Buying A Car

[Fotis]

Hello again,
I am interesting in buying a car as I plan to stay in BA for about two years.
I am a foreigner (from Greece). Do you know the requirements for buying a used car?
Has anyone alrady bought a car and from where?
Thanks a lot
Fotis

 

[ElQueso]

Anyone can buy a car. You'll need cash, your passport and a CDI (it's a "tax" ID code given to foreigners without residency when doing something that would normally require a worker's tax ID). You can go to an ANSES location (for your area) and get one pretty easily.

You also have to insure the car, which can be a little complicated, but not too much. Some companies will, and some won't, insure from a passport. I have Meridional, which when I bought my car some five years ago accepted just passports.

I've posted about buying a car before, as have others. I described why I'd buy a car from a used car lot as opposed to directly from the owner, mostly for paperwork reasons related to getting the car and title registered and the Cedula Verde (the registration card) in your name, etc. Traffic violations go with the car and the car can't be sold until all of that is cleared up, which the dealerships deal with as part of the whole process (when they bought the car to begin with, for example).

I bought my car from Centro de Motores somewhere around the 3000 block of Cordoba. It's a Renault dealership. They have a new and used car lot, across the street from each other. The used lot, when I bought mine, had a number of different makes available. I bought a 1999 Renault Megane hatchback. It was expensive - cars hold their value here.

 

[Rich One]

Should search the Forum for data,

El Queso is correct you need the AFIP tax ID number for non-residents, plus passport and Police address verification..
I bought a WV 2010 Gol from Dietrich used car Section in Honduras St. Palermo , They handle all the paperwork.,

Have had insurance policies underwritten by Liberty and Zurich Ins. La Caja would not oblige,,, !

http://www.onlinedietrich.com/contacto/

 

[ElQueso]

La Caja would not oblige,,, !

Yeah, when I bought mine, the dealership sent me to La Caja de Ahorro to get insurance. I was a bit aggravated that they wouldn't accept a passport - the dealership assured me they would! We spent the better part of a day getting a run-around there and they finally told us they would only accept a diplomatic passport. Heh.

I thought the CDI was from ANSES, though. I could be completely wrong about that - it was 5 years ago I did that. Check with the dealership when you buy and they'll tell you where to go - they know more about that than the insurance issue, most likely

 

[trennod]

Rich One how much did your Gol set you back and how many ks had it done when you got it? (if you dont mind me asking!!)

 

[citygirl]

I bought a used Bora (2009, 40.000 kilometers on it) from a private owner and while it did require 3 trips to the registry b/c they kept wanting 1 more piece of paper (not unusual here!), it was a pretty easy process.

 

[Rich One]

Rich One how much did your Gol set you back and how many ks had it done when you got it? (if you dont mind me asking!!)

A Used VW Gol there with 40K kmts. oscilated then around $ 40,000. Used cars go up in value HERE, therefore the Insured amount goes up yearly...!!

 

[Fotis]

Guys THANK you so much.
All your details were really helpfull.
As reagrds the Police address verification, do I have to do this (in any case? as I am renting an apartment and the contract has my details/name and passport no.)

Also another question please. In case I want to drive a friend´s car, can I do it?
If let´s say the car is registered and insured under his name. Do I have to worry about something?
Just to let you know I have already rent a car in the past in Buenos Aires with no problems (meaning they accepted my driving licence).

 

[ElQueso]

As reagrds the Police address verification, do I have to do this (in any case? as I am renting an apartment and the contract has my details/name and passport no.)

Also another question please. In case I want to drive a friend´s car, can I do it?
If let´s say the car is registered and insured under his name. Do I have to worry about something?
Just to let you know I have already rent a car in the past in Buenos Aires with no problems (meaning they accepted my driving licence).

You will have to get the police verification, but it's not a big deal. Go to the nearest police station, tell them what you need, they'll get your information. Sometimes the same day, but by the next day, a cop will show up to give you the certificate at the address you provided. You can have it sent to anywhere, even, as I'm pretty sure but not certain, a hotel.

As far as driving someone else's car, you can drive it while the owner is in the car, but if you drive it without the owner you need to get a permission to drive it. If you get stopped by a traffic check and don't have a cedula verde or permission to drive, you'll have problems. I'm not exactly what's involved in getting the permission to drive, maybe someone else has gone through that?

 

[Rich One]

To drive someone else's car you need to obtain a Cedula Azul, granted with an authorization by owner under Notary Public.If the owner is not in the car when stopped by Police, you are a suspect.