Terrano

Actually, this tire carrier is quite useful. It is convenient, as you have more space inside. Getting the tire off the roof will be something not really pleasant, especially if you are dressed in a white shirt, a suit, and so on. Moreover, I had several occasions in my life to understand that it is good for safety in car-crashes. Once a drunk guy crashed his car into my Pathy peacefully parked near the road... He hit with his left front corner into my right rear one. So he hit exactly the tire carrier. As a result, he had a mess, and I only had a scratch on the carrier ))) I once saw a van hit a pathy in the rear. Right in the spare tire. When I was passing by, I could not understand where all the shattered glass came from, as I could clearly see the Pathy undamaged. Then I looked at the van... god, it was wrecked real good. It is better to get a hit in the carrier, than directly into the rear door. Another very useful thing about it is that when you park to the wall, you can just drive slowly until the spare touches the wall ))) Yes, having to "open" the tire carrier before opening the rear door is not really convenient. But I like it, it is useful and it makes the car look better. I don't know, maybe it is because 99% of Pathies here are with the tire carrier... but I like the looks )))

Yes, it would be a great pleasure to say that )))) We have all kinds of insurance, and even insurance companies that will not use all possible backdoors in laws they can find in order to avoid paying a compensation to you)) The insurance costs about 10% of the car's market value. Well, if I had USD80,000 to spend on a car, I would certainly be able to find USD8,000 on insurance. Though people are greedy here))) The insurance business is not as developed as in States, for example, where people can insure everyhing... actually, everything in Russia is still young and undeveloped. I mean, spending eight thousand dollars on insurance (and if your car does not get stolen, you just waste these thousands of dollars ) ... many people do not like this idea. I would never own a car that cost me some so much money as a new LandCruiser without insurance.

yep, they look cool! I like ))

Will you travel to Russia to get it? I can find one for you here

I have ))) They are all like that in Japan, so here in Russia (especially in Vladivostok, where I live... very close to Japan) it is not something uncommon, as cars are imported from Japan. It is quite the opposite, actually - a pathy without the tire carrier will be considered something rare )))

Sad but true (( I guess all of this will exist until this period of shifting from soviet economy to a normal one;-) You know, if you were in Russia in the beginning of 90s... that was a bad time. Total anarchy, organized crime ruling every business... when you read about another businessmen exploded in his car you did not even as much as pause over that article, since it was just a usual thing ;-) Now the situation is improving, and many things disappear. But corruption will be hard to eliminate. You know, if it happens in China, where a official person caught on bribery will be executed through being shot.... what can you expect from a country where laws are not that strict?)) Corruption is a normal thing for all developing countries. The crooked cops you described is part of this "normality")) There actually are some good things in Russia, good people, and even good cops)))) Though all these scary stories spoil the impression somewhat

Oh, yeah! Not a boring day, that's for sure))) Probably even too much of entertainment )))

I also have never heard of anybody going 4WD at those speeds. IMHO, if you drive that fast with 4H on frequently, it will end up in a costly break-down. It is the same with using tires of different size. It will not hurt using 4WD with such tires from time to time, for short periods of time. But if you do it frequently, it will end up with the transfer box fallin apart ;-)

Jesus, what a beautiful Pathy))) I love it)) A special fetish for me is the manual transmittion

Welcome! Don't forget to submit the pix)))

That's why I don't like manual hubs))))) I don't like having to literally dive into mud in order to switch them on)) But on the other side, you had fun, right? )) So I guess manual hubs are not that bad after all)))

Looks good!! I like ))) By the way, I used to own a Pathy like yours some time ago. I just love black Pathies. This color looks so good on this cars.

))))) DSM_guy, you are probably right about ex-soviet countries))) This business of "returning" stolen documents is very common in Russia. You see, the process of re-issuing lost passports and driver's licences is VERY complicated in Russia. You have to waste time in lines, get uncountable confirming papers from different municipal organizations.... it really sucks... and if you are busy at work, it is nearly impossible for you to get a new passport. So many busy people have to pay, they just do not have a choice. In addition, you have to get the passport back as soon as you can. The problem is that somebody could register a company on this passport, for example, get a credit in the bank, and disappear. Who will be blamed in the end? Exactly, the person on whose name the company is registered. So people prefer to just quickly pay, so that nothing bad happens )))

That's right ))))) You can do that. But it depends on who you know, and if your thugs will be better than their thugs, and if anybody will agree to mess with those who stole the car, as they can have some serious friends ))) Many "buts" an "ifs" here )))) This kind of crime does not occur every day, but it happens rather regularly. Yeah, come over and make a business))) If you give me a share I will help you overcome the cultural shock and get familiar with Russia ))))))))))

