[water]

Hello all,

Background: 3 member family in UAE, recently got my Dubai driving license although i was driving here for the last 1 year on IDP. Driving a rental Nissan Sunny petrol automatic for the last year and am tired of it. I am looking to buy a big diesel, automatic car. I'll prefer white or silver color because of the heat conditions in UAE. We have a kiddo and have to carry the large stroller around plus the luggage wherever we go. The car will also be used for long distance leisure trips including cross country trips to neighboring countries like Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iran etc so space and reliability is very important. Egypt also if possible. First year in UAE did close to 50000 kms since i was new to the country and wanted to visit all the places. I foresee a usage of atleast 25000 to 40000 kms annually.

As you may be aware the UAE is largely a petrol market with slow shifts happening towards electric cars. I have always driven diesels and I am sure the diesels will be the first ones to be phased out. So, I might as well drive one as long as i can. Have a diesel Jeep Compass and a diesel Ecosport in India mainly used by family.

Cars considered:
A. RAM 1500 Bighorn 3.0 Eco-Diesel, 8 speed AT
B. Ford Ranger 2.2L TDCi, 6 speed AT
C. Mitsubishi L200 Sportero, 2.4L MIVEC, 6 speed AT

RAM 1500 Bighorn 3.0 Eco-Diesel, white color
Cost: about 30 lakhs INR, negotiable a bit

Positives:
1. Large pickup truck. The largest of the choices I have. Very, very spacious interiors and so much storage spaces, bins and boxes.
2. Belongs to the same family as Fiat and Jeep which i have good experience with in India.
3. Available now

Negatives:
1. 455 kms on the odo, although the seller considers it zero kms and says the kms were put because the car was driven from dealer to port in Canada and then from port to dealer here in UAE.
2. imported from Canada car, Canada specifications. Not sure how well the AC will perform in GCC heat conditions.
3. sold in freezone, private seller, no warranty, no service, no support even if something fails the second day after my purchase.
4. needs about 30 litres DEF every 15000 kms

Ford Ranger 2.2L TDCi
Cost about 20 lakhs INR

Positives:
1. only diesel car that's sold here through the official dealer channels which means you get the 3/ 5 year Ford warranty and the 3/5 year service contract based on how you negotiate.
2. can get dealer and Ford Middle East support for warranty should anything fail, software updates etc3. can get free insurance, free service contract for 3 years & 60k kms, RSA

Negatives:
1. Midsize pickup truck, not as spacious as the RAM 1500 Bighorn which is a large pickup truck.
2. It's not in stock and has a wait time of at least 2 to 3 months and even after that they are not sure if I can be allotted one. They want me to book in advance by paying a deposit and then play the waiting game. The timelines are tentative only and can get delayed more. I am the kind who wishes to see the car in the showroom; pay cash, check, DD whatever and walk out with the car the same day. I want to wait until stocks arrive, put cash on the table and see the allotment list if someone wants to cancel or postpone and pick that car. May or may not get one for sure.

Mitsubishi L200 Sportero, 2.4L MIVEC, 6 speed AT
Cost about 18 lakhs INR

Positives:
1. Available now and costs the least.
2. Should cost less to repair should anything fail because Mitsubishi is everywhere in UAE, spares should be easily available and cheap, may not require special expertise to fix the car (not sure though).

Negatives:
1. Non GCC specification car, don't know how well the AC will perform in the heat here.
2. sold in freezone, private seller, no warranty, no service, no support even if something fails the second day after my purchase
3. compact pickup truck, not as spacious as the RAM 1500 Bighorn which is a large pickup truck.

D. Buy a regular used, relatively cheap petrol car like the Duster, Passat etc and wait for the Ford Ranger to either pick it up new in 2 to 3 months, or pick it up once they land in the used car market 1 year down the lane.

E. Continue with the rental Nissan Sunny :( until the Ford Ranger arrives in the showrooms.

Look forward to your views and please help me make a decision.

*UAE has a large freezone market where traders import cars from manufacturers in bulk, get them for cheap since manufacturer does not have to cover warranty and then further sell to third world countries in Africa etc which do not have official dealer channels. Usually cars in freezone cannot be sold for local UAE market. Cars for local UAE registration must be brought from the dealers only which are priced slightly more (for the warranty etc). However, if you can make a special case representation and convince the RTA that the car you want is not available with the official dealers, have a special usecase or want a older model which the freezone trader has they may agree.

