Let's talk about cars
Apr 28th 2015, 1:13 pm
#61
Token Scandinavian Bloke
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Dubai
Posts: 2,820
Re: Let's talk about cars
Norsk, a bit presumptuous to presume I can't afford a newer car!!
I can in-fact go and get a loan or finance or actually buy a new car out right, however due to the depreciation value dropping as soon as I even sign for the car never mind drive it would be stupid, I only plan on being here in Doha a year or two max, and the likelihood of an accident here is pretty high so why would I buy a brand new car for someone to smash into it and with the insurance policies here, cost me even more money!
Don't presume when people are asking for advice!
For the short duration I am here I want a decent and nice car to drive without paying over the odds.
I'm hoping after a year or two, there will be another person in a similar position looking for a car what I am selling without paying a huge amount!
When I say 'stuck', I'm considering what the demand is in buying a 'middle of the road' car! not a newish car that people will spend a lot of money on or not a cheap run around either. I wouldn't say 80% or cars are over priced, it is clearly the going rate and market rate. I'm sure if you were selling a car, you would like at sites such as dubizzle and see what similar cars are going for and price it accordingly in line with market rates? or are you a 'do-gooder' who would sell your car below these rates and basically loose financially??? I don't think so.....
Similar to being back in the UK, buying a car brand new and then selling it 3 or 4 years later is sometimes harder than it seems and can take longer to sell on. People shopping for cars are either going to get a loan, or a finance or lease deal to buy a new car or others are looking for one for a couple of thousand as a run around, middle of the road priced cars are often used as trade-ins due to difficulty selling them.
I can in-fact go and get a loan or finance or actually buy a new car out right, however due to the depreciation value dropping as soon as I even sign for the car never mind drive it would be stupid, I only plan on being here in Doha a year or two max, and the likelihood of an accident here is pretty high so why would I buy a brand new car for someone to smash into it and with the insurance policies here, cost me even more money!
Don't presume when people are asking for advice!
For the short duration I am here I want a decent and nice car to drive without paying over the odds.
I'm hoping after a year or two, there will be another person in a similar position looking for a car what I am selling without paying a huge amount!
When I say 'stuck', I'm considering what the demand is in buying a 'middle of the road' car! not a newish car that people will spend a lot of money on or not a cheap run around either. I wouldn't say 80% or cars are over priced, it is clearly the going rate and market rate. I'm sure if you were selling a car, you would like at sites such as dubizzle and see what similar cars are going for and price it accordingly in line with market rates? or are you a 'do-gooder' who would sell your car below these rates and basically loose financially??? I don't think so.....
Similar to being back in the UK, buying a car brand new and then selling it 3 or 4 years later is sometimes harder than it seems and can take longer to sell on. People shopping for cars are either going to get a loan, or a finance or lease deal to buy a new car or others are looking for one for a couple of thousand as a run around, middle of the road priced cars are often used as trade-ins due to difficulty selling them.
Whether you can afford to spend more or not is completely beside the point! You set a budget for what you are willing to spend. If your budget is a small percentage of what the car costs new you are going to have to go old and high mileage with all the risks associated.
It seems you really have no idea how the car market works in the Middle East. People living here (western expats mainly) usually want to sell for what they paid for it new even after they have put 100K on the clock hence yes these cars do not sell quickly.
In the UK sellers at least tend to have a peak at one of the price-guides (parkers, whatcar) before they list it on autotrader although of course they forget to take into account the fact that the inside of the car looks like it has never been cleaned and there is a massive dent in the door..
I didn't presume anything about you - it was a guess. You said you wanted to buy a shock horror 6-7 year old X6 and I told you this is risky. If you do buy one I will more than likely do the same as Tockalosh....Good luck!
Last edited by norsk; Apr 28th 2015 at 1:16 pm.
