Buying a Car in the Middle East

vivaid · 18th September 2006, 04:16

Note from the Team-BHP Support : Post deleted. Slang and SMS language are not permitted on Team-BHP. PLease type in full and proper english for the benefit of the community users.

vivaid · 16th January 2007, 15:13

Hi Folks,

Thanx for the all the inputs .... I finally ended up purchasing the VW Touareg.... its an fantastic vehicles.. to say the least... Its a beast but beautifl.. its a giant but gentle.. is a true blue offroader.. but handles like a luxury car... with options for a sport mode that blows you off....

i can just go on and on....

will try and post pics soon...

cheers... and thanx again!

Zed · 5th October 2011, 19:41

Not sure if this is the right place to post this tread, but here goes.

My inlaws in UAE are on the lookout to replace their ageing SUV. My F-I-L took a spin in the new Ford Explorer on my suggestion as he is not into off roading and a moncoque softroader makes sense. Plus every second SUV in Dbx is a prado or a pajero & an Explorer has some novelty value IMHO. The recent quality surveys and designs also tilt the scale in Ford's favour. He really liked the overall package and was just short of booking the 2012 model when I suggested that he also consider certified pre owned options. His daily commute is less than 30 kms & they have a recently purchased sedan (MILs) for long commutes and travelling together. After his initial apprehension my FIL looked at some options and changed his opinion when he test drove a 2007 explorer (Eddie Bauer edition with the bells & whistles) with about 60K kms on the Odo. The vehicle is extremely well maintained with full service history and comes with a 1 yr warranty from the seller (a reputed pre owned outlet).

Would this be a good option at about 75K Dhs? The New Explorer about 135-140k Dhs with the bells and whistles.

UAE Guru's - your inputs will be much appreciated!

Zed · 12th October 2011, 12:45

The decision has been made in favor of the pre owned Explorer.

ps - Surprised that I did not get any response to my post from the UAE regulars :(

mempheS.D · 14th July 2012, 21:37

Some of you may regard this as absolute stupidity, but sometimes love is so immense and intense that circumstances do not matter and one still chases one's love.

I'll stop going around in circles, and come to the point. My kid brother in Bahrain has started researching the automobile market to buy his first car. Time frame - 3months. A 22yr old petrolhead - can't blame him when premium petrol still costs 11rs/litre.

.

The ones who've spent some time in the middle east would agree with me, that the Indian community there would always choose among Toyota, Nissan and Honda and advise the same too. Dad doesn't differ on this opinion either and hence the multi-decade commitment that we've had with Toyota ! I had my taste of the same advice when I chose to explore the Europeans and I am glad - so far, at least. Dad expressed too when I took him around on a drive in my Skoda - "Wow! This is leagues better than Toyota in build quality". I did mention to him about the A.S.S issues that Skoda has in India and he asked me to be careful.

Transitioning this experience to the brother, there's little doubt why I wouldn't recommend a Yeti 1.8 TSI for him. But he tells me that Skodas are a rare find in Bahrain or anywhere in the middle east. He was right! Even the VWs are fewer in number when compared to the Japs. It's either Japs or the Mercs/Beemers/Audis.

My question: Any rationale as to why the middle east refrains from non-premium Europeans? Advice would really help guiding him to a wonderful first buy!

Speed.Demon · 14th July 2012, 21:55

Well, I've lived in Bahrain for a long time too, and I can tell you one reason why people don't go for VW/Skoda/other lesser European marques is because they are worried about maintenance costs.

The Japs are reliable and have cheaper service bills, and the German biggies have the snob value, so its worth the extra cash the customers have to fork out to own them.

DicKy · 14th July 2012, 22:23

Though FE is the least of worries in the Middle East, atleast in Riyadh, they place a high emphasis on reliability and after sales service(availability of parts), which in turn affect resale value;biggest determinant of car purchase in Gulf.
So ,it has been traditionally Toyota/Nissan market, with Hyundai slowly inching forwards after decades of ridicule(both deserving).
Americans are also preferred though they are not particularly reliable, because of the comfort/size factor.
The non premium Germans are not preferred cause of the simple fact that they are expensive to maintain, which in turn affects the sales, which in turn affects availability of parts in grey market. That explains why the VW group as a whole isn't much of a success in the gulf, they don't need the TDi engines like we do.
So in short, for your brother's kind info, " VW,Skoda doesn't sell much in the Middle east, cause they are expensive to maintain,you don't get the parts easily in the grey market,you get the worst resale possible " and maybe they are not engineered much for the desert climes (A/C effectiveness maybe)

mempheS.D · 14th July 2012, 23:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speed.Demon

Well, I've lived in Bahrain for a long time too, and I can tell you one reason why people don't go for VW/Skoda/other lesser European marques is because they are worried about maintenance costs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DicKy

So in short, for your brother's kind info, " VW,Skoda doesn't sell much in the Middle east, cause they are expensive to maintain,you don't get the parts easily in the grey market,you get the worst resale possible " and maybe they are not engineered much for the desert climes (A/C effectiveness maybe)

Got it guys! That explains it.. And trust me, I knew something of this sort had to be there. Imagine... Fiat does not even have dealerships in Bahrain..

