My wife and I are Canadian, and are in the process of establishing ourselves in the DR. One of our tasks involved buying a used vehicle. "Planner" and other good folks on the forum recommended a gentleman by the name of Mike Cruffman. With their help, I was readily contacted by Mike, and on my way to what was to be the best car-buying experience of my life.
My background is automotive engineering, so I have a rather extensive knowledge of cars. However, during my first phone conversation with him, I quickly realized that Mike is not only very knowledgeable about vehicles - but extremely "street-smart" regarding buying a vehicle IN THE DR. But what impressed me the most, was his honesty, transparency, and overall good character. THIS was the kind of person I wanted to work with!
From that point on, Mike was consistently clear, communicative and just plain delightful to work with. His integrity is beyond reproach - which made him stubbornly uncompromising in his pursuit of the perfect car for us.
Then after about a week of constant attempts and subsequent rejections, he called and said "I think I've found your car." It turned out that after scouring the north, north-west and central areas of the country, he found a vehicle in Santo Domingo. My wife and I then hopped on a bus to meet him. Upon our arrival, he had everything arranged for us, so that we could quickly and efficiently see what he had in store.
To our utter delight, the vehicle was absolutely perfect for us. The owner was a delightful man who had meticulously cared for the car, and offered it at a very reasonable price. We had never experienced buying a car in the DR, so Mike facilitated the entire process - with the utmost in professionalism and competence.
Now, as a write this post, we've driven the car long enough to know that we just love it. And I simply cannot imagine a better car-buying experience - here, or in any other country.
So if you're serious about buying a used (or new) vehicle, do the smart thing: HIRE MIKE AND ENJOY THE RIDE.
P.S. Notwithstanding all of the above, I must say that Mike is simply an all-around lovely human being. Really.