Apr 28th 2015, 5:57 pm
#62
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Up on the Ranches not down on the Springs
Posts: 2,109
Re: Let's talk about cars
[QUOTE=DXBtoDOH;11630924]F150? Are you joking
No not joking, what is in it for me to joke? You have to wring the neck off them to move. It's a noisy harsh horrible engine whereas the 4.0 litre is a peach, going further back I had the 2.7 in a prado. Better sound proofing but same shit engine
No not joking, what is in it for me to joke? You have to wring the neck off them to move. It's a noisy harsh horrible engine whereas the 4.0 litre is a peach, going further back I had the 2.7 in a prado. Better sound proofing but same shit engine
Apr 28th 2015, 6:02 pm
#63
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Up on the Ranches not down on the Springs
Posts: 2,109
Re: Let's talk about cars
Get one of the last 6.2's new whilst they have a handful left, they are just brilliant and now ford has dropped the big block, it's blown V6's or the 5.0 as a special and neither compare,
It's one of those chances you have to take now or it's lost forever
Apr 28th 2015, 8:40 pm
#64
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 5
Re: Let's talk about cars
I'm sensing the x6 has an image problem to some. Looks and appeal aside, does anyone know if they are reliable cars? Norsk, you mention you think buying a used X6 will be a false economy. I've always considered BMW's to be reliable cars and I would have thought one of about 5 years old would be better than a new American car - I've had, and heard of real horror stories with Fords. Granted, a new car will be covered with a warranty, but I don't want a car going back to the dealer too often.
As for me, I am new to the desert and havent bought a car yet, so I'm interested in what you guys drive and why you chose it.
As for me, I am new to the desert and havent bought a car yet, so I'm interested in what you guys drive and why you chose it.
Apr 29th 2015, 3:58 am
#65
Token Scandinavian Bloke
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Dubai
Posts: 2,820
Re: Let's talk about cars
I'm sensing the x6 has an image problem to some. Looks and appeal aside, does anyone know if they are reliable cars? Norsk, you mention you think buying a used X6 will be a false economy. I've always considered BMW's to be reliable cars and I would have thought one of about 5 years old would be better than a new American car - I've had, and heard of real horror stories with Fords. Granted, a new car will be covered with a warranty, but I don't want a car going back to the dealer too often.
As for me, I am new to the desert and havent bought a car yet, so I'm interested in what you guys drive and why you chose it.
As for me, I am new to the desert and havent bought a car yet, so I'm interested in what you guys drive and why you chose it.
It's almost like the error from the broken component spreads across the system and once you replace one component it is only a matter of time before the next one goes. Obviously this is not the case, but there are dependencies between components and their individual control ECU firmwares. Changing one component could mean that other components react differently in their "new" environment and suddenly you have another component failing.
Sometimes you will also find yourself in a situation where you have to replace 6 components rather than just the 1 that is broken as the 'car operating system' cannot control the particular combination of versions you need. This is obviously a nightmare and costs escalate rapidly.
The problem with all this is that there is no obvious cut-off and a car that is perfectly fine today could have a complete meltdown tomorrow.
Even though I know all the above and can afford to buy new I choose to buy used cars and stay with so-called prestige brands. Why? Well, I'm tight and I like a bargain! At the moment I'm driving a 2010 Land Rover LR4 that I bought last summer and will sell next summer at the very latest, but of course I wouldn't have just bought any 2010 LR4 that I could find....this one was special
Apr 29th 2015, 4:24 am
#66
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 0
Re: Let's talk about cars
1. I now commute by walking. It takes about 75 seconds to get to my office. Therefore I'm banned from buying a new car.
2. I don't want a pick up. The flat bed bit at the back is completely pointless unless you are a MAMIL or like helping people move house.
But...every time I see one, I want it.
Apr 29th 2015, 5:39 pm
#67
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Up on the Ranches not down on the Springs
Posts: 2,109
Re: Let's talk about cars
MAMIL lmao hadn't heard that before
Apr 30th 2015, 6:13 pm
#69
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Up on the Ranches not down on the Springs
Posts: 2,109
Apr 30th 2015, 8:30 pm
#70
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 0
Re: Let's talk about cars
Fair enough. You're exercising so it shouldn't be laughed at....that being said when I drive round the Ranches to the golf club it does make me laugh when you see old guys in all the gear thinking they're Bradley Wiggins
May 3rd 2015, 9:14 am
#71
Just Joined
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 16
Re: Let's talk about cars
Hello wise folks of the Middle East, I hope you've all had a wonderful day and didn't get caught up in various accidents as a result of irresponsible drivers.
I'm currently driving a rental. Nissan Tiida. From Thrifty. It's a perfectly fine car if boring, but does the job well enough. But it's costing 2300 AED a month, inclusive of the insurance. Not fun. So naturally I've started thinking about buying a car, probably during Ramadan to take advantage of the deals.
When I last lived in Dubai I drove the small Pajero. Great car. Very reliable. Never had issues. Great in the city and out in the wadis. I bought it in 2008, paid 95K for it, sold it in 2011 with 80k km for 62K. Not bad, eh?
