Buy a car or rent a car for 6 month visit

Janny

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Aug 25, 2010
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OK, so now we're planning on a six month visit and intend to rent accomodation - a month here, a month there, and so on - to get a sense of the country and where we might choose to live permanently. Thanks for everyone's advice on that.

Now, I'd like to find out what you all have to say about a car. We love to explore, and intend to spend lots of time driving so we definitely will need to have a car (not a moto, no taxis, no buses).

It seems to make sense to buy a car and either keep it if we decide that the DR is right for us or sell it at the end of 6 months. But I would love to hear whether this is a good idea or a bad one.

I do understand that vehicles are about 35% more expensive in the DR than in the US. I'm wondering about resale - easy or hard? Or is the whole idea stupid?

Is it possible to rent/lease a car for a six month period for a reasonable amount?

Thanks to you all! This is a great source of information and I sure appreciate all of you who reply to these posts.
 

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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Rent the car... But, take into account, your driving licence is as good as the length of your visa.

We have had lots of discussions about this, and I have yet to see a clear 100% ruling, but if the insurance company can find a loop hole, they will.

If I was you, I would email 3-4 rental car companies and ask them directly.
If I rent for 6 months, how long is my foreign license valid for?
Get it direct from them, DO NOT rely solely on the info posted here.

Then come back here and post the answers.
 

Janny

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Aug 25, 2010
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OK, got a quote for 6 mo. rental

From Nelly Car Rentals:

U$819.00 *6 month = U$4914.00 plus 16% tax=786.24+4914.00= total U$5700.24. Its 950.00 al including each month. The car could be Chevrolet Aveo or Kia Rios 2010 with air conditioning and tinted windows.

So my thinking is that a) this is a ridiculous price and b) surely I could buy a car and then sell it if I needed to, losing less than $6000 US. Yes, the car will be 6 months older and have additional miles, but my husband is (among many other skills) a mechanical engineer and a perfectionist, so our cars tend to be in better shape when we sell them than when we buy them.

Can someone just tell me what you pay for insurance? And also - is it hard to sell a car in the DR?

Thanks!
 

ExtremeR

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Mar 22, 2006
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Correct, this is not a house you are buying. Buy the car and then sell it, or even better keep it for upcoming trips.
 

Robert

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From Nelly Car Rentals:

U$819.00 *6 month = U$4914.00 plus 16% tax=786.24+4914.00= total U$5700.24. Its 950.00 al including each month. The car could be Chevrolet Aveo or Kia Rios 2010 with air conditioning and tinted windows.

So my thinking is that a) this is a ridiculous price and b) surely I could buy a car and then sell it if I needed to, losing less than $6000 US. Yes, the car will be 6 months older and have additional miles, but my husband is (among many other skills) a mechanical engineer and a perfectionist, so our cars tend to be in better shape when we sell them than when we buy them.

Can someone just tell me what you pay for insurance? And also - is it hard to sell a car in the DR?

Thanks!

Did you ask them about insurance and if you license would be valid?????
 

Anastacio

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Feb 22, 2010
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Buy a runaround 4x4 (plenty around, ignore the must have high prices people demand you should have as a foreigner, it's BS), save the bling for if you decide to move here and feel the need. Buy for less than you would spend on a rental and have something to show for it, or some money back when you've done with it.
 

belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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From Nelly Car Rentals:

U$819.00 *6 month = U$4914.00 plus 16% tax=786.24+4914.00= total U$5700.24. Its 950.00 al including each month. The car could be Chevrolet Aveo or Kia Rios 2010 with air conditioning and tinted windows.

So my thinking is that a) this is a ridiculous price and b) surely I could buy a car and then sell it if I needed to, losing less than $6000 US. Yes, the car will be 6 months older and have additional miles, but my husband is (among many other skills) a mechanical engineer and a perfectionist, so our cars tend to be in better shape when we sell them than when we buy them.

Can someone just tell me what you pay for insurance? And also - is it hard to sell a car in the DR?

Thanks!

Just to give you an idea... if I rent a car here for a couple of days, a Montero Sport or Honda CR-V, with insurance, not new, but in good shape, I pay around 1,000 rds per day. I'm sure if I would tell them I would rent it for a month, the price would go down considerably, let alone 6 months...

For 6,000$ you can buy an old, old car here, and yes, you can sell it again, but it will take time, so the advice of keeping it might be good... or to consider to sell it quickly with a considerable loss...

Adventure car rentals at POP and STI, rented me a car for around 700 rds per day, for a period of 2 weeks. Although it was quite a shabby corolla, it did get me around perfectly, and never broke down. The people at the office were very friendly as well. The advantage of a shabby car is you will not attract attention... lol...
If you calculate this, you come to an amount of 570$ per month...

Thanks for sharing those prices with us...
 
