Dubai Forums Dubai Tech Discussions Dubai Auto

Hi everyone
Just moved to Dubai and want to buy a car. I'd like to get one for between 12,000 - 20,000 AED.

I don't know anything about driving conditions out here, and the effect that summer has on cars. I'm used to Australian driving.

I'd ideally like to get a 4x4 as I'm terrified of the way people drive over here. I'd like to be able to drive to Abu Dhabi or Oman or somewhere like that maybe once a month but I'm not doing it everyday. Most of my driving will just be Dubai city driving.

Can anyone recommend a good model?
There are a few Kia Sportages in my price range. Has anyone driven one over here?

Kia Sportage is not a car I recommend to anyone. I drove it once. The problem with that car is its dimensions. It's been designed so the center of gravity is really high up in the car's body. If you are taking a fast turn it feels like the damned thing is going to flip over. Not stable at all and definitely not safe to drive to Oman or abu dhabi.

For 17-20.000 in this economic environment, you can find a decent 2000 or 2001 Ford Explorer, Honda CRV, Nissan Pathfinder or Mitsubishi Pajero. Heck even a 99 Range Rover. I would not go with the kia.

don't go for kia

in that price range , if you're single , you may geta jeep wrangler 99 till 01 , season is ending so less demand , more supply on the car .

if you're not an off raod freak, you can get a 2001 cherokee for a decent price around 17 k , if you can reach 24 k you may go to a 02 or 03 liberty

good luck

If you find a current-generation Kia Sportage, go for it. Just avoid the previous versions.

Forget what offroad said. He will recomend a jeep to even somebody who is asking advice on a toaster.

Kia's are no good so try to avoid them, I would say get a Landy. Either Range Rover or Discovery. Yes they are available in your price range. But Won't since 99.9% of the morons in this countrys don't know how to open the hood of their car and get ripped by "specialist" and get charged white man discount prices, and then they cry there are too expensive to maintain.
If you can change a tyre then you can maintain and run a Landy on a shoe string budget.

But like I said I wont recommend you one, I don't want to waste my energy trying to prove my point here. Already got me banned from one very gay forum for doing so ( and mr offroad knows which one )

You could get your hands on something American like a Chevy Blazer or Jap like Pajero or early 90s Nissan patrol or Land cruiser.

If this is all too much then get a Nissan Sunny for 5k, but I believe you have to have a moustache and be of south indian decent, if these forums are to be beileved

PS : Ironically I sold my other Rangie to a Ozzy Bloke for 17k and he is still loving it.

Dude , you recognized the avatar

long time no see, hope you're ok and everything is fine , next week I am gonna be in LIWA for the desert challenge , coming ?

off-road wrote:Dude , you recognized the avatar

long time no see, hope you're ok and everything is fine , next week I am gonna be in LIWA for the desert challenge , coming ?

Thnaks for asking I'm cool and everything is OK. Liwa, me, nope. I'm too used to getting paid for those sort of events. So going out for a week or so and do all that sh!t for free, kinda doesn't settle well with me. Even though I have a friend taking part this year and in good faith I should go and support him.

too bad , would have loved to see ya there , anyway , I finally destroyed my ring and pinion last weekend , being changed right now , gonna take the car today for the usual proper warm up so I'd be able to change the diffrential oil before I go

Broken ring, pinion. another jeep thing !

Dear Viewer,

Lets talk business directly.
You want your vehicle in best price and service on priority??
We can provide you whateva you want.

Do not scrap me here. Infact reach me directly at
rachit(at the rate)sbtjapan(dot)com

Trust me. You dont want to miss the kind of units we deal in...

Best condition - Best price. Already having more than 845 customers..

Left hand drive or Right Hand Drive - we have it all.

Once again. do not scrap me here. reach me directly at
rachit(at the rate)sbtjapan(dot)com

you are scrapped

krazykaz wrote:Just moved to Dubai and want to buy a car. I'd like to get one for between 12,000 - 20,000 AED.

For that price range, anything 4WD is going to be expensive in maintenance (American), or not a proper 4wd (Kia, Suzuki, etc). Either get a loan and spend 40,000+ on an older Pajero (more reliable) or a newer US truck (2006+, should be good a couple of years). Or buy a Japanese saloon car (Toyota) and stay alert. There are always exceptions - I know people with reliable Landrover Discoveries for example, but they are in the minority. Here's more about buying a used car in Dubai .

Honestly if you're scared the way people drive, a 4x4 isn't going to help you that much. It'll just make for a more dangerous ride if you have to make any evasive moves in traffic. (higher center of gravity w/off-road suspension = horrible on-road handling)
A bigger saloon car with some aftermarket horns and several extra fog lights will help you out with being noticed in traffic. As far as off-roading you'd have to trade safety with driveability. ^ what Bonk said too!

bonk wrote:I know people with reliable Landrover Discoveries for example.

Have we met ?

I've had several discoveries in the past, and the've all be very reliable and really easy and cheap to maintain, unless you service them at the stealers or AAA infact any car is expensive to maintain at the stealers or a speciality garage.

Discoveries are actually the best bang for your buck right now Going from inbetween 8-15k . Full sized SUV with Tardis like interior space most. Very smooth and comfy onroad and extremely capable offroad ( check out my weekend romp thread in the general chat section )

desertdudeshj wrote: Have we met ?

You ran over my broken down Kia in your Discovery in the Liwa Sands once .

Sounds like you've been lucky with your Disco. Most owners of older ones that I know have found them to be unreliable.

OH ! that was you, I'm so sorry mate. I thought it was just a dried up bush !

As for the Disco this is not the only one I've had. LR's have bad reputation not because of realibilty issues but greedy mechanics. As LR are seen as a luxury brand shops will overcharge for simple jobs, say a same job they would do in another vehicle.

I have been shocked to see the service history of some of my Landies when I bought them at what was paid for some very simple work done.

Dude ....... I broke the left sway bar yesterday

K.K WTF you keep breaking diffs, pinions and now sway bar...Oh I forget you drive a jeep

BTW KK FYI there is no left or right sway bar only front and rear. So are you sure its the sway bar you broke and nothing else !

yeah the little link in the left side

Well a lot of rock crawler jeepers take it out on pourpose so maybe its a sign from above. But seriously man you gotta stop absuing your wheels.

will try to do my best , but you know .................................. temptation

desertdudeshj wrote:OH ! that was you, I'm so sorry mate. I thought it was just a dried up bush !

I knew as soon as I bought my new Kia Shrub I was going to be asking for trouble .