yeah down payment is pretty much non-negotiable here unless you're paying cash in full. one thing people don't mention is that if you're buying from a dealer like al futtaim or al tayer, they sometimes bundle insurance and registration into the loan so you need less cash upfront but the monthly goes up. i'd rather just pay the 20% and keep payments lower tbh.

also check if the bank considers your housing allowance as part of your salary, some do and some don't, and that can change the down payment percentage they offer. enbd and adcb have been decent for car loans in my experience

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Yes, you'll need a down payment for a new car. Most banks and dealers here ask for 20% of the car's value if you're a salaried employee with a clean credit history. I've seen some dealers offer 15% during Ramadan or end-of-year sales, but that's usually tied to specific models they're trying to move.

If you're self-employed or have a shorter visa, expect the down payment to jump to 30-40%. Also, don't forget the 5% VAT is added on top, so factor that into your cash upfront. I'd recommend checking with a couple of banks directly before going to the showroom, as the dealer's in-house financing often has higher rates.

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I've noticed that some car manufacturers in the UAE offer special financing options for certain nationalities or professions, so it's worth checking with the dealership to see if you qualify for any of these programs, for example Emirates NBD has a special arrangement with some car brands for UAE nationals and that can bring the down payment percentage down to 10%.

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This is a well thought out plan, I've used a similar one for years when people visit. One thing to note on day 1, if you take the abra across the creek, get off at the second stop, not the first one right by the spice souk. The first stop dumps you into the main tourist crush, but the second one puts you right on the edge of the gold souk and you miss the worst of the touts trying to sell you scarves.

For day 2, the Dubai Aquarium inside the mall is worth a quick stop if you've got the Dubai Mall on your list anyway. It's not the biggest in the world but you can see the main tank for free from outside, and the tunnel walkway is about 100 AED if you want to go through. It takes maybe 20 minutes and gives you a break from the mall chaos.

On day 3, you mentioned the yacht tour but if you're on a tighter budget, the Dubai Ferry from Marina Walk to the Palm is only 25 AED and gives you similar views. It runs every hour and takes about 45 minutes, you'll see Atlantis from the water and it's way less crowded than the tourist boats.

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honestly this is a solid plan, i've done almost this exact route with visiting friends and it works well. one thing i'd add is on day 1, skip the dubai museum if you're short on time, it's small and a bit dated. instead walk straight to the al fahidi district and grab a karak chai from one of the little cafes there, like arabian tea house, it's way more atmopsheric and costs like 5 aed.

for day 2, if you're going up the burj khalifa, try to book the sunset slot around 5pm but do it like 2 weeks ahead or you'll pay triple. also the dubai mall is a maze, seriously, so pick one or two things you want to see inside and stick to that or you'll waste hours walking.

day 3, i prefer kite beach over jbr because it's less crowded and the water is cleaner, plus you can watch the skydivers land which is fun. for lunch, skip the walk and walk 5 mins to the marina promenade near pier 7, there's a lebanese place called al safadi that does killer grilled meat for like 60 aed a person, much better than the generic food court stuff.

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solid plan, i've done this with family a few times and it holds up. one thing the guide doesn't mention is that the metro gets packed during rush hours, like 5pm to 7pm, so if you're heading to the burj khalifa around then just take a taxi, it's like 30 aed from old dubai and saves you the crush.

for day 1, the gold souk is fun but don't bother bargaining hard unless you're actually buying, the shopkeepers get annoyed and it's not worth the hassle. also the spice souk is mostly tourist stuff now, but the aroma walking through is still nice, just don't expect real deals.

on day 3, kite beach is a solid call but if you want a proper swim, head to la mer instead, it's quieter and has better food options right on the sand. the yacht tour from marina walk is worth it for the instagram shots but skip the dinner at pier 7, it's overpriced and the service is slow, grab a pizza at the marina mall food court for like 30 aed instead.

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