To purchase a car

Importing that vehicle will be very very expensive unless you do it as part of your residencia application. And even then it will be very expensive!   

You will pay shipping, plus duty plus taxes plus first plates. Add about  40% to the value of the car! 

and it must be under  5 years old to qualify to import

Don't forget, you have to have owned it for a year, not leasing or financing either. Paid the debt off, and owned it free and clear for at least a year. No 8 cylinder engines, either?? I believe?

And are parts readily available here?  Can it be serviced and repaired here?  All things to consider before importing a vehicle.

Own it for a year only applies if using the residencia program. For regular importing it does not apply. It does have to be owned free and clear, yes.

@planner Thanks Planner, that makes sense.

Your best bet is to really think about what type of vehicle you want/ need, then contact Mike Cuffman here in the forum.

I spent a good deal of time searching dealerships and through supercarros..com/do for what's out there.  My timing was bad (end of Dec/ start of Jan) and no dealership would get back to me to purchase new, it was holiday time and email reply or trying to communicate in English had 0 results.  Your fiance knowing Spanish will definitely help.

In the end, Mike found me a car:

1. have a clear description (make/model/colour/budget/year) for him to know
2. contact him 2-3 days prior to when you are here and ready to make the purchase
3. you'll need a local bank account to do the transfer - NEVER buy (or travel with) that much cash.  Also, you'll need to purchase in the currency advertised.  Trying to do exchange at purchase time will not be fun.
4. you will need to ensure you get the Matricula (registration) transferred (Mike helps with this too)
5. you'll need to arrange for insurance (I had a good experience with Universal), recommend finding a local broker to where you'll be living
6. Once done, you'll need to get a marbeta (mind my spelling) based on year, it's a tax sticker for the window. Runs around 1500 - 2500 DOP depending on year.

Good luck!! 

Cruffman on here....... Mike Logan in life

\Well worth a call

thanks for the kind words guys.....you too, planner...have a sweet weekend

if prospective buyers follow the directions given by ynotbdiving  the medicine will go down real easy..

Individual middlemen are not your only alternative.  They may live a distance away and you are relinquishing any opportunity to review a large number of cars that may be available.  We chose a major dealership (Espaillat Motors) and had a great experience.  Far exceeded the service we would get in the U.S.  After choosing the car ourselves, they serviced it and delivered it to us an hour and a half away in Cabarete.  Then, months later they delivered our matricula and marbete when we had moved 3 hours away in Samana.  We did have an issue with air sensors in the wheels and they replaced them for free (about $400) months afterwards.

Absolutely correct. You can forgo the recommendation of literally 100's of expats and go it alone!  Always an option.

It's an option in everything!  It's always a personal choice.

Your one good experience with a dealer which may be nowhere near the OP, is great.   Is he foregoing relinquishing the opportunity to spend hours and hours chasing down cars in a market he may not understand?  Or is he subcontracting the legwork? Different ways of looking at this!

I have used Cruffman personally more than once with GREAT results.  I have neither the knowledge nor the inclination to spend my days hunting down options in this fast changing market!

planner, why waste time countering a posting like that? for every positive experience buyiing a car there are 100 negative ones. anyone who believes that self help is better than expert understanding of the business is not somebody to get into a back and forth with.

I was making a point.

i know you were, planner.  i hope he gets it...

let me add this...

snowinpalm, if you wanted to buy a Hyundai Tucson or Santa Fe, would you know which engine to look for? do you think that the average buyer knows that there are different Hyundai engines, some of which should be avoided at all cost? if the dealer has a car with the lesser engine do you think he is going to tell you?

Good info.  As they say if you think a professional is expensive, try hiring an amateur!

