Letters: Praises, comments, questions

Starting this week, we’ll occasionally publish some the various emails we receive. They will be answered privately as well as on this blog. Read the first batch of letters up till the week of May 6, 2008.

Khalid Khan says: Mash your site is great, very informative, i hope to see you on tv soon i am sure you would do a much better job that the idiot they have on City 7.
I am moving to the UAE and am considering 2 cars the Range Rover Sport supercharged and the new BMW X5 4.8. I do not envisage spending much time off road it will be mainly on road driving. I am concerned about resale value and luxury, I am very interested in your thoughts on the 2 cars, I would be grateful for a little bit of advice. Kind regards.

Thanks for your comments. I’ve reviewed both the vehicles, so you’ll have to read them for details. To put it simply, the BMW handles best, can’t go offroad, and will have better resale. The Range Sport handles okay, can go offroad, has lower resale, and has less back seat space. Both are very comfortable, although I felt the BMW a/c was weak. Value, I can’t say, since both are expensive vehicles. – MHC

Ameen S.M. says: Please review the new Mitsubishi Pajero 3.8l (high spec)for us. The last one revied is the 2006 model.
When you review other 4WD you only talk or compare with Toyota Prado / Nissan Pathfinder / Ford Explorer.???

I haven’t driven the new Pajero, as the press-fleet model seems to be the 3.0 version. The cars you mention are benchmarks so I compare others with them. – MHC

Rahul says: I just wanted to say that your site is absolutely wonderful! I have been surfing the net to find a site where I can find all the information I need about cars in Dubai and couldn’t until I found your site. I find the site most useful and very well organised. Just wanted to say congratulations and keep up the great work!

Thanks, man! – MHC

Sandeep Pande says: I find your reviews very detailed, practical and good as a guide for a buyer.
However I have not seen your review on Hyundai Veracruz. I am planning to buy a 4WD with 7 or 8 seater with a budget of upto 135K and was wondering which ones to shortlist.
I have thought of GMC Acadia, Hyundai Veracruz, Toyota Landcruiser Prado and Ford Explorer. Shall appreciate your comments if you can.

You will have to decide first what you need from a 4WD. Only the Prado and the Explorer can go off-road. As for the space, the Acadia is much longer than the others and so has the best third row, but I suggest driving it first around tight places. And the Veracruz will probably have even poorer resale value than the Americans. Other than these, all are comfortable cars, including the Veracruz from what I hear. Too many players in this category. Also see the Pajero, the Mazda CX-9, the Pathfinder, the Suzuki XL7 and the Honda MR-V. – MHC

Shelby Mathew says: Am totally impressed by your site and bought a 2008 ford explorer based on your editors choice…..thoroughly convinced and truly happy with the choice and really appreciate your unbiased reviews and opinions…..kudos to drivearabia….thank you.

I am happy that you are happy. – MHC

Yusuf S Lokhandwala says: The information you provide and update is really good and helpful for people who are planing to buy a new car or just who are interested in knowing about cars. The BMW X6 which is a new model from BMW is seen nowadays on roads. Please kindly can u get information on it? Thank you.

In time, my friend. – MHC

Taimoor Hafeez says: Im a long time reader of your site, hardly comment though.
Anyways I was just reading the new Dodge Challenger’s review on Edmund’s Insideline and then read your 300C SRT8 review and realised one thing:
You guys REALLY need to have some sexy photos of your cars. No offense but most of your pics look like they were taken from a camera-phone!
I immediately compared their Pontiac G8 GT review pix to your Lunmina SS pix and again your photography looks…….weak.
I love your writing style and how in your blog posts you reflect the pathetic driving situation in this country; but to give your readers the full package, you need to accompany your writing with equally great pictures as well.
You can easily get an entry level DSLR for under AED 3k and have kick ass photos that can also be had for wallpapers and such. And I think Dubai has a lot of scenic places for car pictures.
I hope that you consider this as your website sorely lacks good pictures of cars (that you review).
Thanks.

Thanks for your comments. The priority has not been on photos too much right now, since I believe few people bother clicking on the photos. Also, I’m not yet ready to shell out that much cash on a still camera right now, as I have other expenses in mind. I have experimented on photo styles with a “normal” digital camera (search for “continental gt” in blog), but I believe to get the effect of Edmunds and US/UK magazines requires more expensive equipment, with multiple filters and even lighting equipment for evening shots, which truly is more of a hassle than anything else, considering I take care of everything else on the website too. I have seen the fancy cameras some local weekly/monthly publications here use, and even then their photos are awful.
As for Dodge products, they are horrible at having cars available for the press, so don’t expect anything. Last word on the Challenger was that it will stay in the American market only for the time being. – MHC

To send in your letters, click here.