What To Do About A Car In Bariloche For 1-2 Years?

[Rich One]

for custom purposes driving a foreign car into Argentina as a tourist is one thing , importing a car by boat is a different issue?? not sure of status.

 

[jesbostonma]

Tilda, thank you for the information. What you describe sounds similar to renting from an individual, which my husband did when he lived in Rwanda for 6 months, but which we didn't really think would work here. I had the impression that a nonresident could not drive any Argentina-plated car over the border unless it was rented from a rental agency, which would kill the rent-from-an-individual option. Do nonresidents rent vehicles from citizens or residents sometimes? (And as you said, they'd have to also be willing to give permission to drive it over the border in our case, for what we are wanting.) The person that owns the car doesn't have to be there when you cross the border?

Rich One, that's a good point. I did wonder if shipping to Chile might be less challenging. Anyway, we will look into it if we decide to really consider it. At this point, we are thinking we rent the first few weeks and decide from there whether to rent long-term or try to buy a car in Chile, maybe. Anyway, it's all rather difficult for what seems like should be a minor issue! But as my grandpa is fond of saying whenever things don't go his way, "Oh well."

 

[Rich One]

You can buy a car in Argentina and have an Argentinian citizen or resident drive it across the border with a notarized authorization from you, and perhaps with you sitting there may no need a permit.

 

[ben]

FWIW I've seen a car here with Florida plates. So it's definitely not impossible.

 

[Rich One]

FWIW I've seen a car here with Florida plates. So it's definitely not impossible.

Its totally possible you can drive it in or ship it and pay duties, unless you are a diplomat or a returning Argie. What was the case with the Florida plates one...??

 

[Bariloche_Bound]

Hi JesBostonMA. We have a similar plan...we are going to Bariloche with our kids..though we are only planning 4 months (starting in June). We should put our heads together re: childcare, schools, housing, getting money at a reasonable rate, local rates for flights within ARG, local ski pass rates, etc. We have done some research, but little on cars so we appreciated reading your post. We plan to rent a car at first.

About us: We live in Hawaii. We have three boys ages 4-13. We did an expat year in 2010-11 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and learned many lessons that may apply. One was that research ahead of time cannot substitute for tennis shoes on the ground. In fact, much of what we learned ahead of time proved to be irrelevant since regulations change so rapidly, and at least in Mexico, are often ‘flexible’ and subject to interpretation.

Andrei in Kona

 

[ghost]

OK, but still waiting for "ghost" to come in and comment on his Lexus GS he sold to a used car dealer/yard operator.
So if Iam to embark in overlanding partially from let say,US to Chile by boat thenChile~Argentina by land and once in Argentina
decide to register my vehicle to nationalise it then supposedly my BB valued let say at US$20k second hand vehicle then I have to forkout the 80% tax add-on in pesos or in US Dollars?

My car came in FREE. There was a time when repatriating Argentines could bring a car back free. My wife is Argentine. None of this applies to today.

 

[jez]

Hi JesBostonMA. We have a similar plan...we are going to Bariloche with our kids..though we are only planning 4 months (starting in June). We should put our heads together re: childcare, schools, housing, getting money at a reasonable rate, local rates for flights within ARG, local ski pass rates, etc. We have done some research, but little on cars so we appreciated reading your post. We plan to rent a car at first.

Resident ski pases for the 2015 season (AR$1800) were only sold until January 2015 and you needed to have been living for 6 months in Bariloche prior to purchasing them; then of course prove that you were a resident in Bariloche, DNI with Bariloche address etc.. It's an expensive place to ski. A adult daily ski pass, high season last year was over AR$600...this year I'm sure it will be over AR$700, the season pass was AR$18,300 last year.

For local flights; if it's the same as it used to be (havent seen many comments about it recently) then purchase your ticket and check-in online and travel with no hold luggage so you can go straight to the gate and don't need you show your id at the check-in desk.

Money: Xoom appears to have a pick up point in San Martin, though it doesn't look very official: https://www.google.com.ar/maps/place/Eduardo+Elordi+614,+San+Mart%C3%ADn+de+Los+Andes,+Neuqu%C3%A9n/@-40.154336,-71.349336,3a,62.8y,48.82h,87.55t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1stHvFgyjpvero9mueoIOwKQ!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x96110e771a5fa6a3:0xd280994f8df80baf!6m1!1e1?hl=en
They also state on their website that they have various pick up points in Osorno, Puerto Varas & Puerto Montt -.
Azimo's nearest pick up point ot Bariloche is in Puerto Madryn. I don't think is currently has any pickups in the Osorno region.
Or withdraw at the ATM's in Osorno then change to us$ in the casa de cambios or banks in Osorno.

Rental cars are currently about $3000 - $4000 per week, although I'm sure you would get a discount for a 4 month rental.

For 4 months in the high season you should start looking for a place to stay now, most places will already have some reservations over the winter season. Either reserve before you arrive (paying up from in us$) or wait until you arrive (much less options) and maybe find something in AR$.

 

[ghost]

Hi JesBostonMA. We have a similar plan...we are going to Bariloche with our kids..though we are only planning 4 months (starting in June). We should put our heads together re: childcare, schools, housing, getting money at a reasonable rate, local rates for flights within ARG, local ski pass rates, etc. We have done some research, but little on cars so we appreciated reading your post. We plan to rent a car at first.

About us: We live in Hawaii. We have three boys ages 4-13. We did an expat year in 2010-11 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and learned many lessons that may apply. One was that research ahead of time cannot substitute for tennis shoes on the ground. In fact, much of what we learned ahead of time proved to be irrelevant since regulations change so rapidly, and at least in Mexico, are often ‘flexible’ and subject to interpretation.

Andrei in Kona

4 months is a long time in Bariloche. The skiing is not that great. It's OK but there are 50 other places that are better. And better value.

 

[Bariloche_Bound]

the season pass was AR$18,300 last year.

Yikes! Is this just for the high season (2nd half of July) or is this for the WHOLE season? Do you know where are these prices posted?

For local flights; if it's the same as it used to be (havent seen many comments about it recently) then purchase your ticket and check-in online and travel with no hold luggage so you can go straight to the gate and don't need you show your id at the check-in desk.

We are flying international to BsAs so we will have luggage, ski gear, etc. Does this mean we are stuck paying prices posted in US$? (The US$ rate is almost twice the price of AR$ tickets at almundo.com using the Blue rate for conversion...about $450 round trip.)

IF we can somehow check luggage, how do we buy tickets in pesos? Do we need to get a ARG bank account and credit card?

Rental cars are currently about $3000 - $4000 per week, although I'm sure you would get a discount for a 4 month rental.

Do we need a car if we live in town and take the bus to the mountain? It seems from this thread that we can purchase an ARG plated car as long as we don't drive it into Chile.