Taxis & Remis Services

[TejanoLibre]

If you're interested in utilizing the services of a professional driver with all the required licenses and insurances driving a clean, properly maintained vehicle, then I would suggest Fred's Silver Star service.

www.silverstarcar.com

Of course, if you like riding in a car filled with fast food trash and changing tires on the side of the highway, then please call Ana Luna.

Thanks,

Jackson

Hey Fred,

Welcome to BA and good luck with your business!

I was hoping that you could tell us how EASY it was to import an American car into Argentina!

I wanted to bring down my old Ferrari because it's not worth much in the USA and down here it would be a real head turner and a blast to run around in.

I have been told that the import fees are about 81% of the value that THEY put on the old turd!

Now that ruins the deal right off the bat!

Maybe the car is worth $40k in the USA and down here who knows what they will rate it?

If it's 81% does that make the car cost about $73k u$s?

That sucks!

So I guess your rates are VERY fare if you think about that fact. And that it's a gas guzzler too!

Let us know.

Thanks,

TL

[Jackson]

Chicos,

I'm back in town shortly after an extended absence. My normal ride to and from EZE was Ana Luna for several years, but all my previous means of contacting her -- cell phones, e-mails -- seem to have been terminated.

Anyone know of a reliable, dependable driver I can use?

Yeah, I know. The taxi stand at EZE. But I happen to have gotten attached to having a known entity waiting for me when I arrived, and would like to re-establish something like that.

(Or, anyone know Ana Luna's current contact info?

Thanks.

SL

If you're interested in utilizing the services of a professional driver with all the required licenses and insurances driving a clean, properly maintained vehicle, then I would suggest Fred's Silver Star service.

www.silverstarcar.com

Of course, if you like riding in a car filled with fast food trash and changing tires on the side of the highway, then please call Ana Luna.

Thanks,

Jackson

[Wild Walleye]

I pay approximately 2X Fred's per mile rate for a town car to take me to the airport from my home.

[El Queso]

...an American professional driver...the car has new tires less than 6 months old, and just put new Monroe Sensi Trac shocks on last month. You'll get a nice smooth Town Car ride on these bumpy roads.

Fred, I have to completely applaud your business here and find myself wondering how you can afford to only charge U$S50 per trip! Serious kudos, man.

BTW - if I ever go back to the States for a visit or something, I'll have to find out what you would charge to come out to Pilar to pick me up and take me to the airport!

[Silver Star]

After spending ten f@#$ing hours in an airplane, a limo waiting for me at EZE would look pretty good and he speaks English.

Recently had a long layover at LAX and decided to visit a friend in the SFV. Did not want the hassle of a rental and opted for a taxi, big mistake. The fare was $67.00 and the cab was the biggest piece of shit on the freeway. Filthy, out of repair rattling piece of junk. Spare me any argument about the safety aspects of public transportation in Buenos Aires. And we will not go into the language barrier of the driver in LA. Not even sure he was from this planet. Then there was ambiance of Rap music at no extra charge. Guess my point is the services in Buenos Aires are held to a higher standard than we often experience in the USA. When the hell did anyone ever find an English speaking taxi driver in the US? My rant for the week.

Damman,

You won't be subjected to Rap nor Cumbia music with me! You're the boss when it comes to the radio, if we even decide to put it on. I guess you have to go to Buenos Aires to find an American professional driver! Go figure. Also, the car has new tires less than 6 months old, and just put new Monroe Sensi Trac shocks on last month. You'll get a nice smooth Town Car ride on these bumpy roads.

Fred

[Damman]

After spending ten f@#$ing hours in an airplane, a limo waiting for me at EZE would look pretty good and he speaks English.

Recently had a long layover at LAX and decided to visit a friend in the SFV. Did not want the hassle of a rental and opted for a taxi, big mistake. The fare was $67.00 and the cab was the biggest piece of shit on the freeway. Filthy, out of repair rattling piece of junk. Spare me any argument about the safety aspects of public transportation in Buenos Aires. And we will not go into the language barrier of the driver in LA. Not even sure he was from this planet. Then there was ambiance of Rap music at no extra charge. Guess my point is the services in Buenos Aires are held to a higher standard than we often experience in the USA. When the hell did anyone ever find an English speaking taxi driver in the US? My rant for the week.

[Silver Star]

Everybody had different budgets for different things, example, some folks take the public bus from the airport instead of cramming in a tiny taxi, and some might even hitchhike! It's all relative, and you choose where you want to spend your hard earned money, that's fair and understood. Some folks like Motel 6, while others stay at the Hilton, they both do the same thing, but are at different levels of comfort and service. A TownCar in Atlanta for similar service would cost $75US, so I believe my fares are in line and reasonable, and especially for those who want a native English speaker, who also drives rationally.

