downrodeo

Hi all,
Have just arrived in Doha from the UK, and sorting out my 'temporary' Qatari license while I await my residency permit.

Wanting to hire a car for a month before I decide whether to buy or rent something more long term.

What experiences have you had with rental companies? Any that you would recommend for the first month's rental? I've heard oasis cars are decent. Particularly hoping britexpat76 will chime in here as he seems to know the ropes well!

Cheers

britexpat76

Hi Mate,

I am slightly biased - but it seems you have spotted one of the easier companies to deal with

Get your Licence sorted ASAP, you can use your UK one for up to 2 weeks or if you have an international licence up until you start the RP process. Prices for a month are pretty standard across most companies here - you generally see differences on the long term rentals. Age of car is important as is the insurance cover you receive, these vary wildly across the rental companies. I had one brit in last week that was paying 2k a month for a 5 year old Saab with 150,000kms on it - madness.

downrodeo

Bloody hell sounds like he got ripped off hard.

My company has already started off the RP process, which is why I'm going for the temporary license. I work for a major corporation here so they're taking care of all residency stuff. Going to the traffic department later today with the bits and bobs they've asked for to get the temp license.

Will give Oasis a call then once I get my temp license (hopefully today). For the moment I'm getting lifts off my colleague but being without a car here is impossible! Will just get anything cheap for the first month and then decide whether to buy or lease long term.

Any tips on dealing with Oasis?

downrodeo

Ps. Just saw from another thread that you're based in Al Sadd. Me too!

britexpat76

If you want to PM me I will give you the details on who to speak too.

downrodeo

Will do!

jdwmfc

My company organised a hire car for us and seriously its the oldest Nissan Sunny out there. I really need to find a 7 seater and fast! Any ideas?

gottheTshirt

There are plenty of reputable and un reputable companies. You pay your money and take your choice: I have rented a brand new Nissan Tida at 2250/month, a brand new Renault Logan at 1900/month and a 4 year old Nissan Sunny at 1,700/month from 'reputable ' companies You can pay twice as much at Avis or 20% less for a clapped out wreck with dodgy insurance from a shady dealer up Salwa Road.

britexpat76

You can rent a 7 seater Pajero, but things like that cost a fair bit more than the norm.

Johnnyboy11

This topic crops up a lot, but I'm not sure I agree with much of the advice being offered.

My experience over the last 4 years in Doha is that you're best to hire a shitty car to get you through the gridlock from A to B. Expect to pay QAR2k/m for an old model Sunny or QAR3.5k/m for an old model Altima from a local 'reptable dealer'. Expect the car to be unroadworthy, filthy inside, scratched and dented bodywork, dodgy tyres, brakes and lights, and delivered with an empty fuel tank, warning light on.

It's like driving at the dodgems on the roads in Doha, best to be able to toss the keys back to the hire company, pay the QAR 1,500 insurance excess for another ride and drive off again. Plus you can dump it at the airport if your Sponsor decides he has no further need of your servces. As a bonus, you will have little or no compunction of broadsiding your hire car into the side of an arrogant/ agressive local in his landcruiser/ patrol.

You can off-hire the car when you are out of the country, which for me brings the hire cost of the Sunny down to QAR1.8k/m. The hire company drops off/ collects the hire car at the apartment, which makes life easy.

I'm often tempted to buy a shiny new car, there are some great deals on offer here relative to UK prices, but I'm not here to live the dream...

britexpat76

You are paying too much....You can get new cars from rental companies for that price.