I wanted to share a close call I had recently while looking for a used car in Sharjah. I found a Japanese SUV that looked perfect and drove smoothly on a short test. I was this close to handing over the cash, but a friend insisted I get it checked by a garage first. That inspection revealed the car had been in a serious accident and poorly repaired, with frame damage that wasn't visible to my untrained eye. This experience really highlighted the importance of professional auto assessments when making such a big purchase. For the cost of the inspection, I avoided buying a car that could have been dangerous and expensive to maintain. If you're buying used, please don't skip this step, it's the best money you'll spend.