Need Someone with DR Car Purchasing Knowledge/A Ride

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Medic5916

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Jul 11, 2014
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After a lot of DR1 help plus a lot of time on other forums, we have decided to try to buy a 2009 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. Thanks for all of the advice. There is literally only one for sale on supercarros and autoimportadores. Either they don't import them often or everyone keeps them because they are such a great car. Not sure which but I assume from everything I have heard, it is because of the build quality.

Seriously odd question: We are going to try to go to Santo Domingo on Friday to pick up our car that has been fixed and to try to look at this 2009 land cruiser prado with the hopes to buy. We currently do not have a car, we are not mechanics or have any great knowledge on cars, or have any great experience at "haggling" prices with car dealers here. As our options are limited and we would like to do it right the first time, Would anybody with good car knowledge and Dominican dealer experience be willing to pick us up in Jarabacoa, take us to pick up our car in Santo Domingo and go to look at this car? We would obviously pay you. We know it is an odd request but everyone we know is busy and can't do it until next week and we haven't had a car for about a week. My wife and I would be going so hopefully that would make it less weird. We expect it to take almost all day and hope that someone would be willing to help us out.

Note: this was posted at the end of another thread but we figured this was a better place for it.
 
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zoomzx11

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Jan 21, 2006
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Whatever you decide be sure to run a Carfax on the vehicle so you will know the miles it had when it entered the DR and its accident and title history. Norm is to buy hi milage cars in the US at auctions then run the speedo back and do a lot of prep work to make it look like new.
 
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the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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zoomzx11 said:
Whatever you decide be sure to run a Carfax on the vehicle so you will know the miles it had when it entered the DR and its accident and title history. Norm is to buy hi milage cars in the US at auctions then run the speedo back and do a lot of prep work to make it look like new.
Click to expand...

sadly, carfax cannot give an accident history if it was self insured. it will, however, give a mileage history
 
bob saunders

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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zoomzx11 said:
Whatever you decide be sure to run a Carfax on the vehicle so you will know the miles it had when it entered the DR and its accident and title history. Norm is to buy hi milage cars in the US at auctions then run the speedo back and do a lot of prep work to make it look like new.
Click to expand...

Except with the Toyota Prados. They aren't sold in the USA. Often they are bought new here and the ones on the lot are trade-ins. Not so for the Lexus, they usually are imported from the USA.
 
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Medic5916

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AZB

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almost all dealers reverse the mileage on their imported cars to make them look less used in DR. the diesel version of prados develop a problem with their engines after 100 k miles. this seems like a known defect and i have seen many people talk about it. I am not sure of the exact defect but it may have something to do with turbo system in the suv. My friend owned one and he sold it and lost some money. he was developing the engine problem as well. The dealer knew it right away as it was very common problem is that model. They have since corrected the problem in later models.
Do some research into this before you buy this suv.
AZB
 
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Medic5916

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Jul 11, 2014
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AZB said:
almost all dealers reverse the mileage on their imported cars to make them look less used in DR. the diesel version of prados develop a problem with their engines after 100 k miles. this seems like a known defect and i have seen many people talk about it. I am not sure of the exact defect but it may have something to do with turbo system in the suv. My friend owned one and he sold it and lost some money. he was developing the engine problem as well. The dealer knew it right away as it was very common problem is that model. They have since corrected the problem in later models.
Do some research into this before you buy this suv.
AZB
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We have done a ridiculous amount of research and the only problem that seems to be reoccuring is the fuel injectors going bad right around 140,000 km. It happens with some before this point and some a little after. Is there any way to see if they roll back the odometer?
 
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AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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Medic5916 said:
We have done a ridiculous amount of research and the only problem that seems to be reoccuring is the fuel injectors going bad right around 140,000 km. It happens with some before this point and some a little after. Is there any way to see if they roll back the odometer?
Click to expand...

