Hi,
we will be going for an extended Southamerica trip, starting this August until May '10 and travel through Peru, Bolivia, Argentina & Chile.

Cost for rental cars are pretty high, so we think it's a better choice to buy a car / camper down there.

Anyone knows of some frequented forums where travellers sell used cars in the mentioned countries? Currently I only found a primarily german-language forum (Panamericana Forum) and I wonder where the heck American travellers offer their cars =)

Thanks for your help,
darc

Check out www.lonelyplanet.com and go to their thorntree section. Most likely you will find someone that is 'incountry' right now that can help. Sounds like a wonderful trip; I'm envious. Cheers!

I think there might be some restrictions driving a car between Argentina and Chile. Check into that. A few guys had bought a car made in Argentina and couldn't drive it into Chile. Screwed up the trip a little.

It's less hassle to buy in Chile and drive into Argentina, than vice versa. Chile is in general more expensive than Arg, but cars in Arg are disproportionately expensive compared to other things there. So buy in Chile but travel in Arg You just need to get a permit to take a Ch car into Arg, saying that you won't sell it there.

There's lots of 1990s Nissan 4x4 Pathfinders in Chile, which you can get for around US$5,000 for a decent one (tho cheaper are available). Reliable and relatively low on gas.

D

Hi Patagonia4x4 is an argentinian site for GPS and 4x4.
In the forum "compra venta" you can find a lot of people buying and selling 4x4.
Try to write in Spanish.

http://www.patagonia4x4.com.ar/foros/index.php

I think you should enter in Mapear site to download argentina maps for Garmin GPS
http://www.proyectomapear.com.ar/

Bye

... will be checking the links. Do you also know a similar site where people offer their cars in Chile?

Cheers, darc

The expat website in Peru has a garage sale section, some vehicles are in there.

http://www.expatperu.com/expatforums/viewforum.php?f=9

The southern border city of Tacna is a favorite place to buy used Japanese vehicles. There are two main locations, one is right by the bus terminal, the other is on the road to airport and Chile. Most of these sellers are dealers who sell late model Japanese vehicles that have been converted from right hand drive to left hand drive. However there are often older used vehicles for sale in the same area. In Arequipa, on Dolores Ave. there is a section about a half mile long where people sell their used cars alongside of the street, as well as a number of used car lots there.

I have bought a 4x4 in each place. Of course, it is "gringo beware" as normal, best to take a trusted local with you.

You will find most trucks are diesel here, usually there are supposed to get better mileage and the price of diesel fuel used to be cheaper. However now the price of gasoline is cheaper and if you will be traveling to high altitude places, be aware that they don't offer winter blends of fuel here, makes for hard starting when the weather is cold up on the mountain when the diesel fuel turns to jelly! Vic

hi damien,

thanks for the info - you happen to have some chilean links where people sell their cars?

thanks, darc

If you buy in the duty-free zones like Iquique or Punta Arenas, your car has special licence plates and you have to pay again to drive it in the rest of Chile. There may also be problems taking such cars to Argentina. I'm not sure about Iquique, but in Punta the whole duty-free thing is not what it was and may not be worth the hassle.

D