dakar rally 2009

[kiwi535 538]

any one know where when the coverage of this is going to be....i have searched sky but the only thing i found is yet another rerun of Charlie Boormans Race to Dakar..google didnt show anything promising.I wil keep an eye on eurosport but it will be pretty breif.

Edited January 4, 2009 by kiwi535

[Guest Simon*]

I read in the paper this morning that a Saudi (or at least Middle Eastern) BMW driver won stage one to Buenos Aires. Beat all the Touaregs home by a margin apparently. The Mitsi's aren't featuring at all so far. There was no detail on what kind of BMW - some kind of X5 variant I would assume?

There is a kiwi guy from Northland on a KTM in the bikes - first NZ rider ever. No sponsorship, entirely self funded.

[Guest Simon*]

OK he's from Qatar (my mistake) and is driving an X3: Article with pic

But Sainz is leading overall again now in a VW

[melowpuf 19]

But Sainz is leading overall again now in a VW

Interesting... my family have done a bit of sand dune climbing over the years with our regular camping spot an hour and a half trek up what used to be a forestry track and then down over sand dunes out to the coast. It can get quite demanding towing huge trailer loads with boats and supplies for our 3 week camping missions.

We have always had mitsy Pajero's from the mid 80's right up to the current model. We were VERY disappointed in the off road performance of the latest models from our 2003 model and also the 2007 model.

All of our previous pajeros were legendary, hauling bogged down landcruisers still tied to the stupid isuzu bighorn it was trying to pull out. Vroooooooooom red line her and haul them suckers out. Landcruisers are still good machines though

HOWEVER the latest models of the pajero's quite frankly don't cut the mustard, engines... yes they are capable, driveline no, tug of war in the mud with the same tyres on each the old 1993 2.8l hauled the 2003 3.2l back in its tracks...

Mum bought a VW "Toe-rag" and we laughed at her... Initially... it by far out does the newer pajeros, in every way, comfort, build quality, off roading capabilities ....the little we have done while mum hasn't been around The comfort and build quality was no surprise typical euro but the climbing, pulling and mud was a huge surprise.

The old man has been very bias towards the pajeros from his 20+ years of driving them and giving them hell trying to break them. He is now on the lookout for a Touareg to replace his latest lump-o-lard pajero.

It is no surprise then that mitsy has fallen from fame in the Paris Dakar.

But I will still drive the hand me down 1993 mitsy pajero and pull everyone out of the sand, dad included until he gets his VW.

Edited January 5, 2009 by melowpuf

[Guest Simon*]

That's interesting stuff Lance - I always bagged pajeros but mainly because the word means "wanker" in Spanish

It's funny how people have different experiences, but I have also heard that the Touareg has been a surprise standout in most areas too.

I was lucky enough to to a 4WD training course with Mark Warren down here who's been a guru of the 4WD world for a long long time and he put us through our paces on his specially designed course. Of course he laughed at our new Hiluxes (which my firm lease) and their soft plasticy bits, almost no ground clearance, our choice of tyres and shiny nudge bars. He gets around in a mid 90's patrol with snorkel kit and it owns!

There were some cool tricks of the trade like how to trick the diffs, getting through water and mud, and digging your way up low and near vertical banks. Was quite an eye-opener

Edited January 5, 2009 by Simon*

[melowpuf 19]

That's interesting stuff Lance - I always bagged pajeros but mainly because the word means "wanker" in Spanish

It's funny how people have different experiences, but I have also heard that the Touareg has been a surprise standout in most areas too.

I was lucky enough to to a 4WD training course with Mark Williams down here who's been a guru of the 4WD world for a long long time and he put us through our paces on his specially designed course. Of course he laughed at our new Hiluxes (which my firm lease) and their soft plasticy bits, almost no ground clearance, our choice of tyres and shiny nudge bars. He gets around in a mid 90's patrol with snorkel kit and it owns!

There were some cool tricks of the trade like how to trick the diffs, getting through water and mud, and digging your way up low and near vertical banks. Was quite an eye-opener

Heh dad said the same thing about the hilux's which he uses for work, Utter rubbish he hates them heh but that is no surprise. I've heard good things about the old patrols.

That training course sounds like a lot of fun. Would probably be quite beneficial for all of my family to do it. The more confident drivers usually go for a drive up into the hills, up some quite muddy tracks and rivers. There's always a couple of winches and stuff to help if needed. And always safety in numbers. I wonder how many times we would have been able to get out of or avoid situations we've been in knowing some of the things you went through on that course.

[Guest Simon*]

Heh dad said the same thing about the hilux's which he uses for work, Utter rubbish he hates them heh but that is no surprise. I've heard good things about the old patrols.

That training course sounds like a lot of fun. Would probably be quite beneficial for all of my family to do it. The more confident drivers usually go for a drive up into the hills, up some quite muddy tracks and rivers. There's always a couple of winches and stuff to help if needed. And always safety in numbers. I wonder how many times we would have been able to get out of or avoid situations we've been in knowing some of the things you went through on that course.

Yeah I think the thing with the later Hiluxes has been good motor, sh*t offroader. It's hard to believe how plastic and cheap the new ones are. God knows that even the Turbo diesel ones we have go like stink on the open road, but when it comes to the hard stuff they're no class leader.

Some of the guys I work with who have been "bushmen" their whole careers were really surprised about how much trouble you could get yourself out of on your own without winches too. The guy's company is called Hillseekers and I think he does it all over the country from time to time. Got his name wrong before too, it's Mark Warren

It definitely gave me a taste for off-roading though, I'd be keen to get out and give it a proper go.

[kiwi535 538]

apparently the v10 deisel touregs are tourque monsters....My bro has always bagged pajeros but he is a cruiser man..has the new v8 deisel used to have the big six deisel.He alway gets the flatdecks...

back to the point though....coverage!!??

Edited January 5, 2009 by kiwi535

[melowpuf 19]

Oh yes sorry for the Hijack. I want to see this too :{