Imported written-off cars no more as new rule comes into force

ABU DHABI // Imported used cars that were previously written off or found with tampered odometers will now be a thing of the past as a new rule comes into force.

The new rule by Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology effectively bans the import, registration and insurance of vehicles that have been written off in other countries, and launches detection software to share information on chassis history with regulators.

The sale of a flood or fire-damaged car, or even a salvaged vehicle, as a good-condition used car exposes buyers to fraud, dodgy repairs and infects the market with fraudulently certified, unsafe vehicles, experts say.

“The import of damaged and written-off vehicles has been growing at a marked rate during the last decade and is now at an alarming rate,” said Robert Hodges, a UK-based driver education and road safety expert.

“Restricting the import and resale of these vehicles is a very sensible initiative and is long overdue.”

Duped buyers often do not know how far the car they’re buying has really been driven as they often have their mileage reduced by tens and thousands of miles, and are then polished and valeted to look attractive and are sold as a bargain, he said.

“These cars are often sold with worn-out brakes, tyres and steering mechanisms, often their electronic warning systems have been disabled to hide faults from the driver, safety systems such as ABS brakes are often inoperative and the air bag modules should have been replaced,” Mr Hodges said.

Vehicles that were written off overseas have been resold in the UAE by unscrupulous dealers after conducting cheap repairs.

“Many body and chassis parts are fitted from much older vehicles or even very cheap, poor-quality body panels from Asia are used,” Mr Hodges said.

Frederik Bisbjerg, executive vice president of Mena Retail at Qatar Insurance Company, said the new rules will offer greater protection to drivers and passengers as well as insurers.

“These seriously damaged used cars very rarely have been repaired up to required standards, leaving the driver and passengers at a higher risk in case of an accident,” he said. “For the insurer, it would mean significantly higher repair costs.”

Buyers of second-hand vehicles should remember that if the car is way too cheap by comparison with the market norm, then there is almost definitely something wrong with it, added Mr Hodges.

“While the rule change brings greater security to buyers, it’s a case of ‘buyer beware’ or they will be putting their own and others’ lives at risk,” he said.