Comments on: Shipping, Importing a Car, Truck or SUV to Costa Rica

By: mark madill

mark madill — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 17:00:40 +0000

Hello,
Im visiting Costa Rica,and am wondering if anyone can recommend a respected auto shipper to send a vehicle from here to Canada? Any help would be really appreciated.

By: jay ess

jay ess — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:22:57 +0000

how about shipping a motorcycle to CR? Do the same rules apply? Is there any way to find out what the taxes will be before shipping?

By: karl hobock

karl hobock — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 22:10:09 +0000

I was thinking of buying a car in nicaragua and bringing it to costa rica. Do you know what the taxes are ? are they cheaper than the states

By: admin

admin — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:42:57 +0000

I assume you have contacted the shipper/broker, if so, I would read your clause in the contact with them, about payment. Most shippers are responsable for payments and additional fees that may accure to get the vehicle out.

The company that shipped from LA, no doubt was paid and they may have an agreement with the broker.

Generally, written contracts which govern the transaction, customarily contain the express mutual agreement that the broker agrees to be liable for timely payment of charges, and the carrier agrees to look to the broker for payment of the shipping charges. In otherwords, if you have your contract, and can prove payment I would show it to Customs.

One thing for sure, that vehicle will not be released until payment is made, including storage fees if they apply. However, if the shipping company is in good graces with Customs (if might be they are not), they may have a bond, in which case I would contact the bonding company and explain the problem. Ask customs if this particular broker has a bond/insurance. The bonding company may make a fast deal to prevent additional costs, and then go after the shipper on a personal matter.

Second thing for sure, your shipper is local, so you can bang on the door if you can find his office that is off the 3rd dirt road past the large Mango tree. Turn right, down 2 kilometers, then the second right next to the chicken farm etc etc.

By: Doug Smith

Doug Smith — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:27:37 +0000

we paid to ship a car in costa rica,from Los Angeles to Costa Rica our car has been delivered to costa rica, but the shipper here has not paid the shipping company, so we can not pick up the car! What can we do?

By: jack

jack — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:01:41 +0000

In fact, there is a lot of brokers offer their services to make this issues easier, but still lot of cash would be spend. And yes I agree, import tax and legal paperwork is the main problems for people who need to ship their car across country, that's why many car shipping companies take advantage by over pricing the shipping cost. Different companies have different laws regarding shipping of cars. There are chances that car that you are shipping will make you give a good amount of money in terms of import duties. So we should be extra careful when select company we dealing with and makes sure they takes care of every thing so that people not have a smooth experience. This is one of the best car shipping companies to deal with.

By: Luis

Luis — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:03:16 +0000

Many years ago, we faced the same horror stories when we imported our first 2 cars. Neither to say, we lost money in the deal. We have use many companies (in the USA and Costa Rica) and learned about the business, the reliable providers, and the do’s and don’ts. Now we have a network and logistic that allow us to run a painless operation: Door to Door service.

We all want to be better informed and have options when making decisions. Here is a valuable one: http://tallerpardo.com/autosusados.html (use the Door to Door link).

Enjoy ALL OF your time in Costa Rica!

By: Cindy Hunter

Cindy Hunter — Sat, 22 May 2010 01:21:13 +0000

To everyone who is shipping ANYTHING!
Please make sure to check the documents of the import person making sure they are legal in their importation of goods. Some people hire a person to “speak” for them in customs and these hired folks don’t know what the real rules are. In some cases, like ours,you may not get your vehicle for 8 months. When you get it the condition of the vehicle could be horrific! (like ours). Lesson learned: Always make sure the person or people you are using for importation are professional, “real importers” with a legitimate business. Check with a reliable attorney for legitimate recommendations. Good Luck.

By: admin

admin — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:13:49 +0000

The only loophole we know of (and we could be wrong) is that it is just rumor … to nail the unsuspected

By: micah meir

micah meir — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:51:56 +0000

Dear Friend

I have heard of a loop hole in the import tax laws that allows for a S.A. in the business of tourism to import a vehicle or vehicles and have the import taxes waived. Is there any truth to this. My wife and I are planning to import a 2008 Toyota Tacoma Truck and just wonder if it is even worth it.
let us know what you can

Micah y Amanda Meir