Cazro Report | Real Data
UAE Used Car Condition Report 2026: What Cazro Inspection Reports Reveal
We compiled the results of the comprehensive pre-purchase inspection reports carried out by the Cazro team across all emirates between December 2025 and October 2026, to show in numbers the most common problems found in used cars for sale — and what they mean for you as a buyer.
By: Cazro Inspection Team · Published: · Last updated:
The 30-Second Summary
- Only 13% of cars had no major finding; 87% had at least one.
- 69% had been repainted, and in 80% of those the repaint included body filler.
- 47% had stored ECU fault codes, and 80% of those showed no dashboard warning light.
- 38% showed impact or repair signs on the chassis or structure, and 40% of those had no recorded accident on the chassis-number check.
- 51% had an oil leak in the engine, gearbox or differential.
Major finding = repaint, chassis/structure repair signs, recorded accident, oil leak, or stored fault codes.
69%
Repainted
55%
Repaint with body filler
51%
Oil leak
47%
Stored ECU fault codes
38%
Engine or gearbox opened before
38%
Chassis/structure repair signs
36%
Recorded accident
13%
No major findings
Most Common Findings in Inspection Reports
| Finding | Share |
|---|---|
| Repaint (at least one panel) | 69% |
| Engine oil or brake fluid needs attention | 59% |
| Repaint with body filler | 55% |
| Oil leak (engine, gearbox or differential) | 51% |
| Stored ECU fault codes | 47% |
| Steering box, steering boots or axle boots issues | 43% |
| Engine oil leak | 43% |
| Engine or gearbox opened before | 38% |
| Chassis / structure impact or repair signs | 38% |
| Accident record on chassis-number (VIN) check | 36% |
| Engine opened before | 33% |
| Gearbox opened before | 24% |
| Gearbox oil leak | 23% |
| Advised to check with the traffic department before buying (registration test) | 21% |
| Tyre issues | 20% |
| Underbody coating applied to the chassis | 19% |
| Radiator coolant issues | 18% |
| Chassis rust | 16% |
| Dashboard warning lights on | 12% |
One car can have several findings, so the percentages add up to more than 100%. Surface scratches appeared on 87% of cars and are not counted as a major finding.
Repaint and Body Filler: 69% of Cars
We measured the paint thickness of every panel. At least one repainted panel was found on 69% of cars, and in 80% of those cases the repaint included body filler — meaning the panel had bodywork repair, not just a scratch removed. A repaint alone doesn't make a car bad, but location matters: a repaint on a door or fender is different from one on the pillars, roof or near the chassis. That's why every report includes a colour map for each panel.
Chassis, Structure and Recorded Accidents
Impact or repair signs on the chassis or structure appeared on 38% of cars, and a recorded accident showed up on the chassis-number check for 36%. But the record doesn't tell the whole story: 40% of cars with chassis or structure repair signs had no recorded accident, and 53% of repainted cars had no recorded accident. Even among cars with a clean record, 62% had a repaint or structural repair signs. A chassis-number check is an important step, but it doesn't replace physically inspecting the structure and paint.
Car Computer: Faults the Dashboard Doesn't Show
We found stored fault codes in the control units of 47% of cars, while warning lights were on in only 12%. In other words, 80% of cars with fault codes gave the driver no warning at all. Some codes are minor; others point to engine, gearbox or safety-system problems — which is why we attach the computer scan as a PDF and explain the most important codes to you.
Leaks and Previously Opened Engines or Gearboxes
An oil leak in the engine, gearbox or differential was found on 51% of cars (43% engine, 23% gearbox). Signs that the engine or gearbox had been opened before appeared on 38% (33% engine, 24% gearbox). An opened engine or gearbox doesn't necessarily mean a current problem, but it calls for asking why and how well the repair was done — and it can affect the car's value.
Other Findings Worth Attention
- 43% had steering box, steering boot or axle boot issues
- 59% needed attention to engine oil or brake fluid
- 20% had tyre issues
- 19% had an underbody coating on the chassis, which can hide rust or repairs
- 18% had radiator coolant issues, and 16% had chassis rust
- 21% of reports advised checking with the traffic department before buying to make sure the car passes the registration test
How Many Major Findings Does One Car Have?
| Findings | Share |
|---|---|
| 0 | 13% |
| 1 | 15% |
| 2 | 21% |
| 3 | 24% |
| 4 | 19% |
| 5 | 7% |
51% of cars had 3 or more of the five major finding types.
Condition by Model Year
| Model year | No major findings | Repaint | Chassis/structure | Accident record | Oil leak | ECU codes | Engine/gearbox opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≤2014 | 2% | 91% | 36% | 42% | 87% | 55% | 66% |
| 2015–2018 | 3% | 89% | 46% | 44% | 69% | 58% | 60% |
| 2019–2021 | 11% | 65% | 43% | 39% | 44% | 49% | 27% |
| 2022+ | 32% | 43% | 27% | 24% | 17% | 31% | 8% |
The older the car, the more findings — but newer cars aren't free of them: in 2022-and-newer models, 43% had a repaint and 27% had structural repair signs, and only 32% had no major finding. Even for 2024-and-newer models, only 40% had no major finding.
