Buying a car (again)

[ERICKXSON]

Hey guys is anyone here selling a:

1. VW golf
2. VW polo
3. VW gol
4. VW jetta

muat be in good shape

1. not crashed
2. nice interior
3. i can go and see it
4. excellent conditions

year

1. 2001
2. 2000

please send me a p.m.

 

[gringo in dr]

I suggest you take a look at the skoda line of cars. They are basically the same as VW but normally with smaller engines. The price is cheaper of course. I have skoda fabia which is basically a vw golf.

 

[ERICKXSON]

I suggest you take a look at the skoda line of cars. They are basically the same as VW but normally with smaller engines. The price is cheaper of course. I have skoda fabia which is basically a vw golf.

a friend of mine has one and is cool, have you had any problems with yours?

 

[gringo in dr]

a friend of mine has one and is cool, have you had any problems with yours?

Not one problem. I bought it in october of 2003. It was a 2002 left over. With the exchange rate, I got it out the door for a little over $8,500. It gets 25 mpg in the city and 45 on the highway. The only thing I don't like about it, is it is geared low. So on long trips ie beach, capital, you will be between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm. The value factor is hard to beat. I believe they are going for around $11,000 but the peso prices have not dropped yet to match the exchange rate.

 

[ERICKXSON]

Not one problem. I bought it in october of 2003. It was a 2002 left over. With the exchange rate, I got it out the door for a little over $8,500. It gets 25 mpg in the city and 45 on the highway. The only thing I don't like about it, is it is geared low. So on long trips ie beach, capital, you will be between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm. The value factor is hard to beat. I believe they are going for around $11,000 but the peso prices have not dropped yet to match the exchange rate.

i think i'll go for it otherwise i will be importing a car from the US i don't trust any of those use cars dealers.

 

[Danny W]

There is very little info available on Skodas on the internet, and I think I've only seen one here in NY. Since they are asking over 6K for a '97 Corolla on the North Coast, the Skoda does seem like a great deal. I have a few questions:
Is the only dealer in Santo Domingo, or are there others?
Do you have the diesel? Seems like it would be more reliable.
Can it be serviced up north?
Are they priced in dollars?

Thanks, - D

 

[gringo in dr]

There is very little info available on Skodas on the internet, and I think I've only seen one here in NY. Since they are asking over 6K for a '97 Corolla on the North Coast, the Skoda does seem like a great deal. I have a few questions:
Is the only dealer in Santo Domingo, or are there others?
Do you have the diesel? Seems like it would be more reliable.
Can it be serviced up north?
Are they priced in dollars?

Thanks, - D

Skodas are not marketed to the US as far as I know. Skoda, Volkswagon, Audi and Seat are all the same. A skoda fabia is a volkswagon golf. Skoda Octavia is a volkswagon jetta. The skodas model for model have smaller engines than their vw counter parts.

Skoda is the econo line of VW. Even so they come with some decent standard options. Power windows up front, express up and down with drivers controls. Rear windows are cranks but the kids don't seem to mind. Power central locks. Even has a 12 oz drink cooler. Electric motors to adjust the level of your headlights from inside the car. Decent a/c. Cold air is piped to the rear via some under the front seats floor vents. The rear seat folds down and can be completely removed for storage space. Parts are readily available and cheap.

I don't have the diesel. I think the diesel costs a bit more. I have the 1.4 liter gas engine. I have the 5 speed manual transmission. Believe it or not it's fast enough.

As for the reputation of VW in the states. Notice that all VW/audi shipped to the US are assembled in Mexico? I think that is the problem.

I bought mine at Peravia Motors in Santiago. They are very close to Hollywood 7.

Here is their phone number 226-8060. Tell them el gordo gringo sent you.

When I bought mine they had it price in pesos. 290,000 out the door. I looked around but couldn't find anything to match it for value.

As for buying used cars here, you don't want to know about the nightmare of a used lexus I bought when I first got here. Well actually it turned out to be two cars..... welded together.

The dominicans have a saying, todo los marcas nuevas son buenas, los usados son malas.

As for servicing, you should be able to get them serviced by a vw place.

 

[Danny W]

It appears that Peravia only has manual transmissions. My girlfriend called yesterday. Do you have any experience with Daihatsu? It seems that they are similar to Toyotas, but alot cheaper. I really would like to buy new instead of used, but it's hard to justify the prices. I spend about 20 days a year in the DR. This is mainly for my girlfriend to take her son to school and maybe go to Puerto Plata once a week. She just learned to drive, so I shudder to think what it will look like after a few months, but reliability means everything to me. - D

 

[Robert]

Is the only dealer in Santo Domingo, or are there others?

Skoda have a very large dealship on Winston Churchil, almost opposite Plaza Central.

After spending 10 days in the Czech Republic recently, I'm Skodered out!
Built in the Czech Republic, now owned by VW.

I have only heard good things about them in recent years.

 

[jerryme]

sound too much like" scrotum"

 

[gringo in dr]

It appears that Peravia only has manual transmissions. My girlfriend called yesterday. Do you have any experience with Daihatsu? It seems that they are similar to Toyotas, but alot cheaper. I really would like to buy new instead of used, but it's hard to justify the prices. I spend about 20 days a year in the DR. This is mainly for my girlfriend to take her son to school and maybe go to Puerto Plata once a week. She just learned to drive, so I shudder to think what it will look like after a few months, but reliability means everything to me. - D

I have seen the Daihatsu's there but I have no experience with them. I haven't even sat in one to tell you the truth.

Take a trip over there and give one a try.

 

[Danny W]

I have seen the Daihatsu's there but I have no experience with them. I haven't even sat in one to tell you the truth.

Take a trip over there and give one a try.

I'll be there on Sept. 3 with a credit card burning a hole in my wallet. I'm curious about people's expriences re:negotiating prices for new cars. Roughly what % can usually come off the asking price? - D

 

[gringo in dr]

I'll be there on Sept. 3 with a credit card burning a hole in my wallet. I'm curious about people's expriences re:negotiating prices for new cars. Roughly what % can usually come off the asking price? - D

The only new car I bought here was my fabia. They didn't come down very much but it was already cut because it was a left over.