Toyota/Nissan/Honda it is then.. Thanks guys.

Mods, you may close this thread if it's overburdening.

rxpaul · 17th January 2013, 12:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by mempheS.D

Toyota/Nissan/Honda it is then.. Thanks guys.

.

Hi MempheS,

Maybe i am a bit too late, but i would recommend the Australian (Holden derived) Chev Lumina. Its a RWD, an extremely powerful car and a terrific drive ! You will not have a problem with servicing & spares too.

mempheS.D · 17th January 2013, 15:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by rxpaul

Hi MempheS,

Maybe i am a bit too late, but i would recommend the Australian (Holden derived) Chev Lumina. Its a RWD, an extremely powerful car and a terrific drive ! You will not have a problem with servicing & spares too.

Not at all. The brother failed his first DL test and is now getting ready for another. I'm guessing he floored the pedal during the test.

prashant.dinkar · 21st January 2013, 16:35

Hello Friends ,

I recently moved to Dubai . Like most of the places outside India , one can not survive here without a car , at least a bhpian can not. So I am looking for a car for myself .
I will use the format suggested by mod to raise a query in this section

Cars short listed : I am in love with Kia Optima but it is bit out of my budget , so considering used Nissan Altima , Ford Focus , Honda Civic , Accord
Price range : 65K DHS Maximum
Maintenance & After Sales Service (A.S.S.) expectations : Maintenance should be easy on pocket .
Average distance traveled per month : 2000 KMS
Where car will be mostly used (city / highway / rough roads etc): Highway
Chauffer driven / self driven : Self Driven
Whether the vehicle will be shared by other members of family:No
Any specific requirements from car (ex. Better luggage space, responsive engine, rear seat comfort) : Looking for something fun to drive
How long you intend on keeping this car (and how important resale is to you) : Not Really concerned about resale as I intent to keep for at least 5-6 years

We are just a family of 2 so rear space is not a big concern . But I won't be interested in any coupe and will also like to avoid SUV's as I like better handling cars , also I am not into offroading or dune bashing.
Please help.

Regards
PD

zeemmee · 21st January 2013, 16:57

Note from Mod: There are several spelling & grammatical errors in your posts. This negatively affects the board experience for other readers.

Kindly ensure that you proof-read your posts prior to submission. Also, it would be a good idea to use spell-checkers.

scarecrow · 21st January 2013, 17:13

Hi PD
Based on my experience in Dubai (i am here for a short assignment), i would suggest the following

Toyota Camry - Great service network (Al Futtaim Motors), good power, handling and AC
Honda Accord - Great service network (Al Futtaim Motors), slightly more exclusive than the camry, superb engine
Nissan Altima - Great service network (Al Futtaim Motors), supposed to have the best AC, but i havent driven an Altima. But after Toyota and Honda, Nissan is the other brand well represented in UAE.

Apart from that you have almost all the brands available in UAE, so you can choose accordingly. Also incase you are going to be here for a short time check out the second hand market as you get some great cars at Dubai Car Market.

Enjoy and drive safely.
Regards
Ronald

thumpingheart · 21st January 2013, 17:26

If you want a fun to drive car, I would suggest Ford Focus any time. Its been one of the most proven hatches in the international market. And it almost fits your requirements perfectly. But as I have no clue about the Dubai market can't comment on the resale and A.S.S. part. But as far as the drive, handling and fun-to-drive factor is concerned it would win hands down.

If not then the Honda Civic would be pretty good as well. No idea about other cars mentioned by you. Cheers.

rxpaul · 21st January 2013, 17:35

What i would recommend is a Chev Lumina (Australian Holden) for Dubai. It is the cheapest RWD car you can get. I guess you will get good preowned ones too at 65K DHS.

Don't go for Jap or Korean cars...you can drive these later (after retirement) in India.

