Islamabad - Post Report Question and Answers
What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
It can take about six months to get your car imported, registered, and tagged. If you’re going to be in country for less than two years, it’s better to rent. You can rent a decent car for about $250/month if you don’t care about driving a newer model or an SUV. Now that there appears to be a more realistic approach to security and self-driving is allowed in more of the city, having access to a car is even more advisable. The weekend shuttle system never really worked all that well, so having your own way to get out into town to do shopping or go out to dinner or to a friend’s house in town will make life a lot easier. If you do ship a car, I would really only avoid hybrids or fully electric models. The infrastructure and maintenance skills just aren’t available to make that feasible. Some people prefer high-clearance SUVs (and you’ll see lots of wealthy Pakistanis driving around in big shiny Toyota Fortuners) but Honda Accords and Civics are very common as well. The roads in the parts of Islamabad where we are allowed to drive are quite good. All off-compound homes have off-street parking, but if you drive to the markaz or park on the street at a friend’s house, your car is very likely to get bumped by a car or a motorbike. So I’d hesitate to bring a car I wanted to keep in pristine condition. - Jun 2022
None, you can buy a car from another diplomat or rent a car. However, you have a very restricted area you are allowed to drive in and half the time security restrictions will be enforced that restrict any driving and only allows movement in fully-armored vehicles. - Feb 2019
For U.S. mission personnel, don't bring a car to post unless you are staying two years. You can easily rent a car for $250 a month. The company addresses any issues very quickly and will swap you out with a replacement car if the work is going to take longer. - Sep 2016
Almost everyone in Pakistan opts for Japanese cars - a Toyota if you're well-off, a Suzuki if you're not. Don't bother bringing other brands (particularly expensive German cars) to Pakistan, as they'll suffer from the pot-holed roads, and replacement parts will be very hard to find. An SUV is recommended but not essential. Unless you're planning to drive to isolated areas in the countryside, a basic Corolla will do the job well. - Sep 2015
You can rent a car for $250 a week. - Aug 2015
Rent a car here for less than US$300 per month or pay for motorpool. I recommend a car. - Aug 2015
You're going to be dinged by locals driving. I'd just buy or rent a cheap car while you're here. It's not leaving here in good shape. - Apr 2014
We had a Toyota Rav IV and found that although not crucial, an SUV was nice to have particularly for drives outside of Islamabad. - Feb 2014
Local people are terrible drivers. For one year, we didn't bring our car at all (it may take up to 6 months to get it). Embassy shuttles are free and safe. They also take you shopping with little planning. For tourism outside the city, we just rented a car the day or weekend we needed a car. Some people rented a car long term. Many people bought their car from a Japanese website that sells cars for very cheap. - Dec 2013
I bought locally and was glad I did. My 1993 Nissan Pulsar blended in with local traffic, was super cheap to fix, and got me around. I strongly suggest Japanese if you're shipping a car. The only thing a car really needs is A/C for the humid and punishing summer heat. - Mar 2012
Roads are good -- any vehicle is fine. There are lots of speed bumps, and some of them are very high -- so a car with good clearance is best. I have a Toyota Corolla and it gets me around fine. - Aug 2011
A normal sedan is fine in Islamabad. Very few American cars are present. There is a Toyota and Honda dealership for repairs. Also, bodywork is very cheap. Fender-benders are common. When accidents occur, the best policy is to pay some cash (usually 4000 rupies, about $50) and make it go away. As a foreigner it will always be your fault, regardless of the circumstances. If no-one is hurt or if there are only minor injuries, just pay up. You do not want the traffic police to get involved. They may impound your car. The city is laid out as a grid with traffic lights and traffic police. Of all the cities in South Asia, Islamabad has the most calm drivers. They can do some crazy stuff, but it is nowhere near as bad as Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, or Karachi. - May 2011
SUVs are popular, but you don't want anything flashy. There are white Toyota Corollas everywhere, and the Embassy will help you import one for about $5000.If you want to go to the mountains on the weekends, SUVs are better because the roads get snowed in during the winter. A lot of expats just sell their cars when they leave post, so during the summer it's usually easy to pick up a used car. - Jan 2010
Any car right-hand-drive car is okay. - Oct 2009
Given the security situation, it"s unlikely that most visitors to Islamabad will require an all terrain vehicle due to restrictions on where it is possible to travel. Toyota parts are easily available and Toyota would generally be the best choice of vehicle, preferably in a light colour due to the heat. If your goal is to "blend in" and not attract attention, a white Corolla will generally be a good choice and retain excellent resale value. - Oct 2008
