Used Van

Quite simply ALOT!!

tfpob wrote:

Quite simply ALOT!!

I was eating a caramelo when reading this and almost choked from laughing. I must say tfpob, I truly enjoy your sense of humor, but the choking, not so much (not your fault). I guess the lesson is, don't eat and read this blog at the same time.

If I can add to your comment, which was nice way of putting it; I have never seen a used one for sale here. So, a double whammy: costly and not very available. I going to venture a guess (and that is exactly what it is): If someone invests in something like this, maybe for van services which are quite popular with expats, it is likely they would keep it during the first five years just because that would be the period for greatest reliability.

Thank you Joseph. I'm a Bklyn NY guy with marine Core links and lots more like that one.
Best

They're expensive and used mostly for tourism.

Here are some prices as a reference:

Hyundai H1  2011  $28,500
Kia Grand Carnival 2008    $26,800
Mercedes Benz Sprinter 313 - 2003   $22,800

Vinny

Hello Vinny, just curious but do you know the kilometers or miles on their odometers?

Thank you if you find this out.

Sorry Vincent but are these vehicles gas or diesel powered?

Thanks again

Thank you,Vinny.  Just what I need, now I can make some calculations. 

I understand most people use public transportation, but with a family of 8, that would be very annoying.

If we had a van, we could use it both for our project as well as for our own transportation.

What about a large used minivan. I'd becurious on this myself.

Consider buying a van stateside with low miles look into some 3 year old rental vans from say Enterprise or Budget that are now being sold off usually with a 12 month warranty becasue they thoroughly go through them and their warranty is just as solid as a Chevy or Ford warranty. Then find a shipping company determine those costs and send it down. Given vehicle costs and the miles I've seen on them down in SA you'd be ahead of the game even with inbound taxes, tariffs and shipping costs. Check with Ecuador's dept of state to see what exemptions you may get as an inducement in moving down.
If I'm you, I at least do the homework on this method because as I said earlier, they cost ALOT!!

Usmc Recon in country from late 67-71 6th marines.
Maybe we'll hook up in Cuenca after I get there from Urugway in Mid Feb.

tfpob   Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this matter.  I am definitely going to look into it.
I have approx. 2 years to figure out how to go about this, so that should give me enough time to figure things out.

In that case, contact several insurance companies that have recovered stolen vans and all are willing to rid themselves fairly cheaply after paying the claims off. You could get lucky with a late model that's been joy ridden requiring trans and motor for peanuts.
Time is on your side for that. Pick your own agents brains for his input and insist he offer some direction. I've done this with older sports cars.
Tim

@tbpof, I don't know way but there's only a few diesel cars, vans in Ecuador. Mostly trucks, pickups use diesel.
Even diesel here is cheaper than gasoline.

Vinny66 So there are not many vans running on diesel,  but diesel is cheaper?  Is it available in a lot of places?

tfpob  Smart plan!  I'm definitely going to check it out!

Prices for gas in Ecuador are: Extra  $1.50 galon
                               Super: $2.10 galon
                               Diesel:$1.03 galon

All three are very common all around Ecuador and prices didn't change in many months.

There are lots of used diesel Kia Pregios. Because the gov requires vans used for school and tourist transportation be no more than 10 years old (changing to 5 years by 2018) there are lots of used vans in the 12 to 17 passenger range. Average dealer price for a 2003 Diesel Kia Pregio looks to be about  $13500. I've seen them as low as 8500 and as high as 17000. I just past up a 9500 Toyota Diesel Hiace 15 passenger van.  It was a 2001 and showed 179000 kilometers, but I'm sure the seller rolled back the odometer. It looked like an ok deal until I had the engine compression tested and found problems.

FYI, KIA is owned by Hyundai Mobus. The same Hyundai we all have come to know. Mobus is the largest shipbuilder in the world building vessels in So Korea. Additionally, they're also the largest manufacturer of steel in the world. That's good news as all steel being used in KIA's and Hyundai's are virgin steel not re=processed metals with a high degree of other metal contaminants.

I would love to search out a Hyundai Diesel anything. Recently while visiting Ireland I was astonished at the number of Hyundai vehicles with Diesel power plants. A close second was Nissan?? Go figure why they're not marketing these in the states. Has to be the emissions issues which I'm certain do not comply with the standards layed down by the government.

If anyone spots one in the 2002-2006 range with real miles under 200K it's worth from $6,000 - $16,000.

