should I bring my car to Argentina?

From what I hear, it's not worth the money...you'd be better off just buying a car in Argentina.

Before you put all of your retirement eggs in the Argentine basket, make sure you are prepared for the true cost of living wherever you are moving...prices are going through the roof in Buenos Aires.

Thank you very much for your reply.  We appreciate your comments and wish you good luck in your adventurous sabbatical!

No do not bring your car, in order to legalize it you will have to pay 3 times its value.
For your household beware because argentina laws are strange, you will be in the need of an insurance till you have permanent residence!!
Infrom yourselves first,it can save you tons of money.

I don't know if you've made this move yet or not, but I thought I would share something. I moved to Argentina five years ago and brought ALL of our household goods except our cars because all my research indicated the same as other posters have communicated here. However, in the last month I was talking to a friend here who is married to a native Argentine (which is my situation also) and after having his car tied up in customs for quite a while, he did finally get his car through with ZERO duty because of a one-time rule of Argentines returning back to the country. I don't know if that's your situation or not. I'm not sure he would do it again considering the pain and fight that he went through to get it done, but used cars are MUCH more expensive in Argentina than in the U.S.

Hi,

  Globally speaking it's not worth importing any car or moto to Argentina. If you exclude transportation costs, the improt taxes represent all together 81% of the proved residual value of your car i.e if the value of your car is USD10.000 your import cost will be USD 8100.

Despite of the fact that car are very expensive in Argentina, you better buy one here and not get all the nightmare of importing specially now because it could take you about 200 days to clear customs due to import reductions. On top of that, getting spare parts if you face a mechanical problem will be costly and incredibly difficult to import.

Take care

I am also married to an Argentine woman and am  interested in shipping a used car to Argentina next week from San Francisco, California.  Would you be so kind as to put me in contact with your friend who recently finished a similar such process, and paid ZERO duty.   

Thanks much,  Amarpal

Amarpal,

Please send me an email message at samwdavis at hotmail and I'll try to help put you in contact with him.

Hi lathakumarm,

Can you please explain a little bit more ?

Thank you

Maximilien
Expat-blog Team