Discussion
Hi everyone,
I am contemplating a move to the UAE (Abu Dhabi to be specific) soon and amongst other considerations, was wondering about car choices out there....so I was obviously to see a healthy PH community out there.
So back to my thoughts on cars - we will need 2 cars (with at least one of them being able to accommodate 2 car seats in the back) but does one of them need to be a 7 seater (for visiting guests) or is it easy & cheap enough to rent one when you need it for the odd week or so here and there...
another alternative is to get 2 reasonably nice cars (150-200k each) & one 7 seater old beater (4tuner or something of that ilk) - that way, you can use it for the occasional desert bashing...or is that a dangerous game, with a high risk of getting ripped off and ending up with a maintenance riddled dud car
Thoughts
I am contemplating a move to the UAE (Abu Dhabi to be specific) soon and amongst other considerations, was wondering about car choices out there....so I was obviously to see a healthy PH community out there.
So back to my thoughts on cars - we will need 2 cars (with at least one of them being able to accommodate 2 car seats in the back) but does one of them need to be a 7 seater (for visiting guests) or is it easy & cheap enough to rent one when you need it for the odd week or so here and there...
another alternative is to get 2 reasonably nice cars (150-200k each) & one 7 seater old beater (4tuner or something of that ilk) - that way, you can use it for the occasional desert bashing...or is that a dangerous game, with a high risk of getting ripped off and ending up with a maintenance riddled dud car
Thoughts
I personally wouldn't buy a beater here but that's just me. Top of my list at the moment is new shape patrol which would cover everything you mentioned (8 seater that can go off road). They're plentiful here and loved by the locals so easy enough to get rid of if needs be. Also long warranty periods (5 years I think is standard). Would need to be the 400bhp V8 not the 320bhp though.
You wife probably needs to get her head around driving a big car. Patrol sounds like excellent choice to meet your criteria.
My wife had only ever had small cars (BWM 120D, Seat Leon etc.). She now drives a medium sized car out here - its a porsche cayenne.....which trust me is not a big car. The roads are wide, the parking usually wide, and everyone has large cars, Patrols, land cruisers, expeditions etc.
Personally I wanted the family in something decent sized, as the driving can appear a bit crazy.
Also you can run older cars, but need to be dedicated to the cause. Support is limited, garages very variable and heat does odd things to old cars.
My wife had only ever had small cars (BWM 120D, Seat Leon etc.). She now drives a medium sized car out here - its a porsche cayenne.....which trust me is not a big car. The roads are wide, the parking usually wide, and everyone has large cars, Patrols, land cruisers, expeditions etc.
Personally I wanted the family in something decent sized, as the driving can appear a bit crazy.
Also you can run older cars, but need to be dedicated to the cause. Support is limited, garages very variable and heat does odd things to old cars.
I bought a Land Rover LR3 V8 for my daily duties and towing my motorbike. Plenty around (LR4 too) and most have the 7 seater options, cheap and enough garages to fix them if needed. Even when parked next to a Patrol, the Landy feels small. They're something to consider on the cheaper end of the scale. LR4's with warranty will be more of course.
Edited by Rich_AR on Monday 24th April 05:16
I've just bought a super clean 2009 lr3 v8 with 85k on the clock and full main dealer history for not much money.
Local market prices on age not condition so buying second hand is very much a case of looking at everything or buying from people you know. There are some genuinely good buys around if you ignore what everyone says about jap reliability, euro parts prices, Luxo suvs not being able to go off-road and all the other tripe.
Local market prices on age not condition so buying second hand is very much a case of looking at everything or buying from people you know. There are some genuinely good buys around if you ignore what everyone says about jap reliability, euro parts prices, Luxo suvs not being able to go off-road and all the other tripe.
shirt said:
I've just bought a super clean 2009 lr3 v8 with 85k on the clock and full main dealer history for not much money.
Decent 
. I've done 20k+ in mine since I bought it and nothing has failed yet (famous last words)! I've only replaced the tyres (due to flat spots) and brake pads plus a few good services in between. It runs a treat. Where do you get it serviced? Planning on self maintenance but if anything electrical goes awry then it needs someone in the know.
They're doing the brakes before I collect and I'm planning on doing all transmission fluids as LR intervals don't seem to be enough from what i've read.
Been looking for a good one for ages and then saw this parked up outside al tayer. They wouldn't sell to me direct but luckily it ended up at the dealer where my mate works. Rides perfectly with only a few minor marks and no dings.
