Desert vs dune cars

[britincali]

This quote got me thinking...

"Just remember you can take a desert car in the sand but you can't take a sand car in the desert."

Why what is the difference? Are the sand cars built lighter ?

[draggindre]

i have wonderd the same thing cause i want a car but i want to be able to drive it here in the desert and the sand

[dunefreak]

Desert cars or dual sports usually have much more gusseting and bracing, larger diameter and thicker wall tubing, boxed control arms, stronger suspension components, etc to handle to desert. Sand dunes are alot easier on cars than the desert is. Sandcars are typically built lighter because, as we all know, the sand is very power robbing.

[camp host]

My understanding when I bought my car was sand or desert or dual sport. The sand car was designed to be lighter and more nimble for duning. The desert car was big and everything very heavy duty. This type of car could be driven in the sand but was not its intended use. The final was the dual sport, a car built truly to do both, some will argue built to do neither real well. The dual sport is a "medium built" car, tubing smaller like a sand car, suspension beefier than a sand car, but less than a desert car. My car is a V3ss built by sandcars.net and is some sort of dual sport, but I think it is more like a sand car than a desert car. Has anyone else been told similar?

[dirtprincess]

I thought that desert cars or dual sport are heavier duty plus have front brakes, sand cars typically don't have front brakes to make them lighter. Correct? Also tires are different.

[dunefreak]

I thought that desert cars or dual sport are heavier duty plus have front brakes, sand cars typically don't have front brakes to make them lighter. Correct? Also tires are different.

dual sport or desert cars...

heavier duty- yes

front brakes- yes

Sand cars...

Some manufacturers put them on, some don't they aren't needed but help alot

And tires....of course those are different, Becky!

[Don29palms]

Desert cars or dual sports usually have much more gusseting and bracing, larger diameter and thicker wall tubing, boxed control arms, stronger suspension components, etc to handle to desert. Sand dunes are alot easier on cars than the desert is. Sandcars are typically built lighter because, as we all know, the sand is very power robbing.

This is absolutely correct. If you take a lightweight sand car out playing in the desert you stand a good chance of breaking it. The terrains are so much different. Desert in general is rougher where the best sand is like sliding on glass.