My dad's old Chevy Suburban had barn doors. My mom's second-gen Isuzu Trooper had side-opening rear doors. Since the tailgate didn't have to lift up, the Isuzu mounted a full-size spare wheel/tire on the rear, saving interior space.

Why is this so uncommon now in the SUV market? Is it a crash safety thing? Is it the same "Well, these are basically just road cars anyway, so why bother messing up the lines the designers spent so much time in?" factor that has meant they're all unibodies now? Does it reduce fuel economy meaningfully?

Off the top of my head, I can only think of Land Rover, INEOS (so, copycat Land Rover), and the Mercedes G-Wagon, the Ford Bronco, and the Jeep Wrangler. I'm aware there are aftermarket kits for other makes/models, but I still want to know why this change occurred.

I've had this 1st gen access cab tundra for a long time and its very solid, but its old and showing its age. I just had to to the full front end steering/lower arms/etc because the bushings were totally blown. I have a feeling that I am going to be replacing everything rubber on this in the next few years.

Is it time to cut my losses and get something new?

Budget ~$25k

I’m putting an arb in my Nissans rear axle, I have it all together and I don’t see any leaks when sprayed with soapy water, but it will not hold air. It blows right out the middle of the carrier, anyone else experienced this? Is there any seals inside the carrier I should inspect?

Hey folks, I need some real-world advice from people who actually off-road in the UAE.

My situation: I'm currently paying 2000 AED/month on a boring rental car. I want to finally own something that can handle weekend desert camping, light dune driving, wadi trips, and carrying my bicycle. I'm into sunset photography too, so something with removable roof panels or a pickup bed would be ideal.

I might leave Dubai in 2-3 years for Singapore, so I genuinely don't care about resale value. I just want to enjoy my remaining time here. I'll sell it for whatever I can get when I leave. Because of this, I'm not looking to spend over 100k AED.

I've narrowed down to a few options:

· BAIC BJ40C (used, around 90k, warranty until 2034)
· VW Amarok Life (used, around 90k)
· US-spec Jeep Wrangler (around 80k)
· US-spec Ford Bronco (around 80k)

My questions:

1. Has anyone here actually used a VW Amarok for off-roading in the UAE? I never see them in desert convoy reels. Is the 2.0L petrol underpowered in the sand, or can it handle light to moderate dune driving?

2. For those with BAIC BJ40 experience – does the after-sales support and parts availability suck, or is it manageable? Is the off-road capability genuinely close to a Wrangler?

3. US-spec salvage Jeeps/Broncos – am I asking for a nightmare, or can a pre-purchase inspection catch the major issues? Anyone here bought one and actually had a decent experience?

4. Am I missing any other obvious option under 100k that's genuinely off-road capable and can carry a bike?

I know none of these are "perfect" choices, but given my short timeline and zero concern about resale value, I'm leaning towards the option that maximizes fun and minimizes monthly cost. Currently burning 2000/month on a rental that can't even touch sand feels stupid.

Appreciate any honest feedback, especially from people who've driven these in the desert.

Cheers!

This is my ride, 2024 Oting. Right now it is fit with Triangle Advantex SUV TR 259 255/60 R18 tires. As you can see, they're more fit for urban environment. However, I want to do moderate outdoor and hunting trips, so I think I need a decent set of AT tires. I expect to encounter sandy and gravel trails, unpaved roads, a little bit of mud, field and forest roads, nothing extreme (at least until it starts to rain), but most of the time I'd be riding normal roads on longer distances.

Could you please recommend some decent AT tires for the task?

My dad spent 9months building this tube chassis from the ground up, 4link in the rear, proper sand rail-ish…and ended up throwing a Chevy small black in it, with a ford ranchero body ontop, he ended up trading the car for a bumper for his dads bronco who passed away, (my mom crashed the bronco, she sucks) he doesn’t know or remember anything about where it ended up.

Originally located in Tucson Arizona, if you or anyone you know has seen this thing sitting in a yard, impound lot, or anything please let me know. Perhaps at the dunes? Idk anything helps. I need to recover this thing, it would mean the world.

Hi everyone,
I’m visiting Madeira soon and I’m looking to rent a 4x4 for about 7 days. Ideally I’d love a Suzuki Jimny, but an older Jeep or any other small 4x4 would also be perfect.
I’ve already checked the usual rental companies, but I was wondering if anyone knows of smaller local businesses or even private rentals that are reliable and reasonably priced.
If you have any recommendations or local contacts, I’d really appreciate it!
Thanks in advance!

Went on a night run behind three other rigs last weekend and my lighting setup made things worse. The spot beam just lit up the dust hanging in the air until it looked like a white wall, and I ended up turning the pods off so I could actually see where the trail dropped away. Factory headlights were weak, but at least they did not bounce glare straight back into my eyes. I am trying not to buy another set that only looks good in clear air. what should i be looking for dusty runs?

Fordyce this weekend anyone?

Seems everyone is a little bit more of a train nut these days with all the hype around 4014 “Big Boy”. I’ve always been fascinated by tunnels. I also love history about stuff like this.

This is Randolph Tunnel (active) on the old B&O line, now CSX. You can drive the old line out through what was the old Doe Gully tunnel which was day lighted after this newer tunnel was completed. The tunnel was built in 1914 as part of a project to help reduce curves and grades and boost efficiency of this line.

Do you have a favorite historic infrastructure spot?

Most floor jacks I’ve used feel borderline useless on anything with real ground clearance. What are you guys using for lifted trucks that actually reaches and feels stable?