I guess we take it for granted. My first-world sense of privilege is showing when I say that I thought the job of acquiring a means of transport wouldn’t be an issue. I have learned my lesson well. Buying a second-hand car in Paraguay has been an experience!
Nicaragua – Where Our Quest to Buy a Car Began
Our desire to buy a vehicle started some months ago in Nicaragua. Getting around can be challenging when you’re relying on buses, taxis and private shuttles. And so, we began looking for a suitable vehicle, and looking, and looking.
The first challenge is finding a half-decent vehicle for what we would consider to be a reasonable price in Nicaragua. There are a few local ‘car broker’ types of guys who specialize in sourcing vehicles for foreigners, but they seem to focus on the higher end of town. We just wanted something cheap, cheery, and reliable. We weren’t sure how long we would be in Nicaragua so we didn’t want to commit to much.
Also, as we weren’t permanent residents we were technically not entitled to own a vehicle in our name. You can get around this by signing a document that acts as an agreement between the seller and purchaser. We were not enthusiastic about handing over more money than we needed to. So it turned out car brokers weren’t a great fit for us.
We hunted around on, primarily on Facebook, and found several cars that looked ideal; until we checked them out. The path to buying a car in Nicaragua is a long and winding road. Being on the ‘US naughty list’, cars find their way to Nicaragua by various means and a lot can happen to a car along the way.
We looked at many cars, mainly Toyota Surf, and our hopes of finding something reasonable and in our price range gradually dimmed. We noticed even cars in higher price brackets had often been significantly ‘tinkered’ with.
All this to say, we did not buy a car in Nicaragua.
Now we are in Paraguay we Need some Wheels!
Since arriving in Paraguay, we have renewed our quest to find a car. We started with dealers. There are many dealers in Asuncion. We found the price point started at around 50,000,000 PYG ($6700 USD) which seemed reasonable, but we didn’t find anything that suited us.
Facebook – One Car, listed Many Times
Facebook is great for keeping up with the latest fluffy cat video or rant from a Hollywood celeb, but when it comes to buying a car in Paraguay, Facebook is a challenge.
The first thing I noticed about car listings was that certain cars seemed to have an almost shape-shifting quality. They appeared in different regions and it was common to see several listings for the same car in the same region. To say there are many motivated sellers is an understatement. On several occasions, we tried to arrange inspections but that came with challenges. ‘No shows’ and false starts are not uncommon.
Eventually, a Break Through!
After countless WhatsApp messages, we managed to arrange an inspection. A 1993 Toyota Surf, well loved. The sellers were a father and son team, Diego and Fernando. They were lovely people and seemed genuine. They brought the car to our apartment, we checked it out, and made a deal. It was listed for 25,000,000 PYG, but we agreed to 23,500,000 PYG ($3,150 USD).
Paraguay has a similar practice as Nicaragua. The buyer and seller attend the Escribania (Notary) office and sign a document that effectively transfers the ownership of the vehicle over. We did that at a notary in Caacupe, with a passport as ID. If you don’t speak fluent Spanish then it would be a good idea to take along someone who can translate for you or find a notary that speaks English. When we receive our cedula (resident card) we will return to update the information.
We’ve enjoyed our bus rides, but man it’s nice to have a car!
We were intercepted by Police shortly after purchasing the vehicle and we presented our ‘ownership’ document. The police had no issue with it so we managed to do everything right.
Did we Make a Good Purchase?
We have completed a few trips, and we are relieved to say we didn’t buy a lemon. Our surf, which we have named Hansal, goes well. But we have found there are a few issues that need to be sorted. The air conditioning needs a new bearing, but apart from that, all is good.
Our Advice about Buying a Car in Paraguay
Our advice is ‘do as we suggest, don’t do as we did’.
Ideally, we should have initially found a trustworthy mechanic and had the vehicle delivered to them for inspection. Standard practice. The issue we had was that we did ask around to no avail. In Caacupe, the mechanics are generally ‘backyard’ technicians. Who do you trust? Thankfully, I know a bit about cars, so that was something. But if possible, I would try to source a reliable mechanic before looking for a reliable car.
Secondly, we did quite a lot of Facebook stalking on our potential sellers. It’s easy to spot sellers who are feverishly flicking cars off. Not to say they are not ethical or that you cannot buy a decent car from them, but ideally, it’s better to buy from someone who has owned and cared for the car for some time.
Of course, things are simpler when you buy a brand-new car, as all the paperwork is done by the dealership. In this case you would pay for the car’s initial registration fee as well.
Be Sure that the Vehicle has a Cedula Del Automotor
In order to legally transfer a vehicle you need to ensure that the seller has a Cedula Del Automotor. This is essentlally the proof of registration. This card stays with the vehicle and is presented intercepted by Police.
When you purchase a vehicle you need to decide if you want to transfer the ownership (on the Cedula Del Automotor) into your name. The obvious answer would be ‘of course I do’; but there are some things to consider. It is common for a vehicle to remain in the name of a previous owner. This is not illegal and so long as you have the contract of purchase to show the Police you are OK. The cost of changing the vehicle into your name is based on a percentage of the purchase price of the vehicle, and this can cost $500 USD or more.
The other factor you need to consider is that if/when you come to sell the vehicle, some buyers won’t want to pay the costs associated with transferring the vehicle across to their name. So this could become a hurdle in selling the vehicle.
Yes, it’s another quirky aspect of life in Paraguay.
Driving in Paraguay
Upon arriving in Paraguay, you can drive for three months (or the length of time of your tourist visa) with your licence – the (from your home country). Once you have applied for temporary residency the clock stops, and you can drive until your residency Cedula is approved at which point you then need to apply for a Paraguayan driver licence.
Insuring your Vehicle
It is not obligatory to insure your vehicle but of course it’s advisable. Insurance premiums are based on the age and value of your car. It can become more difficult to obtain insurance for your car if it older.
Don’t Drive Until You Do This!
Depending on how close to urban centers you are driving, you will get pulled over regularly. We are yet to see Police actually intercept anyone; instead they prefer roadside stops.
The main feature of your car that they obsess over is your headlights. ALWAYS drive with them on and check them to see that they’re not dim. Yes, even a dim headlight is likely to attract a fine.
Apart from that their other favorite fine generator is your fire extinguisher and 2 x reflective triangles. Always make sure your extinguisher has not expired.
Funnily enough, we were recently told that it is law to have a white sheet in your car as well. I can only imagine what that might be for but we have never been questioned or fined for not having a white sheet. Regardless, this is Paraguay so just to be safe we’re intending to grab a white sheet to put in the boot, just in case.
And finally, always have your paperwork…proof of ownership and licence handy.
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Crikey a white sheet – the mind boggles :)))
Yes we can’t quite get to the bottom of whether that is true or just a rumour! 😯