When I moved to DXB a few years ago I was given all of the conventional advice:
Don't open your account with "x" bank, you don't know anything about them;
Don't buy a used car here, you don't know anything about it's history and it was probably wrecked; etc, etc.
You know what? Nearly all of that advice was and remains bu##*%it!
There is a school of thought that teaches that DXB is this mythical place where "things happen that would never happen where I'm from"!!
What was Citibank's, Bank of America's, Wachovia's, Barclay's, Lloyd's, HSBC's, Northern Rock's, ANZ's profit's in the last Q?
Also the bank that most of us end up with (mostly because we somewhat recognise the name "hotel-sierra-bravo-charlie") has the most appalling customer service I have ever experienced. I now bank with Shrek the Ogre and am not nearly as frustrated even though I was scared away from it when I first arrived.
And of course dodgy used cars are unique to the UAE!
If you find a used car that you like - take it to the authorized dealer or an independent specialist and for a fee of between AED200-500 they'll do a mechanical inspection and give you the full history if it's a vehicle sold new in the UAE. Oftentimes if it's a European car they can give you the history even if it wasn't sold new in the UAE. BMW do it off the key in newer models.
Also when you take a used car to the RTA for registration take a look at the vehicle inspection process if you can and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how thorough it is.
The good news is that the UAE is probably one of the last places left where you can indulge some of your automotive fantasies should you wish to do so. Used cars tend to be cheaper here than in Europe or the US, gas (do I need to say more?), and insurance is based primarily on the value of the car as opposed to its insurance group.
Having said all of that it is advisable to buy an Armored Humvee for the wife and kids. The driving here is akin to the Tower of Babel. Very few drivers learn to drive here, they typically arrive with the driving customs of their home country. You can imagine what kind of driving stew that can create.
It's probably best to rent a car for a while, do the research and then make a decision on what to buy.
Scaglietti