[pratyaksh]

This is the first time I'm hearing of someone wanting to get a Diesel in Dubai.
A. Petrol is cheaper than Diesel
B. You're looking at dodgy dealers to buy your first car. The UAE market is quite an underworld-y (for the lack of a better word) car market. I wouldn't trust the private dealers on SZR leave alone go to DAFZA et al. to pick up a Diesel.
C. You can get some mighty petrol cars there. HEMI, SRT, et al. at really good rates straight from the dealer.
D. Your range seems to be touching the 200,000 dhs mark and you could easily get a few V8s in this price bracket.
E. You already have driven diesels here, try to enjoy that new market with some slick gasoline cars that will blow your mind.
F. Or you could wait whilst getting an upgrade on your Sunny, maybe the big names won't give you a car as your license is new but you could surely go to Karama,Satwa, etc. to find local Rent-A-Car dealers who will easily give you a nice upgrade with just a credit card block.
G. Do also remember, all non GCC cars have abysmal resale value and are mostly unable to cope in the desert heat with the AC etc. giving up easily.
H. You're looking at cars like the Duster, and Passat that are easily available in India whereas you could totally buy a pre-owned V8 Chevy or Ford on sites like Dubizzle even, and get a taste of these while you're there.
Happy hunting!

[water]

Thanks for the response Pratyaksh

Originally Posted by pratyaksh

A. Petrol is cheaper than Diesel

Yes, marginally.

Originally Posted by pratyaksh

B. You're looking at dodgy dealers to buy your first car. The UAE market is quite an underworld-y (for the lack of a better word) car market. I wouldn't trust the private dealers on SZR leave alone go to DAFZA et al. to pick up a Diesel.

True. That's why i have taken their assurances on international warranty, service support from official dealers with a bucketload of salt. In case i go ahead with them, i will try to get a inspection from the dealer, complete the transaction and not have to see them again.

Originally Posted by pratyaksh

G. Do also remember, all non GCC cars have abysmal resale value and are mostly unable to cope in the desert heat with the AC etc. giving up easily.

True, if i buy zero km car, it will be with me for quite some time till i utilise it fully to the point where resale will not matter anymore. AC is a concern, i am told GCC cars have large radiators for more cooling(dont know how true). Since the same car is available in GCC spec petrol variant from official dealer, i could consider the GCC specced AC components once it fails. Also, barring the diesel engine spares, all the other cosmetic parts, panels, switches etc should be available with the dealer since the petrol variant is available locally. Original diesel engine spares should easily be available in a car market like UAE if not from the dealer.

Originally Posted by pratyaksh

H. You're looking at cars like the Duster, and Passat that are easily available in India whereas you could totally buy a pre-owned V8 Chevy or Ford on sites like Dubizzle even, and get a taste of these while you're there.

I mentioned Duster and Passat for interim time period for a few months till the car i want becomes available.

[SNA411]

No idea what your reasons for preferring a pickup truck are, but if I was UAE based and had a budget of 200,000 AED, I would either buy a Jeep Wrangler 5 door, or a Ford Explorer.

Both of them are hard enough to take a beating, and spacious enough to haul luggage. The explorer remains the default choice for the US police, and the wrangler has been the default off-roader for Americans for a while now.

[water]

Originally Posted by SNA411

No idea what your reasons for preferring a pickup truck are, but if I was UAE based and had a budget of 200,000 AED, I would either buy a Jeep Wrangler 5 door, or a Ford Explorer.

Both of them are hard enough to take a beating, and spacious enough to haul luggage. The explorer remains the default choice for the US police, and the wrangler has been the default off-roader for Americans for a while now.

I am inclined towards diesel pick ups for these reasons

1. I always liked large cars like the Landcruiser for their street presence and brute looks. However, could not afford them in India because of high cost and lack of good spacious roads to drive them around without worrying about scratches etc. The UAE has been ranked first globally in the Quality of Roads Indicator. So, why not buy now when i can.

2. I am more interested in the space inside the car which is a luxury for me than the 0 to 100 numbers. We do leisure trips often, so space is important. I will never move 7 people, so the 3rd row is of no use to me. Even if i were to buy a SUV i will get the 3rd row seats removed for more space.