Really helpful everyone! I think the DIY and getting help from a local expert are both good options BUT it really depends on several variables. I am typically a DIY type, I research deep and buying a car is a big investment. After alot of research including using Consumer Reports I bought a used 2012 Toyota Camry up here in Michigan about 9 years ago. No mechanical problems, changed a battery and headlights. However, the DR is not Michigan USA. Once we relocate to Santiago in about five years, Lord willing, I will probably buy another Toyota Camry. If you can DIY successfully then great, I get it but I sure like the idea of connecting with someone that comes highly recommended for helping get the right car and navigating you through the DR process at least the first time.

What you describe is a combination - research all you can on what will work for you!  Based on that reach out to a local expert.  Makes absolute sense!  I do the same in many other areas!

For example I research residencia renewal and changes so I understand. Then I use a local expert, Lishali, to do the process and do it right! 

As a long time resident of the country, I have been all over the place looking at vehicles. As of late, I am in the buying mood and I am a former Auto sales manager, thus know a thing or two about what to look for. In this country, they try to hide everything.

Over the past 45 days I I have checked out 16 vehicles, some looking very good...that is until I send my friend in the industry the serial # and I get "the rest of the story". Not one vehicle I have looked at has had the odometer rolled back less than 90,000 miles (145mil Km's). Most have had damage repair...some rebuilt write-offs. Only 3/16 with no damage reported.

The only way to buy something that does not have a shady past is to buy new. That is what we did last time and it is looking like we will do that again.

@planner Hello! Would you please help me with a piece of information? I currently own a custom made convertible BMW Z4 back in Europe and I would like to bring it to the DR, as my husband and I intend to relocate to Cabarete by the end of this year. We are not residents yet, but we'll apply for the residency in June, hopefully we'll get it. Anyways, I was wondering if I can bring the car? It was manufactured in 2010 and it has a 2500 cc (150 kw) engine. Thanks!

Hello everyone! Would you please help me with a piece of information? I currently own a custom made convertible BMW Z4 back in Europe and I would like to bring it to the DR, as my husband and I intend to relocate to Cabarete by the end of this year. We are not residents yet, but we'll apply for the residency in June, hopefully we'll get it. Anyways, I was wondering if I can bring the car? It was manufactured in 2010 and it has a 2500 cc (150 kw) engine. Thanks!

i would never take a car like that to the Cabarete area (or anywhere in the DR) It will get swiped by motorcycles dodging in and out while at full stop and worst of all the enormous speed bumps and deep drainage ditches in the pavement and cement that are absolutely everywhere and will tear the underside of the BMW apart

It does not qualify. Sorry.  It's more than 5 years old. And it is not considered vintage.

I personally imported my 2017 BMW X1 to Punta Cana and have been pleased and more than satisfied with the results. The shipping cost from MD was $1100 and I paid approximately around $5000 give or take in customs tax to aduna and I think an extra $300 for the first plate. I would take that expense any day of the week for a car I know that was problem free and not any of the thousands of salvaged resell that flood the island and are advertised for insane prices.

Is the shipping and registering a bit of a headache yes, but you will have complete piece of mind knowing you have a quality vehicle up to world class safety standards for your family. In addition the taxes are lower on vehicles imported that were "MANUFACTURED" in the US per some treaty with the DR. So I think in the end also ensure that your vehicle was made in the US for a much more reduced tax burden.

I would never hesitate to import a vehicle or furnishings as the quality cannot be matched here short of brand new, which in essence INCLUDES the shipping and tax in the price of the vehicle so you are paying it anyway. Best of Luck to you

Glad it worked out for you. 

Maybe yer  ( car )  mean bought in the US  …

BMW’s are manufactured in Germany ….

Tippj

A little reading for you=

BMW cars have been officially sold in the United States since 1956[2] and manufactured in the United States since 1994.[3] The first BMW dealership in the United States opened in 1975.[4] In 2016, BMW was the twelfth highest selling brand in the United States.[5] The North American headquarters for BMW is located at 300 Chestnut Ridge Road, Woodcliff Lake, Bergen County, New Jersey.[6]

The BMW manufacturing plant in Greer, South Carolina, has the highest production volume of the BMW plants worldwide,[7] currently producing approximately 1,500 vehicles per day.[8] The models produced at the Spartanburg plant are the X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM SUV models.

