Guides for buying a used car in the UAE

Practical guides to checking a used car before you buy it in the UAE, from imported cars to individual models.

What do you need?

Looking at an imported car
US, Canadian and other imports: specs, titles and history checks.
Looking at a specific model
A buying guide for each generation, by make.
Find the VIN on your car
Pick the model, then VIN location.

The first guide covers the basics; the rest go into each part in detail.

1
Buying an imported car in the UAE
Start here
How US-spec imports are registered, how to tell a car came from the US, what salvage and flood titles mean.
2
US-spec cars in the UAE
What makes a car US-spec, the labels that show it, how it differs from GCC spec, how it is registered and what happens to warranty.
3
Canadian-spec cars in the UAE
How to tell one from a US-spec car, which official Canadian searches a buyer can run, and what it means for registration.
4
GCC spec vs US spec
What manufacturers document as different between the two versions, plus fuel and oil, warranty and what to check.
5
Salvage and rebuilt titles
What US title brands mean, how state rules differ, how brands get washed, and what to check before buying such a car.
6
Flood-damaged cars in the UAE
Where they come from, how to inspect for water damage in electrics, airbags and brakes, and what US and UAE records can show.
7
How to check a US car’s history from the UAE
Decode the VIN, search US recalls and auction listings, check UAE accident records and match the VIN on the car.
8
How to read a US auction listing
What the title field, damage labels, odometer note and bids show and leave out, and how to compare it with the UAE car.

Choose a make, find the generation by its years, then open the guide.