ABU DHABI // More than three years after used-car dealerships were moved 50 kilometres from Abu Dhabi city to Al Shamkha, say they are still waiting for the services promised by developer Aldar.
Dealers complained that they were paying “huge” rents for showrooms at Motor World – spread across 3 million square metres with parking for 2,700 vehicles – but that a lack of facilities left them struggling to find customers.
“We pay rent amounting to Dh130,000 annually but the kind of business we get here is not sufficient,” said Samy Sulaiman, accountant at Al Karama Motors Exhibition.
Zayed Ullah, salesman at the Golden Coast Automobiles, said: “In a month we sell two to six vehicles but in some months we don’t sell a single car.
“Customers who want to come find it hard to reach here”, so they go to Dubai and Sharjah instead.
Mr Ullah said the roads leading to Motor World needed to be properly marked with signs to make it easier to find.
The big problem, the dealers said, was an absence of facilities such as a traffic department, car accessory shops or a petrol station to make it convenient for customers to carry out all the necessities involved in buying a car.
Salesman Abdur Rehman Al Khateeb believed that “business would improve after a year or so once more services were added”, and advertising was stepped up.
In August last year, Aldar assured clients that the services and advertising would increase but dealers said it had not happened.
“Still we are awaiting the services,” said Samy Abu Hassan, showroom manager at the Kingdom Automobile showroom.
“Of course, our sales will go up once more are available and the place is better advertised.”
Last year, Aldar said that “the construction of an Adnoc petrol station was well under way” and the first phase was expected to open in the last three months of the year.
There is still no petrol station, but Mr Ullah remains hopeful.
“The petrol station which is under construction is key to increasing the business here,” he said.
Ganesh Thangam, accounts manager for the Kingdom Automobile showroom, said he believed business was poor at Motor World because of its distance from the city, certainly not because of the prices.
“We deal with only new cars and offer customers a price, which is comparatively 20 per cent – less than the main dealers prices in the city but still we have fewer people,” Mr Thangam said.
Through these years some facilities were added, including a grocery, restaurant, bank, private inspection outlet and accessories shop.
Aldar did not respond to inquiries
anwar@thenational.ae
