Dubai Forums Dubai Tech Discussions Dubai Auto

Hey i am moving out to Dubai in march and want to buy a car.

However, Ive heard a lot about car fraud in Dubai - can anyone recommend the reputable dealerships/showrooms because i obviously wouldnt want to get caught out by this?

the scams that you are referring to are mainly when people are selling their cars to the showroom and the cheque bounces after the ownership of the car has been transferred.
Buying cars is a relatively better experience.
Having said that, when was the last time that you met an honest car salesman?
The gulf news is a good place to start.
4x4 motors is a good place to test car types that you are interested in, but they are one of the more expensive places. There are several places along sheik zayed road which are slowly being pushed out by the development. The used car market at Al Aweer has a lot of cars, but quality varies a lot.
Shop noticeboards such as spinneys, choitrams and park n shop are very good because most sellers will display the price and the cars are in good condition.
If you are buying a new car, there is no problems with fraud and the main issue is the repuation of the dealer. Some are more negotiable than others and after sales service varies a lot. There are probably other threads regarding this.

I'd never recommend 4x4 Motors. All their prices are way too high, and there are direct stories that they actually buy their cars at 50% of their selling price from desperate people. If buying from a regular private seller, just get the car checked out by a competent garage, although that still doesn't guarantee anything. Generally, your best bet for a reliable used car is to buy from the used dealerships set up by the new-car agencies.

sorry gt, I should have never mentioned the 4x4 word and I agree with you 100%.
is that an SEL?
I got a SEC560 that needs a bit of work.

benwj wrote:sorry gt, I should have never mentioned the 4x4 word and I agree with you 100%.
is that an SEL?
I got a SEC560 that needs a bit of work.

You got a good classic. That's my first car, a 190E 2.6 with AMG bits. Now it just sits around!

By the way, if you want such classics, lots of them come in from Japan, which is what I got (available in Sharjah or Awir). They are a risk, but they are so cheap that it doesn't matter.

For newer used cars, if you want to go thru a dealer, stick to the reputed new car dealers which also have a used-car department.

I'm a step ahead of you. Mine is from Japan, but I found that this was better than most gcc examples I have seen.

benwj wrote:I'm a step ahead of you. Mine is from Japan, but I found that this was better than most gcc examples I have seen.

True, seems the Japs don't really drive much in their crowded cities. Their cooler weather helps too, since my interior is falling apart in the heat here. But some of their cars do have rust due to their rainy weather.

The biggest no-no is buying newer American-spec used cars. I can bet you half of them have experienced Hurricane Katrina in person.