Buying a new auto

[BundaLover]

Hey Bad,

Why not try to rent one for a month or two and see if its worth it to buy a car in BA? Or why not buy a 5-7 year old car from the provence as opposed to a city car? A 5 year old Toyota is solid.

[BadMan]

Thanks for the info Sac,

Now that I know I can have Lo-Jack installed here I am not that worried about theft. That plus a good insurance should be all I need.

Thanks again,

Bad

[Sac13]

Badboy,

If you get insurance with LA CAJA they will provide low-jack for free and your quote will be cheaper with the low-jack. BWY I bought a 307 a few months ago and I had no problems with it but I think you might need a DNI to buy it. Surte

[BadMan]

Thanks for the info, I think I will go the international DL route for now. I will post the link, all I will need is a photocopy of my DL and two passport size photos plus the 15 dollar fee.

http://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpapplc...d=212&secure=N

Anyone know about Lo-jack here in BA? Or about good GPS systems?

Thanks.

Bad

[Moore]

Get an international drivers license at any AAA office next time you're in the USA. Bring your state DL, 2 passport size photos, and 10 or 15 dollars and you'll have it in a few minutes. Argentina police will accept it instead of possibly giving you a minor hassle (20 pesos or less will handle) if you only have a state DL. Its only valid for 1 year but I used my expired one for several and they never noticed. You will get stopped at checkpoints occasionally.

I drove in Argentina for 5 years and dealt with various cops but have no idea how to get a local driver's license Most likely an unnecessary pain in the ass. Though it's hard to believe after witnessing BsAs driving, I think they take the driving tests fairly seriously. Maybe because many Argentine adults have never driven a car.

[Andres]

Badboy,

If you want to buy a car and if you can spend USD 20,000-25,000, buy a new one from an official dealer (concesionario) They should provide an extended warranty (3 years or so, including rutinary repairs) so you will get peace of mind.

As of stolen cars, I confirm that what DD said applies for Argentina. It is better that you approach an insurance company or the supervisory official institution for insurance companies (Superintendencia de Seguros) and ask about the most stolen models. My hunch is that those models that can carry GNC are the most stolen ones, but it should be confirmed.

As of car retailer, I used to own a Chevrolet bought at Laprida Automotores (Laprida almost Las Heras, Recoleta) They treated me fairly well respect to warranty and maintenance.

You may need a DNI to get the driver license. In any CGP (Centro de Gestión why Participación, kind of local city hall branch) you may get what documentation is required to get the license (the exams are taken at Av. Roca, close to the car race circuit in Villa Lugano) If I remember well, there is a CGP on Pueyrredon and Beruti, but not sure.

Hope this helps,

Andres

[BadMan]

Thanks for the info guys, it seems from what I gather, my choices in cars (VW, Peugeot, Toyota) aren't big targets for car jackings, but they probably are targets for car thieves since the ARE so common. I am still trying to figure out if there is a Lo-Jack system here in BA, because if there is, that plus an alarm and insurance should make me sleep better at night.

I would definitely not spend 80K US on a car, especially here in AR. So I think I am probably safe as far as jacking goes.

Alot of good information guys, and I will look into the car parking situation here in my area. As far as handgun ownership, I thought about it, but I believe I will need a DNI first.

Again thanks, and if anyone has anymore info on navigation (GPS) systems here or Lo-Jack, I would like to know. And if you have any contacts for any car retailers let me know DR. I am looking to purchase within the next month.

Thanks,

Bad

[Rock Harders]

Badboy,

Believe it or not, in the United States, the most stolen car of all time is by far the Honda Accord, which is not exactly a flashy model, and is in fact one of the top 5 best selling cars in the USA. There is a huge market for used parts for these (and other similar models, Camry, Maxima, etc) as once stolen the car is taken to the local "chop shop" and broken down into parts, as the car is worth alot more if sold for parts than if re-sold fully assembled. Also, the commonality of these models and their ubiquitous nature makes the parts much harder to track, as opposed to tracking parts from 1 of only 400 Ferraris sold annually.

Car Jacking, on the other hand, is a completely different animal, as the purpose is to make the score more from robbing the person driving the car than making cash off the car itself. If you are driving a BMW 5 series you are more likely to get car jacked here than driving a Peugeot 307, because to drive a 5 series here (which sell for $80,000 USD give or take) you need to be making some real money.

If you are really worried about car jacking, acquire a handgun and keep it under the seat.

Suerte,

Dirk Diggler

[Daddy Rulz]

As a mass transit user I guess I don't think of cabs much from a price standpoint. Colectivos are still.80, but cabs are going through the roof.

Most of the car jackings are out in Provencia so maybe your ok in the city. I'll ask my buddy about your choices, he's on vacation so it may be awhile before an answer.

If your Spanish is good you could always look for an older cop on the street and ask his opinion about the car. Box of Marlboros with 20 pesos in it would probably be a welcomed propina for the info.

To find parking the same little gift for a couple doormen in your area would probably find you an unused parking spot in one of the buildings to lease. It's fairly common in the center if your apartment comes with a spot and you don't have a car to rent it. They are generally a little cheaper than paying by the month at a parking garage but no valet. It's always a trade off on something.

