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Someplace on the Internet, there’s a pretty good website that lists all the major new car brands available in Costa Rica and has links to the various dealers. You can click on a brand and model and get specifications and, in many cases, prices.
I’ve tried every Google search combination I can think of but can’t find this site. Can anybody help?
Thanks!
David, I dug around too and only came up with with phone numbers at http://www.costaricareisen.com/firmen/autohandel/index_eng.htm
I am in the vehicle leasing business here in the US and am moving to Costa Rica at the end of next year. My business here specializes in online financing and leasing for eBay dealers. I have two ideas that I would like to float to this group. One, would anyone be interested in being able to shop on online at eBay and other sites, find a car, and then have our company inspect the vehicle, buy it, and ship it to you in Costa Rica for a fee. Secondly, is there a market for our arranging your financing or leasing based on your Credit file in the US or Canada but for a vehicle in Costa Rica. The financing would be provided by a US Bank at competitive rates. Thanks, Jerry
Jerry,
I don’t know why anyone would buy a car that’s 2,000 miles away when there are plenty of cars for sale locally. However, offering US financing on a car bought in Costa Rica is VERY interesting. The financial markets in Costa Rica are underdeveloped, and money is expensive. The problem for US banks is they can’t handle a lein on collateral that’s outside their service area or country. When you say “based on your credit file in the US”, I assume this would be a signiture loan. If that’s the case, then people with good credit could get a signiture loan from lots of banks.
If you’re talking about placing a lein on the collateral, then the market would be wide open. I’m not sure that’s what you mean though.
The main reason I thought people might want to buy them in the US is that there is a much greater selection and the vehicles haven’t been subject to the roads of Costa Rica. Also, with eBay power sellers you can be pretty sure that you will get what you see online. They go out of their way to provide comprehensive photos and descriptions of the vehicles. They also bend over backward to protect their eBay ratings. As far as the financing is concerned, I am specifically talking about a collateral loan on the vehicle. The key would be my bank being comfortable with the credit risk and my ability to recover and remarket the vehicles if needed. After I relocate, I also plan on approaching a particular international bank about establishing a consumer lease program for new and used vehicles. Thanks, Jerry
I bought my car on Ebay a couple years ago and it was a very good experience; they had a multitude of pictures as you say and it was as represented when I got it. Got a good price on it also. One thing I heard down in Costa Rica, and I can’t verify it true, but I was told that after Katrina hundreds of flooded out cars where shipped to Central America, cosmetically refurbished, and sold to unwitting buyers. Just a heads up when you’re looking to buy a car down there. A reason your plan may be a good one.
CC
Hi David, here are two Costa Rican web sites you can peruse. You may well have seen these already. They both supply new and used vehicles. I came across these in the Tico Times Classifieds.
James.
http://www.autocarcr.com/ing/aboutus.htm
http://www.ehlerscars.com/James,
They appear to be used car dealers. I am suprised to hear that they are allowed to sell new vehicles. Normally, you can only buy new vehicles through a factory authorized distributor or franchiser.
JerryHi Jerry, I must admit they both appear to be used car dealers. What caught my eye is that some are 2006 models. It doesn’t mean that they aren’t used. I would suppose you would need to contact them for more information which their sites are lacking. One has to keep in mind that in Costa Rica some things are done differently. One way I feel they could possibly sell new cars is by going through a middle man, which of course would drive the cost up. From what I understand, new cars in Costa Rica are very expensive, this could be a reason why but I know that the government tax is horrendous. I don’t know how else they would go about selling new vehicles without being a registered dealer.
James.For used cars, you may wish to read the following article written by two of our VIP Members
The article is entitled “Do NOT Buy A Used Car In Costa Rica Without Reading This Report. Your life may depend on it.”
You can read the article at:
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comThanks Scott for reminding me of the above article which I did read sometime back but forgot.
If you know of dealers who sell “new from the factory vehicles”, maybe you can post them here for those who desire newer transport.
When we settle in Costa Rica, I will be looking for the older robust 4X4 vehicle like the Land Rover Defender pre 1995 or Toyota Land Cruiser similar vintage. These vehicles, with a good Workshop Manuel and parts, you can do all or the work yourself. They are also somewhat easier to determine conditions of vehicle structure and engine soundness. They were built simple and reliable.
Scott,
Wow, that article paints a pretty dour picture of used vehicle purchase options and seems to confirm my idea. The authors of the article could have made a sound purchase decision online with an ebay power seller. Not only do the vehicles all have CarFax or AutoCheck reports, but we require a 150 point 3rd party inspection before we will finance them. Very interesting… Thanks for the input everyone.
JerryI know that there is a lot of fraud in the auto industry in CR because it is not as regulated as the U.S how ever I would caution people on just the facts stated above.
I personally am going to by a car that has been declared as a total loss here in the states. It is a newer Jeep Liberty, it is way below book value and the cost of fixing it will be cheaper than buying a used one that has not been in a wreck. My intentions are to drive this until the wheels fall off! This will be a good vehicle in CR because it is cheap and if anything happens to it I won’t be out a lot of money.
If you do find a car in CR that has been in a total loss I would first make sure that the mechanicals are in great shape and then with this information you can deal on the price to get it much cheaper than they are asking.
Some times if you buy a great looking newer car, you are opening your self up to problems. My brother in-law a tico in 2003 had a brand new Subaru WRX? That he paid 30,000 and at that time there was only a couple of them in the country like his, he had problems with people trying to steal it. Then he bought a mitz montero where there are thousands of them around and had no problems.To help make the descion on the costs here is a good web for the takes that you would need to pay. This is from the administry of finace of CR.
http://www.hacienda.go.cr/autohacienda/autovalor.aspxeEdited on Aug 03, 2006 09:38
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