johnwoo

How much money do you have?

dominoman

Ah OK. Good to know about the reversing camera. That would be important for wifey. Well for me too I expect. It's still usable in the older ones? I cant afford newer than 2012/2013 F-150 so it will be the older camera.

BTW I'm not in Oman. Never have been...

nottmbantam

That Merc G Wagon is proper marmite. Personally, I think its fugly. Some guys I know love the look of it. Can't understand why they're so expensive, probably because so few of them are made?

mission

you guys checked out the Bentley SUV/4x4 - it is well fugly. Why would Bentley spoil their high end rep by making such a hideous vehicle.

Bob

Not really, unless it's perfectly clear out and you clip the gate down.

They're really not hard to park though and the mirrors are massive. After a couple of goes in a car park, you should be okay. They're pretty nimble with the power steering.

If you do get one, the Ford, just like the Chevy, get one that is at least one spec above the base model as it makes a huge difference to the level of comfort when driving on road, plus better towing package if you wanted to drag around some bodies. The GMC Sierra version has a better base model.

That said, most of them look like a plastics company had a spill in them in anything older than about 3-4 years. It seems they had a big push to make them look nicer inside after that.

Vented seats might possibly be the best feature for where you are though.

martinbkk

I think they are all handmade to order now.

martinbkk

Haha, maybe cos it appeals to all their high end customers who think it's just purtty.

dominoman

I find that G Wagon fugly too. Like a punier version of the Defender at the front coupled to a popemobile at the back.

I got a lift in a new Lexus LX 570 yesterday from an Emirati (a great guy I work with). He was given it for his 18th birthday It was a beautiful car. Basically a posher version of the Land Cruiser.

His advice was don't buy my used car! I hammer it through the desert and I dont care if I hit things!

That's my worry about buying a used off-roader. Now I understand why so many adverts say "Expat-owned"

Millhouse

Rule 1
Never buy off a local.

Rule 2
Never buy off a local.

Rule 3
Never ignore rules 1 & 2

It's quite easy to spot a desert used car though - don't expect "expat owned" to be good. Indians and Arabs all destroy them just in different ways. I'm told by a car dealer that the decent cars tend to be owned by Brits, Germans and the South Africans. The Germans don't negotiate the price though.

martinbkk

Depending on what "sort" of expat owned the car you can find quite a few at 5 or 6 years old in absolutely the same state they left the factory. Right down to the original plastic coverings on the seats and the same oil in the sump. The pristine unmarked service history book will tell you all you should need to know.

Millhouse

Rule 4
Never by a US spec car (and certainly not off a local)

Bahtatboy

Rule of thumb: if you're paying with your own money, what makes the most sense? German or Japanese, as a starter. Then factor in that the Japanese climate is generally harsher than the German one (extremes of heat and humidity), so the Japanese cars are likely to last longer / be more reliable than German ones.

Of course, that only applies to us plebs.

dominoman

I appreciate that buying Japenese is a more sensible idea if buying new. In my case I am looking to buy something 3-5 years old so there's some great deals on non-Jap cars too.

A couple more options, from people at work who are moving home (these are people that I know, they're Brits and they have looked after their cars really well):

Ford Flex 2014 for 70k.
Pajero 2013 3.8l, barely used, full spec, for 65k

What do you think?

Millhouse

Get the Pajero - 60k

scrubbedexpat141

Flex - you've seen it right?
Pajero is great value. As much as I'm not a fan that's a really good deal and will be exactly what you need, the sensible first car.