Q. I am thinking of buying a used car but have heard many used cars are insurance write offs from other countries. How do I find out if this is true ? Can you let me know what I should look our for when buying a used car? Is there an AA type check I can get done ? Is Dubizzle the best place to look?

A. To be sure a car is not an insurance write-off, get it car inspected properly by someone competent. Usually the best bet is the dealer. If you buy an imported car from overseas, then the risk is higher. Buy alocal GCC spec car with UAE service history to be sure.
Dubizzle is like any other form of media advertisement.They only list cars for sale. There are no guarantees of any kind.They only serve as a medium to connect buyers with sellers – nothing more. In that regard, they are the best source of used cars. Other places to look are supermarket notice boards such as Spinneys & Choithrams plus the 2nd car area at Warsan behind Ras al Khor and of course local newspapers such as Gulf News.
Buying a used car is not an easy task; even professionals get burnt by unscrupulous dealers keen to make a sale. If a person has a genuine service history with the dealer and the dealer can do an independent check on the car that you pay for (not the owner), then you will have an accurate portrait of the potential goldmine (or disaster) you are about to inherit. Eppco, Tasjeel, AAA & Max Garage in Al Barsha offer a checking service.