I had thought I would get another Pajero but after looking at various dealerships I've soured on the Pajeros a bit, although I was surprised to discover that Pajeros are still selling for the same price as in '08, while most car prices have gone up substantially. Wranglers were 100K in '08, now up to 150K for the 2 door and nearly 200K for the 4 doors, which were only 140K in '08. Prados were once 140K and are now 180k. Audis A4 were 125 but are now 155K. Is the stagnant Pajero price something to be concerned about? If Pajeros are such good value then why are people buying other cars?
Part of me does want to try something different.
What about the Fortuner? Slightly more expensive than the Pajero and it'd be bigger than I'd need. But it's Toyota and that seems to invite an even better resale value down the road (true or not?) and Toyota is now saying that their cars only need to be serviced every 10K km, not 5K km, which is still the case for the Pajeros.
I'll be frank and admit that the Taureg stole my heart. What a fantastic car. Not too big, not too small, beautifully designed interiors, simple and not fussy. Free servicing up to 105K and free warranty with unlimited mileage up to five years! But 190K for a brand new one! I could do it, but that's a lot of money. Anyone know what the resale value on these Tauregs after a few years? Didn't care for the Tiguan, which starts at 110K.
I also liked the Jetta, even if it's not a 4x4. Straightforward car, uncomplicated. Brand new ones for 80K. Same warranties. But even though I don't go offroading often, it'd still be nice to have a 4x4 for the odd trip to the wadis or the dunes.
Aud A4 is a beautiful car, but similar downsides with the Jetta. This country cries for a 4x4. Didn't care for the Audi 4x4s.
What about buying second hand versus brand new? Obviously cheaper, but higher risk. Ideally a two-three year old car could be perfect but there's still the risk factor. Avoid?
Last but not least, finance or cash? I could pay cash, but that'd limit options.
Any suggestions for cars and feedback is heartily welcomed.
I'm currently driving a rental. Nissan Tiida. From Thrifty. It's a perfectly fine car if boring, but does the job well enough. But it's costing 2300 AED a month, inclusive of the insurance. Not fun. So naturally I've started thinking about buying a car, probably during Ramadan to take advantage of the deals.
When I last lived in Dubai I drove the small Pajero. Great car. Very reliable. Never had issues. Great in the city and out in the wadis. I bought it in 2008, paid 95K for it, sold it in 2011 with 80k km for 62K. Not bad, eh?
I had thought I would get another Pajero but after looking at various dealerships I've soured on the Pajeros a bit, although I was surprised to discover that Pajeros are still selling for the same price as in '08, while most car prices have gone up substantially. Wranglers were 100K in '08, now up to 150K for the 2 door and nearly 200K for the 4 doors, which were only 140K in '08. Prados were once 140K and are now 180k. Audis A4 were 125 but are now 155K. Is the stagnant Pajero price something to be concerned about? If Pajeros are such good value then why are people buying other cars?
Part of me does want to try something different.
What about the Fortuner? Slightly more expensive than the Pajero and it'd be bigger than I'd need. But it's Toyota and that seems to invite an even better resale value down the road (true or not?) and Toyota is now saying that their cars only need to be serviced every 10K km, not 5K km, which is still the case for the Pajeros.
I'll be frank and admit that the Taureg stole my heart. What a fantastic car. Not too big, not too small, beautifully designed interiors, simple and not fussy. Free servicing up to 105K and free warranty with unlimited mileage up to five years! But 190K for a brand new one! I could do it, but that's a lot of money. Anyone know what the resale value on these Tauregs after a few years? Didn't care for the Tiguan, which starts at 110K.
I also liked the Jetta, even if it's not a 4x4. Straightforward car, uncomplicated. Brand new ones for 80K. Same warranties. But even though I don't go offroading often, it'd still be nice to have a 4x4 for the odd trip to the wadis or the dunes.
Aud A4 is a beautiful car, but similar downsides with the Jetta. This country cries for a 4x4. Didn't care for the Audi 4x4s.
What about buying second hand versus brand new? Obviously cheaper, but higher risk. Ideally a two-three year old car could be perfect but there's still the risk factor. Avoid?
Last but not least, finance or cash? I could pay cash, but that'd limit options.
Any suggestions for cars and feedback is heartily welcomed.
