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kanelli wrote:The car we bought here would cost at least 10,000 CAD more if we bought it in Canada - so for those of you who didn't already buy a car just before moving to Dubai - buy your car here.

No GST, No PST, alot of pluses to buying a car here

XRW-147 wrote:Liban, you're saying exactly what I am implying. 0% interest often means based fees are built into the price - whether at point of purchase or through agreement. Amounts paid from the retailer to creditors have in fact already been passed onto the consumers - yourself excluded, as you know how the game is played.

I agree with you, companies do like to add interesting charges at point of sale, going back to my example, after a negotiated price was finalized they tried to charge me a $395 bank application fee for me 0% loan, (hmm is that Canada's version of Sharia????) I refused to pay it and eventually they waived it, I was fortunate enough to have cash in hand but they wouldn't give me any better of a price so I took the financing, in my case, I consider that 0%, if you factor in the bank fee it would have worked out to ~3% over 2 years.

XR, do you mind if I ask you what percentage you are paying for your reducing balance loan? The cheapest I saw for cars was ~7% at Standard Charter if memory serves.

Fayz, habibi, no worries - 4.95%. I end up paying very little interest over the life of this loan as compared to 3% of initial principal over life of loan.

XRW-147 wrote:Fayz, habibi, no worries - 4.95%. I end up paying very little interest over the life of this loan as compared to 3% of initial principal over life of loan.

Wow that is a great rate, Mabrook. Yes you are way better of at 4.95/reducing balance then with 3 non-reducing.

Interesting thread folks!

My car situation is actually causing me headaches. I have a Dodge Caravan bought in 2003 with 0% of course and I'm making monthly payments until 2008 that's a 5 year plan.

Would it be better to just sell it here and buy one over there? are you guys saying there's NO 0% financing in Dubai at all?

Advise, comments are always appreciated!

Acebravo wrote:Interesting thread folks!

My car situation is actually causing me headaches. I have a Dodge Caravan bought in 2003 with 0% of course and I'm making monthly payments until 2008 that's a 5 year plan.

Would it be better to just sell it here and buy one over there? are you guys saying there's NO 0% financing in Dubai at all?

Advise, comments are always appreciated!

2003... Its starting to get old. My car was practically new with 8000 kms on the dial so it was worth it....

See the loss difference in selling it there vs. shipping... Cars here last a LONG time in Dubai..

Liban wrote:

Acebravo wrote:Interesting thread folks!

My car situation is actually causing me headaches. I have a Dodge Caravan bought in 2003 with 0% of course and I'm making monthly payments until 2008 that's a 5 year plan.

Would it be better to just sell it here and buy one over there? are you guys saying there's NO 0% financing in Dubai at all?

Advise, comments are always appreciated!

2003... Its starting to get old. My car was practically new with 8000 kms on the dial so it was worth it....

See the loss difference in selling it there vs. shipping... Cars here last a LONG time in Dubai..

Thanks Liban,

I'd say the loss here is greater due to depreciation value. At best, I might get 10-11K if I sell it here in Canada and the amount owing on it is still higher.

Looks like shipping is the better choice for me

What is the amount owing?

Roro shipping from Montreal to Dubai costs $2500 CAD.

If the difference is greater than that, then ship. You car will last you double the time it would in Canada here if you do the proper maintenance to it and use sythetic in summer and do not drive like 90% of the population

The amount owing is definitely more than that.

Thanks Liban as always

Thanks everyone for replies. My car is 2005 Toyota RAV4 (brand new with 6.2% financing) - is it a good fit for Dubai?. I was thinking that if employer pays transportation fee as part of the benefit, they may as well pay for the shipment (any ideas?). How long did shpiment take?

Whether your company will fork out for the transport depends on your company's policies and flexibility. Part of my relocation involved a 20ft container - basically what ever I could fit in there. However, deciding to keep my house back in Oz meant I only had about 13 boxes shipped here - about 5% of the space. Could have fit a car in there, but our transport policy clearly states the company will not pay for car shipment. So ended up leaving her in the garage and forking out for another car here.

then add to that the cost of registation for the car, the paperwork and typing, as well a the rest of the beuracratic red tape...

also check out the thread on "gulf spec" vehicles, if any modifications need to be made to it

I dunno, maybe I was lucky... But my Canadian car respected all Gulf Specs without any modification from the Canadian Specs (according the GM Middle East).

Also I am getting much better mileage here for some odd reason.... Technicaly I shouldn't because I drive much faster here than in Canada and I am stuck in traffic more and I run AC all the time now... hmmm...

Better grade petrol?