Why buy a used car? Because new cars are absurdly expensive, unless you are a Diputado or a narcotraficante. But seriously, I'm seeing better advice than usual in this thread. Going through a known source is always an advantage because you will get a more honest assessment of the vehicle's condition. Besides, the ruinous cost, the other disadvantage of new cars is local car dealers are notorious for not honoring warranties or providing shoddy warranty repairs. Several manufacturers have stripped down warranties specific to the Dominican Republic because road conditions take such a heavy toll on the vehicles.
However you source your used vehicle, best practices are:
- compare prices for similar vehicles (easier to do these days with online resources like 'supercarros')
- have a trusted or at least objective mechanic examine the vehicle for serious mechanical issues
- never buy without a test drive, even the least experienced buyer can notice major suspension or drive train problems
- be aware of the local custom of last second, cash in hand, negotiations (you can knock a bit off your purchase price)
- list each defect or mechanical issue you and/or your consulting mechanic notices, then use that list to renegotiate the price
- this might be the most important...assume you will have to rebuild a used vehicle's components that are not obviously in perfect shape (e.g. tires, engine seals, exhaust, suspension, etc.) and base your maximum price you are willing to pay on that assumption
- use online resources (carfax, etc.) to filter out salvage or flood damaged vehicles, but be aware all such vehicle's don't have online histories
- research proven methods for identifying salvage or flood damaged vehicles (odors, stains, mismatched VIN numbers, odometer reading that is inconsistent with vehicle condition, etc.)
The above might look scary but the used car buyer's secret weapon in the Dominican Republic is the relatively low cost of even major repairs. We of course want to avoid such repairs but if they come up it's not the end of the world like in the US or Europe. A front end overhaul on a jeepeta, or new brakes are manageable. Tires are more troublesome because replacing them is very costly and, unlike an engine overhaul, you will repeat the expense relatively soon. But we must have our transportation��