The concept of car ownership is becoming more flexible and hassle-free. Ranging from different payment methods to renting and subscribing to cars, owning a car is convenient in the UAE. That said, the car subscription is a relatively modern concept of owning the rights to a vehicle for a limited period. It is different from car rental, as in subscription, the users have to pay a fixed amount to access the vehicle for months or even years. In simple words, a car subscription offers you a vehicle with full access and without any hassle of ownership like maintenance, registration and others.
Let’s take a closer look at car ownership in the UAE, its pros and cons and charges.
Car Ownership Vs Car Leasing Vs Car Subscription
Here are all the differences between car ownership, leasing and subscription.
Car Ownership
Car ownership is a traditional way of owning a car purchased directly from the dealer by paying all the finances. In car ownership, the users have complete rights to the vehicle, they can resell, customise or can even modify the vehicle at their convenience. Moreover, buyers are also responsible for paying additional costs of owning a car in Dubai and other Emirates.
Car Leasing
Moving forward, in car leasing, the lessee signs a long-term contract with the dealer and pays monthly charges to leverage the vehicle. At the end of the lease contract, the lessee returns the vehicle to the dealer. However, it involves strict conditions on vehicle usage and its maintenance while it is being used by the lessee. If you are interested in leasing a car, here are some options to lease a car in the UAE.
Car Subscription
The car subscription is somewhat similar to car leasing, but it is more flexible. The subscribers are exempted from signing a lease agreement, rather they can directly opt for the service by accepting the companies’ terms and conditions. Moreover, the subscribers can inscribe the service anytime or change the vehicle as per their requirements. The subscription is generally inclusive of roadside assistance, maintenance and insurance.
Pros and Cons of Car Subscription
Similar to buying and leasing a car, a vehicle subscription comes up with its own pros and cons. Here we have listed some pros and cons of car subscriptions to elaborate further.
Pros of Car Subscription
Mentioned below are the pros of car service subscriptions in the Emirate.
Inclusive Package
Generally, the car subscription in Emirate is offered with an all-inclusive package excluding fuel to the subscribers. That said, the subscribers are exempted from spending additional money on the vehicle like buying insurance, car maintenance or repair.
Doorstep Delivery and Pickup
When availing of a monthly car subscription you can opt for their doorstep services. The company will drop and pick up the car from your doorstep exempting you from visiting the dealer.
Vehicle Swapping
Few car subscription companies offer unlimited vehicle swapping as per your need. For instance; if you have subscribed for a mid-size sedan, you can swap it up with an off-roader and vice versa. However, remember that companies may charge additional fees for vehicle swapping.
Cons of Car Subscription
Now that the pros of car subscriptions are out of your way, let’s discuss some cons of car subscriptions.
Monthly Fee
The subscription companies charge subscribers for every additional service they provide. Therefore, the monthly subscription charges surpass the cost of owning or leasing a vehicle. In simple words, the price difference between owning or leasing a car and a car subscription is not significant.
Certain Limitations
Companies may impose certain limitations and restrictions on the subscriber for using the vehicle. This can be travelling to other Emirates or using a subscribed car to travel to nearby countries. The conditions may vary from company to company, and not every company needs to impose harsh conditions on the subscribers.
Subtle Charges
Car subscription companies offer a wide range of premium services to their customers. However, these services come with a cost that is included in your monthly bill. Other subtle charges may include penalties for accidents or delayed monthly payments.
Process of Car Subscription in the UAE
The process of car monthly subscription varies from service provider to service provider. However, for your convenience, here we have mentioned a generalised monthly car subscription process.
- Download the mobile app of your preferred service provider and log in to your account.
- Select the required vehicle and payment plan.
- Upload all the necessary documents like Emirates ID, driving licence, passport and visa.
- Complete the process and the vehicle will be delivered to your doorstep.
Cost of Monthly Car Subscription
The cost of monthly car subsections depends on the type of vehicle and the time period you have booked the vehicle for. According to a rough estimation, subscribing to a Toyota Corolla starts from AED 2,000; whereas, the starting price of an Audi A3 is AED 3,000.
Remember that these prices are a rough estimation of the price and they may or may not represent the actual market price. Therefore, it is suggested to approach your car subscription company prior to opting for the service.
FAQs
What is included in my car subscription?
Generally, the car subscription includes car insurance, regular maintenance, roadside assistance, online assistance by the subscriber and doorstep delivery/pickup.
Do I need a UAE driving licence to drive a subscribed car?
If you are a resident of the UAE then a valid UAE driving licence is necessary to drive a subscribed car. However, if you are a tourist, you must have an international driving licence to avail of the services.
What to do if I hit a subscribed car?
In case of a subscribed car accident, you must follow these steps.
- First, call the police on 999 immediately.
- Obtain a police report of the accident.
- Inform the subscriber regarding the accident, provide them with the police report and they will arrange another vehicle for you.
This was all about the car subscription in the UAE. The car subscription is a relatively new concept of owning a vehicle for a limited time period. It comes up with multiple services catered by the company that reduces the hassle of the subscriber. However, some companies might charge additional fees for every service along with certain conditions like limited mileage. If you are not interested in adhering to these conditions, you can browse through these used cars for sale in the UAE and buy your own car and drive it without any limitations.
Stay tuned to dubizzle’s auto blog for more information on subscription model cars.
Related Posts
