Trying to save on middle man costs. I understand there is a greater risk when buying from an individual and will attempt to mitigate the risk in different ways. My main concern is having the vehicle repossessed after-the-fact because of an undetected lien/outstanding loan or other encumberance (gravamen). Short of hiring a lawyer (I shudder at the thought), how can I best secure myself against this possibility?
- Thread starter jabejuventus
- Start date
Buying Used Vehicle: Individual v. Dealer
"If You Don't Know "CARS", Know Your DEALER!!!"
Where do you live???
There are a few experienced "DR1ers" that can recommend a reliable dealer in your area.
Run the "VIN #" through "Car Facts" to know it's history.
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Where do you live???
There are a few experienced "DR1ers" that can recommend a reliable dealer in your area.
Run the "VIN #" through "Car Facts" to know it's history.
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I'm in the states now but will be moving in to DR soon. I'll need a vehicle but don't want to go through a dealer. I know about CarFax here. Does it work for vehicles in DR? Does it list possible encumbrances? Does anyone have an experience with losing their vehicle because of some undetected encumbrance, i.e., previous owner putting up the vehicle up as collateral to borrow from an illegitimate loan shark?
Unless you know the person who is selling the car, get it at the dealer. At least you have a place to go back, when AMET confiscate the vehicle for being reported as stolen. Yes, the other day, I heard a even a dealer bought car turned out to be stolen vehicle.
-Local loan sharks will retain the vehicle's papers, and sometimes even the vehicle itself.
-Many used vehicles in DR come from the US, so Carfax maybe of a little help. But if you're buying from an individual the car most likely was used here, so bye-bye Carfax. On the other hand, most cars sold by dealers have never been driven here so your Carfax will be as helpful as it can be.
If you don't have anyone you trust to help you get a good deal, I'd say either live here a while before buying the car, or just go straight to a dealer. When you buy an used car, you need to take it to the police to have it checked and this is never a pleasant experience, then get the sale document notarized, then you have to go pay the taxes and then get the new "matricula". And you have to do this within hours of your purchase, otherwise you risk paying for any of the previous owner's wrongdoing. All this process can get really expensive and time consuming. Do your math and then decide.
Carfax will work as long as the Vehicle is from US. Buy the bulk(5) report as you will want to check few and decide if its worth or not. Thing about the car here is the mileage will be about double the average, 5 years old car will have 100k-120k miles. Just look for common trouble "multiple visit to dealers, auctioned off date(few month after big storm is no no), and of course accidents. if the car has none of that and drive and sounds well buy em... You will not likely find 5 years old garage kept 30k miles cars here.
I will be trusting someone to help me find something. I told him not to rush. We have time to shop around until the right something pops. You said "All this process can get really expensive and time consuming. Do your math and then decide." Do you have a sense/ estimate of the extra cost? Isn't this the same as the dealer would charge above the vehicle cost?
Thanks Koreano. Your info, as well as CC's and Castle's, will help me make an informed decision. Thank you all and if anything else comes to mind, please shout me back.
If the price is same why not just buy it from reputable dealer with carfax or history? Plus dealer give you 3 month so called "Warrenty" as if things breaks you buy the parts and they fix for FREE, but I doubt buying it personally will even give you free 3 months of quick duct tape fixes.
No Korean, I wasn't referring to vehicle cost, I was referring to the additional costs of processing mentioned by Castle.
Many years ago, I went to look at a used Toyota for my wife. Private sale, of a USA imported car, he had 3, still had the "Sealand" card on the window. They all has odometers at about 86,000 miles.
The guy had set the odometers back, Waaaaaaaaaaaaay Back"!
I found out when I saw the "Jiffy Lube" stickers inside the windshield.
They all said "Next Oil Change in 3 months, or 312,000 miles."
I left!
Just be aware.
After "Katrina", the DR was "FLOODED"
with cars that had been submerged. "Sandy" will no doubt bring more of the same.
That's why "Car Fax" is your friend!
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The guy had set the odometers back, Waaaaaaaaaaaaay Back"!
I found out when I saw the "Jiffy Lube" stickers inside the windshield.
They all said "Next Oil Change in 3 months, or 312,000 miles."
I left!
Just be aware.
After "Katrina", the DR was "FLOODED"
with cars that had been submerged. "Sandy" will no doubt bring more of the same.That's why "Car Fax" is your friend!
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My used car dealer purchase last summer came with all the service records from Sto Domingo Motors.... it had less than 10,000 mikles amd 6 months of warranty left.
I had been skeptical of buying here, but was pleasantly surprised.
I went to SD to see/test drive the car - negotiated the price and returned at the end of the week to pick up the car (after wiring my money).
Licence plates done, all other paperwork done - sign here, senor.
Drove home.
Couldn't be happier..... use the search for Victor Hugo to find my dealership and salesman...... a certain curmudgeonly moderator scoffs me if I post his name and number.
I would avoid any US autos. Look for a true Dominican import - there will be no CarFax for these cars.... get the dealer's service records.
These cars are made for export - no catalytic convertors, etc.....
If they can't give you them .... run , don't walk to another dealer.
I had been skeptical of buying here, but was pleasantly surprised.
I went to SD to see/test drive the car - negotiated the price and returned at the end of the week to pick up the car (after wiring my money).
Licence plates done, all other paperwork done - sign here, senor.
Drove home.
Couldn't be happier..... use the search for Victor Hugo to find my dealership and salesman...... a certain curmudgeonly moderator scoffs me if I post his name and number.
I would avoid any US autos. Look for a true Dominican import - there will be no CarFax for these cars.... get the dealer's service records.
These cars are made for export - no catalytic convertors, etc.....
If they can't give you them .... run , don't walk to another dealer.
I don't know exactly...
but could it be cost of the car you paid?
The American way of thinking going around to save few bucks doesn't apply here often, and you maybe sitting with costly mistake and sitting with "EXTRA" added costs to your bottom line. You might completely trust your help but can you trust the seller? What if you bought the car and found out that the other guy who also bought same car registers first?
You buying car here is right way to do it. I don't know your relation with your trusty help but I would not believe or put too much in anybody or "trusty help" to decide what I should pay and drive.
Okay then, has anybody had any experience with used car dealers on the east coast, i.e., Punta Cana/Bavaro, Higuey, or even La Romana??
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Stick with SD... the BIG market.
Runnuing around to save a few bucks cost me $2000+.
I fiddled / negotiated w/ my first choice..... dawdled in the AM, called back to negotiate seriously in the PM.
The car was out on test drive to StoDomingo Motors for a check over... I squealed that I had called first... blah, blah,blah.
I knew I was losing - the buyer was in the car - I was 2 hours away.
$2,000later, I owned the same model/year/etc but black - not grey w/ a few less miles.
Smaller market here - good cars go fast, b/c there aren't many of them.
It was a Suzuki XL7..... none on SuperCarros - Rep?blica Dominicana - compra de carros, venta de vehiculos when I checked last week
Runnuing around to save a few bucks cost me $2000+.
I fiddled / negotiated w/ my first choice..... dawdled in the AM, called back to negotiate seriously in the PM.
The car was out on test drive to StoDomingo Motors for a check over... I squealed that I had called first... blah, blah,blah.
I knew I was losing - the buyer was in the car - I was 2 hours away.
$2,000later, I owned the same model/year/etc but black - not grey w/ a few less miles.
Smaller market here - good cars go fast, b/c there aren't many of them.
It was a Suzuki XL7..... none on SuperCarros - Rep?blica Dominicana - compra de carros, venta de vehiculos when I checked last week