FYI, most folks don't know this but if you roll back the odometers on these cars they trip an internal marker that can be seen under ultraviolet light which is exactly how these rip offs get zapped stateside at used car auctions. 5 year jail term and $100k fine for dealers. I may buy and import one here stateside.
I buy at auction so for me the freight and taxes still save me money and I know what I'm getting. I may even open a dealer specifically doing this depending on Ecuador's licensing system etc.

I heard that in Venzuala due to subsidized gas prices,they have a ton of old muscle cars they run around all over in. If we could purchase one of these to bring into Ecuador for refurbishing. Would we be hit with an import fee since it is from another South American country.

Yes, you'd be hit with import fees. The real question, is if you'd be allowed to import an older car at all?

Is there aan age limit for cars coming into Ecuador.

Lee Spotswood wrote:

Is there aan age limit for cars coming into Ecuador.

I think so, but I'm only finding second hand information on the topic. There's a lot of info on how to import a car tax free if you are an Ecuadorian citizen who is returning after living outside Ecuador for over one year. There is not a lot of info for the rest of us. I found this http://m.topix.com/forum/world/ecuador/ … FLQ80LGL55 where the topic is being discussed. One person claims the car must be no older that one year, another claims it must be new. Be careful of any info claiming the car can be 4 years old. That info is specific to the import exemptions for returning ecuadorians.

INTERESTING. Might be worthwhile sending an Ecuadorian the states just to obtain a car and bring it back. Any ideas how much it may cost to have shipped down here.

Thanks

Lee Spotswood wrote:

INTERESTING. Might be worthwhile sending an Ecuadorian the states just to obtain a car and bring it back. Any ideas how much it may cost to have shipped down here.

Thanks

Jesse says the Ecuadorian would have to remain out of the country for a full year.   That might make the economics a wee bet sketchy as a cost saving maneuver ....

However, you might be able to find an Ecuadorian expat in the US who has already been abroad for close to or more than a year and work something out?  Perhaps a repatriating college graduate ...  There's likely some organization(s) within Ecuador that are involved with students abroad where you might be able to start a "recruitment" ...

Having said that, I don't know if the "straw buyer" MO has any legal sanctions or other shortcomings in Ecuadorian law and commerce ...

   Carlos   aka "ElGringoBueno" 

GringoBueno wrote:

Lee Spotswood wrote:

INTERESTING. Might be worthwhile sending an Ecuadorian the states just to obtain a car and bring it back. Any ideas how much it may cost to have shipped down here.

Thanks

Jesse says the Ecuadorian would have to remain out of the country for a full year.   That might make the economics a wee bet sketchy as a cost saving maneuver ....

However, you might be able to find an Ecuadorian expat in the US who has already been abroad for close to or more than a year and work something out?  Perhaps a repatriating college graduate ...  There's likely some organization(s) within Ecuador that are involved with students abroad where you might be able to start a "recruitment" ...

Having said that, I don't know if the "straw buyer" MO has any legal sanctions or other shortcomings in Ecuadorian law and commerce ...

   Carlos   aka "ElGringoBueno" 

Yep, the exemption is designed to encourage Ecuadorians who have been living abroad to return to Ecuador (with their $). I wouldn't bother with attempting to find a way to use this import tax exemption. It's not worth the risk, and if my information is correct, you can't just have the Ecuadorian who imported the car for you sell or sign it over to you. They have to hold it for a number of years. At least that's what I've been told. Please note: this is second or third hand information.

I suppose one might have to consider "legally" bringing in a vehicle to their new "homeland". 

I know that sounds truly preposterous to most Americans these days.

No offense to Lee as it's a legitimate question to see what is the best way to accomplish something.

   Carlos  aka "ElGringoBueno" 

PS  As an expat from the US, one can help their new homeland by supporting it in return and also help burnish the image of the US of A in Ecuador by NOT being an "Ugly American" ...   

PPS  As a former CPA auditing publicly traded companies (back when CPA firms actually performed "audits") I can't wait to get the hell out of the commercial cesspool and faux religiousity that is destroying the United States (with the considerable assistance of the GOP's idiocrasy, BTW) 

I just want a cheap jeep or Bronko to get around in. It is just hard finding these atleast where I am in Salinas. Maybe Quito or Guayaquil my be the best places to find a possible bargain. The vehicles down here take a beating and no use having someting nice. Plus vehicles are just a poor invenstment. I only want to get from A to B insomethinng sommewhat dependable. Don't give a damn what it looks like.

Lee, if that is the type of car you're looking for I would suggest a Lada Niva. They are cheap to fix, and cheaper to buy than most 4x4s because they were assembled here until 2008. I'd never heard of them before coming to Ecuador, but apparnetly, they have a big following around the world for being a cheap and indestructable 4x4.