Shipping Services vs A New Purchase

buy in the DR.  ship one in & pay about 30% duty on its value.  Buy a used one here & save big bucks.  Check the local bulletin boards & have a mechanic friend check it out.

Thank you. I'm going to buy new so do they have the same makes and models they have in the u.s. ? Is that a silly question ?

not a silly question at all.  buy new here pay 35% above the US price.  yes , they have all makes here plus some you may have never heard of before.   it is your personal choice as to which path you take. buy in the US & still pay for shipping on top of the duty.  maybe cheaper to buy new in the DR.  others will have the answers to that. I always bought my motorcycles & cars used here through private sales.

Thank you. If I ship, I have to hope nothing gets damage.

Ok buying a car here new or used is about 35% more expensive then in the US.

Shipping a car here will cost you at least 35% of the value of the car

And for you most important the car has to be between 2 and 5 years of age and  you must have owned it for 2 years.  So you cannot ship a new car or even a used car that you just brought.

So for you ... buy here and yes the same models as in the US.

Bob K

Thank you, Glad I asked.

Great advice. IN addition factor in parts and availability of labor to fix the vehicle.   You may not know that no mechanic has ever said the words:  No I cannot fix that.   They can always fix it...... so they say.

In reality you want to purchase a vehicle that is fairly common here.  Buy and Audi and you are buying grief.  Buy a Mitsubishi, a Toyota,Honda, Daihatsu, and there are a few others.... no issues at all. You can get mechanics, parts etc easily.

The company here bought a Dodge Durango - what a headache!!!!  OMG parts are very very expensive and mechanics charge more IF they can even fix it.  ( I Had nothing to do with this purchase) 

I bought a Daihatsu Terios - reasonably new - no problems with mechanics or parts!

You are correct about parts for "off brands". My Chevy Avalanche truck was a bear for parts and ended up shipping in parts from the US many times.  Thankfully I have sold the beast

Bob K

I get it. Same here. Foreign cars are more expensive to repair. Thank you

You are welcome...keep asking away

Bob K

Actually not that simple,  foreign cars are not the right description. Its not often imported cars. All cars here are foreign and imported......

Planner yes you are correct. Can you imagine a car produced here

Bob K

I wouldn't buy new here if they paid me. You can't trust the dealers. And you won't get any support after the fact.  The depreciation hit you will take immediately and in the first few years is horrendous. So what's the point of it? And the laws coerce people into going to a dealer to buy new since they don't let you buy too old because they don't allow importing cars for the general population older than five years.

Better to find a trusted mechanic. Easier said than done. And have that person check out any cars you find on the internet. 5-6 years old is the sweet spot. Or buy even older for the best bang for the buck.

Yes some dealers are a bit shady especially when it comes to used cars.  Check any used vehicle you purchase on car fax to get the history if it has been imported from the US. Lots of flood damaged cars as well as many with junk titles (have been so badly damaged in accidents that they cannot get  a new title in the US) cars  end up here. As well as you will find they left the US a week or so before you see it with 100,000 more miles on it

We bought a new Toyota RAV4 8 years ago and the smartest move we could have made.

Bob K

Buying vehicles is full of issues.   Regardless of the import law there are lots and lots of used vehicles available.  You need to shop smart,  get everything double checked and absolutely use carfax or some such service.

This sounds more stressful than tring to decide where my first visit should be lol

A thought to ponder... You will find it difficult to drive 10,000 miles a year here.  Unless you need & can afford luxury vehicles, but a good used car privately that you have had checked out extensively before hand.   Spending 3-5 0r 6.000 $ for a car that has a serviceable 5 year  or more life left is much better than spending 30 to 40,000$ for a car that might only last a year or two more than the used one.   There are Toyotas 15 years old, rust free, well maintained that will run forever..   A beautiful car from the outside doesn't matter as you are on the inside.  Like a house with a view, months pass & the view is no longer impacting you anymore the same way. You pay for the view, but end up ignoring it.  You must see much more of the island.  Don't base your decision on such limited experience. You will be amazed to see a snow capped mountain, near desert areas, lush rain forest, lowlands & everything in between. Treat yourself to what the DR has to offer.  This is from a guy who lived for 30+ years in the islands.  Have fun, explore the island while you're exploring yourself.    Welcome, welcome, welcome!

Love your post. Thank you

Gypsy has a real way with words.........  love the way he says things!!!! 

Now about those snow capped mountains.......LOL

He definitely does. I'm not happy that I prob. Wont get a brand new convertible  but I'm going to find one close to new if it kills me lol

You may want to rethink that convertible option!  So,  here is what you need to consider -  where do you park it? At home you need an enclosed garage - limits your living options. WHen you go out -  where do you park it - on the street? In the open? At night -  bigger problems.....

A convertible is an invitation to rip it open and steal what is inside!  you cannot leave anything at all inside -  25RD is an invitation. A  CD is an invitation.  A radio or stereo system won't last  2 days. It will be stolen. 

Sorry, that is the reality here honey.

Not only that you park with the top down on a beautiful sunny day, go into the local restaurant and 5 min later a torrential down pour is flooding your pretty baby. 

I can count on one had the number of convertibles (not including Jeep Wrangler soft tops) I have seen the year on one hand and have a couple of fingers left.

Bob K

Darlene,  Mt.  Duarte is over 10,000 ft. high.  It can & does often have snow on top.  Also I said mountain (singular) not plural.   Thanks both of you for the nice comments on an ancient curmudgeons prose.  Thanks. .

I was funnin you Gypsy,  I used to live close to the Rocky Mountains, now those are some snow topped mountains....LOL

Yeah, the Rockies are something.  I've been over Loveland & Rabbit Ears.  Ya mon, dem be a ting fo true..De barn up high!

I used to live in them thar Colorado mountains. Did ski patrol at Breckenridge for a few years. In fact moved here from the foothills(7600 feet) outside of Denver.  We saw those snow capped mountains all year long.

Bob K

we have a VW Touareg . Hint !!! do not buy one here jajajajajajaj

One extra expense not mentioned is the additional annual license fee on newer cars. The window stickers are more for cars less than 5 years old.

I live in Santo Domingo and have a 2007 Chevy SUV. I don't care what my car looks like on the outside. The more scratches and dents the better. I do not want "the street" to think I am a rich gringo. I am not, but surely dont want to send that message. I have been hit by a motorcycle, 4 cars, and 2 buses. Most of those while standing still. None were my fault. I am very happy I didn't buy a new car and this is from someone who never owned a car over 3 years old.

I have never seen a car here without a dent or scratch hahahah. The fact you own a car you are rich. you have lights that work and still there on the car, glass in the windows, and actual seat inside, fenders that do not flap, paint that matches, gomas the same size YEAH your are still a rich Gringo hahahahaha

So true,  good points.  I was hit by a full Presidente beer truck - destroyed my Rav 4.

what luck!!!!! you should have a lifetime of beer

Did you at least get a free case of beer?

I agree with the idea of an an older car.  Our 9 year old Rav-4  looks beat up but  runs just fine.  I too never have had a car older than 2-3 years.  In fact our other car (yes texasdonkey we have two....so rich???....not) is a 19 year old jeep wrangler. Also looks old and runs greatt.

So far luckly only hit by two motos, one at a stop light ( was stopped and he used the rear end of our car as his break) and once by a speeding moto riding on the wrong side of the strees.

Bob K

PLanner you should have  a lifetime supply of green botttles.

Bob K