OR you can buy old preowned examples of the Chev Camaro Z28.DROOL Man, we live only once and we are never going to have such cars in India

18th September 2006, 04:16	#31
vivaid BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 71 Thanked: 3 Times	Jeep - Grand Cherokee Note from the Team-BHP Support : Post deleted. Slang and SMS language are not permitted on Team-BHP. PLease type in full and proper english for the benefit of the community users. Last edited by GTO : 18th September 2006 at 10:34.
	() Thanks

16th January 2007, 15:13	#32
vivaid BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 71 Thanked: 3 Times	Volkswagen Touareg purchased Hi Folks, Thanx for the all the inputs .... I finally ended up purchasing the VW Touareg.... its an fantastic vehicles.. to say the least... Its a beast but beautifl.. its a giant but gentle.. is a true blue offroader.. but handles like a luxury car... with options for a sport mode that blows you off.... i can just go on and on.... will try and post pics soon... cheers... and thanx again!
	() Thanks

5th October 2011, 19:41	#33
Zed BHPian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Germany Posts: 514 Thanked: 476 Times	Second Hand SUV options in UAE Not sure if this is the right place to post this tread, but here goes. My inlaws in UAE are on the lookout to replace their ageing SUV. My F-I-L took a spin in the new Ford Explorer on my suggestion as he is not into off roading and a moncoque softroader makes sense. Plus every second SUV in Dbx is a prado or a pajero & an Explorer has some novelty value IMHO. The recent quality surveys and designs also tilt the scale in Ford's favour. He really liked the overall package and was just short of booking the 2012 model when I suggested that he also consider certified pre owned options. His daily commute is less than 30 kms & they have a recently purchased sedan (MILs) for long commutes and travelling together. After his initial apprehension my FIL looked at some options and changed his opinion when he test drove a 2007 explorer (Eddie Bauer edition with the bells & whistles) with about 60K kms on the Odo. The vehicle is extremely well maintained with full service history and comes with a 1 yr warranty from the seller (a reputed pre owned outlet). Would this be a good option at about 75K Dhs? The New Explorer about 135-140k Dhs with the bells and whistles. UAE Guru's - your inputs will be much appreciated! Last edited by Zed : 5th October 2011 at 19:44.
	() Thanks

12th October 2011, 12:45	#34
Zed BHPian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Germany Posts: 514 Thanked: 476 Times	Re: SUV Options (Pajero, Prado etc.) in the Middle East The decision has been made in favor of the pre owned Explorer. ps - Surprised that I did not get any response to my post from the UAE regulars :(
	() Thanks

14th July 2012, 21:37	#35
mempheS.D BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 536 Thanked: 216 Times	Skoda presence in Middle East Some of you may regard this as absolute stupidity, but sometimes love is so immense and intense that circumstances do not matter and one still chases one's love. I'll stop going around in circles, and come to the point. My kid brother in Bahrain has started researching the automobile market to buy his first car. Time frame - 3months. A 22yr old petrolhead - can't blame him when premium petrol still costs 11rs/litre. . The ones who've spent some time in the middle east would agree with me, that the Indian community there would always choose among Toyota, Nissan and Honda and advise the same too. Dad doesn't differ on this opinion either and hence the multi-decade commitment that we've had with Toyota ! I had my taste of the same advice when I chose to explore the Europeans and I am glad - so far, at least. Dad expressed too when I took him around on a drive in my Skoda - "Wow! This is leagues better than Toyota in build quality". I did mention to him about the A.S.S issues that Skoda has in India and he asked me to be careful. Transitioning this experience to the brother, there's little doubt why I wouldn't recommend a Yeti 1.8 TSI for him. But he tells me that Skodas are a rare find in Bahrain or anywhere in the middle east. He was right! Even the VWs are fewer in number when compared to the Japs. It's either Japs or the Mercs/Beemers/Audis. My question: Any rationale as to why the middle east refrains from non-premium Europeans? Advice would really help guiding him to a wonderful first buy! Last edited by mempheS.D : 14th July 2012 at 21:40. Reason: spelling
	() Thanks

14th July 2012, 21:55	#36
Speed.Demon BHPian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Kochi/Manama Posts: 272 Thanked: 507 Times	Re: Skoda presence in Middle East Well, I've lived in Bahrain for a long time too, and I can tell you one reason why people don't go for VW/Skoda/other lesser European marques is because they are worried about maintenance costs. The Japs are reliable and have cheaper service bills, and the German biggies have the snob value, so its worth the extra cash the customers have to fork out to own them.
	(1) Thanks

