Where do abandoned cars in Dubai come from?

What can you find in the article?

• Abandoned cars in Dubai
• Debts as a cause of abandoned cars in Dubai
• Abandoned vehicles in Dubai - statistics
• What happens to abandoned cars in Dubai?
• Consequences of abandoned cars in Dubai
• Abandoned cars in Dubai - a tourist attraction
• Car rental in Dubai
• Questions and answers (FAQs)

Abandoned cars in Dubai

Dubai is globally associated with opulent hotels, skyscrapers, luxury cars, millionaires and high-end living. Dubai residents like fast, state-of-the-art cars and are keen to collect them. For some it's a passion for motoring, for some it's showing off and fulfilling a dream of living rich. If you are a fan of fast motoring, then you can prepare to admire the finest specimens on the streets of the city. In a city like Dubai, cars aren't just for getting around, they are also used to highlight social status.

It is no surprise to see the best Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Bugatti or Cadillac on the streets of Dubai. However, it is an unusual sight to see abandoned luxury cars in Dubai, especially those of the best and most luxurious brands. Where does this come from and why are these abandoned cars just standing there when they are worth such huge amounts of money?

Debts as a cause of abandoned cars in Dubai

The cars moving around Dubai are not only for car fans and can make one's head spin. On the streets, we can see models such as the Lamborghini Huracan, McLaren 720S, Ferrari 296 GTS or Ferrari Portofino. How is it that such expensive cars can stand abandoned and even with the keys in the ignition? There are several answers, but the most important one is money and the culture of consumerism.

For several years now, one can observe a process whereby cars worth a fortune are abandoned on the streets of Dubai, in the car parks of nearby airports or on desert roads outside the city. Illegal vehicle abandonment is quite a problem for the Dubai authorities. Why are owners abandoning luxury cars such as Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Rolls Royce in Dubai? This question can be answered briefly and succinctly: bankruptcy, drivers' financial problems, lack of money. Escaping the legal consequences is also an important element, but it is primarily a consequence of financial problems. People come to Dubai to work, get paid a large salary and often start living beyond their means.

Many Dubai residents live beyond a reasonable limit without adequate provision for the future. They do not care about their finances as they only think about showing off and living rich in this modern city. This is how Dubai's consumer culture affects them. This often ends with them getting into debt and going bankrupt. In such a case, a person with no money struggles with day-to-day finances, let alone maintaining a supercar - which was often bought on easily accessible loans and paid off in instalments.

Why do people leave their cars in Dubai?

Why didn't the owner of a luxury Ferrari or Lamborghini sell his car and pay off his debts with the money he earned? There is a very strict debt law in the UAE. You can be jailed for years for financial arrears. Out of fear of the consequences and fear of prison, owners of such supercars often take the easiest way out of the situation, which is to flee the UAE and abandon their debts, along with all the possessions earned locally. The liability of vehicle owners is rarely pursued when a person with debts flees abroad. This is where the phenomenon of these sporty, abandoned cars on the streets of Dubai comes from. As owners leave the UAE in a hurry, they leave their cars in random places, often intact and with the key in the ignition.

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Abandoned vehicles in Dubai - statistics

Dubai Police statistics show that there are around 3,000 abandoned cars in Dubai every year. Police find them on Dubai's streets, airports and public car parks. What types of cars are most commonly abandoned in Dubai? The brands most often mentioned in the statistics are: BMW, Ferrari, Bugatti, Audi and Koenigsegg.

What happens to abandoned cars in Dubai?

How do Dubai authorities deal with abandoned cars? Once abandoned by the owner, a supercar is doomed to a life of its own. Cars can stand on pavements, public car parks and sidings for months without any response from services. A lot of desert sand falls on them, they are not spared by the Arabian sun, the whole climate in the United Arab Emirates gives them a hard time. What are the procedures for abandoned luxury cars in Dubai? If a car is spotted by the police, the uniformed officer leaves a notice with the owner that if the car is not removed from its current location in a timely manner, it will be taken away by the police. How long do abandoned cars wait on the streets of Dubai before they are picked up by the police? It is difficult to say, it all depends on when the police locate the car and where it is. It could be a while, a month, a year or more. There is no rule or exact procedure.

Once the car has been towed by the police, the Dubai car is put up for auction. It might seem that such auctions would be big hits... nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, they do enjoy their popularity, but not as much as you might think. Firstly, auction cars are not cheap at all. Secondly, the climate in the United Arab Emirates severely damages abandoned super cars. The high temperatures, the heat and action of the sun, the sandstorms and the dust are all very bad for the condition of a car, even a luxury one. With such damage, it is not surprising that few people choose to buy a luxury machine.

Consequences of car abandonment in Dubai

What are the consequences of abandoning a car in Dubai? If the owner of the vehicle flees outside the United Arab Emirates it is likely that there will be no consequences for doing so. If it remains in Dubai, the owner of such an abandoned car faces arrest and possibly long prison terms for unpaid debts and financial arrears.

Abandoned cars in Dubai as a tourist attraction
 

Abandoned cars are often used by tourists to take photos for social media. Searching for abandoned cars in Dubai is now carspotting and this has turned into an extremely popular tourist attraction. Tourists often go inside and even start the car after finding one, if they can find the keys. However, we suggest that finding such a car should be reported to the UAE police.
 

Car rental in Dubai
 

We can learn an important lesson from the stories of abandoned cars in Dubai: don't live beyond your means and appreciate the value of money. Luxury cars don't have to be bought, and if you want to see how a Ferrari drives around Dubai, you can rent one and feel like its owner for a few days. Exploring Dubai in a luxury car is possible with a Dubai car hire from Modena Car. To receive a discount from 5-10% depending on the car - mention the password ‘HUBERT’ when booking .
 

Questions and answers (FAQs)

 

• Why are cars being abandoned in Dubai?
   

Owners are abandoning their luxury cars in Dubai for financial reasons. Living beyond one's means, a consumerist lifestyle and spending more than one has by living on credit leads many people into serious financial problems. Such people are fleeing the UAE in a hurry, leaving all their possessions, including their cars. If they had stayed in Dubai, they would have faced a long prison term.
 

• What happens to abandoned vehicles in Dubai?
   

If the police find an abandoned car in Dubai, they initially inform the owner to remove the vehicle. If the vehicle is not removed, the police tow the car to special police car parks and auction it off after the statutory time limit has elapsed.
 

• Where can you find abandoned cars in Dubai?
   

Abandoned supercars in Dubai can be found in public car parks, side streets, side streets and airport car parks. More often than not, abandoned vehicles are found in low-visibility areas so that the police are not too quick to take an interest in an abandoned car.

Photo: hotcars.com