The demand for used cars in the UAE has grown to such an extent this year that Al-Futtaim Honda has a waiting list for customers opting for old over new.
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"We actually cannot place used cars quickly enough," said Mark Kass, the regional managing director at Al-Futtaim Honda. "We are taking forward orders on used cars because people are saying if you can find one at the right price I will buy it."
Mr Kass has "massive hope" for used cars and aims to increase sales threefold next year to make up 15 per cent of total sales.
These plans are not unique to Honda. All the major dealerships have begun to focus on used cars as their next big revenue earner.
This year, there has been a flurry of used-car showroom launches or schemes that offer pre-owned cars approved by the manufacturer. Arabian Automobiles, Al Habtoor Motors and Al Tayer Motors have invested in the market.
Arabian Automobiles, which opened a showroom in March for Nissan, Renault and Infiniti models, conducted a review of the overall UAE market and found that last year just a quarter of the 650 used-car dealers were professional garages affiliated with major manufacturers, while the majority were small independent sellers. Many cars are also sold directly to buyers through websites such as Dubizzle.com.
Buying habits are reflecting the global economic picture and customers are now ready to buy used vehicles rather than overspend.
New car buyers are also becoming more cautious and understanding their limits, Mr Kass said.
"Buying habits are changing in the UAE," he said. "Customers weren't interested in looking in a book of cars before, but now, not only are they prepared to pay a down payment, they'll wait three months for delivery. People are prepared to wait for a car until January. That may be normal with a Bentley, but not with a semi-volume brand."
Honda has created a waiting list for used cars because its Hertz car rental company is also under Al-Futtaim and sells its leased cars every 18 months, effectively guaranteeing Honda a supply.
Honda launched its approved-used-car scheme in June at its Airport Road dealership in Abu Dhabi and plans to extend it across the UAE.
"Because of the shortage of cars, we are focusing more on used cars," Mr Kass said. "We've gone from zero cars sold in June to 30 in October."
Honda still has only 60 per cent of its usual supply after the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan that disrupted car production, so the brand has had to come up with initiatives to ease the supply problem. One of these has been the used-car segment.
rjones@thenational.ae
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Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
Rashid & Rajab
Director: Mohammed Saeed Harib
Stars: Shadi Alfons, Marwan Abdullah, Doaa Mostafa Ragab
Two stars out of five
Company%C2%A0profile
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Five hymns the crowds can join in
Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday
Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir
Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium
‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song
‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar
‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion
‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope
The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’
There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia
The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ
They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening
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Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
THREE
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Read more from Aya Iskandarani
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
