Re: importing cars to saudi arabia

• I've been in saudi for over a year now and I regret not bringing my Accord with me from the US. Auto market here in saudi is nuts. Single dealer for each brand so no competition whatsoever. The worst customer service I've seen by far. Don't expect to test drive the car you plan on buying (I did once after having to wait and run around, to only be allowed a 100 yards drive on the tarmac on the dealers front side. When I told the salesman I need to test the ride, the handling , the reaction to road imperfection, etc, not to make sure that the car moves, I ended up in a big fight). Expect the base models here to be bare bones i.e. no cruise control, no ABS, no side airbags, no stability control, you name it. Expect the worst original equipment tires. Expect the worst after sales service. Expect lack of parts. I can keep on going for ever. When it comes to prices, look at the MSRP that only suckers will settle for in the US and add some $2000 - $3000. The crazy thing here is privacy tinted windows are banned only at customs inspection of dealers imports. The scorching heat is prohibitive for any AC unless you have some kind of tint, so almost 100% of people go for aftermarket tint (an extra 2,000 SR = $600) which traffic laws have no problems with. I see this as a scheme to promote the aftermarket tint business since only local dealers will not carry factory installed tints. Some cars here will not come with car mats!! Often times you will not see your brand new car until it has been registered to your name (meaning you will be stuck with it even if you found some blemishes before driving off), excuse is, cars are stored on out of town lots. Dealers will often use this as another scheme to rid of their dents and scratches instead of honestly marking the vehicles down for customers interested in saving some bucks. If you decided to buy a new toyota here then I console you in advance, because you will be on their ever growing waiting list. Chances are "vehicle is out of stock, will call you when available" and I have a bridge to sell you if you believe they will. Most necessary options come on top models only i.e. will be stuck with leather interior. Besides paying an extra $3,000, you will be grilled by the hot leather every time you get in your vehicle 8 out of 12 months a year. Oh, listen to this one... if you decided to buy from here like I regretfully did, and decided to put your family in the comfort of a minivan like the odyssey, make sure you bring your own small spare tire from the US!!!!! Why? Because small temporizing spare tires that will fit in the side compartment and thus save you the trunk for luggage and shopping are not allowed by country regulations. Well... that is some premium bucks for the rim, the tire and the shipping which will be passed on to the vehicle's overall price. Sun roof!!! This is the most useless thing one can have in this part of the world. It is sunny 400 days a year here. Temperature exceeds 120 degrees 90% of the time. People can make astronomical profits on shade, yet sun roofs are one of the most sought options. I hardly see sun roofs open or even cracked ever here! Shows you the mentality. Don’t expect to use the car for long trips. It’s a desert – the biggest sand box on the planet, roads are extremely dangerous, freeway casualties are unfathomable. No attractions to visit. No Cedar Point, no Niagara falls, no mountains, parks, canoeing, hiking, outdoor activities, etc. You will probably find your self in a jet every time you decide to have fun and relax. Bottom line, possible reasons you would consider buying a vehicle from here are:
  1) You want to be in a new vehicle covered by warranty (dealers here don't honor international warranty). My opinion is, buy a certified low mileage vehicle of your choice from the US (if you don't already have one) that just got out of the warranty time frame thus will be dramatically price reduced but premium quality (this is true especially for Hondas) register it in states like Alabama or Oregon (lowest tax rates 2% and 0%) then ship it 3 months before you come so you have it ready from hopefully day one.
  2) You earn some six/seven digit monthly salary and not into the business of smart shopping.
  3) Your company will give you car allowance on a use or lose basis.
  4) You are planning on buying a junk disposable car for temporary stay and can put up with break downs and getting stranded on the freeway shoulders. This would be very interesting as shoulders here are used as passing lanes for most locals. So if you decide to go with this option, have the best life insurance that exists on earth, your premium will pay off 10 times out of 10.
  Really, I can't think of any other reason why you should put up with this garbage. Oh, buy the way, shipping a vehicle from the east coast should cost you no more than $2,000 and you pay about 10% customs so this is an incentive to bring used because of the considerable depreciation on customs charts. When done with your assignment you can always take your car back to the US (costs only $600 to ship back - Why? because cargo ships sail back literally empty - nothing here is worth bringing back home). Buying a vehicle here is a considerable risk - you invest in a vehicle where you don't know how long you're staying- whereas your US vehicle can return to the US at a whim without US customs problems or hassles.
  Hope this helps!

  Wally 19 Jun 2008, 05:35 - Report

Importing car versus buying one in Saudi Arabia