Only mods will be a light bar in the grille, onboard air (mainly for trackdays) and a +40bhp remap simply because there's one available. Planning a camping trip to Oman next weekend to test it out properly.
They're doing the brakes before I collect and I'm planning on doing all transmission fluids as LR intervals don't seem to be enough from what i've read.
Been looking for a good one for ages and then saw this parked up outside al tayer. They wouldn't sell to me direct but luckily it ended up at the dealer where my mate works. Rides perfectly with only a few minor marks and no dings.
Only mods will be a light bar in the grille, onboard air (mainly for trackdays) and a +40bhp remap simply because there's one available. Planning a camping trip to Oman next weekend to test it out properly.
shirt said:
Where do you get it serviced? Planning on self maintenance but if anything electrical goes awry then it needs someone in the know.
They're doing the brakes before I collect and I'm planning on doing all transmission fluids as LR intervals don't seem to be enough from what i've read.
Been looking for a good one for ages and then saw this parked up outside al tayer. They wouldn't sell to me direct but luckily it ended up at the dealer where my mate works. Rides perfectly with only a few minor marks and no dings.
Only mods will be a light bar in the grille, onboard air (mainly for trackdays) and a +40bhp remap simply because there's one available. Planning a camping trip to Oman next weekend to test it out properly.
I've used Saluki mainly. But AAA and Capital are also recommended by the local LR chaps. There is space under the bonnet (drivers side) to mount a small compressor. I bought a cheapish one from ACE, but it doesn't fit (ARB are better and smaller I guess), so I wired in some Anderson connectors off the battery for quick connect when I need it, saves arsing about with the battery cover each time.They're doing the brakes before I collect and I'm planning on doing all transmission fluids as LR intervals don't seem to be enough from what i've read.
Been looking for a good one for ages and then saw this parked up outside al tayer. They wouldn't sell to me direct but luckily it ended up at the dealer where my mate works. Rides perfectly with only a few minor marks and no dings.
Only mods will be a light bar in the grille, onboard air (mainly for trackdays) and a +40bhp remap simply because there's one available. Planning a camping trip to Oman next weekend to test it out properly.
Interested to know more about this +40bhp remap!
http://norcalrovers.org/forum/index.php?/topic/350...
There's a twin ARB set-up which is pretty swish but the above is half the price and given the cost of a proper tow bar and wiring harness I think this is the way I'll go.
It's actually 37bhp and 40nm bringing you to 332 and 355 respectively. From what I read the drivetrain can easily handle it as long as you pay attention to the trans fluid. 1900 dibs including fettling on the rollers by someone I know and trust. He believes it's a flash not a chip but if he has to remove/solder the ecu then that's an additional 600. Could prob get some discount for 2 cars if you are interested. I think Drexel can do a power flush of the auto box as removing the filter pan is a job for the ramps. Forums recommend a change at 75k miles rather than 150 as per LR.
Done a LOT of reading up on these cars, glad to have found a decent one finally.
There's a twin ARB set-up which is pretty swish but the above is half the price and given the cost of a proper tow bar and wiring harness I think this is the way I'll go.
It's actually 37bhp and 40nm bringing you to 332 and 355 respectively. From what I read the drivetrain can easily handle it as long as you pay attention to the trans fluid. 1900 dibs including fettling on the rollers by someone I know and trust. He believes it's a flash not a chip but if he has to remove/solder the ecu then that's an additional 600. Could prob get some discount for 2 cars if you are interested. I think Drexel can do a power flush of the auto box as removing the filter pan is a job for the ramps. Forums recommend a change at 75k miles rather than 150 as per LR.
Done a LOT of reading up on these cars, glad to have found a decent one finally.
shirt said:
http://norcalrovers.org/forum/index.php?/topic/350...
There's a twin ARB set-up which is pretty swish but the above is half the price and given the cost of a proper tow bar and wiring harness I think this is the way I'll go.
It's actually 37bhp and 40nm bringing you to 332 and 355 respectively. From what I read the drivetrain can easily handle it as long as you pay attention to the trans fluid. 1900 dibs including fettling on the rollers by someone I know and trust. He believes it's a flash not a chip but if he has to remove/solder the ecu then that's an additional 600. Could prob get some discount for 2 cars if you are interested. I think Drexel can do a power flush of the auto box as removing the filter pan is a job for the ramps. Forums recommend a change at 75k miles rather than 150 as per LR.
Done a LOT of reading up on these cars, glad to have found a decent one finally.
