We get to know some dedicated off-road drivers that reside in the UAE
Name of the car owner: Mike Nott
Occupation: Advisor
Location/Emirate: Dubai
How long have you been living in the UAE and when (from where & why) did you come here?
I’ve been living in the UAE for 8 and a half years, since August 2002. I was offered the job as the head of an advisory and training team from the UK, and jumped at the chance to come here.
Did you ever own a 4×4 before you came to the UAE or had any off-road driving experience?
My previous career, in the British Army, gave me the chance to drive off-road in many countries and in all terrains, from jungle to desert but, until I came to the UAE, I’d never owned a 4×4.
How often do you go off-road and with whom do you go?
It depends on the time of year. Last month, February, I did three off road trips; 2 to the Oman and 1 to the Liwa. On average, I try and do at least 10 trips a year. Most of my trips are done with members of ME4x4 but occasionally I’ll do a solo trip or one with friends from outside the club.
What do you think is essential to take with you when you go off-road?
A well maintained vehicle! In addition to that you need to take enough food and water to keep you alive. You also need a personal toolbox that contains self-reliance, self-confidence, resourcefulness, a through knowledge of your car and enough real tools to fix it if it breaks down!
What advice would you give to a person who is going off road first time?
Join a club and go on a ‘newbie’ drive. There are several good clubs in the UAE and all will take the first timer under their wing. Or, if you have a good friend who is an accomplished off-roader, go with them. First-timers should never go alone, it’s just asking for trouble and usually ends in disaster.
What was the best tour you ever did?
The best trip I’ve done so far was a 1,400km trip, completely off-road from just south of Jebel Hafeet, to the Yemen border on the Arabian Sea coast. We followed the Oman/UAE border, the Oman/Saudi border and then the Oman/Yemen border. It meant traversing the Omani part of the Empty Quarter as well as the Dhofar mountains. A truly exceptional trip.
What car do you drive?
A: I drive two Mercedes G Class; a 1999 G500 (296hp, 5 litre), which has done a huge amount off-road and now has 390,000km on the clock, and also a 2005 G55k (476hp, 5.5 litre) which has also done its fair share in the dunes and mountains. I’ve also taken the trouble to do all the maintenance and servicing myself, which has paid dividends when something has gone wrong whilst out in the dunes or mountains.
Why do you think your car is good for driving off-road?
The G Class is a purposely designed cross country vehicle. It’s incredibly rugged and quite over engineered, which makes it very robust. It benefits from 3 mechanical differential locks, one on each axle and one on the transfer case; it’s pretty much un-stoppable. It’s been my policy to make absolutely no modifications at all. The engineers at Mercedes designed the car for optimal performance based on the design as it is, without modification. By modifying it, I’d end up compromising one of the car’s capabilities. I have put on some AT tyres, to provide better grip on mountain trails and to help resist punctures, but that’s it.
What do you think is the ultimate off-road car (apart from your own of course) and why?
I’d love a Pinzgauer or a Unimog. Both of these would be pretty unstoppable in any off-road terrain and either could be converted into a ‘kombi’ for some truly long, off-road expeditions.
Name of the car owner: Devanand Mahadeva (Dev)
Occupation: Director, Lasting Legacy (Estate/Inheritance Planning Consultants)
Location/Emirate: Dubai, UAE
How long have you been living in the UAE and when (from where & why) did you come here?
Ten Years. Came in Feb 2001. Moved to the UAE from the Maldives to enjoy the cars here. Nationality: Sri Lankan
Did you ever own a 4×4 before you came to the UAE or had any off-road driving experience?
None. Have been into expedition riding most of the time, before coming here.
How often do you go off-road and with whom do you go?
Go every weekend. Mostly with the fellow ME 4×4 Club Members.
What do you think is essential to take with you when you go off-road?
All the recovery gears. ( Snatch Ropes, Tow Ropes, Shackles, Sand Ladders, Spade, Air Jack, Jacking Board, Air Compressor, Tyre Pressure gauge, Tyre repair kit, Deflators, Gloves, Essential Tools, Essential Lubricants, Spare Coolant, Fuses and Tool Kit. Apart from this, we carry enough Water and food.
What advice would you give to a person who is going off road first time?
Always go out with experienced/responsible people in off-road driving and not with the self proclaimed novices.
What is your favorite spot/location?
Obviously it is the Rub-al-Khali. The best Desert Tour was from Al Hamra to Aradah, south of Abudhabi. The best Wadi tour was from Al Ain(UAE) to Sohar(Oman) via the Dank area south of Mazayed Border in Oman.
What car do you drive?