They are truly beefy )))))) By the way, I read your profile... the list of MODs left me breathless, I almost got tired reading this list :cool2: Don't forget to post pix of your pathy with new shoes on))

Yes, people get caught and sentenced from time to time. I guess it doesn't stop others from trying ;-)))

Hello, people! I wanted to ask a question... I have no problem understanding the use of 4H, 4L, or 2H on the transfer gear-box (I don't know if it is a correct term, I got it in the dictionary ;-)))But when do I need to use the neutral? Once, several years ago, when shifting from 4L to 2H, I accidentaly switched to N and managed to not notice it ;-))) When I put the gear into first, and tried to move, I could not understand why the car did not want to move ;-))) I cannot say the question bothered me terribly, I just thought about it now for some reason... I can understand the effect of N, but when do I use it? Thanks for replies.

Well... the problem is that you cannot prove the same people actually STOLE the car. They can claim they found it ;-)) I don't know if asking for a reward for returning lost property is against the law, but I am sure that it is nothing serious. But if those who steal the car see you arriving to the meeting with policemen, later you might be faced with serious problems... Those who arrange the stealing and getting the ransom are not fools, everything is thought about. There are of course ways of solving the problem besides paying for the car. But most people prefer to just pay and get the car back.

After reading the story by 88pathoffroad I remembered this one. Intro: I cannot say whether this is done only in Russia, probably not, but there is a kind of business in Russia that is done the following way. People steal a car, then call the owner and tell him that they are ready to bring the car back for, for example, 5-10 thousand dollars. Of course, they only still cars that are worth paying such a "ransom". This story was told by my father (the main character is some of his business friends) Story: Some businessmen went in some city in our region to purchase expensive equipment for their factory. They purchased it, loaded it into their brand-new Land Cruiser 100, and went to the hotel. BTW, the equipment was about USD30,000 worth. While they were in the hotel checking in, they saw their car being driven away ))) In a couple of hours they received a call. A person said he was ready to bring their car back for USD15,000 They agreed about the meeting, called their friends in the city they came from and asked to bring USD15,000 in cash. The friends took another LandCruiser (also brand-new) and brought the cash to the meeting. On the meeting they gave the money and took their car. While they were handing over the money, guess what happened? ;-))) Somebody stole the LandCruiser they arrived on to buy back LandCruiser #1 ))))) So they had to bring another USD10,000 (not 15, the thieves were kind enough to offer a discount ) and buy back their second car. That is the story. In some way it is shocking, but in some way it is also funny ;-)))) P.S. Both cars were returned in 100% fine condition. No scratches, no cut wires, even the locks on the doors remained untouched. Both cars had several thousands of dollars worth security systems in them (alarms, immobillizers, hood-locks, multi-locks, etc). You can't own a LandCruiser, a Lincoln Navigator, a BMW or a Mersedes in Russia without installing all this, not having it would be the same as placing an ad saying "Yo, take my car for free! The keys are under the seat!" But those who stole the cars in my story managed even get into them without even scratching the paint. How? Magic maybe ;-))

88pathoffroad, I know how you feel... I had numerous opportunities to experience it myself. Stolen head lights, fog lights... wheels.... once, when I had a Suzuki Escudo (called Vitara in America, I guess), some [censored] broke into my garage while I was out of town. Well, they were unable to switch off the security system on the car, so they kind of took the spare parts with the highest demand for them on the market. After their visit I had merely a body of the car, seats in it.. oh, a steering wheel... almost empty under-hood space (they took EVERYTHING, even the cylinder block head), they stole the wheels, all lights, side mirrors, the hood, the spare tire... f*ckers even chew the chewing-gum that I had in the glove-box )))))) So I ended up spending disgusting amounts of money and 2.5 months to have the car rolling again. My point is that I know how it feels ))) Oh, I forgot to mention: everything that happened to my car was done withing 6 (six!!!) hours. I didn't know it was possible to diassemble the car in so little time!! ;-)))

I guess he installed those tires just to make a pic and shock people who see this photo in the internet )))))) Seriously, I also wonder how this car manages to turn the tires... maybe special transmission, etc.

Well, congratulations ;-) It always feels good to have your car back ))

Great!!))) Something is missing, though... a couple of machine-guns for example ;-)))

I am a newbie myself, but I guess it will be ok for me to say WELCOME!!! BTW, 2002 Pathy sounds like a nice set of wheels ;-)))

Is it some glitch on my computer? I do not see the pics that I attached. For some reason they are not shown.