10 used cars to buy under Dh10,000 in the UAE


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It’s not been an easy year and counting the dirhams has become a national hobby as we recover from lockdown and wisely plan ahead for 2021.

Downsizing your car is quick way to free up cash, but that doesn’t mean downsizing your image. There is a surplus of good, used cars available, and with some due diligence and an open mind, you could end up with a premium brand for less than the cost of a service on a new equivalent.

To show how far your dirham can drive you, we’ve gone bargain hunting for 10 cars under Dh10,000 that will get keep you on the road and looking good for the school run.

German luxury

Make/Model: BMW 745i

Year: 2003
New: Dh255,000

Now: Dh10,000

BMW's 745i limo introduced i-Drive and an elaborate infotainment system. With state-of-the-art technology, its controversial styling impacted its resale value and prices soon plummeted. A 2003 model in Dubai in good condition with a mild body kit, lots of black leather and timber inlay with just 107,000 kilometres on the clock is a Bavarian bargain.

English elegance

Inside the 05 Jaguar XJ
Inside the 05 Jaguar XJ

Make/Model: Jaguar XJ8

Year: 2004
New: Dh220,000

Now: Dh8,500

If it's curvy hips, timber and leather you're after, then the classic Jaguar XJ is for you. Even better if it's powered by the 4.2-litre V8 that's in the 2004 model we found in Abu Dhabi with 170,000km.

American muscle

Make/Model: Ford Mustang

Year: 1997
New: Dh103,000

Now: Dh9,500

Making a statement on a budget doesn't get better than this. Sure, this Mustang in Dubai with 88,000km misses out on the burbly V8, but it looks identical and its 3.8-litre V6 still has a nice rasp to the exhaust.

Euro hot hatch

Make/Model: Audi A3 Turbo

Year: 2001
New: Dh176,000

Now: Dh9,900

The 1.8-litre turbo Audi A3 provided excellent performance for a small car in a nice-looking, well-built package. We found a Japanese import with a 5-speed manual transmission and full documentation having covered just 82,000km.

Cheeky convertible

Make/Model: BMW Z3

Year: 1997
New: Dh134,000

Now: Dh8,000

BMW introduced the Z3 in 1995 as a zippy, four-cylinder, rear-wheel drive runabout based on the hugely popular E36 3 Series sedan. This Japanese import, 1.9-litre model has manual transmission and 206,000km, and can be found in Dubai.

Italian flair

Make/Model: Fiat 500

Year: 2010
New: Dh72,000

Now: Dh9,500

"Exceptionally cool and gets more looks than a Ferrari," were the sorts of comments motoring journalists made about the Fiat 500 in 2010. The little Fiat brought flair back into the compact market, but at a hefty price. However, it included luxury levels of equipment as standard. This auto model is a steal with 148,000km and a huge sunroof.

Mid-size SUV

Make/Model: Nissan X-Trail

Year: 2006
New: Dh124,600

Now: Dh9,500

The five-seat Nissan X-Trail was a hit with the urban warriors. Powered by a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder, it includes a CD player, remote central locking and fog lights that were cool for their time. We found a 2006 model with the same features and 182,000km in black with tan leather and alloy wheels.

Full-sized SUV

Inside the Ford Expedition
Inside the Ford Expedition

Make/Model: Ford Expedition

Year: 2004
New: Dh118,500

Now: Dh8,500

No one does big like the Americans, and Ford launched the Expedition in 1997. The second gen landed in 2003, and featured independent rear suspension and could tow over 4,000kg. We found a 2004 XLT model with 268,000km, but is in excellent condition. You won't find more bang for your buck.

Family saloon

Make/Model: Renault Safrane

Year: 2011
New: Dh66,500

Now: Dh8,500

A Nissan Altima by another name, the Safrane is often forgotten and is the result of product sharing from the Renault-Nissan alliance. It has a unique nose and Renault badges, but otherwise is a thinly veiled Altima, which is no bad thing as you get Nissan reliability at a Renault price. We found a near new-looking 2011 model in Abu Dhabi with 99,000km that includes a year's insurance.

Sports coupe

Make/Model: Infiniti G35

Year: 2005
New: Dh145,000

Now: Dh9,500

Infiniti made the G35 to tap into the prestige coupe segment in the US with the Middle East being one of its few non-US export regions. Rear-wheel drive and running a 3.5-litre V6 with a five-speed auto, it was a worthy attempt, but never got the recognition it deserved. We found a 2005 model with 185,000km carrying all the options and GCC specs for a bargain in Dubai.

MATCH INFO

World Cup 2022 qualifier

UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm

Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai

The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh960,000
Engine 3.9L twin-turbo V8 
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Power 661hp @8,000rpm
Torque 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.4L / 100k

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma

When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

Fixtures

Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am

Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am

Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am

Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

 

 

VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

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