#QLtips: Buying a used car in Qatar
A car is a necessity in Qatar, thanks to inadequate public transportation. Buying a new car is quite exciting, but not everyone can afford a brand new vehicle. Or maybe you don't plan to stay long in the country and prefer getting a second-hand car.
Either way, there are quite a few things you need to keep in mind while buying a used vehicle because it is far trickier than choosing a new vehicle.
There are a number of factors to consider and getting the right valuation is tricky. Here are a few things to keep in mind while buying a used car in Qatar.
Check the car during the day
Make sure you set up a meeting to check out the car during the day and not at night. You will probably see any dents or scratches better during the day.
This will also be a great time to test the air-condition of the car, a very important feature if you are driving in this part of the world.
Test drive it
Take the cars you like for a test drive. If you're an experienced driver, you will be able to detect any obvious problems. Pay more attention to suspension, ease of driving, noises from the engine, steering, brakes and gears.
You're probably going to be the owner of this car, so feel free to drive it fast (obviously not at death speeds), make quick turns and go over speed breakers.
It will be added advantage if you can test drive on roads you know well. It is important that you feel good about the car before you take it forward any further. You may also consider taking a friend with you during the test drive for a second opinion.
Technical check up
This is the decisive part of you second-hand car purchase. The inspection will and should decide whether you should get this car.
You can take the car to any of the vehicle inspectors located on Salwa Road for advanced checks that may have skipped your attention. They will test the car for engine performance, chassis strength, transmission wear and tear, body paint irregularities and other major technicalities. Thwy will give you an estimate of how much you will end up spending if you bought that car.
If you get a positive report, you may consider buying the vehicle.
Negotiate a deal
Once you've established that everything is to your satisfaction, negotiate a deal. Be confident of the price of the car when bargaining with the owner or dealership.
Negotiate hard for a discount, but do have an idea about a fair price that you are willing to pay.
However, if the dealer volunteers a discount that is too good to be true, then double check the car. If you suspect that something is wrong with the deal, do not hesitate to withdraw from the deal.
To be sure, you can ask for a accident history from the Traffic department or the car manufacturer (if you have the car's chassis number). If the car sustained mechanical damages during the accident, you better withdraw from the deal.
Legal procedures
Once you have made up your mind on the car you want to buy, head over to the Traffic department in Madinat Khalifa South (open till 7pm) along with the car owner. Carry your driving license or Qatar ID with you.
The traffic department will ask you to pay QR 200 to change the car registration to your name. Now the car legally belongs to you.
Alternatively, you could used the Metrash 2 app to transfer ownership, given the seller is registered on Metrash 2. The buyer just needs to present his/her original ID and old registration card to get the new registration card.
Getting your used car insured is not a problem if the car has a valid registration. If the car has a valid registration, then the car also has a valid insurance. You may change your insurance company or policy at the end of the term if you wish.
Quick tips
- Look for a car with low mileage
- Look for a car with a longer registration validity (This means his car was recently insured)
- Make sure the car had no major accidents
- Check if any major car parts are replaced with fake parts
- Check the trunk for any missing tools or spare tire
- Check all electricals: lights, headlights, power windows, stereo etc
- Do a thorough test drive on highways and inside the neighbourhood
Did we miss anything? Let us know and we will add it to our list. Was this information useful?
Looking for a secondhand car in Qatar? Search Qatar Living classifieds and find your perfect match.
hi to everyone. Can anyone give me advice about Mercedes B200 2009model. I want to buy ,yet is it good for qatar? service is expensive and spare parts is available or no? please advice. Appreciate your suggestions. thank you
Is it good to buy dubai cars from salwa showrooms? What are advantages and dis advantages buying in these showrooms in Salwa?
Valuable information. But it does not include anything regarding Metrash 2. If the seller has registered in metrash, he can transfer the ownership by using his mobile without visiting traffic office. The buyer necessary not required to register in metrash. The buyer has to present both his QID and original Istimara at traffic to get the new istimara.
The buyer must check the price of brand new piece from showroom before buying the car. Alot of sellers can cheat easily, a recent example is hyundai tucson 2015 model which has a showroom price of 69000 (on offer) and there are people selling similar models for 68000. and i saw an add of a Ducati motorbike 1199s where seller was asking for 83000 with 5000km on the odometer and now Al-fardan is having an offer on the similar model which is 86000 riyals. well if its me then i would prefer buying a new one by paying 2 or 3 thousdand extra for the peace of mind and privilege that i am the first owner for the car/bike i am buying. i recommend a cross check of price in showrooms also.
what is the procedure of checking accident history of the car with Traffic department using chassis no
No need to go traffic to change ownership at all.. Now u can do it from home using moi website or mobile app using metrash !
There is no more heading across the road for typing, that traffic department is now closed. There is a swanky new traffic department building on the other side of the road from where it used to be, and they sort everything out on computer, making the whole experience far easier than it used to be. It will also cost the new owner QR200 to change the rego, not QR.250. The guys at the old building who did the typing are still there trying to rip the unwary people off. They will tell you that you need to have the typed paper - you don't. Everything including insurance can be done in two shakes of a cat's tail at the new building.
Excellent
tfs... and if I checked everything and it's all in accordance to my expectations - I'll give you a call to pay for it! ^__^