Luxury cars worth hundreds of thousands of dirhams can be found gathering dust on roadsides across Dubai, the remnants of the city-state’s economic boom that was brought to an abrupt halt by the global financial crisis.

 

 

 

 

 

A few miles down the road in another residential district called Al-Barsha, a Porsche Boxster is parked with keys in the ignition. On the passenger seat are documents for a 144,000-dirham ($39,200) loan taken out at a Dubai bank

 

 

 

There is a "regular astonishing sight" at Dubai's international airport, says Mark Hollingsworth in ES Magazine: dozens of luxury cars – Mercedes, Porsches, BMWs, etc – abandoned with their keys still in the ignition. In some cases, notes of apology are taped to the windscreens.

 

Edited February 1, 201115 yr by JeffTT

Saw a thread about a jag 220 just sitting there. If I went to Dubai I'd be driving back! lol

(Not in a beemer tho'!)

thats almost eary really.

The owners of these vehicles are mainly British expatriates, who have left in a hurry because they faced "crippling debts" as a result of Dubai's financial meltdown and their own profligate behaviour. Many of them, says Hollingsworth, have defaulted on loans; rather than risk arrest and jail, they drove at top speed to the airport where they jumped on the first flight to London.

 

 

Those expats lucky enough to escape the country -- and debtors prison -- abandoned some of the finest automobiles ever manufactured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my sister lives there and its all shite....saw this a while ago and i phoned her up straight away to put my order in for a tow truck to grab one but theres nothing about:online2long:

OMG............ a Delorean....... My fav.

 

al.

I dont understand why they are all just sat there?

I dont understand why they are all just sat there?

 

bought on finance then ditched mate. A bit like the DFS sofas you get on the sides of motorways here. lol

bought on finance then ditched mate. A bit like the DFS sofas you get on the sides of motorways here. lol

 

:lol:

 

so you could just hitch one up and nick it, no-one will bat an eyelid? :shifty:

such a waste :cry:

:lol:

 

so you could just hitch one up and nick it, no-one will bat an eyelid? :shifty:

 

worth a try mate, let me know how you get on :ph34r:

A friend of mine works in Dubai and this is something thats happening daily and some of those pics dont give you the scale of some of the abandoned cars lol.

Dubai used to be the place to be if you worked for a big corporate or construction etc.. but the minute you lose your job you have about 90 days to find another and if you cant support yourself you have to leave. No benefits or freeloading there lol.

But the downfall of having stuff on tick as said above, you are not allowed by law to go into debt as its considered fraudulent/theft, so you would go to a debtors court to arrange how a debt would be paid, no way of paying means prison, which is why most people in trouble just leave everything behind and get out.

 

I was there years ago and it was vibrant, OTT and fun, but as always, the fun dont last forever and the bubble burst, for now anyway.

I'm going next week for work. Can I just drive one around?!?!?!

I wouldnt risk it lol. Who you gigging with?

Didn't think it would be a good idea! Out with Alison Moyet for the jazz festival. hope all is good with you mate

Cool, would love to do some of those gigs :winkiss:

 

Really quiet on the corporate front, having to get on the phone myself now lol, to chase work as the office who are suposed to work on my behalf are also finding it tough. To be honest its tough everywhere, but as you know entertainment is one of the first luxuries to go.:thumbdown:

 

Glad its going well for you, maybe come the summer you might want another zed.:yes:

 

Cheers

Graham