Pajaro is a much more comfortable ride than the Fortuner- the reason Fortuners are much cheaper than Prados & Landcruisers is because Toyota economised on many of the non essentials on this vehicle. The shock absorbers on fortuner are very hard compared to a Landcruiser or even a Pajero and you feel the bumps alot more- they're the same shocks used on the Hilux's used by construction companies. Fortuners are great cars but are are the bottom end of the scale in terms of comforts and luxuries, where as Pajaros are more family friendly and comfortable. Pajeros are reliable, Fortuners are super reliable.
Unless you have mechanical knowledge I don't recommend buying a used German car such as Mercedes, BMW, Audi or VW. If you don't know about cars then you will get heavily ripped off as an expat when you have to take then in for repairs. Furthermore, most German cars were never properly tested in climates like the UAE, despite what they tell you at the deslerships; and as a result the vast amount of wiring becomes brittle after a few years and it's all downhill from there. Also, the glue used on the interior of European cars deteriorates quickly in the heat here and the roofs sag. You can repair this however all the plastics which must be removed in order to replace the roof lining will be brittle after 3 years+ of UAE summers and you will have to either glue everything back together or order new parts on eBay.
Italian cars & cars that were British (Rangerovers, Landrovers & Jaguars) DON'T even go there unless you're buying new. They are money pits and the worst built cars of the decade. They're basically disposal after first owner.
My friend bought a 3 year old Tourag and the first time he switched the center knob to 4 Low the transmission seized up locking all 4 wheels. We had to get it lifted out of the desert. He then paid 22k for repairing the gearbox at AAA garage. Which by the way would cost 4k for the transmission and 1.5k for the labor if you did it in Sharjah.
In conclusion, if you desire an affordable, comfortable, reliable; and easily re-sellable SUV- go for a Pajero. They're excellent offroad too, especially the 3.8L
Cheers
May 3rd 2015, 9:57 am
#72
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,520
Re: Let's talk about cars
Thank you, mate.
I was looking closely at the Jettas over the weekend, with the idea of getting an used one. Naboodah is offering several used ones at excellent prices, with a bit of a warranty thrown in. Gargash has a few trade ins they're selling for 45K. And I like them a lot. Simple lines. Nothing fussy. Straightforward.
But something was always holding me back. It wasn't just the lack of 4x4 but no one could give me a clear answer on expected repair costs once the warranty expires. Would I be paying Audi repair cost levels? And your post has probably delivered the final nail.
It's back to the Pajero, which is what I originally planned on day 1. Especially if it's true I can get away with servicing them only every 10k as long as I do a quick monthly oil change at a local petrol station. I'd be buying used, probably a 3 year old model. They come up on Dubizzle every now and then but sell very quickly, while the bigger models tend to languish a bit. Says a bit about their popularity.
I was looking closely at the Jettas over the weekend, with the idea of getting an used one. Naboodah is offering several used ones at excellent prices, with a bit of a warranty thrown in. Gargash has a few trade ins they're selling for 45K. And I like them a lot. Simple lines. Nothing fussy. Straightforward.
But something was always holding me back. It wasn't just the lack of 4x4 but no one could give me a clear answer on expected repair costs once the warranty expires. Would I be paying Audi repair cost levels? And your post has probably delivered the final nail.
It's back to the Pajero, which is what I originally planned on day 1. Especially if it's true I can get away with servicing them only every 10k as long as I do a quick monthly oil change at a local petrol station. I'd be buying used, probably a 3 year old model. They come up on Dubizzle every now and then but sell very quickly, while the bigger models tend to languish a bit. Says a bit about their popularity.
Hey! OK here is my advice-
Pajaro is a much more comfortable ride than the Fortuner- the reason Fortuners are much cheaper than Prados & Landcruisers is because Toyota economised on many of the non essentials on this vehicle. The shock absorbers on fortuner are very hard compared to a Landcruiser or even a Pajero and you feel the bumps alot more- they're the same shocks used on the Hilux's used by construction companies. Fortuners are great cars but are are the bottom end of the scale in terms of comforts and luxuries, where as Pajaros are more family friendly and comfortable. Pajeros are reliable, Fortuners are super reliable.
Unless you have mechanical knowledge I don't recommend buying a used German car such as Mercedes, BMW, Audi or VW. If you don't know about cars then you will get heavily ripped off as an expat when you have to take then in for repairs. Furthermore, most German cars were never properly tested in climates like the UAE, despite what they tell you at the deslerships; and as a result the vast amount of wiring becomes brittle after a few years and it's all downhill from there. Also, the glue used on the interior of European cars deteriorates quickly in the heat here and the roofs sag. You can repair this however all the plastics which must be removed in order to replace the roof lining will be brittle after 3 years+ of UAE summers and you will have to either glue everything back together or order new parts on eBay.