As far as Taxis go I highly recommend Taxi EZE over capital cabs, again, worth the extra money for a car in better condition.

I am in the process of getting 'promotion' removed from the airport ride fare, thanks for bringing that up.

Thanks,

Fred.

www.silverstarcar.com

[Wild Walleye]

For $20/ hr to have a dedicated car and driver is worth it.

Walk out of a meeting in Centro at 4pm with a slight rain falling and you'll never find a cab (seems to be a phenomenon the world over)

Better yet, on one of those steamy days when you walk out of the air conditioned environment and are soaked in sweat in 30 seconds, it would be nice to slide into the back of Fred's air conditioned luxury mobile. After all, I don't want to look like Al Gore (you know the video of him giving a speech somewhere hot in a blue shirt and his pit-sweat-circles were so big they met in the middle of his chest)

My 'security' sensitivity is not so much being targeted at the destination (I. E. Hotel or apartment) I do not want to draw attention to myself on the street.

Having traveled hither and yon, I have conducted an unscientific study which concludes that if no one ever notices you, you are unlikely to become a target and / or vicitm. I can think of a few places that I would rather not be noticed (Mexico, Moscow, Manila, Detroit, etc) If I am running around town in a Datsun be-210 with mismatched, after-market tinted windows I will probably go unnoticed while the guy in the MB S550 is going to turn some heads.

Street crime generally consists of crimes of opportunity and not the result of long-planned and calculated operations. A guy waving around a flashy gold Rolex or iphone may find himself involuntarily donating them to help fight poverty, on a very local level. Similarly, drive around with your iphone in clear sight, in lots of places, and you might find a hand coming in (through) the window.

Traveling in a nice car in most places isn't a big deal but in some places it is. I don't know if a Town car in Bs As is lux enough to garner too much attention. I suspect not, given that there are plenty of European luxury cars on the streets that speak volumes about their occupants.

[Silver Star]

I used to travel a lot, all over the world, and I began and ended each trip with a Towncar to and from the airport. I enjoy sitting in comfort and rolling in style.

Some people do worry a little too much about money sometimes - for the round trip we're talking U$S100 (50 each way, right? While the trip by 90 peso taxi / remis would be almost 50 dollars round trip (180 / 3.8 = $47) $63 extra out of a couple thousand maybe spent to come down here and enjoy oneself? Even out of $1000 spent? Maybe not for you, fine, but for many of us it wouldn't be a big difference in cost and would be worth the personal feeling of confidence and luxury.

Since some of us WOULD actually like to take the service, and it's not quite so outrageous as it may seem on the surface, it does seem a little extreme the way you pounced on the poor guy, Toyman.

As far as concern over arriving "conspicuously", well, I understand the concern. You have to ask yourself sometimes if there should be a stopping point for the concern over being robbed - where should the paranoia stop? It's difficult to answer.

I can say that I have never once, in the three years I've lived here, partied here, walked the streets (in decent parts of town - I'm not suggesting anyone to do something real stupid here) at 4:00 am, etc, I have never once felt unsafe. Of course, you don't walk anywhere (pretty much in the world) flashing snything that is considered in that culture to be austentatious.

So is the Towncar such a risk? Well, the thinking must be that someone seeing someone get out of a Towncar (an obvious luxury car) and hauling luggage into an apartment building must be a foreigner ripe for robbing and will lay in wait at some point, having been alerted of prey.

I'm not saying that sort of thing doesn't happen, but most guys who would come down here and take Silver Star's service, are not going to bad parts of town to stay. They're going to Recoleta, Centro, Micro-Center, etc. Not exactly bad neighborhoods. Usually arriving in daylight.

I think you have as much of a chance of becoming a pre-planned robbery victim arriving in a Towncar as you would of being victim to a crooked doorman (alerting compatriots, in other words) which would be as likely to happen whether or not you took the Towncar since the doorman will know a short-time foreigner is staying in which apartment in the building either way.

And I don't think that's likely to happen either.

I've been doing my Town Car service since March, and the lions share of the rides go to those safe and upscale areas (Recoleta, Palermo, Retiro, Puerto Madero) and have never been threatened, period!

[El Queso]

I used to travel a lot, all over the world, and I began and ended each trip with a Towncar to and from the airport. I enjoy sitting in comfort and rolling in style.

Some people do worry a little too much about money sometimes - for the round trip we're talking U$S100 (50 each way, right? While the trip by 90 peso taxi / remis would be almost 50 dollars round trip (180 / 3.8 = $47) $63 extra out of a couple thousand maybe spent to come down here and enjoy oneself? Even out of $1000 spent? Maybe not for you, fine, but for many of us it wouldn't be a big difference in cost and would be worth the personal feeling of confidence and luxury.