I'll be looking to do the power flush soon. Heard good things about Drexel too. There's a twin ARB set-up which is pretty swish but the above is half the price and given the cost of a proper tow bar and wiring harness I think this is the way I'll go.
It's actually 37bhp and 40nm bringing you to 332 and 355 respectively. From what I read the drivetrain can easily handle it as long as you pay attention to the trans fluid. 1900 dibs including fettling on the rollers by someone I know and trust. He believes it's a flash not a chip but if he has to remove/solder the ecu then that's an additional 600. Could prob get some discount for 2 cars if you are interested. I think Drexel can do a power flush of the auto box as removing the filter pan is a job for the ramps. Forums recommend a change at 75k miles rather than 150 as per LR.
Done a LOT of reading up on these cars, glad to have found a decent one finally.
We are in a similar boat and bought a Toyota Sequoia - 2013 with 58,000k for under 100K from a dealer. Drinks like George Best when the go-go pedal is pressed hard but otherwise gobbles up the fuel in normal driving. I raise my glass of grape, hops or bubbly in a toast to our EV brethren leaving the old dinosaur remains for Daisy (my daughter's idea) to dine on by the gallon!
Not the last word in luxury SUV refinement but a 1/3rd of the price of others and with far more interior room.
Off-road is not up to the LR3/4 standards but should be enough to get out and about and they appear to have good resale value. And managed to get a non-white one! yay
Not the last word in luxury SUV refinement but a 1/3rd of the price of others and with far more interior room.
Off-road is not up to the LR3/4 standards but should be enough to get out and about and they appear to have good resale value. And managed to get a non-white one! yay
thanks for all the replies - really useful info....any thoughts on how much to rent a seven seater for a week or so given we would only need it when we have sporadic guest or two
another thought that crossed my mind - do people lease in UAE? I was trolling the net for info but it looks rather limited - gather there are not an influx deals like there are in the UK - I am sure that is probably a good thing for the health of the economy in the long run.
another thought that crossed my mind - do people lease in UAE? I was trolling the net for info but it looks rather limited - gather there are not an influx deals like there are in the UK - I am sure that is probably a good thing for the health of the economy in the long run.
Edited by Sebba on Thursday 27th April 09:37
Interesting thread. My wife wasn't keen on the big SUV, or even a medium sized one, so she's been zooming around in a 2016 GTI, and she loves it (but then she's always had pretty nippy cars). She hasn't complained about intimidation... you can manage to navigate Dubai in a normal sized car as a daily driver. I'd say, just get what you want. Sadly, we need to leave Dubai so the GTI will soon be for sale. Before we knew we had to leave I was thinking of an old 4.0 JEEP Wrangler as a desert dune basher: they don't lose any value. Pick it up for 25k, sell for 25k. Same sort of idea as the Pajero, work well in the dunes but not much fun on the tarmac.
As to long term leasing, there seems to be more possibilities, but mostly from the rental agencies of pretty dull mass market cars, Toyotas, Chevrolets etc. Probably not that interesting for a PHer.
As to long term leasing, there seems to be more possibilities, but mostly from the rental agencies of pretty dull mass market cars, Toyotas, Chevrolets etc. Probably not that interesting for a PHer.
Leasing is available - but as has been said, it's generally via rental shops rather than dealerships. Dealers here deal in cash sales, or punt you across to their 'friend' at the bank (who just so happens to sit in the dealership) to approve you a loan over a 5 year term in a matter of minutes.
Despite attempts to tighten up the loan market by enforcing 20% cash down first, the dealer are known to do a little magic on the numbers by overinflating the cost of the car on the finance form so lo and behold, you manage to get 100% of the car financed with no deposit.
I know someone who got a GTI on lease - but this was a long time back - I know that Nissan/Renault (Arabian Automobiles) do officially offer leases, but getting it sorted as a private individual would take time and effort, which most of the sales guys don't want to deal with.
On the subject of old Wranglers, yeah - they don't lose money. Had one for best part of 2 years that I used as a daily driver - even on the Abu Dhabi run - and sold it on for the same money when I left town. Back now, and considering another one...
Despite attempts to tighten up the loan market by enforcing 20% cash down first, the dealer are known to do a little magic on the numbers by overinflating the cost of the car on the finance form so lo and behold, you manage to get 100% of the car financed with no deposit.
I know someone who got a GTI on lease - but this was a long time back - I know that Nissan/Renault (Arabian Automobiles) do officially offer leases, but getting it sorted as a private individual would take time and effort, which most of the sales guys don't want to deal with.
