Dubai Forums Dubai Tech Discussions Dubai Auto

Hi,

I'm moving to Dubai in a couple of months and now I've got a couple of questions.

(I've used the search and I've found out that cars can be imported to Dubai. )

However, what is the import duty one needs to pay?

I've seen 4% somewhere. Is there anyone who would be able to confirm this?

I have two vehicles I'd like to import. A 1999 911 Porsche (yep pretty old and these are cheap over there) and a 1959 VW Karmann Ghia Convertible. (yep aircooled and I don't even dream driving it during the summer). It's pretty rare and in a nice condition and I don't want to part ways with it. On top of that I think it would be the only one in the whole of UAE

Can one still import and register a vehicle which is more than 15 years old?

Thanks so much in advance.

Where are the cars coming from?

If they are LHD, you can forget it and leave them where they are, if RHD, then you are OK but may have to change one or two things if its not in KM's.

Edit:

think it is 5% on the cost of the car.

yorky500 wrote:Where are the cars coming from?

If they are LHD, you can forget it and leave them where they are, if RHD, then you are OK but may have to change one or two things if its not in KM's.

Edit:

think it is 5% on the cost of the car.

I'm pretty sure You mean the other way around: if LHD OK if RHD forget about it.

Cars are LHD so I should be fine. Out of what the 5% is calculated? Average selling price of such a vehicle in UAE or something else?

What in the case of the KG as I'm pretty sure there are none in UAE?

Anything else I need to take into consireration?

Thanks again!

I have a 20-year-old car, but I seriously doubt your 1959 will pass the safety/emissions test here. A dude once emailed me saying he was having trouble getting his entire classic car collection (70s Mercs, 60s something, etc) registered in Dubai. Unless maybe your car is modded with emissions stuff?

(Modding cars is illegal too, but they don't know what is modded and what isn't unless it's a big stinking turbo)

How easy is it to import bikes Mash ??

I love the ZX7R but there isnt a single one in the UAE i think

gtmash wrote:I have a 20-year-old car, but I seriously doubt your 1959 will pass the safety/emissions test here. A dude once emailed me saying he was having trouble getting his entire classic car collection (70s Mercs, 60s something, etc) registered in Dubai. Unless maybe your car is modded with emissions stuff?

(Modding cars is illegal too, but they don't know what is modded and what isn't unless it's a big stinking turbo)

gtmash, thanks for the info. Any idea what the safety / emission regulations are? 1959 is heavily modded with a big engine, lowered etc. so it might be hard to get it over there. It's a shame though.

Is it possible to take the car over there and not register / drive it?

KeithL wrote:How easy is it to import bikes Mash ??

I love the ZX7R but there isnt a single one in the UAE i think

I don't know the procedure Keith, but it shouldn't be too hard for people who know what they're doing. The used car people at Abu Shagara in Sharjah are experts in importing used cars in bulk, so you could ask them. I also know of professors at a college here who imported their old cars from USA.

split wrote:

gtmash wrote:I have a 20-year-old car, but I seriously doubt your 1959 will pass the safety/emissions test here. A dude once emailed me saying he was having trouble getting his entire classic car collection (70s Mercs, 60s something, etc) registered in Dubai. Unless maybe your car is modded with emissions stuff?

(Modding cars is illegal too, but they don't know what is modded and what isn't unless it's a big stinking turbo)

gtmash, thanks for the info. Any idea what the safety / emission regulations are? 1959 is heavily modded with a big engine, lowered etc. so it might be hard to get it over there. It's a shame though.

Is it possible to take the car over there and not register / drive it?

Modifications are only caught in the police test if it is obvious. I doubt the testers here can figure out a mod if it's a clean install. They disallow mods for "safety" reasons, though you can remove airbags from any car if you wish! Stuff usually caught are excessive lowering, turbo/nitrous and VERY loud exhausts. Occassionally you can still get away with some or all of these "faults."

As for emissions, they hook up your tailpipe to a computer and see if the readings are under some unknown threshold. I've known of cars passing this test even with the cats removed (including my twin turbo 1987 Supra), though I don't know how an older-tech car will do.

Oh yeah, and I've known of people who keep cars without registering them, though I don't see the point if one cannot drive it.

gtmash wrote:Modifications are only caught in the police test if it is obvious. I doubt the testers here can figure out a mod if it's a clean install. They disallow mods for "safety" reasons, though you can remove airbags from any car if you wish! Stuff usually caught are excessive lowering, turbo/nitrous and VERY loud exhausts. Occassionally you can still get away with some or all of these "faults."

When I recently sold my Z, it passed with the following:

headers, de-cat (test pipes), loud rear muffler, lowered (in fact so low they could not get it on the rollers to test the brakes ), rims and body-kit!

Whereas I have heard of some places failing cars cos of a CAI.

This is what the KG looks like. Well if one hasn't seen an OG one it might pass

(These pics are while the car was in states)

engine:



exterior:

Wow, that's amazing! I guess you'll only have to worry about the emissions test then.

gtmash wrote:Wow, that's amazing! I guess you'll only have to worry about the emissions test then.

Thanks One doesn't do anything with an aircooled vehicle in UAE during the summertime but in the winter when the temperatures are more moderate I could drive around with it.

As said earlier I'm pretty sure it would be the only one in the whole country as well

Carbs can be tuned so that it runs lean for the emission test at least...that shouldn't be a problem.