Dubai - Post Report Question and Answers
What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Bring a large car. Driving can be aggressive, and you'll feel safer in an SUV. - Mar 2021
Any car would be okay. Car maintenance is somewhat of an issue in general and more so for American cars. - Jan 2021
A lot of people buy when they arrive in order to have a car with Gulf specs that can tolerate the heat and sand. SUVs and luxury sedans are king. - Jul 2013
Don't bring one, as cars are cheap (no taxes or duties). Lots of used cars are available on the market. If you want to go camping in the desert, you obviously need a 4x4. Toyotas have the reputation of being able to handle the heat. - Aug 2011
Cars need to be able to handle the extreme heat. The aircon systems in cars need to be gulf certified. Any kind of car is fine in this city, though you'd probably want something with extra safety features as accidents occur regularly. - Jan 2011
You can import almost anything to the UAE except trucks if they are under a certain age. Many automobiles are serviced here, but sometimes the parts are unavailable locally, depending on where your car was made. (The local dealer tells us what we need for our US-made Subaru, and we get it shipped from the US.) Window tinting is restricted, so wait until you are here to have that done. - Sep 2009
