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Where and how much for a new car
The only piece of advice I can offer to you is DON'T BUY NEW.
If you really insist, then here are some questions for you. Have you ever driven in the DR? What did you drive? How were the roads? How many "brand new" cars did you see on the roads?
Maryanne
If you really insist, then here are some questions for you. Have you ever driven in the DR? What did you drive? How were the roads? How many "brand new" cars did you see on the roads?
Maryanne
If you're in Santo Domingo I can give you names of used car dealers.
My husband bought a car in SD this past summer.
You have to be careful, I checked out the VIN #'s on carfax for any car he was looking to buy. One had 103,000 miles, but the dealer said it had 13,000. When my husband showed him the info from carfax he admitted that he rolled back the odometer.
He figured who in the DR would check??
For the $20 carfax fee, it's worth it.
My husband bought a car in SD this past summer.
You have to be careful, I checked out the VIN #'s on carfax for any car he was looking to buy. One had 103,000 miles, but the dealer said it had 13,000. When my husband showed him the info from carfax he admitted that he rolled back the odometer.
He figured who in the DR would check??
For the $20 carfax fee, it's worth it.
Forget about looking for websites in the DR. Other than real estate, very few vendors have websites because so few Dominicans, as of now, have home computers.
Also, please post your questions in only one thread. The regular posters monitor all threads, not just one or two.
Also, please post your questions in only one thread. The regular posters monitor all threads, not just one or two.
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My dad once bought a spanking brand new pickup. On day 5 somebody wrecked it while it was parked on the street. He's nearly make me promise that I'll never buy a brand new car. Financially it is a waste of money.
I am not a car expert by any stretch of the imagination, but having bough a few used cars I think I can give you a few tips:
Buy from reputable dealers. Even locals are sometimes swindled. The documents could be forged and if the real owner come after you you will lose your money.
Have the VIN and registration checked by the police (Plan Piloto in Santo Domingo).
Offer RD$50,000 less than the asking price, that's about as much they could come down. You'll reach a point in between. Have someone else ask about the vehicle and see what they offer that person. Sometimes offers are made based on your looks and perceived weakness.
Have a trusted mechanic check the car. There are no lemon laws in the DR. You buy a lemon and you're just left to buy sugar for a giant lemonade.
Do check with Carfax for cars that were originally imported from the US. Many cars have the odometer messed with, some other cars that look good in appearance were cars that were totalled in the states (floods, rollover accidents, etc.) and that are then sold in the D.R. after a "plastic surgery".
Some VINs will not be registered in Carfax, cars made for the Dominican market are different from the models sold in the US. My V has a a lot of features that were only included two years later in the US.
For god's sake, don't buy leather. I made that mistake, and although it looks pretty and add to the resale value of the V when we sell it, my legs and back are not happy about it. It gets frigging hot in the summer.
I am not a car expert by any stretch of the imagination, but having bough a few used cars I think I can give you a few tips:
Buy from reputable dealers. Even locals are sometimes swindled. The documents could be forged and if the real owner come after you you will lose your money.
Have the VIN and registration checked by the police (Plan Piloto in Santo Domingo).
Offer RD$50,000 less than the asking price, that's about as much they could come down. You'll reach a point in between. Have someone else ask about the vehicle and see what they offer that person. Sometimes offers are made based on your looks and perceived weakness.
Have a trusted mechanic check the car. There are no lemon laws in the DR. You buy a lemon and you're just left to buy sugar for a giant lemonade.
Do check with Carfax for cars that were originally imported from the US. Many cars have the odometer messed with, some other cars that look good in appearance were cars that were totalled in the states (floods, rollover accidents, etc.) and that are then sold in the D.R. after a "plastic surgery".
Some VINs will not be registered in Carfax, cars made for the Dominican market are different from the models sold in the US. My V has a a lot of features that were only included two years later in the US.
For god's sake, don't buy leather. I made that mistake, and although it looks pretty and add to the resale value of the V when we sell it, my legs and back are not happy about it. It gets frigging hot in the summer.
You may just want to perform a search in google for "carro republica dominicana" or something along those lines. Here are a couple of websites you may find helpful.
http://www.autogermanica.com They sell BMW's
http://www.agenciabella.com/ Sell all kinds and have dealers all over the DR
http://www.super-carros.com New site, I think. Not sure how good they are.
http://www.bonanza.dominicana.com.do They sell Mitsubishi, suzuki and others
My brother is a used car dealer in Cotui. You may call him at 809-240-0909. Just ask for Johnny. He should be able to give you prices and models.
When it comes to cars in the DR, I would say never buy brand new and always buy Japanese made cars. In my opinion the best types of cars to own in the DR are the Honda CRV, the Toyota RAV4 or something like that. I personally prefer the CRV. The reasons are:
- Too many potholes and bumps, so you need something with more clearance than a normal car can provide.
- Gas is expensive as compared to the US, so you don't want a gas guzzler. These vehicles have pretty good mileage.
-They give you almost as much room/space as a full sized SUV without all the expenses and hassle.
-They are Japanese. Very important in the DR, because for one thing their quality tends to be much better than American and European cars. In addition you can find spare parts and people to service them anywhere in the DR. Not so with American made cars.
http://www.autogermanica.com They sell BMW's
http://www.agenciabella.com/ Sell all kinds and have dealers all over the DR
http://www.super-carros.com New site, I think. Not sure how good they are.
http://www.bonanza.dominicana.com.do They sell Mitsubishi, suzuki and others
My brother is a used car dealer in Cotui. You may call him at 809-240-0909. Just ask for Johnny. He should be able to give you prices and models.
When it comes to cars in the DR, I would say never buy brand new and always buy Japanese made cars. In my opinion the best types of cars to own in the DR are the Honda CRV, the Toyota RAV4 or something like that. I personally prefer the CRV. The reasons are:
- Too many potholes and bumps, so you need something with more clearance than a normal car can provide.
- Gas is expensive as compared to the US, so you don't want a gas guzzler. These vehicles have pretty good mileage.
-They give you almost as much room/space as a full sized SUV without all the expenses and hassle.
-They are Japanese. Very important in the DR, because for one thing their quality tends to be much better than American and European cars. In addition you can find spare parts and people to service them anywhere in the DR. Not so with American made cars.
Hey I bought the Honda Passport, well actually the Isuzu Rodeo. Same car. I am going down to visit it next week.Pib said:
Scott
You have received some fantastic replies. The "don't buy new" slogan is generally good advice and probably applies for most situations. However, I don't think that it is a hard and fast rule. I haven't done a formal survey, but it seems that many cars depreciate more slowly here than in the US when compared to the actual condition of the car(cars do wear out faster here). There are some who have the money, and who are not mechanically inclined and need a reliable vehicle who in my opinion, might be better off with a new car. At least you know that you aren't buying someone else's problem. Don't expect that it will never get wrecked-it will suffer at least minor damage from time to time. You can get full-coverage insurance. BTW, the nicer your car, the more likely you are to be considered as a person with money with all priviledges and liabilities associated.