High cost of car maintenance in Qatar irks vehicle owners
Owning a car in Qatar has never been a cheap affair. While prices of new cars are higher than anywhere else in the GCC, spare parts too have seen a spike in value.
Higher prices and unavailability of spare parts are causing car owners in Qatar to see red, reported Qatar Tribune.
The newspaper said that people are now looking at neighbouring countries for importing genuine spare parts that are also genuine.
The prices of spare parts are so high in Qatar that many are forced to go for duplicate ones, which often does not last long.
There are often long queues at dealer-approved workshops and parts are often unavailable, adding to the wait-time and cost factor.
Recently, the Ministry of Commerce and Economy had made it clear that people can get their cars repaired at a workshop of their choice without affecting the warranty.
But people who go to private workshops for repairs are also not too happy with the experience levels of staff there. Add to it chances of being duped with older spare parts and overcharging, people are caught between the rock and a hard place.
A routine check-up of a vehicle at dealership often costs up to QR3,000, with non-negotiable labour charges forming a large part of it.
zafirah: I'll also ask Rizks. I hear that he's just opened a workshop in Wakrah and flown over specialized mechanics from God's Own Country
@mohdata, can you please pm me the number of your trusted mechanic? please I badly need a trusted mechanic...
Go to the consumer protection office and file a case
3 days before i went to change the front bumper in street 19, al amer garrage and transport. They fixed it but later i noticed the engine heat is nearer to the red. After a closer inspection i found non of wiring they removed isn't reconnected. I paid 900 QAR there, and additionally 450 to another workshop for reconnecting the wires like heat sensor, cooling fan, air bag. They also brocken my radiator pipe. What all i want to tell you thecost of repairing but also the quality workers in qatar. we cant afford rate of repair in the respective car outlets.
If you are looking to buy a new car with cash I suggest looking to Bahrain where cars can cost 15,000-20,000 QAR less than in Qatar (that's the exact same car, same options etc.). There are people there that will bring the car over here for around 4000QAR. Most dealerships will honour the warranty.
Yup, Qatar isn't the place to be friends with the dealerships or buy new cars from them... The price difference between an independent shop and a dealer here is too high...full engine rebuild at the dealership was quoted 20000+....friendly honest mechanic outside said he would do it for 7000 all inclusive...he even said the engine didn't even need to be rebuilt just yet and I still had time before it was needed... Until competition is allowed and monopolies are curbed, it makes much more sense to have an older car (they're anyways just as reliable or unreliable as new cars if chosen carefully) and have it maintained by just one trusted mechanic...i can by the grace of god afford a brand new car of my liking but I will absolutely not give my business to the stealerships here... I've seen and heard enough horror stories to make me put in a little effort and become self sufficient with my car's needs and thanks to god, I have zero need for the dealership now...the authorities are sincerely trying to curb monopolies and encourage fair trade but lots more to be done until the consumer on the ground can see/feel tangible results in their experience with these dealerships...
This affects us all