14th July 2012, 22:23	#37
DicKy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Thiruvanthapuram Posts: 2,005 Thanked: 2,689 Times	Re: Skoda presence in Middle East Though FE is the least of worries in the Middle East, atleast in Riyadh, they place a high emphasis on reliability and after sales service(availability of parts), which in turn affect resale value;biggest determinant of car purchase in Gulf. So ,it has been traditionally Toyota/Nissan market, with Hyundai slowly inching forwards after decades of ridicule(both deserving). Americans are also preferred though they are not particularly reliable, because of the comfort/size factor. The non premium Germans are not preferred cause of the simple fact that they are expensive to maintain, which in turn affects the sales, which in turn affects availability of parts in grey market. That explains why the VW group as a whole isn't much of a success in the gulf, they don't need the TDi engines like we do. So in short, for your brother's kind info, " VW,Skoda doesn't sell much in the Middle east, cause they are expensive to maintain,you don't get the parts easily in the grey market,you get the worst resale possible " and maybe they are not engineered much for the desert climes (A/C effectiveness maybe)
	(1) Thanks

21st January 2013, 16:35	#41
prashant.dinkar BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ellicott City/New Delhi Posts: 79 Thanked: 52 Times	Suggest a Car in dubai Hello Friends , I recently moved to Dubai . Like most of the places outside India , one can not survive here without a car , at least a bhpian can not. So I am looking for a car for myself . I will use the format suggested by mod to raise a query in this section Cars short listed : I am in love with Kia Optima but it is bit out of my budget , so considering used Nissan Altima , Ford Focus , Honda Civic , Accord Price range : 65K DHS Maximum Maintenance & After Sales Service (A.S.S.) expectations : Maintenance should be easy on pocket . Average distance traveled per month : 2000 KMS Where car will be mostly used (city / highway / rough roads etc): Highway Chauffer driven / self driven : Self Driven Whether the vehicle will be shared by other members of family:No Any specific requirements from car (ex. Better luggage space, responsive engine, rear seat comfort) : Looking for something fun to drive How long you intend on keeping this car (and how important resale is to you) : Not Really concerned about resale as I intent to keep for at least 5-6 years We are just a family of 2 so rear space is not a big concern . But I won't be interested in any coupe and will also like to avoid SUV's as I like better handling cars , also I am not into offroading or dune bashing. Please help. Regards PD Last edited by prashant.dinkar : 21st January 2013 at 16:58.
	() Thanks

21st January 2013, 16:57	#42
zeemmee BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: HYD-Canada Posts: 72 Thanked: 21 Times	Re: Suggest a Car in dubai Note from Mod: There are several spelling & grammatical errors in your posts. This negatively affects the board experience for other readers. Kindly ensure that you proof-read your posts prior to submission. Also, it would be a good idea to use spell-checkers. Last edited by GTO : 22nd January 2013 at 13:31.
	() Thanks $Received Infraction$

21st January 2013, 17:13	#43
scarecrow BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dubai Posts: 111 Thanked: 158 Times	Re: Suggest a Car in dubai Hi PD Based on my experience in Dubai (i am here for a short assignment), i would suggest the following Toyota Camry - Great service network (Al Futtaim Motors), good power, handling and AC Honda Accord - Great service network (Al Futtaim Motors), slightly more exclusive than the camry, superb engine Nissan Altima - Great service network (Al Futtaim Motors), supposed to have the best AC, but i havent driven an Altima. But after Toyota and Honda, Nissan is the other brand well represented in UAE. Apart from that you have almost all the brands available in UAE, so you can choose accordingly. Also incase you are going to be here for a short time check out the second hand market as you get some great cars at Dubai Car Market. Enjoy and drive safely. Regards Ronald
	() Thanks

21st January 2013, 17:26	#44
thumpingheart BHPian Join Date: May 2012 Location: Pune Posts: 329 Thanked: 182 Times	Re: Suggest a Car in dubai If you want a fun to drive car, I would suggest Ford Focus any time. Its been one of the most proven hatches in the international market. And it almost fits your requirements perfectly. But as I have no clue about the Dubai market can't comment on the resale and A.S.S. part. But as far as the drive, handling and fun-to-drive factor is concerned it would win hands down. If not then the Honda Civic would be pretty good as well. No idea about other cars mentioned by you. Cheers.
	() Thanks

21st January 2013, 17:35	#45
rxpaul BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 351 Thanked: 111 Times View My Garage	Re: Suggest a Car in dubai What i would recommend is a Chev Lumina (Australian Holden) for Dubai. It is the cheapest RWD car you can get. I guess you will get good preowned ones too at 65K DHS. Don't go for Jap or Korean cars...you can drive these later (after retirement) in India. OR you can buy old preowned examples of the Chev Camaro Z28.DROOL Man, we live only once and we are never going to have such cars in India Last edited by rxpaul : 21st January 2013 at 17:40.
	(1) Thanks

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