The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) has issued several tips for consumers in order to educate them about purchasing new vehicles.
This is in line with the efforts made by the MEC to “educate the community on different life aspects and help its members make appropriate decisions”, the ministry has stressed in a press statement.
The MEC has advised consumers to take into consideration a number of important factors before purchasing a new vehicle, as reflected in the tips offered by the ministry.
The key issues include deciding on the purpose of the vehicle, deciding on a brand and model that suits the budget, comparing the specifications of more than one vehicle, taking advantage of offers by distributors, car showrooms and dealers, conducting a test drive before buying a car, and ensuring the existence of advanced safety systems.
In addition, the MEC has emphasised the importance of the signed written acknowledgement issued by the ministry, which proves the buyer’s full acknowledgement of the status of a car and clarifies that any defects or repairs have been carried out before it was sold.
Statistics have shown the entry of 67,000 newly manufactured private vehicles into the Qatari market in 2015, compared to 30,807 newly manufactured private vehicles through June this year, the MEC statement notes.
Further, the statement says global statistics show that 48% of consumers require 1-3 months to decide on the type of vehicle they wish to purchase. While more than 72mn vehicles were sold in 2015 worldwide, the number is expected to exceed 74mn in 2016.