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ExtremeR

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Mar 22, 2006
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Just to give you an idea... if I rent a car here for a couple of days, a Montero Sport or Honda CR-V, with insurance, not new, but in good shape, I pay around 1,000 rds per day. I'm sure if I would tell them I would rent it for a month, the price would go down considerably, let alone 6 months...

For 6,000$ you can buy an old, old car here, and yes, you can sell it again, but it will take time, so the advice of keeping it might be good... or to consider to sell it quickly with a considerable loss...

Adventure car rentals at POP and STI, rented me a car for around 700 rds per day, for a period of 2 weeks. Although it was quite a shabby corolla, it did get me around perfectly, and never broke down. The people at the office were very friendly as well. The advantage of a shabby car is you will not attract attention... lol...
If you calculate this, you come to an amount of 570$ per month...

Thanks for sharing those prices with us...

Holy Sh.... Belgiank where are you getting those prices??
 

rice&beans

Silver
May 16, 2010
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Just curious....

Just to give you an idea... if I rent a car here for a couple of days, a Montero Sport or Honda CR-V, with insurance, not new, but in good shape, I pay around 1,000 rds per day. I'm sure if I would tell them I would rent it for a month, the price would go down considerably, let alone 6 months...

For 6,000$ you can buy an old, old car here, and yes, you can sell it again, but it will take time, so the advice of keeping it might be good... or to consider to sell it quickly with a considerable loss...

Adventure car rentals at POP and STI, rented me a car for around 700 rds per day, for a period of 2 weeks. Although it was quite a shabby corolla, it did get me around perfectly, and never broke down. The people at the office were very friendly as well. The advantage of a shabby car is you will not attract attention... lol...
If you calculate this, you come to an amount of 570$ per month...

Thanks for sharing those prices with us...

40,000 Peso deductable?...(insurance)......comon now be honest...lol.....;)
 

bachata

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Aug 18, 2007
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I know many taxi drivers in Santiago that will stay home taking a long vacation with that kind of money in their pockets. Call some of the local Radios Dispatcher co. in the area where you will stay @ your arrival.
I'm sure you'll get a good deal.

JJ
 

DRob

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Aug 15, 2007
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Keep in mind that the prices discussed above do not include gas, currently at around 5 bux per gallon, which will significantly add to your budget.

An alternative is to be a bit more openminded in seeking transportation options.

You likely will not need a car every single day, especially when you're living on the beach or in the bigger cities. During these times, taking a taxi (5 bux anywhere in most towns), bus or publico will get you around for considerably less than a car. Also, remember that pasolas are very cheap to rent or buy, and bicycles (they DO exist down there) costs nothing in gas/insurance but offer great health benefits for very short trips.

Rent a car only on days that you really need them, and go with local providers who include insurance on their vehicles, and you'll be surprised how much you can save. The public transportation system does get people around, and 90-100 pesos buys you a double (meaning "normal") seat on most publicos.

*Note: I hate to point out the obvious, but bikes and pasolas should ONLY be used for in-neighborhood trips in good weather, and NOT on any significant roads or highways. Further, don't mistake the fact that you're in a car for the fact that you're any safer. Defensive driving is an absolute must down there.
 

Anastacio

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Feb 22, 2010
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Is there some problem with getting a visa for 6 months to cover this?
Also I'm sure many people don't know this about bot being valid after 3 weeks, and have been driving around oblivious for years, even involved in an accidents and walked away without it being an issue <cough, cough, choke:paranoid:>
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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Is there some problem with getting a visa for 6 months to cover this?
Also I'm sure many people don't know this about bot being valid after 3 weeks, and have been driving around oblivious for years, even involved in an accidents and walked away without it being an issue <cough, cough, choke:paranoid:>

Lucky you..... this has been covered.. extensively... need an RD license for insurance

You can trust the SnakeMan here.... aka CB

Even if rented, it needs to be renewed every 60 days or so... somebody pls fill in theblanks here for me.

WW
 

Anastacio

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Feb 22, 2010
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need an RD license for insurance

What, is this another law like the one 'to be a pilot in the Dominican Republic you must be Dominican'. Thats not true but people are convinced it is.

You could be right, infact you probably are, but 'not alot of people know that:ermm:', I have my doubts on that though. The amount of people I know holding their original driving license with insurance can't all be paying for a void policy.
 

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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I suggest you call your insurance company and ask what the deal is for an ilegal in an event of an accident? Your might just get a shock at the answer :)

If you do not have residency after the date your tourist visa or any other visa is valid for, then you are technically illegal. This is a loop hole that will be used against you.

If you have an accident and the police are involved, usually the first thing they will ask you for is your passport so they can verify your entry stamp.

In order to get paid by your insurance company, you need a police report.
The police report for a non-resident has to have a copy of the passport for the insurance company to usually accept it.

Don't say you haven't been warned. I suggest some of you do your due diligence.
 

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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How many of you have actually brought and sold a car "legally" in the DR?

It's not a walk in the park for a newbie.

Transfer tax, contracts, inspections, paper work, running around etc.