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28 March 2024

Which cars cheapest to maintain in UAE?

According to the survey, Japanese cars are cheapest to maintain. (Photo by Ashok Verma)

Published
By Staff

A new survey of the auto repair industry in the UAE and the Middle East shows that Japanese cars are cheapest to maintain increasing their score on reliability and affordability quotient.

A study conducted by Carmudi, an online car buying and selling website, reveals since the beginning of the decade, Japanese brands have dominated the local used car landscape.

Of the most popular Japanese carmakers, Toyota, holds number one slot with over 41 per cent of all market share in 2013. This was followed by Nissan and Mitsubishi closely.

The Consumer Reports’ 2015 Annual Auto survey has found that Toyota was voted the second most reliable brand this year.

On Carmudi UAE, car shoppers visit Toyota brands the most, with models like Corolla boasting of 190,000+ searches and Camry 71,000+, making them the most popular models.

To compare reliability and maintenance costs, the survey covered top car repair shops to find the most common car wear and tear and their average costs.

Garages are increasingly working overtime to provide maintenance and repair services. In the UAE, top mechanics report that they receive up to ten new cars on the busiest day of the week.

Dent repair and air conditioning replacement are the most common services provided by mechanics. Japanese made cars are cheapest to service because the spare parts are readily available and there is an abundance of specialized mechanics. Drivers can expect to pay a service charge of anywhere between Dh400 and Dh500.

The majority of cars on the roads in the Middle East, according to the survey, are Japanese brands such as Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi as they are cheaper to repair because the majority fall within the 1300cc and 2000cc engine size bracket, which is stereotypically easier to maintain.