If you have ever visited a used car market, you probably know that cars registered in Karachi are always cheaper than those registered in northern cities like Islamabad and Lahore. But why is that? And should you avoid buying a Karachi-registered car?
Note: I’ve personally verified the data in this blog from Suneel Munj through WhatsApp.
First, look at some examples.
The above are just two examples of Mehran VXR and Corolla GLi. You can notice that Karachi-registered models offer better value for money than Lahore-registered models.
The whole used car market works like that. Karachi cars are always cheaper than cars registered in Northern cities for a variety of reasons. Here’s a breakdown:
Rusting Issues in Karachi Cars
Karachi’s environment has high humidity, generally 60-70% throughout the year. This level of moisture is sufficient for metals to react with oxygen and water molecules in the air, causing them to oxidize and rust.
The high humidity is not the sole reason for high rust; the city’s water also has high pH levels, commonly known as acidic or hard water. When cars are washed with this water, the high amount of minerals in hard water accelerates the oxidation of metal, leading to faster rust and corrosion.
Generally, cars in Karachi start showing signs of rust within 2 to 4 years of purchase, whereas vehicles in Northern cities like Lahore and Islamabad can remain relatively unrusted even after 9 to 12 years of their purchase.
We all know that a car’s resale value depends a lot on its body’s rust condition; the more rust in the body, the less resale value.
Bad Road Conditions in Karachi
You know how bad the roads of Karachi are. Only a few patches of Shahrah-e-Faisal are in good condition. Otherwise, the majority of roads in Karachi are broken, uneven, and overall in the worst conditions.
These roads damage the suspension, wear out the tires faster, misalign the steel rims, or crack the alloy rims. In severe cases, Karachi’s roads can even damage the car’s suspension mounts, also known as “cuppa” in the local language; if that happens, it’ll misalign the whole alignment of your car, which can never be repaired.
This factor also negatively affects a car’s resale value, which is another reason why Karachi cars have low resale value.
High Crime Ratio of Karachi
Karachi and street crime have a very long and good relationship with each other; we can also say it is a GTA city in Pakistan.
It’s common for thieves to steal car tires, side mirrors, and an infotainment system in night, and if they’re feeling extra ambitious, why not just drive off with the whole car?
For these reasons, cars with Karachi number plates in other cities are known as VIP Passes for thorough inspection by Excise, Traffic Wardens, Police, and Rangers. They see those Karachi plates and think, “Another potential thief on the loose,” and this factor further reduces the resale of Karachi-registered cars.
Registration Issues
Another struggle is transferring a Sindh-registered car. To transfer the car in your own name, you’ve to physically visit the corresponding Excise office from where the vehicle was registered.
Furthermore, if you intend to transfer your car to Punjab, you must submit an application to the Sindh Excise that you are a resident of Punjab and wish to transfer the vehicle there. Once the Sindh Excise approves your request, they will release your file, and you can transfer it anywhere in Punjab. All this process is manual and requires you to visit the Excise office both times.
Note that even after transferring, your number plate will remain the same, i.e., Sindh’s number plate, even though it’s now a Punjab-registered car.
This section is sourced from Suneel Munj; listen to it yourself!
That’s another factor why Sindh-registered cars have lower value in Punjab, as the new owner will be required to travel 500-1100 Km to Karachi to transfer the vehicle.
Myths About Karachi Registered Cars
Here are some myths that we’ll burst and confirm regarding Karachi-registered cars:
Karachi Registered cars don’t sell easily
This is not true. They might sell at 10-30% lower rates than Punjab-registered cars, but they do have a market, the same as Punjab-registered vehicles. It’s just that some people would prefer Punjab registrations, and some would save money by going with Sindh-registered cars.
Myth Busted!
Police Always Stop Sindh Registered Cars
If you happen to be cruising by a police checkpoint with a Sindh number plate, the police will likely roll out the red carpet for you, but not always, “most likely.” However, It’s not like the police or Excise are always going to throw a roadblock every time on you.
Myth 50/50 busted and confirmed.
If a Karachi Registered Car is Transferred to Punjab, its Resale Value Would be the Same as a Natively Punjab Registered Car
Even after you move your car to Punjab, the number plate stays the same, i.e., the Sindh number plate. So, to most people, it’ll keep looking like a Sindh car unless they dig deeper or you spill the beans that it’s a Punjab-registered car. Sure, it might fetch a slightly better price when you sell, but it doesn’t quite have that native Punjab registered resale with a Punjab number plate.
