mandm65

Thanks guys for your help, it seems to have developed into a useful thread, pleased to see that i am not the only nutter considering this :-).
So i guess 'must own the car for six months' would not be a problem, i would purchase a car which i can import with minimum fuss, any make/model recommendation(s)?

OriginalSunshine

Big enough to carry your shit.
Must have real spare wheel rather than sparetire can thingy :thumb down:
Common enough that if something breaks down en route most garages would be able to fix
Small enough you would want to drive it in the UK
Something that follows these requirements

scrubbedexpat141

I'm so jealous. I've done some European road trips with my Dad but this would be epic.

Good luck.

flares

An ex-Emirates Volvo estate. What's another few km on the 400,000 clock? Sell it to some trendy/hippy type in the UK.

mandm65

Shit will be shipped so no need for Big enough

Agree

you really narrowed it down

Like it says, requirements can be by-passed

mandm65

Good old Volvo state, humm thats a sensible option, worth persuading this!!

OriginalSunshine

XC60 then

mandm65

so it seems that volvo is the way. I guess Volvo probably comes close to meeting the regulatory requirements without too many changes! Would there be any tax/duty implications for importing the vehicle?

flares

My off the cuff comment was for you to acquire one of Emirates Airlines' cast offs.

They've used a fleet of Volvo estates for as long as I remember.

You are in Qatar though?

However thinking about it the XC60 that Original Sunshiiiine has suggested is a great call.

From a discussion I had with a Volvo salesman in Abu Dhabi many moons ago the cars sold in the gulf are good for Europe - this was a supposed USP against other manufacturers - may be ballspit.

archie159

I think that is true. I know a few people in AD with Volvos which they bought specifically to import back into mainland Europe when they leave. Apparently they are a lot cheaper here than in Holland (for instance), and easy to import.

You might need to buy a new set of headlights for UK use (if the beam is directed the wrong way) - you cannot use deflectors long term. Some cars with halogen lamps can, however, be used without conversion on both left hand and right hand drive roads - not sure if that applies to Volvos, though.

Millhouse

The only downside with taking a Volvo for this trip is that you would then have to drive it in the UK.

Eeyore

On the contrary, it's no problem at all and there's a thriving specialist market for exotic LHD imports, with the emphasis typically on classic American cars.

The Gulf is the only place I've heard of where it's actually illegal to drive a car with the wrong "handedness".

Millhouse

You can drive a wrong handed car in the gulf. You register them as classic in Sharjah.

mandm65

so it seems volvo it is then, have no problem driving volvo in uk, not bothered with the badge at all, as long as car is reliable and easy to maintain then its fine by me. Question is how to source a good volvo here, perhaps Swedish embassy :-)
It seems no issue with importing the car either (taxes etc), that's a relief, the tricky bit would be to organise the route, that will be challenging.