rebranded compressors that are being sold with a pretty big mark up. - Mini compressors to connect to cigarette lighter: Will last only a few drives. Not made to inflate from 15 to 35psi, unless you want to wait for 45mins or longer. Will overheat easily because of this. Acceptable / Good: Camel Brand compressors from Dragon Mart: Mixed reviews. Some last a few months, some easily last two years and longer. They are not expensive, fast, but very loud. But they get the job done. Same goes for Vitaly brand which is 99% the same but are being sold at a higher price. Premium Models: ( 1 to 5 year warranty) - TJM , Viair ( or Bushranger), MeanMother, Smittybilt, ARB What to look after when buying a compressor ? 1) Warranty. A premium brand should provide 4-5 years warranty which will make the higher price worthwhile. 2) Output in liters per minute (lpm). The more the better of course. Everything from 40lpm upwards should be fine. Some will show a rating in cfm (cubic feet per minute). 2.3 cfm = 65lpm. 3) Duty Cycle: Air compressors heat up when running so most have a limited consistent output before they need to stop and cool off. This run time in-between cycles is called a duty cycle. Manufacturers typically represent run time with a number, such as “20”, which means you can run the compressor for 20 minutes every hour. sometimes they show a percentage. 20 minutes would indicate a 33% duty cycle. Keep this in mind when you are using the compressor every week. Avoid exceeding the duty cycle time as in a short period of time it would overheat / destroy the compressor. 4) Quality of the coiled hose, pressure gauge. 5) inline fuse and thermal overload protection. Will come standard with premium models. Below a specs example of Bushranger Black Max: Duty cycle is 30 minutes @40psi at 24°C ambient temperature. Obviously the ambient temperature will be much higher for us here in the UAE, so you will need to take that into account. Keep the compressor in the shade while using (or even on the inside of the car if possible) and keep your engine running. These compressors are rated to work most efficiently at 13.8 Volts, so your alternator should be running.

Driving in HLc will change the power ratio from 70/30 (front/back) to 50/50. Whenever you start moving you should do it gently. 4H or 4HLc will not make any difference at that point. More important would be to find your ideal tyre pressure as that would avoid your car from sinking in. If you have normal road Tyres don’t go lower than 12-13 psi. With off-road tyres you’ll be able to deflate further down to 10psi which will improve flotation. Also avoid stopping abruptly, as that makes the tyres sink in. Try coasting to a stop and dont stop the car on an incline, but at a decline or flat level. There are people who swear by driving in 4HLc and notice improvement. Myself I’m a big fan of the viscous coupling that works extremely well in sending the right amount of power to the right wheels at the right time (4H).

We need to change the title on this one from "What went wrong ?" to "What went right" !

Experience the grandeur and majesty of Liwa desert in the Empty Quarter (Rub-al-khali)! Liwa is located in the south-eastern part of the country, 250km from Abu Dhabi and 350km from Dubai, very close to the Saudi Arabian border. This is the world's largest continuous sea of dunes spread across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Yemen. Though an unforgiving terrain, LIWA still welcomes offroaders who are sensible and respectful to drive through such an enormous sea of sand dunes. The sheer size of dunes, ridges, and slopes will leave an everlasting memory ! After weeks of planning and preparing, the whole Carnity team is proud to present you a day of exploring the LIWA desert, tailored to your drive level, and with the support of our whole senior team to make this adventure a trip you will never forget ! Taking on this part of the desert will require your utmost focus, perseverance, patience, and the assurance that your 4x4 vehicle is technically in 100% fit condition. Next to your vehicle, your off-road tools should be in good condition as well, with fully charged radio with backup battery (or backup radio) a necessity for the long day. The trip lead will schedule sufficient breaks to enjoy the magnificent scenery, take some rest, grab a bite or a drink. Make sure to carry plenty of water. COVID19 TEST REQUIREMENTS: For non-Abu-Dhabi residents, the COVID testing will be required at the border in Ghantoot. Please find the guidelines posted in below post: This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through below information and and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely. MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions Drive Details Level: Fewbie and Above When: 2 Dec 2020, Wednesday Meeting time: 8:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point Convoy 1:https://maps.app.goo.gl/RNbxJpXeC7tUtNsz8 LEAD BY ASIF Meeting Point Convoy 2:https://maps.app.goo.gl/sbJd7AKqXixPh5dm8 LEAD BY FRED Type of Vehicle: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. Every 4x4 should have LO gearing Spare tyre should be in perfect usable condition. AWD Vehicles will not be allowed. What to bring along: 5L of water per person. Snacks for breakfast and lunch. Fully charged radio with spare battery , shovel, offroad flag, pressure gauge and deflator. Your own compressor for tyre inflation. Jerrycan with 20L of extra Petrol (VERY IMPORTANT). Gas tank should be full upon arrival. Nearest petrol station is ADNOC LIWA: https://goo.gl/maps/5hCvZ33FPD9twsQF9 Approximate finish time: 4PM with sufficient breaks inbetween, End Point: LIWA MOREEB https://goo.gl/maps/82FAUbAhgKcXCyui8 GROUP CAMPING, BBQ IS NOT PERMITTED AFTER THE DRIVE. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 20 cars only. RSVP will close on Tuesday 1st of December 09AM 2 Lead Marshals + 4 Senior Members + 20 Members. (DOUBLE CONVOY) 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. 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 THE BELOW CALENDAR EVENT

