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Can anyone recommend a used car dealer at or in the surrounding area of Playa Hermosa, Guancaste. I also understand Liberia has several car dealers. Or, does anyone know of a forum for purchase of a used vehicle from an expat departing Costa Rica. I bought a new Toyota 4Runner here in the U.S. last year, however, the shipping costs, import tax, etc. make my shipping it to CR extremely expensive. Does anyone have any experience with or knowlege of owning a chevrolet avalache in Costa Rica, which would be my second choice to a japanese maker.
soldier, whether you import your 4Runner or buy one that somebody else has imported, the costs will be the same and it’ll be you paying them.
If you import your own car, you’ll know its complete history and how it’s been maintained. Used cars here are a bit of a black art. It’s not illegal to turn odometers back or to “paste together” parts of two or more wrecks and title the result.
My first choice would be to import a car from the U.S. that’s one to three years old. The shipping costs are the same regardless but the Customs duty is at the lowest rate. Older cars cost as much to ship but the duty rates are higher. If importing a car is out of the question, then the surest way to get a reliable vehicle is to purchase one new from one of the new car importers. Each brand has a single importer in Costa Rica.
However it is that you come to own a car in Costa Rica, the import duties and shipping are going to make it expensive. Prepare for a shock. There’s no easy way around this basic fact.
Edited on Nov 02, 2009 11:59
Have you seen our ‘Costa Rica Car Buying Guide’ which was updated September 2009 [ https://www.welovecostarica.com/public/2284.cfm ]
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.com[quote=”soldier”]Thanks to everyone for the information.
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In my opinion… I would not want to buy a used rental car here.[quote=”ticopaz”][quote=”soldier”]Thanks to everyone for the information.
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In my opinion… I would not want to buy a used rental car here.[/quote]I will second that. I typically rent a small car for a week or two and I KNOW I put a year’s worth of wear and tear on the clutch and suspension. While I’ve been a mechanic and know how to make a clutch last a long time most folks do not and probably come close to wearing one out in short order. While this is a simple replacement, that use translates into a LOT of wear on engine bearings and other parts.
IF you travel anywhere interesting in CR the car’s suspension gets a LOT of wear. AND even though all the rental contracts say NO to driving in water that would mean not driving at all in a lot of parts of CR, especially in the wet season.
All the rentals I’ve had were very low mileage so I suspect that they trade them off pretty quick. That means they KNOW the car has had a lifetime of wear no matter the looks or mileage.
I would buy new in CR
ticopaz,
Thanks for the insight. The more I read and research, the less I want a used car. I will probably make the investment and buy a new japanese vehicle. I bought a new Toyota 4Runner here in the U.S. last year, with the thought of bringing it to CR; well, that was before I did my research on the import tax and the trials-and-tribulations of importing a vehicle to CR.
Bring your checkbook, soldier. You’re in for a shock. Before you commit, at least look at Hyundai and Kia. As compared to Toyota and Nissan, they’re much, much less expensive. And our Hyundai Terracan diesel has been totally reliable.
Soldier,
I brought our 2007 4Runner, 1996 LandCruiser, and 1998 Subaru to Costa Rica a couple of years ago and, as others have said, the import taxes and registration were expensive. I used Barry Wilson of http://www.shipcostarica.com (US Phone (843) 278-5573) to handle everything. I am a car dealer in the US and really appreciated the value of Barry’s service. He will pick the vehicle up in the US, handle the shipping, inspection, registration, and transportation, to your door in Costa Rica. He does it quickly and efficiently and has done is for many years. The small fee he charged was well worth the savings in time and hassle. He will tell you up front how much it will cost and his estimate is very accurate. To give you an idea of the service, on one occasion, I flew down to CR and he was waiting with my newly imported vehicle at the airport for me with all the documents and paper temp tags. He also shipped two containers for us to Costa Rica and two containers for us from Costa Rica to Texas. The one time we had an issue, which was our first shipment, he stepped up and took responsibility and paid to rectify the situation. I completely TRUST him and that is the most important part of a transaction like this. Good Luck to you and Pura Vida!
Jerry ThompsonSoldier,
If I could only have one vehicle in Costa Rica it would be my 1996 LandCruiser. I believe the FZJ80 model which is my favorite, went from 1995 to 1997. You can buy one here in the US from 5-10K and, depending on the year, you will pay 6-9K to ship it and pay everything to have it registered. If you buy a nice one and service it well before you leave, you will have a tank that can handle almost any terrain, carry 8 passengers, and clean up for a date on Friday night. And, the folks down there don’t have any problem working on that big six cylinder and you can get parts if needed. For the money you can’t beat it. If I brought something that was one-three years old, I would definately bring a 4×4 4Runner or a Toyota Quad Cab 4×4 pickup. The LandCruiser is recognized down there and is easy to sell and get your money back. Since Toyota only makes a gas version for the CR and US markets, virtually no new 4Runners are sold in Costa Rica so the new ones are a little less popular and harder to sell. I lost several thousand dollars when I sold my 2007. Toyota replaced the Diesel 4Runner that they were selling in Costa Rica with the, lower cost, Costa Rica spec, “Fortuner” in, I believe, the year 2007. If you want to discuss my moving and importing experiences don’t hesitate to call me at 512-686-0800. Jerry
ottfog,
Thanks for the valuable information, it was appreciated. One thing I forget to mention about my new Toyota 4Runner, was that it was a V8. My concern is about being able to obtain parts and servicing for the V8. I bought the V8 with the intent of towing a boat. Any additional thoughts?
I don’t think your V-8 4Runner will be any technical mystery to a competent mechanic here. Parts, on the other hand, may be an adventure. If it were mine to do, I’d bring a supply of commonly consumed parts (plugs, filters, belts and hoses, brake shoes, etc) and replace them as they’re used up. You can always import them from the U.S., but that’ll take a while.
Soldier,
That is a great vehicle for Costa Rica. The reason I didn’t buy a V-8 was resale value. If you are going to drive it forever, it doesn’t matter. I agree with Dave, you should bring all the parts you need for your next major service or two and a few oil filters depending on how often you get back to the States. You won’t have any problem finding mechanics to do the work. Good luck. Jerry
I’m continually amazed that nobody here seems to grasp the value of safety when discussing transportation, be it new or used. I love Costa Rica, but the condition of the roads is a national embarrassment, and the skill of the drivers… did I just say “skill” and “drivers” in one statement about Ticos?
U.S. safety requirements can save your life in the event of an accident. YOU, of course, will NEVER have an accident. Right?
It costs a little more to buy a U.S. spec vehicle. Most people don’t want to pay it. Think about this when you see that you are in the path of a bus or semi which you know is not going to be able to stop before hitting you. Will you be thinking, “I maybe about to die, but at least my heirs will get an extra $2000?”
Beg. Borrow. Steal. Buy U.S. spec. Read Scott’s pages on the pros and cons of importing vs. buying a Tico car.
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