Bhaskar

Hi @Gaurav, due to some unforeseen circumstances, will have to withdraw from tomorrow evening's drive. Will join for the next Friday drive for sure.

Hi @Frederic, one question - a friend has a BMW X3 M Plus model and he's interested for newbie drives. Can he join with his car? Thank you!

Thank you @Frederic for this well-worded drive report. It was a fantastic first drive and has really kicked in the enthu button for more such drives. Kudos to you and @Vanessa8580 for being such strong leaders for the drive today, you guys really deserve all the appreciation! Great to meet and drive with everyone, hope to see you all again soon!

Thanks Frédéric! Looking forward to meeting you and the others tomorrow!

Thank you! Needed a proper 5 seater at least so considered Pajero and Montero and finally went with the latter. Looking forward to seeing you as well!

Great, thank you so much for the prompt help!

Hi @Frederic, One quick question, found this air compressor on Amazon, is it good to consider? https://www.amazon.ae/dp/B00IERQC80/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_VDtpFbTRZPFPE Thank you!

Hi @Frederic! I"ve RSVP'd for this drive and it'll be my first one. Excited and looking forward to it! I've some questions though: 1. What are the 'must have' equipment to participate in this drive? As i understand - it's a tyre deflator and pressure gauge. Correct? 2. Do i need to have a radio? 3. Do i need to have a compressor for inflation, post drive? If yes, could you please recommend some options and where can i buy those? There are some options on Amazon, are they reliable? Thank you!

Hello guys! So, finally I've got my first car - a Mitsubishi Montero Sport (2019). Happy & excited to start my off-road journey. Thank you all for your valuable inputs, it did help me a lot in making up my mind. Looking forward to my first off -road drive, hopefully next Friday!

Thanks again @Gaurav! This is super helpful!

Thank you @Gaurav & @Frederic for the well-rounded perspectives! Having a quick look at Dubizzle, I see some good options for Prado but mostly from used cars dealers. And some are even retro-fitted with touch screen navigation systems. Ok to consider those?

@Gaurav For a Prado to fit into my budget, I would need to go for a 2015 / 16 model and compromise on the tech etc. isn't it? Checked out the FJC as well, a bit too 'crude' for my liking. I know it has a huge fanbase though! I wish the new Defender would be cheaper (wayyyy cheaper!) or the new Bronco would have come earlier! 😁

Poorer resale value than Toyota is something we've to accept for most brands here I guess! Given its Japanese, I am assuming the service costs / parts etc. wouldn't be too expensive?

Thank you @Frederic! I had kind of overlooked Mitsubishi completely, probably because of the brand perception. But I was just checking out the Montero Sport and it does look like a good option!

Thanks for the clarity on the FJC & the access to SUVs post @Gaurav!

@Gaurav Thank you for the warm welcome to the forum! Unfortunately I can't see the topic you referred to in your response. It says 'we can't show the content as you don't have the permission to see it'. Possible to share it as text? Thanks again! appreciate the help!

Thank you @sertac! Just a follow-up question, even with the Trailhawk badge, the Cherokee is not good off-road? I did think of FJ as such, but since it's phased out by Toyota, not sure of it.

Hello people! This is Bhaskar here. It's been just about 7 months that I've settled in Dubai and just last week I've got my driver's license! I am sure you'd be able to relate to the excitement I am having in wanting to get my first car in Dubai! Joined the Carnity forum just a few hours back and thought would be good to get multiple perspectives here! So I am quite a bit of 'want it all' types but after some deliberation have made the list of my criteria - A compact crossover / 4X4, I am not a hardcore off-road enthusiast but my wife & I like going for hikes, try some new stuff. Good infotainment + interior tech + sunroof, like to enjoy the drives! Given that most of my driving would be home to office, a good on-road drive. Some peace of mind - not too old, decent FE, cheap to service, in-warranty, reliability and all that. With this, now I am somewhat all over the place and these are the cars I am considering based on the used cars available on multiple platforms - Kia Sportage AWD GT Line (2018), Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk / Limited (2018 / 19), Jeep Compass Limited (2019). Was considering Honda CRV as well but drove a Honda (Civic) for the past 3 years so just want a change of brand. And yeah, my budget is around 85K tops. After all this context setting, here are some questions that I have: What's your take on the cars I am considering? What other cars do you think I should consider? Have heard Jeep servicing and parts are quite expensive, specially with AF Trading Enterprises. How true is this? Any first hand experiences? Are Cherokee & Compass good on-road? Look forward to the responses! Thanks in advance!