3. Enough of having got bullied around on freeways, round abouts, city roads in the Nissan Sunny

4. Though have a kid now, i have not fully transitioned into the typical father role still. I want to live my youth or the pre marriage, pre kid days still. Most local Emirati youth drive pickups for their bad ass looks, street cred and the don't mess with me attitude. Not a hard and fast rule but certain cars here are almost always associated with the locals like the Lexus, Patrol Safari etc.

5. Because of the good roads, most highway speeds have set limits of 140kmph and 160kmph. Pickups could be safer in rear end or forward collisions.

6. Family and friends want to do beach camping, carry chairs, tables, barbecue stuff etc. Have a kiddo with a very large stroller (with suspension stuff) which doesn't fit in most cars unless dismantled. Even after dismantling takes up the rear seat completely. Pickup makes hauling airport luggage easy with us flying in, out of UAE often or family visiting us.

7. Though it's been a year in UAE we are living in hotels, sponsored accommodations and still moving cities within UAE. Have not yet settled in a place to call home. I anticipate this nomadic life still for a few years. So, a large pickup truck will be helpful when we move accommodations. UAE is a small country, you can cover all the cities in half a day.

8. Don't have to queue up at fuel stations because there are no diesel cars here in UAE. Many a times i have driven out of fuel stations because of the long queues. Diesel dispensers are usually away from the petrol dispensing area to let big trucks, buses move around easily. That may also mean an attendant may not be available immediately

9. Lastly, emotionally attached to the turbo charged diesels for their torque and the way the car behaves once the turbo kicks in. Still miss the way my Linea would fly from the red lights after the turbo kicked in. I drive hard and the petrol pickups wont help in efficiency either. I am unable to accept the fact that diesel cars will be phased out gradually all over the world. So, want to drive one for as much time i can.

I may consider a sports car like the Audi R8, Porsche Carrera, Lamborgini Aventador, Ferrari 488 once i properly settle in a place. Leading a nomad life now, lone driver in the family and relying on parking thats available which maybe sometimes covered and sometimes not. So, looking to meet the needs first and wishes later.

[DicKy]

Not going into why you would want a diesel pickup in UAE

1. Any reason why you had shortlisted just the Dodge? Since you are looking at the free zone market, why not the other two Americans too? Both the F series and GMC pickups have 6 cylinder diesel options now.

2. Looking at equivalent full size SUVs? The GM SUVs are available in diesel now. Also the LC200/LX450d was available in the GCC market. Not sure if they were official or grey market.

3. IMHO, wait for the new Ranger to come with the V6 diesel.

4. Why the Mitsubishi from the free zone? I believe all the Japanese pickups are available there officially with diesel engines, though mostly in the utilitarian spec. Atleast the Hilux does have the 2.8l diesel in a top spec variant.

5. As a fellow Indian, unless you have cash to spend without worry on a vehicle twice your present price range, avoid non GCC spec vehicles.

[water]

Originally Posted by DicKy

1. Any reason why you had shortlisted just the Dodge? Since you are looking at the free zone market, why not the other two Americans too? Both the F series and GMC pickups have 6 cylinder diesel options now.

Availability. Couldn't find them in my preliminary search. Thanks for the advice, i will have a look again.

Originally Posted by DicKy

2. Looking at equivalent full size SUVs? The GM SUVs are available in diesel now. Also the LC200/LX450d was available in the GCC market. Not sure if they were official or grey market.

Yes, way out of my budget. Fortuners and Prado diesels are available within my budget. Grey market and nearly impossible to register locally because of Al Futtaim control.

Originally Posted by DicKy

3. IMHO, wait for the new Ranger to come with the V6 diesel.

Yes, the most correct decision. Mind says that, but heart can't wait so much time for a new car like we all BHPians.

Originally Posted by DicKy

4. Why the Mitsubishi from the free zone? I believe all the Japanese pickups are available there officially with diesel engines, though mostly in the utilitarian spec. Atleast the Hilux does have the 2.8l diesel in a top spec variant.

No. Diesel available only in manual variants. Which can be registered only on a commercial license or by UAE citizens. I want the automatic anyways.

Originally Posted by DicKy

5. As a fellow Indian, unless you have cash to spend without worry on a vehicle twice your present price range, avoid non GCC spec vehicles.

Thanks for the advice. I will keep in mind.