Thanks @Bhaskar from a reliability perspective in my opinion Mitsubishi will be as reliable as Nissan and Toyota, but the spareparts are more expensive. The reason i mentioned underdog is that i've always been a bit surprised why Mitsubishi is not that popular with the locals. But then again Mitsubishi has no alternative for the big Landcruisers and Y62 Patrols.

Let me start with Mitsubishi: 1. What are the strengths of the brand? Reliability, simplicity, number of vehicles on the road in UAE. 2. What are the weaknesses & challenges for the brand? Many models have become a bit outdated, and the competition is fierce. There is only very limited market for a "real" capable 4x4, hence they become more soft-offroad SUV vehicles. 3. How's the brand experience in UAE - dealer, online, after sales service etc.? good independent workshops that cater to Mitsubishi. No experience with the dealership. 4. What differentiates the brand from the other brands? Could be anything from product features, technology to dealer experience or even something else. Mitsubishi has always been a bit of an underdog, but bang for the buck they remain fantastic value. 5. What if the brand ceases to exist for some unfortunate reason? Would you miss it? What would you replace the brand with? In UAE i would stay with Japanese brands for the reliability and good resale value. Looking forward to varied opinions and perspectives! Hope you all find this interesting! Thanks in advance!

Congrats @Alexander Alcala !!

Congrats Tero ! Well deserved !

Congrats @Tamas Hoffmann !!!

@Irshad Alam you can only sign into the Absolute Newbie drive once when you first join the club. Once you have done 1 drive with us, you are now Newbie and can signup in one of the Newbie drives that will be coming online this evening 7PM. Be quick as the bookings go fast. If you are too late, you can send a message on the drive topic with the request to be put into the waitlist.

Dear @imranaasghar81 and @Irshad Alam as you both have attended an Absolute Newbie drive already, you will need to signup for one of the Newbie drives that will be posted this evening at 7PM. The Absolute Newbie drive is exclusively for new members to the club that yet have to do their first drive with us. Thanks !

@Badar Tariq overheating in this time of year should not be occuring. But this might be related also to using the correct tyre pressure and some other factors. Do you have any service history that shows when the ATF was replaced ? I would not go above 30-40.000kms with the same transmission oil. When taking a sample the oil should be red and not black, as that would indicate if it's burnt or not.

Go for the original Mitsubishi ATF SPIII and get it flushed and replaced completely (do not top-up). If you have overheating issues in this time of year something is definitely wrong.

Carnity Whatsapp Drive Notification You are free to choose any location of Newbie drive, whatever suits you. You'll come to find the desert in Sharjah is very different from Al Qudra

Seeing @Foxtrot Oscar jumping away. PRICELESS !

