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I am planning in shipping a Dodge Neon 2002. Do anybody knows how much I will have to pay in taxes once the vehicle gets there.
Guillermo, I don’t know what the taxes would be, but if I were you I’d think twice about bringing that car in. There is very little support for American cars there, and the resale value will be reduced as well. I think you’re better off selling it and buying a car once you’re there. You won’t have to pay for shipping, wait for it to be delivered, go through customs, etc., and you’ll be able to drive a car made for that particular market.
I would have to agree 100% with GringoTico and if you scroll down the forum you will se I was planning on bringing my vehicle from the US too and decided against it after all of the input I received here and doing a lot fo researching. Best of luck with your move.
These guys are telling your right, Guillermo. Your 2002 car is in the second band of the taxation table which makes the rate even higher than if the car were newer. Costa Rican Customs uses the “Black Book” to determine a car’s value. To that, they add the costs of shipping it here and the in-transit insurance and that amount is what you pay tax on.
Were this a newer car, I think you’d be paying around 58% of that Black Book + shipping + insurance figure. As an older car, you’ll pay even more.
And then there’ll be the joy of getting it through Customs and the required technical inspection and the registration and licensure process.
And, once it’s here, you will, indeed, find limited support in the forms of parts and service.
Better, as you’ve been advised above, to sell it, bring the cash down here, and buy something that the locals are familiar with and which is already Costa Rica-legal.
Oh! And no one yet has mentioned the delay. In addition to the ocean shipping time, there’ll be delays in Customs and the technical inspection process. What will you drive (at what cost) in the meantime?
Edited on Jan 10, 2007 06:03
To further elaborate on what all of others are saying: After bringing my car to Costa Rica (a gasoline, Nissan Xterra Off road edition), I would never choose to do it again. The main reason is because my car is “American” and finding “American” parts for a 2006 car is difficult. Also, the agency in La Sabana would not work on my car because they stated they did not have the manual. I found that absurd, but they wouldn’t service my car. I broke one of my shocks last week and I had to order the part from the U.S and have my uncle bring it on the plane with him. Needless to say, a total pain. Once I register my car, I am going to sell it and buy another Xterra, but a Costa Rican style that is Diesel. Lesson learned.
I’ve decided to bring an 04 pick up truck I keep as a tow vehicle for my travel trailer AND the travel trailer to Costa Rica mainly because I have hardly had time to use them (the truck has about 5000 miles on it)ever since buying them a few years ago.
I’ve been learning a lot on this forum and others. I found out it’s who you know that affects how much tax you pay on importing vehicles. One quote was for well over $10,000 for the truck tax and another was for around $6000. The guy who quoted lower is a close friend of a Costa Rican business partner. He says its all legal and above board.
“Contactos” he smiled and said when I asked how come
ssure I have heard similiar stories from people I know and even had offers to assist me with tax isssues. I am very leary about those type of deals I also know what may work today may change tomorrow and will rear it’s head at the worse times. I won’t do anything without the advice of legal counsel prior to taking the action and would suggest you consider that as good advise. While it may be perfectly legal and safe remember Costa Rica is a foriegn country with different laws and people to take advantage of your lack of knowledge or inability to read spanish documents. All I am saying is CYA with a local experienced attorney. Good luck with whatever you do.
Stevessure Part Two of my response to your post. When I decided to move to CR and started doing my research I read and heard if you are a Gringo moving to CR do you want to continue your Gringo lifestyle or are you looking to change your lifestyle to a Tico or Gringo/Tico lifestyle. I hadn’t given that much thought at the time several years ago but I asked why are you asking that, the response was if you want to continue your Gringo lifestyle stay in the US it’s made for it. If you are relocating to CR you better adjust your head first or you won’t be happy. I am typing all that because I wonder if you have given much thought to where you intend to tow this trailer, what facilities you will utilize, if there are roads sufficient to tow on from point a to b. Remember many CR roads are fair at best and some come in way below fair if paved at all. While I am not clear on what facilities exist for motorhomes/traveltrailers I hope you have done your homework. I would hate for you to pay the taxes shipping and whatever other costs you may inccur to find out you will have no place to tow and utilize your trailer. Again I am writing without knowledge but I am not sure if CR is ready for the easy movement or use of travel trailers. Good luck doing the homework and I hope it turns out you will have many years of pleasure with your trailer and your new home.
