Budget for the unglamorous stuff, because that's what adds up. Tires, brakes and the annual service on a Ghost can easily run past 15,000 AED a year before anything actually breaks. A good independent usually cuts labor and parts markup by a third or more, but only if they have the right diagnostic ...

That sideways skip over plates sounds more like a worn rear bushing or toe link than a dead shock. Shocks go bouncy, they don't usually kick the rear sideways. Get it on a lift and check the subframe bushings for play before anyone quotes you a full rebuild.

2800 for all four corners with sensors is high but not crazy for a Mercedes dealer, since they usually bundle labour, wear sensors, and sometimes rotors. Ask for the quote itemised. If rotors are in there, that's most of the gap.

Honestly I'd be a bit wary of anyone who says a battery swap on a CLS is just plug and play. If the guy turning up has no scanner, you'll end up with a new battery the car doesn't recognize and weird charging behavior down the line. Ask upfront if they can register it before you book anyone.

Be careful with the refurbished route when it's acids. Unless you know exactly what was in them before, residue and seal compatibility can bite you later. The certification is only as good as the paperwork, so would you really trust a recert on a tank that held something unknown?

Three garages and still no fix usually means nobody has looked at the whole network. BSI reflash, then brake switch, then "trade it in" sounds like parts-swapping to me. I'd want a written diagnostic report before paying anyone else.

Dry dash leather in that heat is normal, honestly. A decent UV protectant and a sunshade will do more than any service visit. The AC hesitation is different though, that could be a low refrigerant charge or a blend door actuator starting to go.

Depends what you mean by worth it. Real carbon looks great, but plenty of "carbon" kits are just a wrap over fibreglass. Ask to see the weave up close before paying anything, because the price gap is where people get burned.

Fingernail catch usually means it's in the clear coat or just past it, and that's normally polishable. Cut it with a compound and a foam pad, then finish with a fine polish. Might take a couple of passes but you almost never need a respray for that.

A pushy seller combined with incomplete service history is honestly a pretty classic warning sign combo, worth trusting that instinct and getting an independent set of eyes on it before committing to anything. Frame damage especially can be really easy to miss without someone actually getting ...