Dear Absolute Newbies and by now Newbies Moving forward you all will be joining the Newbie drives and not an Absolute Newbie drive. Drives are announced every Sunday at 11 am, and they go live on Sunday at 7 pm. Due to the high demand, these drives get full in about 10 minutes, so please be online at 7 pm to book your spot. For the next drives, please bring along a deflator, pressure gauge, flag and radio as a minimum. Learn to deflate your tires and checking them precisely Learn to fix a flag on your car Learn to program and fully charge your radio Also like I mentioned during the debriefing, join the Carnity Whatsapp Drive Notification to get the latest updates on the drives, so that you can RSVP on time for the next weekend's drive. Please have a look at below topic which describes the tools needed for every level. There is a separate tutorial inside which explains which radio we recommend and how to program them: (Please do not buy the Baofeng 888S spare radio we gave you, as these cannot be programmed without a special cable and software). Please have a look at below grading structure that explains various off-road levels: Hi @Irshad Alam Yes we do have a Whatsapp group that will send you drive notifications. Not a "chat" whatsapp group. Click on below link to see how to subscribe: Carnity Whatsapp Drive Notification

This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through below information and and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely. MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: BAN POST Two Way Radio Guidelines Every Offroader brings his own radio, programmed to the frequencies described in below advice topic. We will not share spare radios or program your radio on the drive. If you need assistance in programming the radio, post a topic on the Carnity website with your questions and we will help you out. Make sure your radio is fully charged. It will be your only way of communication while driving. Before buying, please carefully read below advice so you are informed properly on which model / cost / shops... No radio = No drive. It is an essential tool and you should make sure you bring it on every drive and learn/practice how to use it. MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING Drive Details Level: Newbie and above (All Level) When: 20 Nov 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 06:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/deyaW8HfrexLFzLt9 Batayeh-Faya Road 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), face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 10:00 AM LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 15 cars maximum. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 1 Lead Marshal + 2 or 1 Senior Members + 12 Members. 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 THE CALENDAR

DRIVE REPORT Solar Park Bliss ! The Solar Park area, less visited by other Offroad clubs, gave us some wonderful scenery in the form of long range dunes, stone formations, gazelles, and one nice big Oryx. I absolutely love this area and it provides a wonderful mix of some long dune formations, big treacherous bowls, and some technical areas where pockets and ditches can easily surprise even expert drivers. I was really glad to revert back to the verbal briefing, socially distanced, and with masks on of course. The drive itself went smooth, covering about 47kms and finally exiting at the backside of the ADNOC petrol station. I was blessed with a strong convoy and apart from some refusals and some small shoveling work all did amazing. @Jon M was in my second lead, and never hesitated or struggled anywhere. Well done buddy ! @frederic demolder you are really getting comfortable in the Discovery Sport ! Please don't be stressed whenever you have a stuck or refusal, we love doing recoveries, and the convoy loves watching them to learn. This is a team sport and we are all there to help each other. @Anvar Sadath Bekal well done with the white Pajero, your flag eventually wanted to be layed at rest in the Solar dunes but luckily it will be resuscitated @Badar Tariq the gold Pajero really has enough power when you push it, but please make sure to keep focussed, as otherwise you might break bumpers or worse the entire car. If you are not sure where the convoy went, please announce on the radio so we can help you out. @Melenany makes it all look so easy, and the massive power your truck has in combination with your skills, shows you've come a long way and is a proof that with any 4x4 you can find your way in the desert. @Andrei the shiny bright blue Wrangler was sliding his way through the dunes effortlessly. Well done ! @Lukas Lewis is back with the Explorer and the exploration went extremely smooth ! Well done ! @Mohammed Razeen you have the perfect offroader in the FJ Cruiser, and the very few refusals you had were easily resolved by yourself, so that’s great work ! A massive thumbs up for @Jeepie for supporting her second drive of the day with only little time inbetween both drives to quickly rush home for coffee and a shower. It shows your ultimate passion for off-roading and i am glad you were there to support me ! PS we have noticed a lot of litter in the desert, and as a club we commit ourselves to not leave anything behind in the desert, so if you ever lose a flag or want to throw something out of the vehicle, please think twice and consider the Marmoom conservatory is made to protect the animals and we should tread lightly in this area and only leave tire-tracks behind. For the drivers who have done their Absolute Newbie drive AND 5 Newbie drives, and you have a radio, flag, shovel, and compressor and interested to bump up the level a bit, can apply for their promotion to Fewbie by clicking on below link: See you guys soon in the sand !