Buying a car in Panama, and driving it up to the US.

@Ryo Miller

My friend, anything is possible.

I would recommend you look at the politics of what it is your thinking of doing. Your sense of values are not universal.

Maybe you won't attract too much attention; then again, if you do, who are you going to call?

People like to go hiking in middle east, sometimes you hear about them, most of the times you don't.

Surf where you know, surf where its tourist friendly. enjoy life, surfing is enough of a challenge, it's great to meet new people under the right circumstances.

Stay safe, think before you go, every place is not safe for tourists.

Signed

an old guy, that's been in all the wrong places. 

Besides, theirs probably someone like, a parent or brother that would miss you?

@Ryo Miller did you ever manage doing this? I am thinking the same this coming Dec.

Kathryn

@Ryo Miller

I have done a trip in my own Lexus SUV from Panama all the way to Guatemala and back again. The idea was to visit all top tourist attractions within each of the Central America countries (except Costa Rica) which i always treat this country as a Tourist Trap.

Anyway i did this trip with 2 teenagers and car loaded with everything from emergency car things and camping. 7000km and 5 weeks later, it's all done. Totally amazing trip. And i did this at the tail end of the COVID-19 Pandemic restrictions etc. No issue and much less tourists in all places we visited.

Just hand to budget an entire day to custom clear your car in each border crossing. As expected, no one give us trouble accept for Panama (going out) and Costa Rica ... Both ways.

@mynetbinexpat hey !  Do you have any more information on this?  I just bought a car in Panama and am not able to drive it out of the country (into Costa Rica).   CR side has no problem its exiting panama that is the issue

You have to get a police clearance for the vehicle from Panama City and then with those paperwork, submit to the transport department to get a temporary export document. These takes a couple of days and then present them to the Panama side of the custom building. Lots of photocopy later, you should get on your way to CR.