I don't know how they do that but its a very common practice with small car dealers here. almost all reverse the mileage.
AZB
 
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wrecksum

Bronze
Sep 27, 2010
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The best car for the DR!

I can't afford or justify having one but if I could, I would.

I know of Prados which have done well over 200K Km with no disaster but like all equipment, it depends on regular maintenance and correct use.
Check the year by looking at the seat belt tag.
Signs of excessive mileage are many but one,easy to spot and often missed by the dealer, is a worn rubber on the pedals or ( brand-new rubber on the pedals), worn out seat corners where people slide in and out and faded markings on the usual controls. Original paint, even if dinged here and there is preferable to fresh-painted.
I'm away off in Sosua or I would help you out.If you see something near me I can check it over with you if you like.

Yes, you can get the odometer to read anything you like with just a basic laptop.....
 
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Expat13

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Jun 7, 2008
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AZB said:
I don't know how they do that but its a very common practice with small car dealers here. almost all reverse the mileage.
AZB
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When I shopped last year, I car faxed ALL, 9/10 turned back the mileage, 9/10 said they don't do that, when I confronted a few as I checked from iphone on the spot (catching them in their lies) they laughed and said it doesn't really matter as everyone turns back so u just have to pick the prettiest one! If it was bought brand new here and went to a dealer for service you have a good chance of getting true mileage and finding a gem. If important from abroad, they never buy low mileage as costs thousands more when all they have to do is "cheat and lie" and pocket they 1000s saved. Not illegal here so it will be done!
 
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suarezn

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Feb 3, 2002
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Yes expect the mileage to be rolled back...it really doesn't matter that much in The DR as repair is so cheap compared to The US, but you do want to make sure engine and transmissions (Two most expensive items) are OK. If you wish I can ask my brother to look for you. He used to be a dealer, so he still has all the connections and knows where to find pretty much any car you want.
 
Fulano2

Fulano2

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Jun 5, 2011
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Medic5916 said:
We have done a ridiculous amount of research and the only problem that seems to be reoccuring is the fuel injectors going bad right around 140,000 km. It happens with some before this point and some a little after. Is there any way to see if they roll back the odometer?
Click to expand...

Hi Medic,
I have a Prado myself, live half time in DR and the rest in Belgium.
I have family experts in Toyota, 100% reliable, just PM me if you are looking for a good one or need a computer check, in Santo Domingo.
 
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Medic5916

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Jul 11, 2014
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Fulano2 said:
Hi Medic,
I have a Prado myself, live half time in DR and the rest in Belgium.
I have family experts in Toyota, 100% reliable, just PM me if you are looking for a good one or need a computer check, in Santo Domingo.
Click to expand...

PM sent, really appreciate the willingness to help, from all of you.
 
franco1111

franco1111

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May 29, 2013
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No one answered the question about how to know if mileage has been rolled back. I am not a mechanic. I looked at a car here once, the legit mechanic was able to see real (?) mileage by hooking up car to computer. This being different than just looking at odometer. I don't know if that read out from the computer gives you a number no one can change, or not. Would be good to know. In my case, both numbers were the same.
 
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wrecksum

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Sep 27, 2010
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franco1111 said:
No one answered the question about how to know if mileage has been rolled back. I am not a mechanic. I looked at a car here once, the legit mechanic was able to see real (?) mileage by hooking up car to computer. This being different than just looking at odometer. I don't know if that read out from the computer gives you a number no one can change, or not. Would be good to know. In my case, both numbers were the same.
Click to expand...

The mileage information in the digital age is stored on a chip, usually in the car's dash. When this chip is re-programmed, that information is wiped and a new information installed, just as you do when you overwrite a file in your PC.
As far as I know this is not stored in any of the other ECUs.
It would seem that your mechanic was merely reading this data and thus does not verify either way, but the fact that the numbers were the same seems to show this.

Maybe a skilled hacker could reconstruct the wiped data but this would need some really clever CSI stuff, not a DR car dealer....
 
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