importing a computer

I am hoping to visit a friend in Santo Domingo this summer and would like to bring him a used computer. What are the restrictions on bringing one into the Dominican Republic? As an alternate, what can be bought there? Any suggestions for how to transport one? Would it work as checked baggage on the airplane?

Thanks for any help you can provide

You can bring a computer into the country only you have to pay high customs duty. A student I know paid $300.00 DOLLARS and the price of the entire computer system NEW was only $850.00. I am told the restrictions are less now but do not know for sure. There are many computer stores here with all types and brands and clones. And the prices are pretty good. I would go to someplace like Mail Boxes etc. and have them pack the computer PROFESSIONALLY and there would be less chance of damage that way. Do your friend a favor also, supply a UPS power pack (battery) so he does not lose when the power exits (frequently). Also a very good surge protector is necessary to protect the computer.

A month ago I bought per website a new DELL (value US1400.00) and got it shipped to the Santo Domingo. The customsagency charged me about US$80.00 for this PC. If you bring a system by plane you might even be able to get it through customs at the airport without paying

There are many stores in the DR and the prices are equivalent to those in the US. I was told a Pemtium machine with plenty of RAM and a large HD with monitor modem and priter could be bought for 12,000 pesos.

Try this link.

Sorry it's not my intention to provide free advertizing for this company but, it's the only one I can find a link to.

Please note that the machines you are talking about are made in small back room shops right here in the country. Just having a pentium chip has nothing to do with the reliability of a machine which depends on the quality of the other parts and the quality control of the assembly person. I know many persons with these machines who have no end of problems and breakdowns. You can not compare them to even a minor name brands from USA or Europe.

I just bought a P-lll, 600, 10g HD, 128mg ram, etc., 17" monitor for less than RD$20,000.00 (US$1250.00) in Santiago. The decision is yours. Good Luck

Not everyone who owns a computer in the US or Canada bought it from a mayor vendor, many people buy clone PCs because they are more flaxible than big brand names.

For example, to upgrade a Compaq Presario, you need to buy
the memory, CPU and the HD that Compaq suggests, witch is usually the more expensive ones. With a brandless pc however, I can plug any brand of memory, disk or CPU I please without having to pay premium prices.

I appreciate what you are saying, you are right. I am only pointing out that I have seen some clones being made here (DR) by incompetent persons totally disorganized, doing a terrible job of component assembly, soldering and routing of wiring and obviously caring little for quality control. I also know persons who have bought some of those units and suffered constant breakdowns and other problems. I am sure this is not a problem unique to the DR BUT to some persons reliablilty ESPECIALLY when not in your own country is very important so for them in might be worth a name brand with less breakdowns as the cost may be less in the end..