Thread: buying a vehicle in Panama

I will be living in Panama by the end of the year. If I buy my vehicle in Panama City, can I register the vehicle in Penonome. Also, can I get my drivers license in Penonome instead of Panama if I live in the Province of Panama (gorgona)

You probably need to register the car in Panama first, once you have the title you should be able to transfer it at the expense of your sanity and a few hundred dollars.

i bought a new car in one province and the dealer registered it in my home province , so i could get my plates from the local town office , just tell the dealer to do that . as far as your DL once you get your visa then get it in any office you want , if you are staying on a tourist visa , your DL will expire the same day as your visa , except tourist visas are now 180 days and tourist DL are only 90 days , so the last 90 days you will have no legal DL , all depends on what visa you are using

So you MUST have a Panama DL from day one if you are staying on a tourist visa? What usually happens if they stop you and you got an expired Panama DL but you got your valid US DL?

You cannot get a Panama DL without a pending carnet.

What is that?
Basically what do I need to buy and drive a car and exit every 180 days until we make up our minds whether we will be staying or not? In which case I will buy a house?

Like NIFOC wrote, 90 days to renew DL, 180 days to renew your body. The house is optional.

Originally Posted by Sir Stressalot

What is that?
Basically what do I need to buy and drive a car and exit every 180 days until we make up our minds whether we will be staying or not? In which case I will buy a house?

For people with a valid driver’s license from another country. You must have the following:

• Cedula or valid migration card
• Valid passport
• Blood type must be documented by the foreign drivers license or getting your blood typed by an authorized laboratory.

Have your license validated by your country consulate.
Obtain the Seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
When you have the document that was validated by your consulate and having the Ministry seal on it, take it to the traffic office in David and Pay $40.00.

I am buying a car tomorrow.
Just wanted to ask, how do I make sure that the seller doesn't have any loan on his car?
Thanks in advance.

you should refuse to pay or even make a deposit until:

1. the title is in your name.
2. you have the vehicle ID card from auto depot.
3. plates and payments to municipio is up to date. If they have not paid on time you should ask for a discount as you will need to renew a temp permit for 2-3 years since no plate will be made.
4. if the car does not exist in the US so you can get parts easily do not buy it.

as far as I know they cannot sell the car if there is a loan.

Originally Posted by Romeo

I am buying a car tomorrow.
Just wanted to ask, how do I make sure that the seller doesn't have any loan on his car?
Thanks in advance.

you should refuse to pay or even make a deposit until:

1. the title is in your name.
2. you have the vehicle ID card from auto depot.
3. plates and payments to municipio is up to date. If they have not pay on time you should ask for a discount as you will need to renew a temp permit for 2-3 years since no plate will be made.
4. if the car does not exist in the US so you can get parts easily do not buy it.

as far as I know they cannot sell the car if there is a loan.

i would also check the engine number and vin (all locations) to make sure it matches the title. if either is wrong it needs to be updated before you present any money (it will likely take several months to correct so buy other car).

Originally Posted by tellucy

you should refuse to pay or even make a deposit until:

4. if the car does not exist in the US so you can get parts easily do not buy it.

I'm not so sure I agree with this one. When we lived there, most cars sold in Panama were not made to US specs, so why would you want (or need) to procure parts from the US?

Originally Posted by TennVol

I'm not so sure I agree with this one. When we lived there, most cars sold in Panama were not made to US specs, so why would you want (or need) to procure parts from the US?

Neither do i, but people here on the forum tend to think that the US is the only country in the world where spare parts are sold and are in stock.

i also believe why buy something just because it sells in the states , if it is sold here , you can get parts here , one of my rides is a old montero i use to pull my boat , and believe me i have bought many parts . and on the other end a friend bought a toyota tacoma pickup that had been imported , just like every part he needs now to keep it running , as the hilux is a different truck and the tacoma was never sold here

do you have break pads: No
do you have rear light bulbs: No
do you have air filters: Yes, but you need to pay for the entire air system and not just the filter.

that's real and experienced life when letting a panamanian company (exclusive importer) run it.

Originally Posted by tellucy

do you have break pads: No
do you have rear light bulbs: No
do you have air filters: Yes, but you need to pay for the entire air system and not just the filter.

that's real and experienced life when letting a panamanian company (exclusive importer) run it.

i have different experiences. i drive a nissan pathfinder and everything is available here.

there is no supply chain of parts that works in panama - at least not consistently. i am not going to waste my time with a vehicle for which i cannot buy parts online from an industrialized nation. you are only lucky if they have 95 octane, just like everything else. you will learn over time that you have to disconnect the panamanians from your life or it becomes a nightmare to live here.

Originally Posted by janl

i have different experiences. i drive a nissan pathfinder and everything is available here.

Tellucy if you were not driving that Bently you would not be having those prolbems LOL , that why its great to be poor , we just drive the common chit LOL

Originally Posted by tellucy

there is no supply chain of parts that works in panama - at least not consistently. i am not going to waste my time with a vehicle for which i cannot buy parts online from an industrialized nation. you are only lucky if they have 95 octane, just like everything else. you will learn over time that you have to disconnect the panamanians from your life or it becomes a nightmare to live here.

Lol ok so there is a minimum time to be here now to know whats for sale? Lucky to have 95? What village do you live in? And you do realize the US isnt the only industrialized nation right? As naked says, if you drive a somewhat common car here then parts are available.

the gas stations in the city are out of 95 about 15-20 % of the time. i will never buy any part for my car in this country again. last time i did i paid $300 for a piece that cost $80 if you buy it online from the the US. per your suggestion i will look at canada for parts next time.... the us is the only industrialized nation in the americas with a developed webbased economy.

Originally Posted by janl

Lol ok so there is a minimum time to be here now to know whats for sale? Lucky to have 95? What village do you live in? And you do realize the US isnt the only industrialized nation right? As naked says, if you drive a somewhat common car here then parts are available.

Originally Posted by tellucy

the gas stations in the city are out of 95 about 15-20 % of the time. i will never buy any part for my car in this country again. last time i did i paid $300 for a piece that cost $80 if you buy it online from the the US. per your suggestion i will look at canada for parts next time.... the us is the only industrialized nation in the americas with a developed webbased economy.

oh ok I must be one lucky dude then