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UAE Vehicle Test

As an expat in the UAE, it doesn't make economic sense to buy a fancy new car if you have no idea how long you are going to be here.  My own vehicle is a young and sprightly 2004 Dodge Durango 5.7 litre V8, which does 0 to 100km/h in about 7s,  uses only 14 litres per 100km in fuel and cruises at 120km/h at slightly more than idle speed.

The Al Ain Traffic Department has a large test centre, driving school and registry, which is always overcrowded and getting a vehicle processed there can take half a day if all the Dust Devils are smiling kindly upon you.  This year, I went to a small test centre in Al Foah, a village on the outskirts of the city instead.

They open at 8am and I was first in line.  I had my car serviced at the dealer the week before, so I left the service papers on the front seat.  The test then took only a few minutes.

For the exhaust test, the vehicle is put on a dynamometer, but since the big Dodge is all wheel drive it always just climbs off the machine, so they test it at idle, which is probably not much use.

Inspection = 120 Dh
Insurance (3rd party UAE and Buraimi) = 750 Dh
Parking fine in Dubai = 100 Dh
Registration = 105 Dh

In by 8am and out 30 minutes later - probably less than the time I would have spent looking for parking at the main test centre and well worth the 15 minute drive to get there.
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