I’ve just started a new job out in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi and I’m absolutely loving the reduced commute compared to my old place in Dubai, but the downside is I don’t know the area at all when it comes to garages and workshops. My 2018 A5 has just ticked over 75,000 kms and I’m pretty certain the gearbox oil has never been…

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Looking for an honest workshop for my Chevy near Khalifa City that won’t cost a fortune.

I’ve just moved to a new place in Khalifa City and I’m starting from scratch with all my regular contacts, including finding a decent garage that I can trust with my Chevrolet. I’ve been driving around for a few weeks now and I’m starting to notice a few…

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I’m about to replace the battery in my SUV and I’ve been looking at different options, but honestly I’m a bit overwhelmed by all the choices out there. I’ve seen prices ranging from really cheap to surprisingly expensive, and I’m not sure if the expensive ones are actually worth the extra money or if I’m just paying for a brand name. I’ve… Read more

So my 2017 530i started having really harsh downshifts, especially in sport mode. Took it to the dealership and they said the whole mechatronic unit needs replacement – quoted me 18k. I almost cried. A friend told me to try an independent that focuses on BMW repair Dubai instead of the dealer. I found a shop that specializes in German cars and…

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So I thought I was being smart. I bought what I thought was the right transmission oil online for my 2018 SQ5 and took it to a shop to do the change. The owner came out, looked at the bottle, and said “I can’t put this in your car.” I was annoyed at first thinking he just wanted to sell me his own oil. But then he spent ten minutes explaining…

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My 2013 Nissan Altima with the CVT transmission has started acting up. When I accelerate gently, it feels like it’s slipping or hesitating between what feels like 2nd and 3rd gear even though I know CVTs don’t have actual gears. The RPMs will flare up without the car speeding up. No check engine light yet but I can tell something is wrong. I…

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Intermittent stalling and warning lights – need a reliable Jeep fault finder in Abu Dhabi

I’m at my wit’s end with my 2017 Grand Cherokee – every few weeks it’ll randomly stall at a traffic light or throw a bunch of warning lights (ABS, traction control, check engine) all at once, then drive fine for days. I’ve already replaced the battery and…

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Last month I accidentally hit a high curb with my 2016 340i, and ever since the car pulls slightly to the right even after a full alignment. The shop said everything is in spec, but it still doesn’t feel right. I’m worried the impact might have tweaked the subframe or a control arm mounting point. I don’t want to just keep throwing alignments… Read more

I’ve been searching around for a deep cycle battery to run some backup gear at my workshop, and honestly I’m getting lost with all the options here in Dubai. A buddy mentioned that going with a well known brand saves headaches later, so I started looking into Amaron because I’ve used their smaller batteries before without issues. The tricky… Read more

Lincoln MKT AC smells like a wet dog and the fan only works on max speed. Where do you guys go for this stuff?

I inherited my dad’s 2014 Lincoln MKT a few months ago and honestly the car drives like a dream on the highway but the AC situation is driving me up the wall right now. First off there’s this musty damp smell that hits you in the…

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DSG on my MK7 GTI is acting up and Dubai garages just want to replace the whole thing, anyone tried Sharjah?

Been nursing my 2016 Golf GTI for about three years now and it’s been absolutely brilliant up until last month when the DSG started doing this weird thing where it hesitates for a solid two seconds when I’m trying to pull away from…

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Discovery 5 with a clean service history but I still don’t trust the air suspension, am I overthinking this?

Been eyeing this 2018 Discovery HSE Luxury at a dealer over in Ras Al Khor for a few days now and I’ve gone to see it twice already because the interior is just so nice and the third row actually fits actual adults which is rare, but…

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My Vantage decided to throw a check engine light on the way to Saadiyat and I nearly had a heart attack

Took my 2015 V8 Vantage out for a nice early morning drive along the Corniche last Saturday before the traffic got mental and I was genuinely having a lovely time until that little orange engine shaped demon appeared on the dash right as I…

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Navigator brakes squealing after a desert drive, is that normal or did I cook something?

Took the family out to Qudra last weekend for a bit of a sunset picnic and the Navigator handled the soft sand tracks without breaking a sweat which I expected from a big American V8 but ever since we got back onto the tarmac I’ve noticed this faint…

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Anyone tried those eco friendly spill pads or are they just a gimmick that falls apart

I was filling out some supplier sustainability questionnaire the other day and one of the sections asked about our spill response waste disposal which got me thinking about the mountain of used polypropylene socks and pads we toss every month and whether…

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Found a place that claims to rebuild air struts for Audis, anyone tried them or is this too good to be true?

I’ve been doing that thing where you google a problem your car doesn’t even have yet just because you read about it on a forum and now you’re convinced it’s going to happen to you, and in my case it’s the air suspension on my 2018 Q7…

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Been chasing this annoying front end noise on my 2010 5 Series for months, every time I’d go over a speed hump or a rough patch of road near Al Quoz there was this hollow clunking sound that made the car feel like it was falling apart, and I had two different mechanics tell me it was everything from the sway bar links to the steering rack which…

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Navigator battery died while I was picking up the kids, any mobile guys in Dubai that carry the right size?

So there I was in the school pickup line over in Umm Suqeim yesterday afternoon, engine off with the AC blasting while I waited for my daughter to come out like I always do, and when I went to start the Navigator again it just gave me a…

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Anyone else’s Renault paint fading faster than they expected? My Koleos is looking rough.

Bought a 2020 Koleos in that deep blue color a couple years ago thinking it would hold up okay but the roof and the hood are starting to look chalky and flat and I’m pretty sure it’s just the Abu Dhabi sun eating through whatever clear coat Renault put on…

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So I’ve been talking to a private seller about a 2018 Ghost that’s been on my radar for a few weeks now and on paper it’s exactly what I want, low miles and the right color combo but every time I bring up taking it to a shop just to have a look underneath before we close the deal he gets all cagey and says he doesn’t want strangers “messing…

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So my Golf R just hit the 5k mark since the last service and the reminder light is already pinging me every time I start it up which feels kind of ridiculous honestly because I’m running full synthetic Liqui Moly but I guess the heat and the stop start traffic on the Corniche just eats through everything faster than it would back in Europe. I…

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