Since some of us WOULD actually like to take the service, and it's not quite so outrageous as it may seem on the surface, it does seem a little extreme the way you pounced on the poor guy, Toyman.

As far as concern over arriving "conspicuously", well, I understand the concern. You have to ask yourself sometimes if there should be a stopping point for the concern over being robbed - where should the paranoia stop? It's difficult to answer.

I can say that I have never once, in the three years I've lived here, partied here, walked the streets (in decent parts of town - I'm not suggesting anyone to do something real stupid here) at 4:00 am, etc, I have never once felt unsafe. Of course, you don't walk anywhere (pretty much in the world) flashing snything that is considered in that culture to be austentatious.

So is the Towncar such a risk? Well, the thinking must be that someone seeing someone get out of a Towncar (an obvious luxury car) and hauling luggage into an apartment building must be a foreigner ripe for robbing and will lay in wait at some point, having been alerted of prey.

I'm not saying that sort of thing doesn't happen, but most guys who would come down here and take Silver Star's service, are not going to bad parts of town to stay. They're going to Recoleta, Centro, Micro-Center, etc. Not exactly bad neighborhoods. Usually arriving in daylight.

I think you have as much of a chance of becoming a pre-planned robbery victim arriving in a Towncar as you would of being victim to a crooked doorman (alerting compatriots, in other words) which would be as likely to happen whether or not you took the Towncar since the doorman will know a short-time foreigner is staying in which apartment in the building either way.

And I don't think that's likely to happen either.

[Member #3320]

Silver Star aka Fred,

Do not be disheartened by the posts here. I would like to assure you that I would definitely use your services when my family is visiting me in BA.

All the best!

[Wild Walleye]

I thought everyone on this board was a multi-millionaire with PhDs in economics and political science.:-)

50 USD *IS* a lot of money, but worth every penny in my opinion.

My preference is not to draw attention myself until I get settled into my hotel with an amiga or two.

I am not sure if I would feel like I stand out in a shiny town car (will have to think about that)

I use Manuel Tienda remis service from the airport (AR$130 or about US$33) and have been very pleased with the service. The rate is less than taxi fare from most US airports to the respective city center. That said, their cars are small, late-model, no-frills rides which is fine with me.

I would probably not use Fred's service from EZE to town only because I am happy with my current solution at a lower price. However, at US$20/ hour around town, I'd consider using him around town for extended periods.

I give him credit for differentiating himself from the rest of the crowd.

Show me a PhD in Poli-sci and I'll show you parents that wasted an s-load of money.

[Schmoj]

Jackson-

What makes this all the more dumbfounding and pathetic is that some of these very offenders claim to be millionaires.

I thought everyone on this board was a multi-millionaire with PhDs in economics and political science.:-)

50 USD *IS* a lot of money, but worth every penny in my opinion.

[Rock Harders]

Jackson,

You know the answer to your question already; the vast majority of the members of this website are cheap motherfuckers who ***** and moan about paying an extra 75 cents on a cab. There are even some members of this site who are so cheap they refuse to take a cab for in-city travel and others who refuse to get in a cab while it is stopped at a traffic light for fear of paying an extra 9 cents in taxi fare. What makes this all the more dumbfounding and pathetic is that some of these very offenders claim to be millionaires.

Personally, I feel that the car service being offered by Silver Star is a very nice option to have for to / from airport travel. I absolutely will have Silver Star pick up any of my friends and family the next time they come to Buenos Aires. This will help me avoid having to go to the airport to pick up friends and / or relatives who don't know where I live and are uncomfortable dealing with arranging transportation in a language they do not speak. Silver Star is also correct in his claim that his Lincoln Town Car is immeasurably safer than any of the Peugeot / Fiat / Renault / Volkswagen taxis that are typical. If any of the taxi cabs got into a bad accident (especially a side impact) all the of the occupants would be seriously injured and / or dead. A Lincoln Town Car is a humongous tank that is one of the safest cars on the road.

Suerte,

Rock Harders

[BadMan]

Nice ride.

I don't think I've seen many of those in Buenos Aires. Probably gets alot of attention. Your price seems more than reasonable given the fact that you are not a basic taxi service, you are a private chauffeur driving an unmarked fully insured luxury car.

Many of my clients take the $ 90 peso taxi directly from the airport, others like limos or private cars and don't mind paying more. To each his own. I do think Toymann is correct with this though.

I am guessing you are wasting your time on this site, with this crowd!

Good luck with your business. I'll recommend you to my clients.

Regards,

BM