Italian cars & cars that were British (Rangerovers, Landrovers & Jaguars) DON'T even go there unless you're buying new. They are money pits and the worst built cars of the decade. They're basically disposal after first owner.
My friend bought a 3 year old Tourag and the first time he switched the center knob to 4 Low the transmission seized up locking all 4 wheels. We had to get it lifted out of the desert. He then paid 22k for repairing the gearbox at AAA garage. Which by the way would cost 4k for the transmission and 1.5k for the labor if you did it in Sharjah.
In conclusion, if you desire an affordable, comfortable, reliable; and easily re-sellable SUV- go for a Pajero. They're excellent offroad too, especially the 3.8L
Cheers
Pajaro is a much more comfortable ride than the Fortuner- the reason Fortuners are much cheaper than Prados & Landcruisers is because Toyota economised on many of the non essentials on this vehicle. The shock absorbers on fortuner are very hard compared to a Landcruiser or even a Pajero and you feel the bumps alot more- they're the same shocks used on the Hilux's used by construction companies. Fortuners are great cars but are are the bottom end of the scale in terms of comforts and luxuries, where as Pajaros are more family friendly and comfortable. Pajeros are reliable, Fortuners are super reliable.
Unless you have mechanical knowledge I don't recommend buying a used German car such as Mercedes, BMW, Audi or VW. If you don't know about cars then you will get heavily ripped off as an expat when you have to take then in for repairs. Furthermore, most German cars were never properly tested in climates like the UAE, despite what they tell you at the deslerships; and as a result the vast amount of wiring becomes brittle after a few years and it's all downhill from there. Also, the glue used on the interior of European cars deteriorates quickly in the heat here and the roofs sag. You can repair this however all the plastics which must be removed in order to replace the roof lining will be brittle after 3 years+ of UAE summers and you will have to either glue everything back together or order new parts on eBay.
Italian cars & cars that were British (Rangerovers, Landrovers & Jaguars) DON'T even go there unless you're buying new. They are money pits and the worst built cars of the decade. They're basically disposal after first owner.
My friend bought a 3 year old Tourag and the first time he switched the center knob to 4 Low the transmission seized up locking all 4 wheels. We had to get it lifted out of the desert. He then paid 22k for repairing the gearbox at AAA garage. Which by the way would cost 4k for the transmission and 1.5k for the labor if you did it in Sharjah.
In conclusion, if you desire an affordable, comfortable, reliable; and easily re-sellable SUV- go for a Pajero. They're excellent offroad too, especially the 3.8L
Cheers
May 3rd 2015, 10:13 am
#73
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Disneyland, Dubai
Posts: 15,887
Re: Let's talk about cars
Thank you, mate.
I was looking closely at the Jettas over the weekend, with the idea of getting an used one. Naboodah is offering several used ones at excellent prices, with a bit of a warranty thrown in. Gargash has a few trade ins they're selling for 45K. And I like them a lot. Simple lines. Nothing fussy. Straightforward.
But something was always holding me back. It wasn't just the lack of 4x4 but no one could give me a clear answer on expected repair costs once the warranty expires. Would I be paying Audi repair cost levels? And your post has probably delivered the final nail.
It's back to the Pajero, which is what I originally planned on day 1. Especially if it's true I can get away with servicing them only every 10k as long as I do a quick monthly oil change at a local petrol station. I'd be buying used, probably a 3 year old model. They come up on Dubizzle every now and then but sell very quickly, while the bigger models tend to languish a bit. Says a bit about their popularity.
I was looking closely at the Jettas over the weekend, with the idea of getting an used one. Naboodah is offering several used ones at excellent prices, with a bit of a warranty thrown in. Gargash has a few trade ins they're selling for 45K. And I like them a lot. Simple lines. Nothing fussy. Straightforward.
But something was always holding me back. It wasn't just the lack of 4x4 but no one could give me a clear answer on expected repair costs once the warranty expires. Would I be paying Audi repair cost levels? And your post has probably delivered the final nail.
It's back to the Pajero, which is what I originally planned on day 1. Especially if it's true I can get away with servicing them only every 10k as long as I do a quick monthly oil change at a local petrol station. I'd be buying used, probably a 3 year old model. They come up on Dubizzle every now and then but sell very quickly, while the bigger models tend to languish a bit. Says a bit about their popularity.
