Importing vehicle

[the gorgon]

Hi guys. I was thinking of importing a car from the states but it sounds like endless hassle. So a couple of questions if I may. Is there a service or person here that can do this for me door to door in Sosua after I've had it sent to *puerta Plata? If not does anyone provide a service to go find me the car I want here ?

i am one of the guys here who does that service, but i cannot pm you because you do not have 10 posts

sent you an email message

 

[CharlieD]

Ok thanks Gordon

 

[The Professor]

So I'm in the market for a Toyota Rav4 and have read many, many posts here about the frustrations of trying to get a car in from the U.S. and decided against it. I've also decided that if I buy here that I want to just buy a new car and forget the worries about the vehicle's history. I take good care of my cars and a decent new car would last me 10-12 years, so I think it's worth it.

My question is does anyone know what I can expect to pay over the cost of the same new vehicle in the U.S.? I understand that it will probably be a lot more, but I'd like to be able to make an apples to apples comparison to make sure I'm not paying too much.

 

[william webster]

I don't think that's the right way to assess it, Prof.

Start working the dealers here and search for the best price.
You'll need to re acclimate yourself to pricing - which may +50% to what you're used to.
After 2-3 visits you should see a pricing pattern develop.

This isn't the US hwere various apps narrow the price for you.
Prices can be 'irregular' here.

Case in point,
my car purchase a few years ago started with a price of $28,000US - firm, in POP.
I found the same car for $18 soon - missed that one, and eventually paid $20 - both in SDQ

The price pattern is not as structured here, IMO .

Don't be afraid of used.... if it has been well looked after

Good luck

 

[playacaribe2]

So I'm in the market for a Toyota Rav4 and have read many, many posts here about the frustrations of trying to get a car in from the U.S. and decided against it. I've also decided that if I buy here that I want to just buy a new car and forget the worries about the vehicle's history. I take good care of my cars and a decent new car would last me 10-12 years, so I think it's worth it.

My question is does anyone know what I can expect to pay over the cost of the same new vehicle in the U.S.? I understand that it will probably be a lot more, but I'd like to be able to make an apples to apples comparison to make sure I'm not paying too much.

MSRP + 35% +/- back of the envelope calculation.

The RAV4 receives no special treatment under the DR/CAFTA trade agreement as they are currently made in either Japan or Canada.

Good luck.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2*

 

[JD Jones]

I don't think that's the right way to assess it, Prof.

Start working the dealers here and search for the best price.
You'll need to re acclimate yourself to pricing - which may +50% to what you're used to.
After 2-3 visits you should see a pricing pattern develop.

This isn't the US hwere various apps narrow the price for you.
Prices can be 'irregular' here.

Case in point,
my car purchase a few years ago started with a price of $28,000US - firm, in POP.
I found the same car for $18 soon - missed that one, and eventually paid $20 - both in SDQ

The price pattern is not as structured here, IMO .

Don't be afraid of used.... if it has been well looked after

Good luck

Bingo.

My Prado is 8 yrs old, and looks and drives like a brand new vehicle. The deals are out there, you just have to be patient.

Keep in mind when there is an excess of vehicles available of any particular model, you have a better chance of negotiating a better deal

In the case of the RAV4, there are 389 for sale today on supercarros. Definitely no shortage. There will be more than a few good ones in that group.

 

[SKY]

For prices on a new car this is the best place to look.

http://www.supercarros.com/

What the last poster said is pretty accurate, but generally Toyotas and Hondas might be even higher. Nissan and Suzuki, two Japanese imports are good cars with pretty good prices.

 

[the gorgon]

Bingo.

My Prado is 8 yrs old, and looks and drives like a brand new vehicle. The deals are out there, you just have to be patient.

Keep in mind when there is an excess of vehicles available of any particular model, you have a better chance of negotiating a better deal

In the case of the RAV4, there are 389 for sale today on supercarros. Definitely no shortage. There will be more than a few good ones in that group.

absolutely right. if you go to a reputable dealer, you can usually get some really good exemplars of any make and model which tickles your fancy.