[water]

Thank you all for the advice. The car had many recalls where FCA, US did some minor and some more critical replacements like

Chrysler (fca us, llc) is recalling certain 2020-2021 ram 1500 classic slt trucks. certain vehicles were built without the retaining clip that secures the master cylinder push rod to the brake pedal, which can cause the brake pedal to separate from the brake system.

free of cost. If i buy the vehicle here, i will not be eligible for all of them. I have decided to drop the idea of the non GCC vehicles. I will wait for the Ford Ranger or see if i can get a reasonably priced used one.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by water

...I am looking to buy a big diesel, automatic car.

Go for the F-150 power boost. It can give 14-18kmpl for a full size petrol truck. Dont go for diesel, it is expensive and not much beneficial out here in UAE.

Cross referencing my post (Scoop! Toyota starts building strong hybrid engines in India)from a few weeks ago.

PS - Do not buy any US spec, Canada Spec car in UAE. No authorized service center can take your car in for a service. Only deal in GCC Spec cars. You will need to find a reliable after market garage to take care of your car.

Stay away from Aweer or Ras-al-khor, unless you know to play the local market and know a lot about cars.

[water]

I did have a look at the F150 at Al Tayer. I believe you are referring to the hybrid one. They had one in a color of my choice. Asked about 280k. Now, we are seeing the pinnacle of engineering in fossil fuel cars while electric, hybrid technology is in its nascent stage with scope for lot of improvement in the years to come. So, I thought I will pick the last gen of fossil fuel cars, diesel especially, before they get phased out.

[theMAG]

From your list, only the RAM 1500 is a full-sized truck, while the Ranger is a small truck and Mitsubishi is not really known for trucks: its important you are aware that they are not comparable to each other.

On the topic of fuel-type, here in the US atleast, diesel trucks are usually for commercial use, while trucks for non-commercial/personal use are mostly gas. The RAM 1500 EcoDiesel has a Cummins motor, and perhaps overkill for your personal usage.

I would recommend you stick with the gas models of the full-sized trucks (F-150, Silverado/Sierra, RAM 1500, Tundra) you have indicated as your need or even small trucks (Ranger, Tacoma)- while the choice of trucks is entirely an individual's choice. I personally own a RAM 1500 5.7 L V8 Hemi here and its a choice I made and happy about.

[benu9714]

A diesel car makes little sense in UAE for a number of reasons which people have listed, plus poor resale value.

My choice would be a Ford Explorer based on personal experience over 8 years and 120,000 KM. Big fat lazy engine that lasts forever, oodles of power and torque, excellent comfort and A/C, makes a super flat carpeted area with the middle seat folded (presume you don't want the third row of seats), only routine maintenance, overall a great, comfy package.

However, not suitable for dune bashing.

[sac23]

Whatever you buy, don't buy that Mitsubishi L200. Terrible car. The shocks are so hard and breaks all bones. I wonder why you haven't considered a Toyota Hilux.
The raptor is a good choice as well.

[jamwaldds]

Hi,

I have been a long time reader but never had anything meaningful to contribute. I am also in somewhat similar situation. I moved to Dubai around six months ago and got my license late Feb. The used car market is a little crazy here (or I am made to believe) with chip-shortage, Expo 2020. Back in India I bought Chevrolet Beat (D) as my first car in 2011 and kept it till Apr 2021. Bought a Hyundai Venue in April 2021 and sold it in Sep 2021 as I had to relocate. Though I am not a big fan of old-school SUVs I have a rented Mitsubishi Pajero (sold as Montero in India) here in Dubai as I wanted a big car till I get used to the routes here. I am not looking to buy Pajero as it handles like a boat, has interiors like a cave and drinks petrol like a camel (4-6 kmpl). Looking at sedans or soft roader to address the issues faced with Mitsu-BUS-hi. I have following cars on my shortlist:
2016/17 Audi A4/A6/Q5
2016/17 BMW 3 series
2017/18 Infiniti Q50

I would really appreciate any help on the following:
1. What is the perceived reliability of cars mentioned above? I am planning to keep the car for at lease 2.5 years.
2 what is the expected unexpected? I can absorb a damage of 8000 AED (+ a bit) annually for any unexpected expense.
3. Do you recommend buying from dealers (Alfuttaim Automall) or Dubizzle/Yallamotor/Carswitch directly?

Thanks,
Dushyant Jamwal

[TorqueIndia]

Guys, check out cars24 uae. Pretty neat cars plus pricing includes insurance, registration and 2 years warranty also. I’m trying to close a deal on a Honda Civic with them, quite smooth dealings.