What Happens To Abandoned Cars In Dubai?

Last Updated on January 1, 2023 by Leepu Da Maxim

In Dubai, if a car is abandoned in a public place, then according to the law, the Dubai Municipality can remove the car. In this type of situation, the owner of the car will be fined and have to pay the towing and storage fees in order to retrieve the vehicle.

Key Takeaways

• One key reason there are a high number of abandoned cars in Dubai is many people only stay in Dubai for a few years on work contracts
• Dubai is a city with a high cost of living, and many people abandon their cars because they can’t maintain the cost
• Cars are relatively cheap in Dubai because the government imposes relatively low taxes on cars

Import A Car From Emirates – Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

1. In general, the person has the possibility of finding an excellent range of cars at very accessible costs. This is much more convenient than buying the same car at a local dealership. 2. Although many countries impose age restrictions, the truth is that the United Arab Emirates does not impose these types of restrictions on vehicles. This is why many people choose to import vehicles from the United Arab Emirates. 3. In recent years, used car sales have increased appropriately. That is why it is very easy to find a wide variety of cars at very accessible costs. Even abandoned cars add up to a large amount and are destined for police auctions. Thus, these abandoned vehicles are sold again at very low prices.

1. In principle, it is necessary to consider that the steering wheel of the vehicle that has been imported is on the left inside. In case the vehicle’s right-hand drive cannot be registered. Instead, the person must spend money to recondition the vehicle. 2. Importing a vehicle from the United Arab Emirates without the proper specifications could result in damage to the paintwork or any of the vehicle’s components. The most common problems are overheating, sticking, and rusting of some of the parts. 3. It is necessary to pay 5% of the value of the vehicle as customs duty. This is in addition to other costs such as car insurance and registration fees. So, this could produce some inconveniences in the final budget.

Why Are So Many Cars Abandoned In Dubai?

Along the streets of Dubai, it is possible to find a large number of vehicles that are abandoned. These are not only average cars but also abandoned high-end cars. Of course, there are some obvious reasons why this happens very often. Abandoned cars can be between 2,000 units and 3,000 units in a whole year. 

In this case, the vehicles are simply left on the streets and it is possible to find the key inside each vehicle. In a large number of cases, the vehicles may be left on the street for years before being recovered again. In other cases, these vehicles can be quickly confiscated if they are found to be obstructing the roads or hindering safety.

There are even images of a Ferrari Enzo costing approximately one million pounds. Of course, people who have large fortunes of money have no problem leaving these vehicles abandoned on the streets of Dubai. Of course, the main reason for abandoning vehicles is not boredom but a crime.

In recent years, the fall in oil prices combined with the global financial crisis has led to the bankruptcy of a large number of people. The debt has reached exorbitant figures which affects the wealth of millionaires and other people. In many cases, abandoned cars belong to people who were not born in the United Arab Emirates.

Thus, the financial crisis produces bankruptcy, and indebtedness is considered a crime in Dubai. Therefore, all those who cannot pay their debts must leave immediately to avoid jail. This is why these people are forced to abandon their luxurious cars on the streets of this city.

Therefore, there are a lot of luxury cars that are abandoned and many are auctioned off at a much lower price. Even, the person who commits the crime of not paying their debts is not only foreigners but also locals.

During the financial crisis, many loans requested by people could not be paid back. That is why all these people must flee Dubai and avoid paying in prison.

Why Are Cars So Cheap In Dubai?

In principle, there are a lot of vehicles that are abandoned on the streets of Dubai. Year after year, many luxury cars are sold for really low prices compared to the original sales price. Of course, these really low prices allow the costs of used cars, in general, to be lower than elsewhere as well. 

So, it is very easy to find police auction cars with excellent mechanical and general conditions. Along with this, it is also necessary to consider that the United Arab Emirates owes a great part of its fortune to oil exports. Of course, this allows the cost of fuel in Dubai to be much cheaper in comparison to other places in the world.

In turn, each vehicle has a large percentage of depreciation. However, it is necessary to consider fines, parking, license, registrations, and car insurance. In other words, it could be much more convenient to buy a car in Dubai rather than at a local dealership.

Those who travel for a while to Dubai can afford to buy a luxury car at a police auction. In this way, these people can experience driving some of the most coveted cars in the world.

Can You Export A Car From Dubai?

Due to the wide range of used cars in Dubai is that many people want to export a car from Dubai. Of course, this is possible although people have to meet certain requirements for this. Here, it is necessary to have the Roads and Transport Authority. Among the required elements are

1. Vehicle registration card

2. United Arab Emirates Passport and Identification

3. Cancel the registration

4. Obtain the export of certificates

Of course, people also can import a car from Dubai. In this case, it is necessary to organize the transport of each car from the ports to the exact point in the United States. In this case, people could acquire a luxury car at really low costs if the car is purchased by police auction.

Generally, during 2020 the cost needed to perform this procedure starts at $1,095. The total response time can reach 35 days and depends on the make and model of each car. Of course, the final location where the car should arrive is also important in this procedure.

Is Driving In Dubai Easy?

Generally, foreigners who decide to visit Dubai should try to avoid driving a vehicle on the streets of this city. The vast majority of them think that the planning of the streets and orientations of the city are very badly designed. Here, the directions, parking lots, exits, and roads are very difficult to know and to find.

Instead, it is preferable to opt for some type of public transportation to avoid all these inconveniences. Many people can even choose to take a cab or use the subway system.

The subway system is well developed and it is possible to reach a lot of places with this public transportation. Also, thee subway system can connect the airport with a large number of places in the city.

So, it might be more than enough to use the metro system in case you visit Dubai city for the first time. Moreover, tourists visiting Dubai can complement this public transport with available cabs. Besides, the costs of cabs in Dubai are very cheap for the vast majority of tourists. 

Finally, a large number of people decide to avoid renting or buying a vehicle to drive in Dubai. Of course, those people who decide to live in this city for good can choose to rent or buy a vehicle.

However, it would be much more advisable to use a GPS service and get to know much of the city. In turn, it is necessary to take into account that the cities of Dubai continue to expand and develop.

References:

https://www.drive.com.au/news/million-dollar-scrapyard-final-resting-place-for-supercars-in-dubai/

https://www.carscoops.com/2021/01/why-dubai-has-supercars-just-lying-around-abandoned/