On the subject of old Wranglers, yeah - they don't lose money. Had one for best part of 2 years that I used as a daily driver - even on the Abu Dhabi run - and sold it on for the same money when I left town. Back now, and considering another one...
THB - I have a TJ which I'm considering selling. Let me know if you'd like to have a look. New gearbox, diff etc
thb said:
Leasing is available - but as has been said, it's generally via rental shops rather than dealerships. Dealers here deal in cash sales, or punt you across to their 'friend' at the bank (who just so happens to sit in the dealership) to approve you a loan over a 5 year term in a matter of minutes.
Despite attempts to tighten up the loan market by enforcing 20% cash down first, the dealer are known to do a little magic on the numbers by overinflating the cost of the car on the finance form so lo and behold, you manage to get 100% of the car financed with no deposit.
I know someone who got a GTI on lease - but this was a long time back - I know that Nissan/Renault (Arabian Automobiles) do officially offer leases, but getting it sorted as a private individual would take time and effort, which most of the sales guys don't want to deal with.
On the subject of old Wranglers, yeah - they don't lose money. Had one for best part of 2 years that I used as a daily driver - even on the Abu Dhabi run - and sold it on for the same money when I left town. Back now, and considering another one...
Despite attempts to tighten up the loan market by enforcing 20% cash down first, the dealer are known to do a little magic on the numbers by overinflating the cost of the car on the finance form so lo and behold, you manage to get 100% of the car financed with no deposit.
I know someone who got a GTI on lease - but this was a long time back - I know that Nissan/Renault (Arabian Automobiles) do officially offer leases, but getting it sorted as a private individual would take time and effort, which most of the sales guys don't want to deal with.
On the subject of old Wranglers, yeah - they don't lose money. Had one for best part of 2 years that I used as a daily driver - even on the Abu Dhabi run - and sold it on for the same money when I left town. Back now, and considering another one...
thb said:
Leasing is available - but as has been said, it's generally via rental shops rather than dealerships. Dealers here deal in cash sales, or punt you across to their 'friend' at the bank (who just so happens to sit in the dealership) to approve you a loan over a 5 year term in a matter of minutes.
Despite attempts to tighten up the loan market by enforcing 20% cash down first, the dealer are known to do a little magic on the numbers by overinflating the cost of the car on the finance form so lo and behold, you manage to get 100% of the car financed with no deposit.
I know someone who got a GTI on lease - but this was a long time back - I know that Nissan/Renault (Arabian Automobiles) do officially offer leases, but getting it sorted as a private individual would take time and effort, which most of the sales guys don't want to deal with.
Leasing wheels are in motion as the new bank cross checking is causing the majority of people to get declined, the old second and third bank accounts to hide loans/credit cards now doesn't work and the reality of the debt is now visible to see.Despite attempts to tighten up the loan market by enforcing 20% cash down first, the dealer are known to do a little magic on the numbers by overinflating the cost of the car on the finance form so lo and behold, you manage to get 100% of the car financed with no deposit.
I know someone who got a GTI on lease - but this was a long time back - I know that Nissan/Renault (Arabian Automobiles) do officially offer leases, but getting it sorted as a private individual would take time and effort, which most of the sales guys don't want to deal with.
Also the bank application process will change drastically in the next 6 months so the old situation of the friendly bank rep sitting in the showrooms will be over very soon too.
Personally ive just done a PCP deal on a car, technically its leasing if I don't buy it at the end (which I wont) however as its PCP its subject to bank underwriting. But we have seen a huge increase in PCP numbers recently, trend is starting to follow Europe a bit more as opposed to the usual 5 year finance which has been the norm here.
Dealers are having no choice to look at lease alternatives to get around the finance decline issue.
I live in AD and run a 2008 Toyota Prado. It has 8 seats, rides like a Lexus, is reliable, cheap to maintain, has an armrest coolbox, ice cold air con and twin fuel tanks giving an 1100km range (all the ones with a boot mounted spare have this), so I fill up twice a month only. When you see the queues for petrol station pumps, you will realise how handy this is! The rear set of seats are removable for camping trips (unlike a fortuner's) and it is great in the desert. It has 190k km on the clock and I am astounded by how nothing squeaks or rattles. It cost me 43k Aed. For me, it's *the* answer.
Wrt renting an 8 seater - no need for all that expense, taxis cost buttons here.
Wrt renting an 8 seater - no need for all that expense, taxis cost buttons here.
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