 

[the gorgon]

For prices on a new car this is the best place to look.

http://www.supercarros.com/

What the last poster said is pretty accurate, but generally Toyotas and Hondas might be even higher. Nissan and Suzuki, two Japanese imports are good cars with pretty good prices.

Suzukis i would stay away from. the best value for money right now is the Hyundai Santa Fe...

 

[LTSteve]

So I'm in the market for a Toyota Rav4 and have read many, many posts here about the frustrations of trying to get a car in from the U.S. and decided against it. I've also decided that if I buy here that I want to just buy a new car and forget the worries about the vehicle's history. I take good care of my cars and a decent new car would last me 10-12 years, so I think it's worth it.

My question is does anyone know what I can expect to pay over the cost of the same new vehicle in the U.S.? I understand that it will probably be a lot more, but I'd like to be able to make an apples to apples comparison to make sure I'm not paying too much.

You are crazy to buy a new vehicle. Do you keep it in a garage or off street parking? If not guaranteed it will get scratched, scraped and possibly worse. As soon as you drive it off the lot in the DR it probably has lost at least 20% of its value. You want a car in the DR that blends in and does not stand out as brand, spanken new. Please don't buy it in a color red. This just says, steal me please. This does not sound logical but does anything in the DR make sense? Find a private individual with a vehicle that has been maintained and has fairly low mileage. You will save a ton of money and be just as happy.

 

[the gorgon]

You are crazy to buy a new vehicle. Do you keep it in a garage or off street parking? If not guaranteed it will get scratched, scraped and possibly worse. As soon as you drive it off the lot in the DR it probably has lost at least 20% of its value. You want a car in the DR that blends in and does not stand out as brand, spanken new. Please don't buy it in a color red. This just says, steal me please. This does not sound logical but does anything in the DR make sense? Find a private individual with a vehicle that has been maintained and has fairly low mileage. You will save a ton of money and be just as happy.

LT, i must say i agree with you one hundred percent, but it is his scratch, so he gets to decide how to spend it. buying a new car off a lot is throwing away money in the amount of 10% of the sticker price. in a year, you will probably get 90% of the new car price for it, if that much.

 

[cobraboy]

You are crazy to buy a new vehicle. Do you keep it in a garage or off street parking? If not guaranteed it will get scratched, scraped and possibly worse. As soon as you drive it off the lot in the DR it probably has lost at least 20% of its value. You want a car in the DR that blends in and does not stand out as brand, spanken new. Please don't buy it in a color red. This just says, steal me please. This does not sound logical but does anything in the DR make sense? Find a private individual with a vehicle that has been maintained and has fairly low mileage. You will save a ton of money and be just as happy.

Very true.

We drive a lot, maybe 20,000+ miles a year. And through no fault of our own our Explorer has numerous nicks and dings, one a whack from a concho in Santiago (the claim which went nowhere), several parking lot dents we didn't witness, and just two weeks ago a guy on ROLLERBLADES smashed into the back while on parked on the side of the road, making a substantial dent in the tailgate and before I could get out to see what happened...he and his friends were G-O-N-E gone.

Expect your vehicle to suffer abuse in the DR.

 

[william webster]

LT, i must say i agree with you one hundred percent, but it is his scratch, so he gets to decide how to spend it. buying a new car off a lot is throwing away money in the amount of 10% of the sticker price. in a year, you will probably get 90% of the new car price for it, if that much.

*
Rarely, even in NoAmerica, do I buy new.... demos, owners wife's car sort of thing.
Saved me a bundle over the century*

Last SDQ buy had just over 9,000 miles and 6 months warranty left...... $19-20,000

 

[the gorgon]

*
Rarely, even in NoAmerica, do I buy new.... demos, owners wife's car sort of thing.
Saved me a bundle over the century*

Last SDQ buy had just over 9,000 miles and 6 months warranty left...... $19-20,000

i have never bought a new car, for all the reasons listed heretofore.*

 

[cobraboy]

*
Rarely, even in NoAmerica, do I buy new.... demos, owners wife's car sort of thing.
Saved me a bundle over the century*

Last SDQ buy had just over 9,000 miles and 6 months warranty left...... $19-20,000

I've bought new, but kept the vehicle for 200,000 miles. Then I'd gift to an academic achieving niece or nephew for a job well done.

