Hello Cam,
Welcome in the UAE, and welcome in AD4x4.
Some additional info:
your choice of Car:
this is a never ending discussion in the club, as everybody is keen to justify he gets the best car! but the best way to choose your rig is to define accurately how you want to use it ...
- family or bachelor (for the size of the boot),
- your sole car or just for week end ( confort on the road, reliability, noise...)
- casual and light off roading, or want to improve and join for expert and extreme drive (level of potential mods, LWB or SWB, power of engine, etc...)
- Budget of course (LC and Patrols are reliable and geat but very expensive even in second hand, third, fourth...)
- If you want a toy for fun or a real car, i.e. you dream car.
- etc...
in addition, I may recommand you check Jo's Land Rover Discovery for sale(he is marshal in the club), and even give him a call.
http://www.ad4x4.com/club/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5966definitely in your budget, and this is a great car, ready for the sand from newbie to advance).
after you choose it :
- insurance. Check for off road cover. Check for Oman cover (if not, can be taken at border). Check for free recovey (very usefull). Peronnaly, i'm with AXA.
- registration : you'll need a letter from the company to allow you to buy a car (even second hand) + you local driving licence + passport + insurance copy +the other owner and previous registration. This is for Abu Dhabi. you can import a car from Dubai, but need to make more papers... Don't forget that cars older than 3 years are mandatory for an inspection. Modified vehicles (steel bumpers, lift kits...) can be rejected until they are de-modified.
Start off roading:
- just join an Absolut Newbie Initiation Trip (ANIT), we'll explain you everything.
- Then you can decide what you need to buy (recovery devices, radios...) or to improve...
- I used to drive in Qatar back in 2005... Believe me, no comparison in UAE!!!
see you soon hopefully. Don't hesitate to ask for more, or send PM...
cheers.
