Expats buying secondhand vehicles in Dubai

[Springbok614]

Hi All!

Sorry for posting here, but I thought this is the place where I can get some info from fellow aviators..... :ok:

Can anyone give me some tips/ info on where to buy a secondhand vehicle in Dubai? Any reputable dealers around? Is it financially safe to do private deals? Specific makes with good back up?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

614

[ruserious]

for advice on this try Gulf Petrolheads, the online pitstop for bike, car & motorsport enthusiasts in the Arabian Gulf - Index (http://www.dubaipetrolheads.com)

[411A]

Buy one from a departing crew member....OTOH, this might not be as easy as it first might appear...........pilots, now seeing that the green on the other side of the fence is now decidely brown, might stay, negating any need for sale.
Pays 'yer money...takes 'yer chances.:}

[Arsenal81]

GNAds4U.com - Wheels (http://www.gnads4u.com/wheels) gulf news cars classifieds

goodluck

[scaglietti]

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.:ok:

Scaglietti

[casio man]

For someone preparing to move to Dubai in a few months time, that post is possibly one of the best that I have read in a long while.

Thanks Scaglietti!
:ok:

[coffindodger]

yes interesting info.
iwas in the uae for just under 10 years . now in the costa del saudi sand pit.
and hopefully returning to auh after the ramajam war this year.

my uae driving license is due to expire next year
what is the new and updated info, please on renewing your license.

[fractional]

It's probably best to rent a car for a while, do the research and then make a decision on what to buyThis is the best advice. This gives you time to look around at your own pace and time.

[TangoUniform]

I have several friends that are renting (ref. Leasing) on a month to month basis. They seem happy with that. Don't have to pay insurance, interest on a loan (company loan is different, but won't get much of a new car for around 70K AED), worry about repairs, or spend a day getting reregistered. Great route to go, IMHO until one gets their feet on the ground here. The money really ends up about the same as a loan. You will be shocked how quickly a new car depreciates here.

[Springbok614]

what could i expect to pay for a rental/lease of a rav4 or similar? got no idea!

thanks all for the responses!

[Thridle Op Des]

TU, with regard to depreciation, if you buy any of the US produced vehicles or Jaguar, some of the Range Rovers and the cheaper Far Eastern models, you are right, depreciation is on a par with the rest of the world-precipitous. However the high end Toyotas and Nissans keep their price really well, they have a strong local appeal and don't break (unless you do a hand-brake turn on the beach with your friend sitting in the open sun roof). I bought a Toyota Land Cruiser basic model from the local Toyota dealer previously owned and lost 20% in three years. All I had to change in that time was 1 radio aerial and two batteries (expect a 12-18 month life on batteries).

Like any other major expenditure, do your research and stay away from the people with two fours in their name.

[Desertweasel]

One thing no-one has mentioned is stolen cars, there are a lot of cars being stolen in the EU and US and then shipped here. It pays to do a US/EU HPI on any import (do this from chassis numbers) it can turn up some real frights.
If you buy a stolen car do not expect to be able to keep it, several have been caught by this over the years, the garage or individual does not appear to have to refund the buyer despite selling stolen property and the police confiscate the car.

[CEP]

what could i expect to pay for a rental/lease of a rav4 or similar? got no idea!

Check to see if your future employer has a special deal with one of the rental agencies around here, you might end up getting a better deal than most, but on average something like a RAV4 will set you back between AED2200-2500 PM. Hertz, Avis, National Car Rental, etc.

My company has a deal with one of the above, but all they offered was a group B(Yaris, Polo, etc). Felt like a target all the time!!!:} Still, better than nothing. And yes, all inclusive, you only fork out for the fuel, which at the present exchange rate comes out to about R2.50 per litre:ok:

614? That's a DN-JS leg?

[Wiley]

Want to cut out the middle man? I'm selling mine. PM me for details.

[Flying Spag Monster]

Another thing to consider are new rules possibly starting in Jan '09 regarding older cars. Those > 20 yrs cannot be re-registered and those > 10yrs cannot be transfered. If this becomes law then a car you buy today that is 2-3 years old will not be worth much when it gets to 5-6 yrs old. Who will buy it then, if they cannot on sell it a few years later? On the other hand dealers with 6-8 yr old cars will have to virtually give them away.

I would seriously look at a lease or buy a new/near new car and drive it for ever (< 20yrs), double park it at the airport with the keys in it when you finally leave.

[Khaosai]

Hi,

Diamond Lease car rental company.

Mitsibushi Lancer 1300 cc.

One year contract:

Rental Charges: 1425 dhs/month
Collision Waiver: 150 dhs/month
Pax Insurance: 75 dhs/month

Total: 1650 dhs/month

Charge one month extra if returning prior to contract completion.

Crap car but fairly cheap motoring i guess. You could probably buy one of these for about 40 000 dhs.

Other option is to head out to the Al Awir car market and get something new or used there. Lots of choice and some pretty good deals available.

Rgds.