And do it again.

Here? With the much higher acquisition cost and brutal roads? No way.

 

[The Professor]

You are crazy to buy a new vehicle. Do you keep it in a garage or off street parking? If not guaranteed it will get scratched, scraped and possibly worse. As soon as you drive it off the lot in the DR it probably has lost at least 20% of its value. You want a car in the DR that blends in and does not stand out as brand, spanken new. Please don't buy it in a color red. This just says, steal me please. This does not sound logical but does anything in the DR make sense? Find a private individual with a vehicle that has been maintained and has fairly low mileage. You will save a ton of money and be just as happy.

What you said about "standing out" is probably my biggest concern. I in fact had this very same conversation with my girlfriend (Dominican) about how it looks driving around in a new car in this country. We live in the Centro Ciudad in a building with a garage, so it won't be on the street, ditto for when she's at school/work. However, there are times when she visits her family and they live in some poorer parts of town and I asked her how she felt about driving to those places in a new car; she didn't seem concerned. However (and I can hear the collective groan from you guys), she in fact only asked me to buy a used Rav4, not a new one. I am the one who suggested that we get a new car.

I'm with you all on the financial soundness of buying used and will eventually get a used car for myself. However, we are expecting a child and I really want to have the latest, safest, most reliable car for the sake of the child. I only believe in new cars if you're going to drive it for a substantial amount of time, which is at least 10 years for me.

I really do value everyone's opinion. So if you were me, expecting a child, living in a relatively safe place with a secured garage, going to take good care of a car and drive it for 10 years minimum, 150-200,000 miles, what do you think of my decision? Oh, I forgot to mention that we really don't drive that much.

 

[SKY]

I agree with you on a new car. If you have a safe place to park it and intend to drive it for 10 years or more I would buy new. What no one commented on here is the thievery that goes on with mileage tampering and the overall attitude of not taking care of cars in this country. If you have the cash buy a new one. Less headaches down the road.

 

[Bronxboy]

Curious?

Do they lease cars in DR?

 

[cobraboy]

What you said about "standing out" is probably my biggest concern. I in fact had this very same conversation with my girlfriend (Dominican) about how it looks driving around in a new car in this country. We live in the Centro Ciudad in a building with a garage, so it won't be on the street, ditto for when she's at school/work. However, there are times when she visits her family and they live in some poorer parts of town and I asked her how she felt about driving to those places in a new car; she didn't seem concerned. However (and I can hear the collective groan from you guys), she in fact only asked me to buy a used Rav4, not a new one. I am the one who suggested that we get a new car.

I'm with you all on the financial soundness of buying used and will eventually get a used car for myself. However, we are expecting a child and I really want to have the latest, safest, most reliable car for the sake of the child. I only believe in new cars if you're going to drive it for a substantial amount of time, which is at least 10 years for me.

I really do value everyone's opinion. So if you were me, expecting a child, living in a relatively safe place with a secured garage, going to take good care of a car and drive it for 10 years minimum, 150-200,000 miles, what do you think of my decision? Oh, I forgot to mention that we really don't drive that much.

Food for thought:

RAV4's and Honda CRV's are considered status symbols for new entries into the middle class.

 

[the gorgon]

I agree with you on a new car. If you have a safe place to park it and intend to drive it for 10 years or more I would buy new. What no one commented on here is the thievery that goes on with mileage tampering and the overall attitude of not taking care of cars in this country. If you have the cash buy a new one. Less headaches down the road.

there are cars which come directly from the USA which have CARFAX reports, so it is difficult to hump you with the mileage.