[BadMan]

Thanks for the assesment DR, but I AM spending a shit load on cab fair. As I said I am spending on average 50 AR a day. It's adding up to around 200-250 US a month. I would rather spend that on gas and insurance and have the benifit of using a car whenever I wanted.

I agree a taxi is 100% more convenient, but for someone who travels around the city alot on a daily basis it becomes less and less cost effective as the months go by.

I am thinking about a VW Bora or a Peugeot 307, as I said I am thinking about those because at 60k AR, they aren't expensive and they are VERY common here in BA, and they don't look flashy. Everyone has one. Are THOSE models big targets? I would think that the pricier cars would be the biggest targets, maybe I am wrong.

I just think that if I am spending around 200 US a month on cab fair I would much rather have a car than lose out on 2500 US a year on cab fair, in 4 years my car will still be worth something but the 10,000 US + I will have spent on taxi's will be worth nothing, not to mention inflation will probably make taxis a much less favorable long term solution.

I thank you for the advice on used cars, it can be a hassle in the US and I cn imagine it will probably be worse here. So I have decided to buy new, just to not deal with all the things you pointed out. And the whole thing about remis, I would agree, but I would have to say, why don't they worry about car jacking? Just because they are local or are they just used to it?

Bad

[Daddy Rulz]

I just can't imagine how owning a car would be worthwile unless you lived way the fuck outside of town in one of the countries. Driving here is an absolute *****, parking is worse. Insurance isn't that expensive because they never pay for a fucking thing. Be very careful if you buy a used car because a popular Argentine pasttime in the used car market is passing any tickets, accidents, liens and other assorted problem along with the car.

Living where you live, a parking space is going to be a couple hundred pesos a month, not much but it would take a shitload of taxi rides to equal it.

Then the ever present fear of carjacking. Just a load of fucking fun there, these guys doing that like to shoot a lot and not on Rominas face.

Seriously I would develope a good relationship with a Remis driver who has a nice car and call him when you need one or just feel like being driven somewhere. When you factor in all the cost including the purchase price you probably wouldn't end up upside down for a couple years.

Don't know about the drivers license for sure but I seem to recall a buddy of mine saying if I was driving his car without an international or Argentine one his insurance is out the window. Not 100% sure on that though.

Really not trying to be a dick, I just see it as neverending trouble for very little value but just my opinion.

If you gotta do it, I have a few friends that have those little bitty Fords, they don't seem to breakdown a lot, they are made just outside of town and if somebody snags it your only out a few thousand bucks. They are nothing to brag about, but they provide some comfort, are easy to park (just little bitty fuckers) don't burn much gas and are cheap.

[BadMan]

What is the best car to own in BA as far as maintenance costs and low car theft probability?

I am looking into a VW Jetta, Bora, Toyota Corolla or Peueot 307. I have chosen these cars because they seem to be very economic (all are around 60K AR or 20K US) and I see many of them on the street, and will be less of a target for theft.

Regarding insurance, is 1000 US per year an accurate number? Do they have Lo-Jack here in BA? Would a tom tom work here or do I have to get a local GPS system? Does anyone know the cost for a parking space rental here in BA? Most importantly, the D. L issue, I have a US drivers license can I just use that? Or will I have to get either an international one or a local one? And which of those two options is my best option? Will I need to wait until I get my DNI before I get a local drivers license or will my passport and US drivers license suffice for now? I have also been checking out mercadolibre. Com and have seen a few deals, is this website pretty reliable?

Thanks in advance.

Bad

[Daddy Rulz]

What I keep reading in the papers and seeing on TV is this "So and so was shot to death as they were drug out of their car by highjackers" never have read about it happening on a colectivo, supte or taxi. Mo seems to like his though.

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Hi Daddy Rulz,

Actually, Mo gets dragged out of his car and assulted all the time, but it usually happens only in certain parks in Palermo.

Thanks,

Jackson

[Andres]

I owned a couple of cars some time ago.

Since I like boliche hopping around different neighborhoods, having a car for me is mandatory.

Some ballpark numbers:

- Patente (tax): Roughly USD 600/ yr for a new car - USD 250/ yr for a used one, paid every 2 months or yearly with 10% discount (at Capital Federal)

- Insurance: Roughly USD 1000/ yr for full coverage of a new car - USD 400/ yr for a basic coverage of a used car, monthly paid.

- ACA (local version of AAA): USD 15/ mo. You may have the cheapest insurance with ACA-La Caja.

Advertised prices for cars are for cash. There are some "saving plans" where you pay an upfront deposit and then a monthly payment (not sure if the same framework as leases in the US)

The documents required to buy a used car are numerous. The RNPA (national version of DMV) will ask you for proof of "libre deuda" (no pending payments of patente, extraordinary taxes or police tickets) Watch for that. Also, be aware that the police may make you fall into a "stolen car trap" (you buy a car and then the police arrests you because it had been stolen, unless you pay a huge bribe)

Unlike in North America, in South America labor costs for repairing cars are very low, but spare parts's are high.

Hope this helps,

Andres

[Khoofoo]

I have bought 2 cars in Argentina, one used and one new. I have never had a DNI. I do have a CDI (from something unrelated) and I think I needed that.

The one tip I can pass along is that if you are looking to buy a new car, try to find one that was assembled in Argentina (or one of the Mercosur countries) The price will be a lot closer to what it is in The States.