Well, I won't know until sometime next year if the car survives the harshest of the hot weather. I shipped it here mainly because it was fully paid off, and was sitting in a garage for the past 5 years as I was on an overseas assignment, thus sparingly used. I didn't want another car payment here, and I am OK with offloading it in 2 years. It is a second car, and the GCC spec (newer) car will be used for longer trips, and especially in the summer. This one is mainly for school drop offs, grocery runs, dogmobile etc.
Regarding registration. When it clears customs, they deliver it to you on a recovery truck but with no plates. You simply get a "Green Slip" called a VCC.
You then have to inspect and register the car but can't drive it there. You have to do it with a recovery truck again! Here is what I did.
1. Call and get insurance quotes first. You can't register without insurance. Get a policy delivered to you once the car is delivered to you. The insurance co. has to survey the car and get a copy of the green slip before they will insure it. They need the VIN(Chassis) number and engine number which must match the green slip. I used Juelemin Insurance brokers and Chartis and AXA were the best rates. (Around 1500 AED/yr).
2. Insurance company will offer "free service" of inspecting and registering your car but it's on their schedule and make take several days. They may inspect it one day and then register it some other day. I wanted it registered ASAP and used a guy to do all the dirty work. Here is the breakdown:
* Called Mohamed @0502288450 Noorussabah Registration Services.
* He comes to your home in his own car and a separate recovery truck.
* He leaves his car at your place and takes your car on the recovery truck.
* He does all the needful and drives your car back to your place, by 4PM. They picked up my car at 10AM.
* His charges were AED 350.
* Recovery truck charge AED 350
* Inspection AED 120
* Registration AED 435
* Typing fee AED 20
* Plate fixing AED 15
* Salik AED 100
* Petrol AED 50 (your car will be almost on empty when you get it).
3. You can save money by doing it yourself, but you will waste a whole day and all you will save is AED 350. It was money well spent in my opinion.
4. Hopefully your car will pass inspection, otherwise plan to spend more. Tires need to be less than 4 years old, I'm told, and bumper stickers need to be removed to pass inspection! Also you need to have a "ROAD HAZARD TRIANGLE" as per UAE law. U.S car don't always have them in the flat tire kit.
I just borrowed one from my GCC car and will pick one up later.
5. If you have a UAE license make sure you have no pending fines. You will have to pay them before you can register a new car. You can check online.
6. Documents you will need are a) copy of passport b) copy of residence visa c) copy of Emirates National ID d) Green Slip from customs e) insurance
f) SALIK details if you are adding a car to your account.
You will need to sign all the copies (self attestation).
7) US spec car radios won't play even freqs (ie. 92.0) etc and so you will need to buy a modulator chip somewhere in Sharjah or else experience irritation whilst listening to your even freq channels!
Hope this helps.