Should I buy a Mahindra XUV500 in Dubai

My current car (Ford Explorer) is due for a replacement and I was thinking of owning the XUV500.

BHPian theflyingguy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am working in the Middle East and have driven/ owned many cars (mainly SUVs). I have some aspirational cars but most of them are out of my reach except for Mahindra.

While I was in India, I had my eyes set on the XUV500. I never purchased one though.

My current car (Ford Explorer) is due for a replacement and I was thinking of owning the XUV500. But I am not sure if it's a good idea.

We are a family of 4 and travel with at least 2 small bags and 1 pram so a 7 seater car fits the need for storage. I have driven the XUV500 in India and like it's high riding position and overall feel.

However, I am not sure if this would a good idea to own it here primarily because:

• It's not a well recognized brand so it's resale value would be lower.
• Finding an FNG for a manufacturer who has only 2 models on sale is going to be a Herculean task.
• I am not sure how good would be the availability of spares.
• I could not find reliability data on XUV in middle eastern climate (most of the manufacturers have middle east specific models which manage heat and sand better than say their European counterparts).

Having said this, it's not a costly car to purchase compared to its Japanese rivals and is a well rounded product.

Has anyone owned or knows anyone who owned Mahindra in Middle East? Is it a good idea or it's better to stick to the Japanese for reliability?

Here's what BHPian TorqueMonster had to say on the matter:

The XUV500 is certainly a very good car, but since you belong to arguably a country with a wide selection of cars to offer, I would personally suggest sticking to other car brands, especially those which you will not be able to enjoy in India. You will have the benefit of owning an international model, which you cannot have while in India. You can always drive or own an XUV500 when in India, but just because of the wide selection of cars that you can buy, of all shapes and sizes, I would suggest you try out other brands.

Personally, after being in Dubai for a few days (I don't know how much the car scene has changed in 4years time), I saw a lot of cars that were sold in India too, such as that of the Sunny, the Fluence, and even a solitary Dzire. But one thing which caught my eye was the sheer no of international brands present, be it Germans, Italians, Swedish, Japanese or Korean, there were all kinds of cars. If your heart says for the XUV, you should get one, but if you are ready to have an open mind, I would suggest you try different cars and come to a conclusion.

Here's what BHPian shancz had to say on the matter:

Not a good idea. Do not compromise on safety owing to the speeds involved on those roads. The 500 wasn't designed keeping that in mind since its an old car so IMO please get something safe (like your Explorer).

Also Mahindra's USP of coverage and economy doesn't apply there since its a foreign brand. On resale you cannot match Toyota and Nissan in UAE.

May I also recommend 2-3 year old Germans since generally the maintenance is good.

Since you are in AD do check out Eurostar Car Rentals used cars section, they're owned by Ali and Sons, the local VAG group dealer and their cars are well maintained. Outside of that you know better than me.

Here's what BHPian DicKy had to say on the matter:

• Resale value in GCC? Strictly Japanese.
• You won't be able to repair the car anywhere like you would a Nissan or Toyota. You would find it easier to find an FNG for Japanese and American cars.

If the XUV500 is a purchase instead of a Figo, Dzire or Sunny. Ofcourse take the chance. You are getting more car. But to replace an Explorer? You will feel shortchanged. You might have loved the XUV500 in India, but the sheen will wear off on UAE roads.

My advice. You can always buy an XUV500 or XUV700 when you return to India for good and feel like a rockstar, instead of owning it in UAE and feeling underwhelmed. Buy the XUV500 only if you get it for dirt cheap price and you can afford to forget about resale value. Chinese and Indian cars are mostly bought as fleet purchases by companies whose sole criteria is 'Brand new vehicle for two years usage'. For them it is easier to buy and dispose the cheapest cars available in the market, than go for long term reliability and maintenance.

Here's what BHPian Shiali had to say on the matter:

Hi, I am working in Saudi Arabia. Actually I got an XUV500 last week. As it's a company provided car, I am not so worried about the service. But my company already owns few Scorpio pick ups which are doing well till now. Only issue for each and every part or services you will have to go to the authorized agent. Because you won't find Mahindra parts suppliers other than them.

Coming to the vehicle. Its a good car. I drove around 1000 kms till now. For me the way it drives and picks up the speed is like that of a Fortuner (I used that too here). Its got space, better driving position, gearbox is smooth. Sometimes you feel the push back to the seats whenever the turbo kicks in. It's a good value for money car here. I'm also not sure how it behaves in extreme summer. As per the dealer, they have sold many in the last 2 years and didn't face any issues till day.

I have the W6 variant, which comes with most needed features. I'm happy with the car.

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