Don't ever get an US model unless its known in SA!!! (Sonstiges)
Hey guys
Although getting a US registered car seems like the perfect way to avoid having to register it her, make SURE beforehand that this model exists down here! Cause getting spare parts can be bloody expensive or even impossible (eg ARG) - well and another hint: don't get an automatic transmission...
We just had to get rid of our car cause the transmission broke down the second time after we spent a fortune for the first repair... Now it ain't worth it no cent anymore...
Plus: First ist seemed like we cant leave it here on a scrapyard or whatsoever - due to customs and import regulations... Now we maybe got lucky being able to explain our 'special' situation - though I suppose they just take the car themselves...
Take care...
S
Don't ever get an US model unless its known in SA!!!
exwro 
, Oldenburg, Dienstag, 05. Februar 2013, 17:49 (vor 4104 Tagen) @ jazZar
I Don,t get it what it has to do with US-Modell Cars.. It can happen also too all other Cars like Mercedes,VW... Spare Parts can always be a Problem depends where you are and what Car you have... I have a Dogdge VAN with automatic transmission. and so far no Problem. Here in the North of Chile in Iquique i can get spare Parts for all Amercihey can Car easier then any German Car... If it not here they can ship it without Tax import, because of the TAx Free Zone.... So spare parts are esier to get and ceaper to buy and so the car is better to sell and to buy .....
Don't ever get an US model unless its known in SA!!!
Landy , Samstag, 09. Februar 2013, 22:46 (vor 4100 Tagen) @ exwro
If you must get rid of the car, then you can donate it to the Aduanas. They will have an auction and keep the money for themselves. But they will also give you a document that says you are not responsible for the car anymore. This is the only way. Or you can take it to Paraguay and get something done on the black market....
Personally, I recommend that whatever car you buy, first you research about the availability of parts and the cost of parts in the countries you intent to travel. This is probably the biggest mistake that foreign travelers make. The best vehicles are usually Japanese because parts are available everywhere. Or you can just bring the spare parts with you!! That is what i do with my LandRover. Though LandRover 300tdi engines are very common in Ford Ranger, Chev S-10, Mercedes Sprinter, and all Landrovers, so parts are extremely easy for the motor; not so for everything else. Not impossible, but difficult and expensive.
Spare parts can be shipped duty-free from other countries to Chile if you have a Temporary Import Permit for your car in Chile. The permit number must be written on the package of parts. This is also legally the case in Argentina, but it is not always respected by aduanas officals. If the parts you need are very expensive, the best solution is to bring them with you on the airplane in your luggage. The cost of the plane ride is less than the aduanas tax.
Don't ever get an US model unless its known in SA!!!
palta , Chile, Montag, 11. Februar 2013, 13:41 (vor 4098 Tagen) @ exwro
jazZar spricht von Modellen die es in den USA aber nicht in Südamerika gibt, zum Beispiel div. Toyota. Für solche Autos, die ein Mechaniker hier noch nie gesehen hat ist es extrem schwer Ersatzteile zu bekommen.
Don't ever get an US model unless its known in SA!!!
www.rockauto.com verschickt Ersatzteile weltweit.
Von den USA nach Chile dauerte es 1 Woche.
Don't ever get an US model unless its known in SA!!!
exwro , Oldenburg, Freitag, 15. Februar 2013, 02:31 (vor 4095 Tagen) @ Maniq
Danke für die info nur hoffe ich das ich es nie brauchen werde...
Don't ever get an US model unless its known in SA!!!
dinoevo 
, Mittwoch, 13. Februar 2013, 19:31 (vor 4096 Tagen) @ jazZar
Sorry to hear your troubles jazZar.
Getting an automatic transmission vehicle for a trip along the PanAm (or other third-world-countries) is never a good idea. Yes, there are good examples of vehicle making it all the way, but there are much more of having problems. We met four other overlanders so far who had mayor problems with their auto-tranny. Two of them had to ship an entire new transmission from their home country.
The problem is there are just not many auto-transmissions South of the border of the US and fixing an auto-tranny (compare to a manual) needs a lot of competence as well. Nothing you are going to find easily in all these countries.
There is never a certainty to find the right spare part when you brake down, BUT the likelihood increases a lot if you get yourself a Japanese vehicle. It seems like there are almost everywhere.
Beside the auto-tranny issue, the other issue you need to be aware of used North American vehicles is there are most of the time gasoline powered and not very fuel efficient. That is going to make a big difference for your travelling budget down the road, if you spend twice as much on gas on a 70.000 km road trip.
Just a few thoughts from another traveller.
Cheers