- Thread starter the gorgon
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Used Car Buying Guidance
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i have a 35 point checklist, and i select certain criteria upon which emphasis should be placed, depending upon the age of the vehicle. buying a used car in the DR, or anywhere for that matter, can be a daunting process. it should NEVER be attempted without the help of someone who understands the business. bad things can happen to your wallet, and your peace of mind.
You can go back and give him a like; a like trumps a dislike when the same person gives both. :laugh:
there is one cautionary note that i need to make known to the readership who might be in the market for a car. DO NOT fall into the trap of taking "a mechanic" to look at a used car. most mechanics are just that. they can tell if the motor sounds ok, if it is blowing excess smoke, or if there are unhealthy noises in the drivetrain. most of them know nothing about the chassis and structure, so you could end up with a car with a nice engine, but the body has been to war, and you are driving around in a deathtrap that runs good.
secondly, most "mechanics" are propositioned by the seller to give the vehicle the green light, whereupon they will receive a "comision". on one of my recent trips, a used car dealer propositioned me to importune my client to buy his car, and he would throw me 15 thou. that is standard operating procedure with these guys. i prefer to build a reputation and a solid client base than to put a guy into a clunker for a few pesos.
secondly, most "mechanics" are propositioned by the seller to give the vehicle the green light, whereupon they will receive a "comision". on one of my recent trips, a used car dealer propositioned me to importune my client to buy his car, and he would throw me 15 thou. that is standard operating procedure with these guys. i prefer to build a reputation and a solid client base than to put a guy into a clunker for a few pesos.
in the meanwhile, if any of your buddies needs a car, then please spread the word. thank you.
To add to that I have a personal story which bodes to your point. On 2004 I bought a brand new Yamaha BW in GasperHernandez. I took a "friend" with me who knew about bikes. The bike was new. When returning to Sosua he told me that even though it was new we should still have it checked by a mechanic. At that time I spoke NO Spanish at all!!!
I get to this mechanic in Charamico and like 3 guys come out and literally just about disassembeled the bike in front of me - fast too. I didn't know what was going on but after that and every day for about a month something went wrong with the bloody bike and I spent probably as much fixing it as I paid for it. In fact I even have a video on someone elses bike with my friend while he push mine with his food because I was broken down on the side of the road....
So true about some mechanics --- mechanics in Canada can be scary too :S
I get to this mechanic in Charamico and like 3 guys come out and literally just about disassembeled the bike in front of me - fast too. I didn't know what was going on but after that and every day for about a month something went wrong with the bloody bike and I spent probably as much fixing it as I paid for it. In fact I even have a video on someone elses bike with my friend while he push mine with his food because I was broken down on the side of the road....
So true about some mechanics --- mechanics in Canada can be scary too :S
these guys are predators, which is why you need backup. the last thing you need to be when dealing with them is vulnerable. they hate me when i show up, because i make no bones about ridiculing their nonsense. i looked at a Honda CRV 2 weeks ago which had spun a bearing. when that happens , the motor makes this terrible sound called the "death rattle". the guy tried to tell me that the sound was coming from a loose heat shield. i made him know that i was doing this business since before he was born. i wished him good luck with the next sucker. they all wonder who the heck is this guy with the attitude, but if you give them the slightest opening, you become their ATM. ESPECIALLY when you are a foreigner. firstly, they think all expats have a money printing press at home. they also think it is their national duty to take as much as they can from foreigners. finally, they have this inexplicable misgiving that they know more about all things than foreigners do.
i love clashing with them..it is too easy.
I wish you the best Bud,
But in a country where you can hire someone for a few pesos to put a bullet between someones eyes......
ESPECIALLY doing what you're doin........taking cash out of every con artists pocket......
It's nice, and it's a great idea....
But keep in mind........it's THEIR island......you're the OUTSIDER......
So when someone starts messin with their natural world order.......
Well......you may have a problem.......
I know I wouldn't wanna be looking over my back during my golden years........
GOOD LUCK ROBIN HOOD
I'm trying to reach you . I'm looking to buy a car from a dealer in Santo Domingo . Can you send me your number by PM ?
beans, if you come to their country and open a decent restaurant, serving quality cuisine, you are taking cash out of every restaurant owner's pocket. if you can repair electronic equipment , you are taking money out of their pocket. by your reasoning, you should sit on your hands, do nothing, allow then to sell you crap food, screw up your appliances, and do nothing to better the condition.
i am not sure i can pm you, but my number is in my ad in the classifieds section. it is 829-546-3624
here is why the DR1 members who can offer a service need to make it available.
my buddy from Canada went to look at a convection oven last Monday. the fan would not spin, so we went and found a technician and asked him to look at it. the guys were asking my buddy 17,000 pesos, and he was prepared to buy it if the fan could be made to work. well, whaddya know? when we told the guy where the thing was, he immediately described it to us. he had looked at it a year ago, and pronounced it junk. he told us that we should keep our 9000 pesos , and look for something better.
yup. they were asking 9 large from Dominicans a year ago. now that it is certified junk, they want 17,000 from a foreigner, because , as we know, they all have a money tree in the backyard. i will take my chances of peeing them off. the money i save might be yours.
my buddy from Canada went to look at a convection oven last Monday. the fan would not spin, so we went and found a technician and asked him to look at it. the guys were asking my buddy 17,000 pesos, and he was prepared to buy it if the fan could be made to work. well, whaddya know? when we told the guy where the thing was, he immediately described it to us. he had looked at it a year ago, and pronounced it junk. he told us that we should keep our 9000 pesos , and look for something better.
yup. they were asking 9 large from Dominicans a year ago. now that it is certified junk, they want 17,000 from a foreigner, because , as we know, they all have a money tree in the backyard. i will take my chances of peeing them off. the money i save might be yours.
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