Automobile: How, where or whom from?

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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One of the very first issues I will have to resolve upon or before (depending on the approach) my arriving on the Island, is mobility, or in other words, the owning of a serious Yipeta (I know, "correct" spelling would be Jeepeta ;)).
So, I have some basic questions regarding this:

  • Am I right if I believe to understand that I could bring along with my household goods (at the time of becoming a legal resident) a vehicle, no older than 5 years and that I'd owned for at least 2 years? And ,how is the ownership history of these two years to be proven? Can anybody colaborate the actual faisebility of successfully bringing his own car along under this porvision (Experiences, positive or negative?
  • Can one lease a car in the DR? I'm talking about something like a 36 months lease of a brand new vehicle of my choice. So, are there some companies specializing in promoting long term lease agreements as you'd find in the States
  • If you just plain buy a vehicle in the DR, is it better to deal with a grey market "dealer" or with a company like Santo Domingo Motors? Price / Quality / Trustworthyness? Is it in anyway possible to evaluate how much the seller has in it (price of vehicle, legal and shipping costs) to have a better figure of how far down one could hagle a seller down?
  • Is it a viable option to import (thru a customs broker or a specialist) a brand new vehicle or have it imported on order? That is a) I go to MIA buy a vehicle and have sombody in the DR do all the paper work and b) I find a dealer who agrees to find a specific vehicle, bring it over and register it .
  • Last but not least, I'd appreciate if you could share some of your experiences and recomendations (do's and don't do's) about the adquisition of a car/vehicle as well as addresses, names, links of places to consider and those not to.

If that's of any interest: The vehicles I am presently looking at may be a Hummer H1 or some other large and rugged Diesel powered Yipeta.


Thank you very much in advance for your help! ... J-D.
 

frank alvarez

New member
Apr 13, 2004
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It depends on what you qualify for.

Hi. It depends on what you qualify for. You are right about the terms in your first point and if you qualify for this, it would be best to bring your vehicle from the states since you would be exempt from custom duties. However, keep in mind you will need to distribute some bucks to get the paperwork to flow efficiently since Customs officials can make life difficult
in the interest of getting something from you.

Otherwise, buying a new vehicle at a well-established dealership like Santo Domingo Motors, Delta, etc., would be the best advice. It must be kept in mind that you need to add at least another 25% to the vehicle's U.S. price, and perhaps more, due to taxes. A Hummer, if you can afford it, is great, although it attracts a lot of attention (of undesirable and dangerous characters too) and guzzles gas like crazy. A gallon of gasoline here is nearing 4 dollars a gallon!
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
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A Hummer? ...humbug!

For your own safety and peace of mind, try keeping a modest profile while living in the DR. Hummers are only driving in the DR by drug barons, major league baseball players, and hotshot politicians and government authorties who have confiscated them from the former. Also, fueling and maintenance costs make their use absurd. A Hummer will only attract unwanted and dangerous attention, like bees to honey.




frank alvarez said:
Hi. It depends on what you qualify for. You are right about the terms in your first point and if you qualify for this, it would be best to bring your vehicle from the states since you would be exempt from custom duties. However, keep in mind you will need to distribute some bucks to get the paperwork to flow efficiently since Customs officials can make life difficult
in the interest of getting something from you.

Otherwise, buying a new vehicle at a well-established dealership like Santo Domingo Motors, Delta, etc., would be the best advice. It must be kept in mind that you need to add at least another 25% to the vehicle's U.S. price, and perhaps more, due to taxes. A Hummer, if you can afford it, is great, although it attracts a lot of attention (of undesirable and dangerous characters too) and guzzles gas like crazy. A gallon of gasoline here is nearing 4 dollars a gallon!
 

HOWMAR

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Jan 28, 2004
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And remember the horror stories of the motochoncho that came from nowhere. Somehow you hit him. He is "seriously" injured. The policia come to investigate. Somebody suggests that pesos to the "injured" (as well as the police) is better than jail and a full investigation. You say "not this gringo". Next, you are calling your consulate from jail. The tell you "you may be innocent, but unless you want to wait in jail until a judge straightens this out, pay up".
This happens to tourists in rental cars as well as local ex-pats in private cars.
For piece of mind, keep a well-connected Dominican lawyer's card with you at all times and hire a driver.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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I like the option of

having your own car shipped down
Preferable:
Toyota diesel--any type...of their 4 x 4s
Ford, Dodge or GMC diesel pickups
'Subaru makes diesels, too.

Nothing too large, nothing that requires "a mother's touch" for maintenence.

HB :D:D
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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I got your no-Hummer messages ;) . I did expect them too somehow... Technically I think it would be a good and lasting vehicle: Manitenance is low on these and parts are easy to get by. Yes it guzzels, but it's Diesel too. The thing is I have one here (in Spain, my current 1st residence) but it has not been registred at my name but on an SA (Inc.) in Spain... thus my question: What do you have to bring in as prove that YOU owned it for at least 2 years, because yes, I think I will qualify to bring in a vehicle as I will file for 1st residence in the DR and give up the Spanish and also disolve a home in the States.

GMC: GMC makes Diesel equiped versions of Chevy's light truck vehicles (Blazer and such). Is there a serious GMC dealer on the Island?


Thanks for all the replies so far... J-D.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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That Hummer must stand out in Spain

I saw a GMC Sierra Classic on Mallorca a few years ago and it stood out like a sore thumb...

The Hummer remarks are very accurate, BTW...get a lot of stares.

Whatever you bring, get the basic spares like filters and stuff...safe a heap on them.

HB:D:D
 

suarezn

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Feb 3, 2002
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Hummers do stand out, but not as much as you may think. Heck there are two of them just in my little hometown alone.

If you plan to own a vehicle do yourself a favor and buy Japanese (Toyota, Honda, or Mitsubishi). You'll avoid a lot of headaches in the future. If you don't care for the japanese cars then go european (BMW, Mercedes or Rovers) in that order.

Now if you can bring the hummer without paying taxes then I would say do so, then once you're in The DR sell it and buy yourself a Lancruiser or Lexus RX450.
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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Thanks Hillbilly, I always stock service material... tools too and the books. When I didn't have the money, as a kid, I used to fix and service my cars by myself... and these were all old US cars... in Switzerland. I worked all my studying vacations to pay for gas and parts :D. I sometimes even miss these times.


suarezn said:
... do yourself a favor and buy Japanese (Toyota, Honda, or Mitsubishi). You'll avoid a lot of headaches in the future. .

Aren't Japanese parts expensive and hard to get by? I looked at the KIA Sorento (I know, it's not exacly a Jap, but an Arrozera is an Arrozera ;)) as it's one of the few asian cars I like for the looks. But back here in Spain my technician told me to reconsider... even here in Spain you may sit and wait for KIA parts for months. He recomended REXTON (for the MB 270Cdi technology). Anyway, you suspected right, I don't care much for the look of the Toyota, Honda, or Mitsubishi (I still have respect for their quality).
Does your "headaches in the future" statement refer to US built cars?

suarezn said:
... If you don't care for the japanese cars then go european (BMW, Mercedes or Rovers) in that order.
Any good dealers and service reps in the DR?

suarezn said:
...Now if you can bring the hummer without paying taxes then I would say do so, then once you're in The DR sell it and buy yourself a Lancruiser or Lexus RX450.
I am not certain I am allowed to sell a vehicle I would bring in tax free unless I would at least keep it for a good while(?).. But the idea has occured to me too.

Thanks! ... J-D.