@delmerbmartin, Thank you for your reply!

@delmerbmartin, you are absolutelly right.

@planner, thank you for your feedback!

@WillieWeb

    Willie not the X1  , 3,4,5 yes that’s how I read it

I WAS a car fanatic in the US. German cars were my favorite. But, it was one of those things I gave up when I moved here. I can't imaging running an expensive car here in Las Terrenas. In Santo Domingo maybe; although, we just got back from a trip there and I was dodging holes in the road where steel sewer covers were supposed to be!  We bought a Totota 4Runner in the states and imported it here with the rest of our stuff. I was never a truck or suv driver but the 4runner is ideal for this environment. In two years I have managed scrapes on all four corners of our 4Runner, something I would have never tolerated in the US. My cars were pristine. Not here. So sad. Hahaha.

Tippj

not all that clear..... but BMW seems to take advantage of NAFTA

Where Is BMW X1 Manufactured?

BMW / By The GearShifters Team

response given by

Actually, learning about your BMW’s production history can be very interesting. North American drivers will often obtain vehicles constructed in the United States, even though the modern BMW X1 is frequently manufactured or assembled in the Regensburg, Germany production site.

The locations of some significant BMW production sites are listed below, along with the markets they typically serve:

The X-series models are made in Greer, South Carolina (USA), for the domestic market (this is the largest BMW production facility in existence)

Models from the 3 series and 5 series are typically produced in Shenyang, China, for the domestic market.

Netherlands-born manufacturer of X1 variants for the European market.

Germany’s Regensburg produces the X1 and X2 versions for the continent of Europe.

For the South African market, Rosslyn, South Africa produces 3 series and BMW Motorsport engines.

If you’re wondering, you can also determine the nation of manufacturing and the location of assembly by looking at the first two digits of your BMW’s VIN number. In the US, the first digit is typically either a W or 5 (representing either the US or Germany), while the second digit is typically a B or U/Y. (standing for Germany or the U.S.).

As soon as you park that brand-new BMW in your garage, you need make sure it is protected by high-quality auto insurance. You can cut your BMW X1 insurance premiums more quickly with Jerry’s assistance than it takes to decipher a VIN!

Here’s how: simply download the Jerry app (which is free), enter some basic information, and Jerry will fetch the best prices from over 55 leading insurers in under a minute. Simply choose the plan you want through the app once you’ve made up your mind, and Jerry’s knowledgeable agents will assist with all the calls and paperwork. It’s worth a short look because each Jerry user saves more than $800 year on auto insurance.

We are veering off topic.

I will let this thread run its course as we did answer the original questions!  You are all having a good conversation.  Play nice and it continues.

I didn't realize the Greer plant was the highest production! We had a 340i and I was invited to the driving school down in Greer. It was so much fun and so helpful! Defensive driving skills really come in handy down here!

We are veering off topic.
I will let this thread run its course as we did answer the original questions! You are all having a good conversation. Play nice and it continues.
-@planner

No.... it clears the way for BMW owners to import at a discount - USA made car

As we see there is some confusion about German cars

Very germane.........IMO..... hahaha...... germane and German

@WillieWeb  Thank you for you very detailed and accurate reply. That was my very point I wanted to make out that some luxury vehicles and vehicles in general should not be discouraged because of the import cost.  And I still posit that the costs are offset because when you purchase new on the island those costs are passed on to the buyer in the astronomic cost of purchase.  Of course you can buy any of the millions of unsafe, unreliable pieces of used salvage garbage on the roads

@planner

Hello

planning to go back to DR and looking information about the car taxes free for expat moving back. Please

thank you for your assistance

Never free' but reduced

Thank you

what exactly you mean with reduced?

Are you talking about a Dominican who has lived outside the DR and moving back to the DR?  If so check with your consulate honey!