Myth busted!
I do’t know if it’s awkward or a mistake, the PH must be lower than 7 to be acidic, that mean low level of PH to be acidic and not high, High level mean basic PH.
And all the cars are normaly treated to avoid rust during production, for at least 10 to 20 years, to rust in merely 2 to 4 years the problems is with the production maybe ?
And we can use products like WD40, to apply it in some part of the cars to avoid rust as well mold.
I don’t know if it’s awkward or a mistake, the PH must be lower than 7 to be acidic, that mean low level of PH to be acidic and not high, High level mean basic PH.
And all the cars are normaly treated to avoid rust during production, for at least 10 to 20 years, to rust in merely 2 to 4 years the problems is with the production maybe ?
And we can use products like WD40, to apply it in some part of the cars to avoid rust as well mold.
Dear author in Sindh province it is vice versa, over here, you would find plenty of ISL and Lahore registered cars available at cheaper rates, so the problem is not with Sindh registered cars, the issue is ease of re-transferring it or something. Also, car thefts across Pakistan are rampant, I remember only few months ago PW publishing an article and telling us that DHA Lahore is becoming a safe heaven for car thieves so, again the problem is not specific to Karachi only. Besides, you claim that 2 or 4 years after purchasing a car its gets rusted, well that is not true, especially if you have its underside oiled after every three or four months. By doing that, you could extend your car’s life considerably.
Lastly, you claim that every road in Karachi other than Shahra e Faisal is broken, well, you are so far from truth because firstly, Karachi Nazmiabad, Bahadurabad, Liaqatabad areas are in okay condition. Besides, Karachi is larger than Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad put together. I imagine it is far bigger than these three cities. Secondly, Karachi’s population is nearing 3 carores, yes people coming from Northern areas are living illegally, at least in my area of residence, and this population mix-up between several communities is causing problems.
Please note that migration into Karachi from Norther areas is in full swing and these people do not own this city, so, they do not even feel shame in destroying the infrastructure. I have seen people trying to steal steel girders used in bridges. Anyway, I am digressing, the point, given the difference between availability of resources and users of resources Karachi is far better developed than any other Pakistani city and that is why so many people from so-called well-developed Islamabad or Lahore are migrating to Karachi. Perhaps that is why Sind is facing extremely high growth rate in its population, https://gallup.com.pk/post/35567
PS. If budget’s share given to a province is divided within its cities, then does Karachi receives the same level of budget as the three cities named herein. It is important to consider this question because the last time I checked, Punjab receives greatest share of budget even when considerable people are now migrating towards Sindh.
This article is only for residents of Northern side.
Saying karachi is bigger than than, 3 cities alone, is totally false, karachi by population is slight bigger than lahore.. not by area.. The longest road of lahore is ferozpoor, Approx 70 km.. But i have seen longest road od karachi exceeding the limit of 35 km.. I mean to say layaree exprees way of karachi 28 km. Lahore ring road100 time much better than liyaree express way, lahr norther loop and southern loop is 85 km… Crime ratio, of lahore is less than karachi… There are many things lahore better tha karachi
Probably any where in world.
My suggestion if you are purchase any vehicle in Pakistan plz visit in peshwar or Islamabad.
Why this two??
Because if you want 100% healthy car buying.
Come to peshwar.
This is my experience pushtoon people,s are keeping his vehicle very healthy..
And Islamabad registered vehicles I like it his Logo nd especially anywhere if you are going or selling very easy for emergency Base..
Tnx
Baqir Sirat From Swabi.
Can’t open the picture comparison of the example provided. Plus also can’t zoom in. What’s the point when we can’t even see !
You need to update the software or whatever internal app requirements. Hope this helps to improve.
WD40 is a petroleum-based product, so it can potentially damage the paint on your car if used excessively. Not sure, it would provide protection as it is supposed to dry out and provide lubrification while opening nuts.
Good point Khurram. Karachi needs to shed some load of population which is only possibly by government making rules to move all the head offices of the companies to various cities of Pakistan. Move those which require ports and docks to Gawadar. Others related to manufacturing can be moved to Sialkot, Faisalabad.
Once these companies providing the jobs to people are moved the influx will be stopped and Karachi can be prosperous.