The magic word is “patas” (contacts). Everything costs less if you have them. However, Vagasknite’s warning about the risks involved of trying to cut corners is valid. Every now and then border officials are fired and/or arrested for taking bribes, and sometimes the “validations” they may stamp in your passport may not be sufficient. In other words, the paper trail you have as a result of cheating may not be proper, resulting in difficulties upon trying to leave the country. You see, if you come in with a vehicle, you can’t leave unless you have it with you, or you prove that taxes are fully paid. If there is an irregularity, you may rue the day you tried to get around the regs.
Ticos, and particularly Tico business people, have lots of patas, and understand the required paper trail. Gringos, particularly those “just off the boat”, have no patas, or use ones they don’t know very well, and are not sufficiently versed with the system to insure that the correct process is followed.
Tico car importers know the system upside down and inside out. They also have brothers/sisters/cousins/aunts/uncles etc. who work in customs. A gringo will never be able to compete, so why try?
Regarding bringing down the truck, Mediatica’s not the first one to bring down a Toyota only to find that there’s a difference between the cars Toyota sells in Latin America. Now she’s stuck with a car that can’t be serviced, and has a reduced value as a result.
All in all, it just doesn’t pay to bring in a car. It’s a colossal waste of time, a huge hassle, a service risk, and a financial loser.
Now you’re talking about a camper??? In addition to Vegasknite’s warnings, consider this:
Breaking into a camper is pretty easy, and since it’ll be the only one there, that makes it the prime target wherever you go. Furthermore, since it’s purely a luxury vehicle, you’d also be giving social justification for the burglar to feel better about.
Import taxes are particularly high on luxury items.
It’s very humid at higher altitudes, and salty by the beach. Within 2-3 years I predict it’ll become a rust bucket.
A further consideration in this “truck and trailer” discussion is the practicality of the whole thing. I’ve been here well over a year, and I’ve yet to either see an RV on the road or hear of anyplace you could haul it and set it up. So my question is, once you get these things here, however that transpires, what will you do with them next?
The fact that this truck and trailer have unused utility doesn’t, in itself, justify undertaking this importation. Women who own a lot of fancy and expensive jewelery find that they can’t wear it here because they become the target of street criminals. I wonder if having a large truck towing a trailer around Costa Rica’s rough and twisty mountainous roads to (whatever destination) won’t prove both frustrating and fruitless.
Thanks everybody for all your advices, and i will continue to study all this info to make the best decision. I am glad for everybody comments and i will be in Costa Rica i Aug to enyoy life and my retitremewnt after 20 years in the US Army
Thanks for the tips.
I intend to pay the tax on both truck and trailer and then put the trailer on some land we have so I can use it when I’m there. Our (recommended by family) guy in Limon says we can avoid the tax for 6 months but then we have to pay it. Problem is my daughter’s Costa Rican boyfriend can’t drive it until we pay the tax so we’re going to pay it right away. We already looked into the parts and service thing and that will work out.
Our place is very close to the ocean so I painted the underside metal parts. The top is fiberglass and I’ve painted any metel roof parts with a protective coating. On the land we’ll have a 30Amp plug that I’m bringing with me – wired in to our electical system so the air. will work. My daughter and her Costa Rican boyfriend are building a house on the land and so they’ll be able to keep an eyeball on it for me. The truck will be there for them to use in the business and, of course, to pick me up in San Jose so I don’t have rent cars or take taxi’s anymore – therefor avoiding another less than satisfactory car rental in Costa Rica experience. (All I’m allowed to say on this website is do your homework before renting a vehicle in Costa Rica if you want to avoid problems)
I would love to hear from anyone who’s shipped a car to C.R. if they would recommend that shipper. My Costa Rican future son-in-law and his family don’t know anyone they can recommend.
Thanks,
Sounds like you’ve done your homework. When you find out how much the taxes will be on the trailer, I’d love to know what percentage of the value it comes to.
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