Best Way to Find a Car in the DR

[AlterEgo]

Are you sure you added in all of the shipping, taxes, duty, first license fees, etc? Most people doing the analysis do not come up with a price that is that is substantially different for an automobile. I would be interested in seeing your final results.

I agree with this. We did it because we didn't want to buy a used car in DR after hearing all the horror stories. And because we were entitled to a break on the taxes.

We actually bought the Venza knowing it would eventually go to DR, it's why we bought the 4 cylinder engine.

 

[william webster]

I think the point here is that if shipping, taxes, etc are the only expense... its cheaper than selling in the US and re-buying in RD

That assumes there is no value to knowing the vehicle history.

I too, would always import , given the chance.....

AE will tell you the same thing -- cheaper to import your own car than buy in RD

 

[playacaribe2]

I think the point here is that if shipping, taxes, etc are the only expense... its cheaper than selling in the US and re-buying in RD

That assumes there is no value to knowing the vehicle history.

I too, would always import , given the chance.....

AE will tell you the same thing -- cheaper to import your own car than buy in RD

Exactly.

If you own your car in the US and presumably took good care of it....you know what you are sending.

If you buy in the DR absent knowing someone selling a vehicle AND its maintenance and driving history...you are probably better off bringing/sending your own vehicle.

My 2007 has been in the DR for little over a year now. If Supercarros is representative of asking prices...then I am still way ahead of the curve.

Speaking of which, I am often asked what would I pay IF I were to buy a car in the DR.

Since there is NO NADA/KBB/Edmunds pricing in the DR...you must improvise. My rule is to go to Supercarros,com, look up the make, model year, etc. If you have a sufficient sampling (10 or more)....throw out the high, and low asking prices and then average the remaining asking prices. From there, I discount an additional 10%.

I have determined that to be a fair price. Now you just need to find a vehicle that passes the visual/mechanical inspection....and those are hard to find.

Thus the reason, even though it is a royal pain in the axx, I import...and will probably continue to do so.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[william webster]

Great minds think alike.... PC2

or as some will argue -

Fools seldom differ.......

Chaq'un a son gout......

 

[drSix]

Dumb question alert.... do people who finance cars get a title before they pay it off?

.

I had a title with my truck the day I bought it. After it was paid off the bank sent me a lein card saying it was paid, but the title didn't change at all.

 

[playacaribe2]

I, personally, have taken 2 unpaid-for automobiles overseas from the U.S. when under Military Orders. Even kept my License plates from my home state, both times with the foreign plates screwed-on over the tops of the U.S. license plates. All perfectly legal and above board.

Who was the lienholder? Unless it was the federal government or a government entity that gave the loan, the car is not going anywhere out of the US without a waiver....and as I said, those are very hard to come by.

While I am not familiar with the military, the Foreign Service puts out a policy manual that clearly advises those employees with regard to this very issuie...you need a waiver...and most banks/financial institutions do not grant them.

More importantly, it has little bearing on probably 99.9% of the people reading the thread.

You want to ship a car here, you need a free/clear title.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[william webster]

I had a title with my truck the day I bought it. After it was paid off the bank sent me a lein card saying it was paid, but the title didn't change at all.

You may have a title.... but one with a 'cloud'..... not a free and clear title
the car could not have left the jurisdiction

As PC2 stated - different states address this differently

I, personally, have taken 2 unpaid-for automobiles overseas from the U.S. when under Military Orders. Even kept my License plates from my home state, both times with the foreign plates screwed-on over the tops of the U.S. license plates. All perfectly legal and above board.

There will be exceptions to almost every rule... this one seems to take that to the extreme

As PC2 says... does this exception help any of us here?
Any military orders here?

Maybe when Bush visited Playa Grande back when he brought his own car for the day...... maybe

 

[drSix]

You may have a title.... but one with a 'cloud'.....

So, my wife was right, I am just like Eeyore?

 

[william webster]

or the guy in L'il Abner - Joe Btfsplk.....