Mitsubishi L200 Sportero Model 2010; D/Cab GLS, 4WD, 3500cc, SOHC 24 VALVE V6 MPI Petrol, Manual Gear with Easy Select 4WD system Max. Output: 194hp/4750rpm, Max. Torque: 32.2kg-m/3500rpm, Power Steering, Power Windows, Central Locking, 16’’ Alloy wheel, ABS with EBD, 4 Spoke Leather Steering Wheel, Leather wrapped transmission gear shift knob lever, Hood top mark, Head lamp leveling device, Wide fender, Chrome Door Mirrors, Chrome inner & outer door handles, Colour keyed front Bumper, chrome rear bumper, Leather seats with Driver’s power seat, Auto A.C., Heater & defroster, Rear window with hot wire with timer, Halogen headlamps, Side step with colour keyed bed end protector, AM/FM Radio CD Player With four speakers with 2-tweeters, Keyless entry system with 2 transmitters, Cooler box, Front fog lamp, high mount stop lamp on rear gate, RV Meter, Green windshield, windshield sun shade, Seating 1+4, Chrome front grille, Dual airbags, Immobilizer, Cargo bed length (1325)mm, Width 1470mm, Fuel tank capacity : 75 litres.
Why do you think your car is good for driving off-road?
It has a high torque engine with a light body to take you anywhere in the sand and the mountain slopes. Mitsubishi makes one of the best 4×4 systems in the world. Being a pickup, I have a good amount of space to carry all the gear for the more challenging off-road trips/expeditions. No modifications done other than a thicker Bash Plate for the front underbody.
What do you think is the ultimate off-road car (apart from your own of course) and why?
The earlier versions of Jeep Wranglers (the YJ / TJ versions) due to the simple build and easy maintenance. Also they can be easily modified in various ways. Only downside is the lack of space to carry all the gear.
Name of the car owner: Nick
How long have you been living in the UAE and when (from where & why) did you come here?
I have been living in the UAE since 2005, having been working in and around the Gulf since 2001. I am from England and certainly appreciate the dryer and warmer climate.
Did you ever own a 4×4 before you came to the UAE or had any off-road driving experience?
I used to race on two wheels in both Motor X and Enduro in the UK but I did not buy my first 4×4 until I moved to Dubai.
How often do you go off-road and with whom do you go?
As often as possible! Weekends, evenings and in the summer early, in the morning, I tend to be out as often as I can, especially as a busy work schedule often means I miss out on weekend trips. Friends, relatives, office visitors, all give good excuses to get out and about.
What do you think is essential to take with you when you go off-road?
Apart from the basic recovery gear that the club stipulates and everyone should carry as a minimum, I also carry a small tool kit with spanners and sockets that fit the vehicle as opposed to the complete set, in order to keep the weight down, along with a selection of hoses and belts. Most importantly, always lots of water and some sort of food, if a car breaks down and recovery is needed, overheating is a real danger and cars warm up very quickly. Finally the jetboil, tea bags and milk are always there just in case!
What advice would you give to a person who is going off road first time?
Find a club to go with, do not try going alone. Also spend some time browsing the forums on a good club website as there will be lots of useful advice and experiences related so you can chose what you want to do. Finally make sure you know how to recover your car, you have your recovery kit and know how to attach it to your vehicle before you need to do it for real.
What is your favorite spot/location? (Alternative: What was the best tour you ever did?)
I am a big fan of the border area near Shwaib as it offers a great variety of terrain and some nice quiet spots for picnics and camping too. For a longer trip the dunes south west of Al Ain in Oman offer some of the most stunning terrain I have seen but definitely to be visited over a couple of days.
What car do you drive?
I am lucky enough to have a choice, a 2004 Jeep Wrangler 4.0L manual and a 2004 Land Rover Discovery II automatic, are both regulars in the desert. I think these are two of the most capable vehicles ever made for off-road driving however they could not be more different to drive.
Why do you think your car is good for driving off-road? Did you make any modifications (if yes, which ones and why):
The Jeep is a very easy car to drive off road, a short wheel base, lightweight and with good power, it also has the benefit of being strong enough not to break for learning in. The simple mechanics allow the driver to really feel what is going on and learn to “feel” driving on sand.
On the other hand, the Discovery is a very smooth car to drive in the desert, much less aggressive but still incredibly capable. The Discovery is in original form including standard tires and although I originally thought about making changes, I have been so impressed with the performance, it will stay as is.
What do you think is the ultimate off-road car (apart from your own of course) and why?
I guess for me it is a combination of performance, comfort and price and increasingly manufacturers are making it harder to drive a car from the forecourt to the desert without major modifications, the need to remove plastics, fit new bumpers etc. The one new vehicle that has impressed me is the Ford F150 Raptor, a vehicle that completed the Dakar Rally recently in nearly stock form, great to see a manufacturer being able to market a desert ready truck.
