Expat Registering Vehicle in Cairo - the Saga

Our first vehicle was a 1999 (new) Jeep Cherokee, which we have still, and put in wifey's name (egyptian lass), and she looked after all registration things. Then Darell, upon foolish retirement, treated himself to a Mercedes C200 Kompressor. Purchased directly from Mercedes as demonstrator. I do not like to deal with agents. Mercedes prepared all papers for me which looked oh so professional with signatures over the many pages and stamps. OK so far, and they said just go to Maadi Traffic Area and get registration changed to my name. BUT, that is not the way it goes.

Foreigners must register their cars in Atibba - I cannot describe the area location but on our hectic, chaotic, drive took over 1 hour from Maadi. Let me tell you first a bit about the drive. We arranged to have a Mr Fix-it guy join us called Hany. Hany knew the ropes he said. I insisted on driving and had wifey and "never shut-up Hany" on board. One has to drive some of the busiest streets in Cairo to get to asshole Attiba. And, quick way tunnel was blocked, so having to get instructions from wifey for back roads, in constant chat with the chatter box Hany" I would be in a left lane and told at last minute have to go right. The only cars that would yield, even though I am nugging in quietly in new car, would be another Mercedes or BMW.

Finally arrived - then told to drive in the gated area and park backing up, and open hood. OK so far. Then Hany went and got some kind of paper, and gave to another guy with coveralls, who came over and check engine number chassis number, fire extinguisher etc. OK so far and we are only 20 minutes in this venture. PS do not go without Egyptian.

The I followed like sheep, to guy sitting on a broken chair out in drive way, who looked at papers and Hany jabbered telling him I worked at French Embassy????? Why I do not know. Then to a kiosk where not sure what was going on but lots of standing around and locals having a laugh. Anyway guess this was local insurance place and paid some money.

Onto the office building or, so called office building has not been painted in 100 years, broken seats of mixed ,and then in to what I envision hell would be like. Anyway from window to window. I had taken enough photo copies of passport, Egyptian driver's license etc. and also photos to make sure the tea boy could have a copy. Wise move. Regarding getting Egyptian driver's license is another story.

OK so far after now we are 1 1/2 hours into venture. Then another window and guy mumbles "bring me your license plates as you have Maadi plates and must be changed". NO I did not bring a screw driver, and we had moved car to a parkade next door to 4th floor - no elevators of course. Hany devised a means of breaking a key and walla a screw driver. So the Maadi plates came off. Then back down the 4 floors, into complex, and back to license plate mogal. He then produced list of numbers (hand written) we could chose from. So we picked one, and received these battered up old plates and I said YUK. So asked to see any others in better condition. He said no we made our choice and could get new ones made if wanted? (that is another story about counterfeit plates). So back to car and trying to fix new plates of different size. Finally I said screw it and put one in back window.

I had enough by now and wifey said let Hany drive so got in back seat. And off Hany goes threading through traffic like Hamilton in Formula 1. Got home in record time and whole event only took 3 hours. I went in house and had a beer while Hany fixed new crumpled plates on my new Mercedes. Anyway deal was done for 3 years.

We did not pay much for registration as I recall but that has changed. My Merc has 1850 cc engine (more power with supercharger than one needs) but see below costs now with new taxes. Especially those of you getting big SUV's with V8 5 liter engines.

What it will cost to register your car

This information form Egypt Daily News. I registered for 3 years before this went into effect so guess I am OK till next time to renew registration.

The May 5, 2008, price hikes raised registration fees for most vehicles by between LE 100 and LE 150, depending on the size of the engine. For engines with less than one liter of capacity, fees were upped to LE 116 from LE 16. For 1.0 and 1.3-liter engine cars, fees rose to LE 143 from LE 23. For vehicles with 1.3 to 1.6-liter engines, the fees went to LE 175 from LE 25.

For cars with engine capacities of 1.6 liters and above, the bar was raised a bit higher. For cars with engines of 1.6 to 2.0 liters, the fees went up to LE 1,000 from LE 120, with a minimum of LE 200. For engines capacities of two liters and above, fees became two percent of a vehicle’s value with a minimum of LE 1,000.