Driving in Dubai - muscle or 4wd?
Discussion
Hi all.
Looking for some advice on which car to go for now I've been in Dubai three weeks. Before moving out here I'd set my hopes on a muscle car - CR8, Challenger RT, Camaro SS or 5.0 GT mustang. Now I'm here I'm not so sure. There seem to be speed cameras everywhere and the opportunity for a bit of fun, when safe, doesn't seem to exist. Therefore, I'm considering a good 4wd.
Do you lot bother with quick cars out here considering the cameras? I'm no advocate of driving like a loon on the road but on a quiet open piece of road, where safe, I'd like to explore some if the cars potential.
Looking for some advice on which car to go for now I've been in Dubai three weeks. Before moving out here I'd set my hopes on a muscle car - CR8, Challenger RT, Camaro SS or 5.0 GT mustang. Now I'm here I'm not so sure. There seem to be speed cameras everywhere and the opportunity for a bit of fun, when safe, doesn't seem to exist. Therefore, I'm considering a good 4wd.
Do you lot bother with quick cars out here considering the cameras? I'm no advocate of driving like a loon on the road but on a quiet open piece of road, where safe, I'd like to explore some if the cars potential.
Onetrackmind said:
Hi all.
Looking for some advice on which car to go for now I've been in Dubai three weeks. Before moving out here I'd set my hopes on a muscle car - CR8, Challenger RT, Camaro SS or 5.0 GT mustang. Now I'm here I'm not so sure. There seem to be speed cameras everywhere and the opportunity for a bit of fun, when safe, doesn't seem to exist. Therefore, I'm considering a good 4wd.
Do you lot bother with quick cars out here considering the cameras? I'm no advocate of driving like a loon on the road but on a quiet open piece of road, where safe, I'd like to explore some if the cars potential.
Welcome to Dubai and the UAE. In answer to your question, a fair few folk actually buy two cars: one for the open road hoon and the other for the off-roading/camping/4x4 dune bashing. No one car will satisfy both.Looking for some advice on which car to go for now I've been in Dubai three weeks. Before moving out here I'd set my hopes on a muscle car - CR8, Challenger RT, Camaro SS or 5.0 GT mustang. Now I'm here I'm not so sure. There seem to be speed cameras everywhere and the opportunity for a bit of fun, when safe, doesn't seem to exist. Therefore, I'm considering a good 4wd.
Do you lot bother with quick cars out here considering the cameras? I'm no advocate of driving like a loon on the road but on a quiet open piece of road, where safe, I'd like to explore some if the cars potential.
I totally agree with you on the number of camera's in and around Dubai and it will only get worse. However, there are some fantastic roads outside of Dubai when heading towards RAK and Fujeriah. These roads are very good for a Friday AM drive.
Also, going in to Oman, there are some awesome roads too.
If you are into off-roading/dune bashing and all that kinda stuff - then a 4x4 is what you need. If like me, you are not into it, then get yourself a nice motor.
I have both a 4x4 and a sports car.
My advice is unless you are a keen driver just get a 4x4 of some type.
The sports car is a pain around town due to speed humps, poor visability, worry about parking damage etc. None of that matters in the 4x4.
However the sports car is fun for my weekly Friday and Saturday morning drives. I have a nice round route which takes about 1-2 hours, has every type of roads/speeds and is a good workout for the car and the driver.
However, the only people I ever see on my morning drives are bikers, never see another sports car.
So either every sports car owner bar me is a late riser or 99% of sports car owners buy their car for show only.
My advice is unless you are a keen driver just get a 4x4 of some type.
The sports car is a pain around town due to speed humps, poor visability, worry about parking damage etc. None of that matters in the 4x4.
However the sports car is fun for my weekly Friday and Saturday morning drives. I have a nice round route which takes about 1-2 hours, has every type of roads/speeds and is a good workout for the car and the driver.
However, the only people I ever see on my morning drives are bikers, never see another sports car.
So either every sports car owner bar me is a late riser or 99% of sports car owners buy their car for show only.
dictys said:
However the sports car is fun for my weekly Friday and Saturday morning drives. I have a nice round route which takes about 1-2 hours, has every type of roads/speeds and is a good workout for the car and the driver.
Care to share ?Seems to me like it is a long drive to anywhere worth driving (except for the Autodrome).
I live out past the airport, so in 10 minutes or so I can be on the Kalba road, then there are various takes off from there. The Kalba road itself is quite good for the top end stuff but I gather there are now some speed cameras as you approach the Indian Ocean.
A particular good drive is the road by Suwaydan, a 15km stretch of sweeping bends through the dunes along a dry river bed with good sighting and run off areas.
Going further and into the mountains there is a tight windy road from Munday to Hatta.
A particular good drive is the road by Suwaydan, a 15km stretch of sweeping bends through the dunes along a dry river bed with good sighting and run off areas.
Going further and into the mountains there is a tight windy road from Munday to Hatta.
Onetrackmind said:
There seem to be speed cameras everywhere and the opportunity for a bit of fun, when safe, doesn't seem to exist.
In 11 years of living in the UAE I only ever got 2 speeding tickets, both from mobile radar traps. Cost: a few hundred dirhams. Consider it a slap on the wrist. I had a blast driving the UAE's roads.In one month of being back in the UK, I have received my first ever points in 22 years of driving - fixed penalty for 76 in a 60 zone. Dual carriageway, used to be a 70, clear dry day, no traffic, alert driver in a well maintained vehicle making progress. Effing joke. There's absolutely no joy in driving in the UK. Half the population drives at 40 irrespective of road or conditions. There is virtually no skill demonstrated on the roads: an overload of road signs, road furniture and road markings suck out any opportunity to allow the driver to exercise some discretion. Safety camera vans are pure revenue generators. They are placed in spots where there is absolutely no danger to anyone.
