Tockalosh

Okey dokey for reference only should anyone be foolish enough to be coming out to Bahrain to live after the summer and who will be wanting to purchase a used car or for those who are off loading their cars prior to gapping it.

1. Make sure the car has clear title i.e. no bank loan or finance against it before even agreeing to purchase the car. The way to tell is to ask for the registration card (credit card size) and look on the bank. There should be the words "CASH SALE". if so ok there is no finance. Note that unlike other bits of the GCC, it is possible to purchase a car with finance outstanding if you can get a NOC from the loan provider which is not the easiest thing to do in the world.

2. At home, photocopy both sides of your CPR card and ask the seller to do the same.

3. Take copies of both CPRs plus originals, the vehicle registration card, the insurance card and your Bahrain driving licence with you to the traffic department in Riffa-ish way. Its the same building you got your driving license from

4. As you enter building No4, turn right (as opposed to left for driving licences)
and head to the end of the corridor before turning right into a room of madness. On your left hand side is an unmarked desk. Ask the man for a transfer form. Fill in all your details and the details of the seller and then
head back to the man who gave you the form. He will enter some details on his PC and then inform you "accident fines" gesticulating to leave the room

5. Head all the way down the corridor to where you got your driving licence issued but turn right at the last moment (no signs) down to the end of the corridor and then turn right. Half way along is a door on the left marked accdents. Ignore all the desks in front of you and head to the unmarked desk on the right and hand the man your form. He will do a check and then stamp the form

6. Head down the corrodor again and on the left is another door signed, yes you guessed it, Fines. Same again ignore the main desks and head to the unmarked desk on the right. Again a stamp if no fines due

7. Go back to main office where you started and go back to original unmarked desk, hand over paper. Chap will then enter some more details and issue a ticket number. Now go for a smoke or a pee or knit two jumpers whilst you wait for the number to come up. Beware that all the seats face forward towards a shit load of desks however the one you want is at the back left hand side of the room. When your time comes, head to the same desk and hand over the forms and the sellers CPR, vehicle registration card and insurance card. You will then be issued with a yellow form for the cashier who is in the middle of the shit load of desks I mentioned before. Fee for transfer is 16 Bhd.

8. Head back to the desk at the far back left side and hand over your receipt. Do not line up to do this, just barge your way through as your registration card has already been printed. the clerk will take the receipt and give you your registration card and the original insurance card

9. Job nearly done. Take the insurance card for the vehicle (you insure the car not the driver)

10. Head over to the insurance agent at their nearest office with the seller. Both go in and inform clerk you wish to transfer the insurance. Clerk will smile because he is about to rape you in the ass financially. 6 months transfer cost only 10 bd less than a full years new insurance would have been but nothing I could do about it.

11. Now hand over cash to seller, if he smiles then you have bought a dog

12. Things I would have done differently. Go to traffic department in late afternoon when it is quiet which should speed things up dramatically. I reckon 15 mins max start to finish when quiet.

13. Optional things you can do. Pay someone to do all the donkey work for you but you would miss out all the fun of navigating the unmarked desks.

14. Other things of note. If you buy a brand new car then the dealer will look after everything for you. If you buy a car over 5 years old then you can only get 3rd party insurance. Now cars in Bahrain are more expensive than the rest of the gulf so a 5 year plus car can still cost you a lot of cash so if you cant afford to lose that cash should you trash the car then think twice about buying an older one. If you have to get finance for a car then get a personal loan and not an auto loan. That way the car registration will show cash sale and you can sell very easily. Go for an auto loan and the finance is registered on the card with the difficulties that will follow.

15. Finally I love my full fat Range Rover and I do not care that once out of warranty the bills will kill me. They are the best 4x4 by far as the ad used to say

Bob

That's great advice....would you mind if that was added to the wiki?

Tockalosh

Not at all Bob, please add

Bob

cool, added it here - http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Bahrain_Car_Hire/Buy/Sell