Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Importing used cars? Comply with norms

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Muscat, March 31 - Residents and citizens of Oman have been urged to follow the guidelines laid out by authorities when importing vehicles.


“Citizens and residents wishing to import vehicles from outside the Sultanate should check their safety standards as listed in the ROP guidelines,” said a statement issued last week.


According to sources in the auto industry, not all accidents are due to driver negligence.


It could also be due to fake spare parts and poor roadworthiness of the vehicle.


Royal Oman Police (ROP) said the importers should ensure the vehicles have not met with any serious accident or suffered damage due to disasters such as floods, fires or cyclone.


It said the vehicles should only have a light shade on the exterior; any types of glittering paint should be avoided.


The legal permissible level for tinting is 30 per cent.


All vehicles should clear technical evaluation by the competent authorities.


Used car owners told the Observer that despite the guidelines, introduced in 2015, there have been apprehensions about some vehicles being brought into Oman from the troubled zones.


“It is important for buyers to be cautious when purchasing used cars. People should get them checked by an experienced technician. There are websites that offer their past history these days,” said Ali, the manager of a used car showroom in Ghala.


He added, “The chances of fraud have been minimised because of rules and tough monitoring by the ROP.


But at the end, it is the buyer’s responsibility.”


The law permits expatriates to import one used private vehicle for personal use and the importer person shall not be less than 18 years, which is the legal age for driving in Oman.


“I had good experience from the cars I have imported through a friend from the UAE. But we need to check with a garage technician to avoid any regret in future,” said Mussalam, who got a sports car at a ‘good’ price.


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