Niki

Many many congrats @Ranjan Das 🎉🎉🎉🎉

@Enrico Biscaro I spent months looking for a used jeep last spring/summer (just for this hobby not as a daily driver) with you I preferred the look of the jeep (utility and rugged with so much customization … was like lego for grown ups and the roof/doors could be removed ) last summer when the market wasn’t crazy for used cars as it seems to be now… I really struggled to find a non modified one… I then learnt many ‘Jeepers’ Jeep’s were bought modified to do the school drop / spinneys-route and never saw a dune however I didn’t have the skill to spot one of those! I didn’t have the patience (hitting November) or mechanical skills to gamble so then decided to just buy a new car for the hobby and the FJ cruiser just became an absolute no brainer! It was about budget and resale (in the event I didn’t like the hobby). Now if you are buying used don’t give up yet on a Jeep and see if you can find that unicorn version used for the school runs etc… (they exists as I see so many at my kids school) If by September you still have zero success then rapidly change plans as Offroad season picks up in Oct and so do the used prices for those type of cars. I have zero regrets with my FJ… more so am actually glad I went this path from a reliability and Offroad performance perspective (however I do find myself sneaking a look at every Jeep in our club and have the Jeep TJ top of my dream off road car list to supplement the FJ in the future). Good luck (one car I would add to @Frederic unbiased list would be the Nissan Patrol Super Safari SWB… though used these are even rarer… think ‘talking unicorn’ )

Many congrats @Danish Mohammad 🎉🎉

Super drive … yet again @Wrangeld! Thank you for the thought behind each stage of the trip … it was clear you had put a lot of time into the planning … all for our benefit and joy… thank you again! @Humayun Ghias kudos and then some for you… SL in the dark and then through all the technical stuff… you were flawless! Great comms, perfect distance, nice re-routes! @Jeepie Richard really enjoyed your tugs as he kept insisting you be the one to perform them … and massive thanks for ushering us through a number of tricky spots! @Watteau always a joy with you at the rear (sweep) … making us lol many times over and those light poles are on my Diwali/Christmas/birthday list ( @Matt.T @Jeepie I know you both are reading that with complete horror!! ) Was great to be amongst old and new friends in the convoy and looking forward to seeing many of you on the Friday drive with Richard! Eid Mubarak

@Looper @Fredericour cooler gurus … this is a great write up and opinion piece! I like the product below and know it’s easy enough to build one at home also … my use case would be (once they allow it again) to have this for the kids sports events… having to stand watching 25 matches of netball/rugby in September/October could be made bareable with this https://www.icybreeze.com

@Looper I love the new name being such new tires may explain the pop out… watching you there were no harsh movement or turns or heavy sliding so was a surprise they popped out twice. Likely could be that the seal didn’t have enough time to set as you mentioned only a few days running them in. Get them run in this week as much as possible and enjoy the coming weeks ride even more. I completely forgot you are our data guru, webcam guru and now can add car fridge guru .. was nice to finally get to chat properly and genuinely appreciate all the advice you share as you take research to another level! @Kailas I am going to say this again… massive thanks and kudos for leading that drive without the ability to disable traction! @Arman hope all 100% well and no top up Tetanus shots needed!

@Kailas massive thanks for leading this drive even with the traction control challenges! We would have been happy with a newbie level cruise however you somehow managed to push us all!!! It was a super drive and challenging throughout! What a treat to be in such a short convoy… felt like a private drive with friends! thanks @gautam @Arman @thomasvarghese for the great company!

@Kailas i joined very last minute and hopeful that is okay for your planning. the opportunity to be in a super small convoy with such experience was too good to miss! thanks

@Luca Palanca Falsini sorry for dropping out last minute - change of heart and going back to the Solar Park route (tiny convoy experience). Cannot wait to get back on a ride under your lead and have a super trip with the group!

@Zed @Gok Krish - yes that what I remember … a puff of white and as mentioned only for a short amount of time just like the video!

@Luca Palanca Falsini pls add me to the wait list for a 1st drive. Having just realized i haven't driven at Badayer so dropped from another drive in the hope i can get a slot. thanks

Well deserved @Lakshmi Narasimhan!!🍻🍻 looking forward to joining you and your pin-up pajero on a ride soon!

@Gok Krishnow that is a frustrating report back from the garage. what I can also share is a few of us also noticed a short period of white smoke coming out of the exhaust. It wasn’t expelling smoke for long however certainly didn’t look a natural exhaust colour. I’ll allow the mechanics of the forum to comment more with this added reference. good luck getting this sorted ASAP so you don’t have to miss many/any drives

@M.Seidam @Zed - super idea to get the camping gear ready early. the past Ramadan offers from ARB were superb (Cot Bed and their 1 person tent + table and chairs etc). With Eid coming up, maybe we can create a new post sharing any of these that come up and a general chat about camping gear/prep? (i think one already exists for camping kit).

I promise that’s the last one! 🙏🏽

Happy birthday @Ale Vallecchi … what a week of celebration (century drives and a birthday) … I would ask you not be greedy and expect an Italian win in the euros as 3 major events in a short period is bordering on spoilt! 🥂🥂

Never tell me the odds! of @Wrangeld throwing in a last minute surprise! excited to be back at the wheel and exploring from a new start point! Oh, my dear friend, how i've missed you @Ahab Shamaa - great to be on a drive together!

hhhmm should it be sitting on the dash like that? i am guessing 'no' and therefore voted 'unsafe'

Many congrats @PaoloMaraziti … looking forward to your return in August to enjoy a F+ adventure