Vehicle Purchase

Mike....cruffman. PM him

Thanks so much!!!!

Whatever you do, don't buy anything more than 3 to 5 years old. I bought a used civic that has been nothing but a nightmare. They will do anything here to temporarily bandaid fix issues. Then you get the car and it's a damn lemon.
I have paid for this car twice and am now ready to throw it in a dumpster. I paid cash as I was not keen on paying like 11 to 15 % for financing. Do it. Get a guarantee from a dealership. Preferably something within last 5 years because you cannot buy full insurance for a car older than 5 years. Just some thoughts and advice from a 3 yr resident. Good luck

Your post was illuminating.  Honda is known for being very good cars....even used.  Clearly Canadian standards in cars may not apply in the DR.  The climate is totally different.

My rule is to buy things with the simplest technology, but a very high quality.  For example, if buying a car, I would get a car with as little electronics as possible.  I prefer an engine and essential systems that are NOT COMPUTER CONTROLLED.  Computer controlled anything, generally have many low voltage connections or plugs.  These connections are a source of BAD CONNECTIONS after a few years.  Bad connections to a computer system is this:  "garbage in, garbage out".  I have seen this often enough with the latest generation of elevators being produced by various companies.  Too much computer and not enough quality.

Aside from poorly done repairs, am I right in assuming that most of your problems were electrial in nature?  Your post is making me rethink my car buying strategy.  Thanks.

Use the car Concierge here -- Cruffman...

he pre-screens all the problems mentioned here

Good advise.   

Small clarification: You can buy full coverage insurance for 10 years. 

After that, some insurance companies will still offer coverage but the price really jumps.

That means a 10 yr old car.... not 10 yrs of ownership.

Rates for older cars go up when they turn 10.
You just drop the coverage to what you can afford.

i am sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with a used car, but let me respectfully submit that you bought a bad car. i just recently put a couple in a 12 year old car which runs like new.  virtually flawless. the trick is to know how to buy a car.....

my posting is self serving, i know, but if i do my due diligence on a car, you are not going to have the horrors you outlined..

any car newer than 2000 will have computers controlling the engine and transmission functions. no way around that one. with the emissions requirements in developed countries, all cars have to be OBD1 and OBD2 compatible, and that means computers..

I am trying to get info on selling a vehicle in DR,does the buyer keep the plates or do I remove them like in the US

no....in the DR, the plates follow the car...