May 3rd 2015, 11:35 am
#74
Just Joined
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 16
Re: Let's talk about cars
Thank you, mate.
I was looking closely at the Jettas over the weekend, with the idea of getting an used one. Naboodah is offering several used ones at excellent prices, with a bit of a warranty thrown in. Gargash has a few trade ins they're selling for 45K. And I like them a lot. Simple lines. Nothing fussy. Straightforward.
But something was always holding me back. It wasn't just the lack of 4x4 but no one could give me a clear answer on expected repair costs once the warranty expires. Would I be paying Audi repair cost levels? And your post has probably delivered the final nail.
It's back to the Pajero, which is what I originally planned on day 1. Especially if it's true I can get away with servicing them only every 10k as long as I do a quick monthly oil change at a local petrol station. I'd be buying used, probably a 3 year old model. They come up on Dubizzle every now and then but sell very quickly, while the bigger models tend to languish a bit. Says a bit about their popularity.
I was looking closely at the Jettas over the weekend, with the idea of getting an used one. Naboodah is offering several used ones at excellent prices, with a bit of a warranty thrown in. Gargash has a few trade ins they're selling for 45K. And I like them a lot. Simple lines. Nothing fussy. Straightforward.
But something was always holding me back. It wasn't just the lack of 4x4 but no one could give me a clear answer on expected repair costs once the warranty expires. Would I be paying Audi repair cost levels? And your post has probably delivered the final nail.
It's back to the Pajero, which is what I originally planned on day 1. Especially if it's true I can get away with servicing them only every 10k as long as I do a quick monthly oil change at a local petrol station. I'd be buying used, probably a 3 year old model. They come up on Dubizzle every now and then but sell very quickly, while the bigger models tend to languish a bit. Says a bit about their popularity.
But I think you're right about the Pajaro. All the maintenance that would ever conceivabley need to be done on a Paj can be done well and for reasonable cost at petrol station garages. I recommend fastrack on sheikh zayad road btw. All garages have loads of exp with Pajaros and order parts for them on a daily basis.
The Jetta on the other hand could also be done at petrol station garages but it would just be much more expensive and jobs would take longer because mechanics will lack experience on them compared to a Paj. Eg- petrol station garages usually have pajaro Brake pads, oil filters etc ready stocked and the brake pads cost around 300aed I think. For a Jetta you would have to wait an hour or so for them to be picked up from the dealership and they would cost around 600aed for Brake pads I imagine. Also, the volume knob and radio buttons on VW's start to get mushy and weird after as little as 2-3 years. This is only a small thing I know, but replacing them means ordering new ones off ebay in the case of a VW.
If you own a Jetta or any car for that matter and you don't want to pay the high premium on parts at the SZR dealerships, you can always drive to sharjah on Saturday and buy parts yourself for cheap, but petrol stations won't install parts that you give them. FYI OEM (original quality) parts in sharjah cost at least half of price the dealerships charge. You can also buy duplicate parts for practically any car in sharjah for a fraction of the price. For example, original Brake pads for Mercedes e500 cost 380aed in sharjah, but 700aed+ in Dubai. A 30 minute drive is worth it and once you've done the journey once, it's easy next time.
Owning any car is as expensive or cheap as you want it to be depending on how much effort you put into learning where to buy parts and get repairs done.
May 3rd 2015, 11:52 am
#75
Token Scandinavian Bloke
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Dubai
Posts: 2,820
Re: Let's talk about cars
fast track as a recommended garage! really? for oil changes and rubber sure, but come on. unless you have a right old banger surely your car deserves something slightly higher up the scale. or am i going crazy and this is exactly the level of servicing a pajero needs?
re servicing of german cars there are plenty of good specialist garages in dubai to use once they have gone out of warranty. or even before if you cannot deal with the shit from the dealers.
if you want to go in the desert of course you should buy a desert car but not buying a jetta just because some guy told you there is an issue with glue (wtf?) on german cars in middle east and you have to buy radio knobs on ebay is seriously f**cked up...
re servicing of german cars there are plenty of good specialist garages in dubai to use once they have gone out of warranty. or even before if you cannot deal with the shit from the dealers.
if you want to go in the desert of course you should buy a desert car but not buying a jetta just because some guy told you there is an issue with glue (wtf?) on german cars in middle east and you have to buy radio knobs on ebay is seriously f**cked up...