Job Discussion Forums

Arab Strap · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 246 Location: under your bed

I'm due to return to KSA in August and need a wee bit of advice re. driving license.

My current KSA license runs out in 2006 and I'm reluctant to exchange my EU licence for a new KSA one.

Will I be able to prolong my current KSA licence without having to go through the test again (the first time round took weeks and was a total nightmare)?

And while we're at it what's the best car hire firm to go with (by best I mean the cheapest)? I managed to get away with 850SAR a month last time round for a late model Hyundi Accent. That was on the inshallah that I would take the car for at least 3 months.

I'm not looking to buy as I find second hand cars in KSA to be a wee bit expensive esp. Japanese makes and you're often left at the mercy of dodgy mechanics if you're Arabic/Urdu/Turkish is not up to scratch, or as in my case non-existent.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

I don't understand any of your problems over the license. If your KSA one is still valid all you need to do is renew it.

And you don't 'exhange' your EU one for a KSA one. They give you the KSA one on the basis of the EU one.

Post the address of the car hire firm that only charged 850SR. Most I know charge SR 1200 minimum. You pay 850SR a month over five years when you buy the car.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

You can do a monthly payment deal on a number of different vehicles. A new Chevrolet ( admittedly a small one) is yours for 690 a month (Riyals that is)

Arab Strap · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 246 Location: under your bed

Thanks for putting me right there Stephen, nothing to worry about then.

Scot, that seems a hell of a deal there on a Chevy, surely that must be after a hefty deposit?

The car hire company where I got the sweet deal was:

http://www.hanco-ksa.com/

admittedly this was 4 years ago and I was one of a group of four from the same institute renting there, hence the discount...............they did however set me up with a nice big Toyota for the price of a compact as all of their "shopping trolleys" were out on hire.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

will post more when I am not so busy

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

The Aveo is only a Chevvy in name, like its slightly less ugly elder sibling the Optra.

GM took over some Korean car company so undistinguished that it wasn't even worth keeping its name (any car company with a reputation for reliability below that of the Americans must be mediocre indeed).

Good instalment terms though; now that KIAs and Hyundais are going up in price I might be buying one next semester.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Hyundais are great little cars. I bought an Elantra in 2001 just as their star was starting to rise out of the ashes of their pitiful first attempts. They are now beating out Toyota and Honda in reliability and customer satisfaction ratings for the last 2 years. I have noted their prices rising over here too.

How is the resale value going on them over there? When I left in 2001, it was still Japanese or nothing...

VS

Jim Bigelow · Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 175 Location: KSA

Just wondering what one has to go through to renew one's driving license? Is it a simple thing...does that sound like a stupid question, lol!

Arab Strap · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 246 Location: under your bed

The Korean company you are refering to is Daewoo.

While their cars are fine for the run down to your local Asda they're far from suited to Saudi roads and indeed Saudi drivers.

In Jeddah I saw a Daewoo Matiz spliced in two after hitting a water truck, the driver was similarly bisected.

They may have changed their name but I'd feel safer behind the wheel of a 1978 Caprice than any of these Nouveau Chevys.