I honestly believe driving was much more fun back in the UAE, despite the roads being generally less interesting.
Thanks everybody for your advice.
I tend not to get the time to go out just for a drive these days with family and work commitments. Therefore, the likelihood of getting out for a spin on my own is slim.
I'd previously considered and then discounted the thought of a SRT8 Cherokee as I wasn't sure if they're any good. Can they actually go off road and are their road manners any good? If so, it would make an entertaining daily driver and a good compromise.
I've tried driving off road in sand whilst in Oz and enjoyed it but I'm a petrol head through and through. Not sure if I'd miss having a performance car.
I tend not to get the time to go out just for a drive these days with family and work commitments. Therefore, the likelihood of getting out for a spin on my own is slim.
I'd previously considered and then discounted the thought of a SRT8 Cherokee as I wasn't sure if they're any good. Can they actually go off road and are their road manners any good? If so, it would make an entertaining daily driver and a good compromise.
I've tried driving off road in sand whilst in Oz and enjoyed it but I'm a petrol head through and through. Not sure if I'd miss having a performance car.
Ive been driving here for 3 days and find it quite challenging so far, traffic and cars literally seem to appear from no where and if you think they are going to do something stupid they definately are and its normally more ridiculous than you thought!
Id like to get a car myself in time but have no idea which direction to go in, it will be one car however, would love a bit of V8 muscle again like I had at home but it would have to be something id really not have to care for the exterior condition, car parks are a right mess on here and everything seems to get bumped.
Good luck in what you decide! The cheep SRT8 seems an impressive lump however was reading an article on it the other day.
Id like to get a car myself in time but have no idea which direction to go in, it will be one car however, would love a bit of V8 muscle again like I had at home but it would have to be something id really not have to care for the exterior condition, car parks are a right mess on here and everything seems to get bumped.
Good luck in what you decide! The cheep SRT8 seems an impressive lump however was reading an article on it the other day.
After_Shock said:
Ive been driving here for 3 days and find it quite challenging so far, traffic and cars literally seem to appear from no where and if you think they are going to do something stupid they definately are and its normally more ridiculous than you thought!
Id like to get a car myself in time but have no idea which direction to go in, it will be one car however, would love a bit of V8 muscle again like I had at home but it would have to be something id really not have to care for the exterior condition, car parks are a right mess on here and everything seems to get bumped.
Good luck in what you decide! The cheep SRT8 seems an impressive lump however was reading an article on it the other day.
Thanks. Just read your profile. Are you still a car salesman out here?Id like to get a car myself in time but have no idea which direction to go in, it will be one car however, would love a bit of V8 muscle again like I had at home but it would have to be something id really not have to care for the exterior condition, car parks are a right mess on here and everything seems to get bumped.
Good luck in what you decide! The cheep SRT8 seems an impressive lump however was reading an article on it the other day.
I frequently see police BMW 5 series’ parked on the hard shoulder, are they speed traps? I notice they also have cameras / ANPR mounted on the roofs like in the UK.
I’m not sure what type of car I’d recommend for UAE, petrol is cheap so a V8 is a good call and the roads are smooth so there is no compromise with stiff suspension. On the flip side I’ve yet to witness anything more exciting than midly twisty high speed roads.
I’m not sure what type of car I’d recommend for UAE, petrol is cheap so a V8 is a good call and the roads are smooth so there is no compromise with stiff suspension. On the flip side I’ve yet to witness anything more exciting than midly twisty high speed roads.
GaryST220 said:
On the flip side I’ve yet to witness anything more exciting than midly twisty high speed roads.
This is the problem, unless pay to use the track or travel far not much fun.Point and squirt is the main aim here, auto for all the lights.
So a big spongy American V8 would go down well
Stiff suspension will have one draw back, speed humps, they are everywhere and some are pretty severe.
The cop cars parked up don't seem to be speed traps, I would guess they are probably doing the ANPR thing.
Unlike the UK, here no-one slows down for cop cars! Took me a while to get used to the concept of "hold her as she is". Have passed many of them to notice they are on the phone/texting!!
I got 11 speeding tickets in my first 5 months on a company 1.6 Corolla with special option pack where instead of adding they rip out ANYTHING that may be considered to add to the car (the Gordon Murray edition perhaps?! lol!). 9 of them were due to hidden cameras on Emirates road between Sharjah and Ajman and they were WELL hidden. Since then I've had only 2 despite running a TypeR and RS4.
Unlike the UK, here no-one slows down for cop cars! Took me a while to get used to the concept of "hold her as she is". Have passed many of them to notice they are on the phone/texting!!
I got 11 speeding tickets in my first 5 months on a company 1.6 Corolla with special option pack where instead of adding they rip out ANYTHING that may be considered to add to the car (the Gordon Murray edition perhaps?! lol!). 9 of them were due to hidden cameras on Emirates road between Sharjah and Ajman and they were WELL hidden. Since then I've had only 2 despite running a TypeR and RS4.
Its sad that now even the AUH po-po are starting to use mobile camera's on the DXB-AUH road which not so long ago was unheard of - t
ts.
To get decent driving roads, as I have said before, you have to head out towards RAK/Fujeriah - anywhere where there are hills/mountains. Head in to Oman and thats where you can find decent stretches of twisty roads.
ts.To get decent driving roads, as I have said before, you have to head out towards RAK/Fujeriah - anywhere where there are hills/mountains. Head in to Oman and thats where you can find decent stretches of twisty roads.
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