By Mileage
| Mileage (km) | No major findings | Repaint | Chassis/structure | Accident record | Oil leak | ECU codes | Engine/gearbox opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <50,000 | 29% | 47% | 29% | 25% | 25% | 43% | 21% |
| 50,000–100,000 | 13% | 64% | 33% | 34% | 47% | 41% | 28% |
| 100,000–150,000 | 4% | 86% | 46% | 39% | 63% | 55% | 35% |
| 150,000–200,000 | 4% | 87% | 40% | 48% | 68% | 59% | 51% |
| 200,000+ | 0% | 95% | 49% | 59% | 79% | 64% | 78% |
Cars under 50,000 km were in the best shape (29% with no major finding), while no car above 200,000 km came out without a major finding — and 78% of them showed signs of an opened engine or gearbox.
Luxury Cars vs Other Cars
| Finding | Luxury cars | Other cars |
|---|---|---|
| No major findings | 17% | 11% |
| Repaint | 63% | 75% |
| Chassis/structure | 30% | 42% |
| Accident record | 25% | 43% |
| Oil leak | 53% | 50% |
| ECU codes | 52% | 44% |
| Engine/gearbox opened | 31% | 43% |
| Traffic-department notice | 10% | 28% |
Luxury cars had fewer accident and chassis signs, but more fault codes (52% vs 44%) because of their many electronic systems, and they take slightly longer to inspect (median 40 minutes vs 35).
By Brand
| Brand | No major findings | Repaint | Chassis/structure | Accident record | Oil leak | ECU codes | Engine/gearbox opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan | 7% | 79% | 40% | 53% | 52% | 43% | 50% |
| Mercedes-Benz | 15% | 63% | 27% | 22% | 57% | 60% | 40% |
| Lexus | 14% | 78% | 59% | 37% | 47% | 29% | 28% |
| Toyota | 26% | 65% | 41% | 30% | 33% | 33% | 33% |
These figures reflect cars of varying ages and mileage that our customers asked us to inspect; they say nothing about the brand's quality. We only show brands for which we have enough reports.
The Cars We Inspected Most
Brand share
- Nissan20%
- Mercedes-Benz13%
- Lexus8%
- Toyota7%
- Ford6%
- GMC4%
- Chevrolet4%
- Dodge3%
- BMW3%
- Porsche3%
Most inspected models (by rank)
- Nissan Patrol
- Nissan Altima
- Ford Mustang
- Nissan Patrol Safari (VTC)
- GMC Sierra
- Mercedes-AMG G 63
- Toyota Land Cruiser
- Land Rover Defender
- Jeep Wrangler
- Dodge Charger
52% of cars were 2019 models or newer, the median odometer reading was about 100,000 km, and 93% had an automatic transmission.
How to Read the Paint Map in a Cazro Report
- White = original paint
- Green = repainted
- Red = repaint with filler
- Yellow = heavy repaint
- Blue = replaced panel
What This Means for Buyers
- Don't rely on how the car looks or on dashboard lights — ask for a computer scan
- A chassis-number check helps but doesn't reveal every repair; physically inspect the structure and paint
- Ask why any repaint or repair was done, and request service invoices if available
- Use the report's findings to negotiate the price or ask for repairs before buying
- On high-mileage cars, watch for leaks and signs of an opened engine or gearbox
- Check the registration-test requirements before completing the purchase
Methodology
- Source: comprehensive pre-purchase inspection reports carried out by the Cazro team across all emirates between December 2025 and October 2026
- Each finding is counted once per car, regardless of how many parts are affected
- The repaint and filler rates in the summary are based on all reports that included paint-thickness measurement, including paint-only requests; the detailed tables are based on comprehensive inspection reports
- Recorded accident = result of the chassis-number accident check; fault codes = codes stored in the computer scan
- Luxury cars here: Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Lexus, Land Rover/Range Rover, Audi, Jaguar, Infiniti, Genesis, Cadillac, Lincoln, Maserati, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, McLaren
- Data limits: these are cars our customers asked us to inspect, so they don't represent the entire UAE market; the report describes the car's condition at the time of inspection; percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number
- Inspection time: median 37 minutes, and 9 out of 10 inspections finished within 55 minutes
Questions About This Report
Do these figures represent every used car in the UAE?
No. They are the results for cars our customers asked us to inspect before buying, but they give a realistic picture of what you may find during an inspection.
Does a repaint mean the car had a major accident?
Not always. A repaint may only fix a minor scratch. What matters is where the repaint is and whether there is body filler or signs on the chassis and structure — which the report shows.
Why don't some accidents show up in a chassis-number check?
Because some repairs are done without an accident being recorded. In our reports, 40% of cars with chassis or structure repair signs had no recorded accident.
Are dashboard warning lights enough to reveal faults?
No. 80% of the cars where we found stored fault codes had no warning light on.
Can I use the report's figures in an article or research?
Yes, as long as you credit the source and link to this page.
Cite This Report
Cazro (2026). UAE Used Car Condition Report 2026. https://cazro.ae/en/used-car-condition-report-uae
Or embed the infographic on your site:
<a href="https://cazro.ae/en/used-car-condition-report-uae"><img src="https://cazro.ae/images/report/used-car-condition-report-uae-2026-infographic-en.webp" alt="Cazro UAE Used Car Condition Report 2026 infographic" width="1080" height="1350" /></a>
Inspect the Car Before You Pay
Send us the listing link or the car's location, and we'll arrange the inspection in any emirate.