In the UAE, coasting in neutral is highly damaging to automatic gearboxes, generally harmless to manual ones, but it is not recommended under any circumstances primarily for safety reasons and due to the prevalence of automatic transmissions in the market. The majority of new cars sold in the UAE, such as the Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol, and Toyota Camry, come with automatic transmissions. In these vehicles, shifting to neutral while driving cuts off the oil pressure needed to lubricate and cool the gearbox components. Given UAE driving conditions like prolonged summer heat above 40°C and heavy stop-and-go traffic on routes like Sheikh Zayed Road, this can lead to accelerated wear, overheating, and ultimately, expensive repairs. The average cost for a major automatic transmission rebuild for a GCC-spec SUV like a Pajero can range from 8,000 to 15,000 AED, a significant part of the vehicle's total cost of ownership (TCO). Beyond mechanical damage, coasting is dangerous as it reduces driver control during emergencies and is considered a traffic violation. Authorities like the RTA Dubai and MOI UAE emphasize maintaining full vehicle control at all times, and coasting could be interpreted as negligent driving, potentially leading to fines, especially if it contributes to an accident. From a pure cost perspective, the risk of a 10,000 AED transmission repair far outweighs any minimal fuel savings mythically associated with coasting. For a typical sedan with an annual depreciation of around 7,000 AED, adding a major repair significantly increases the cost per kilometer driven.
