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Everything Else Bonaire: Getting a car to Bonaire
Bonaire Talk: Everything Else Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999 - 2004: Archives - 2002-12-02 to 2003-04-29: Getting a car to Bonaire
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1063) on Saturday, April 5, 2003 - 11:24 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I have a "connection" (he is a car buyer and good friend) who can buy me a car in MIA (or drive one from here). I am in Bonaire enough that I should buy a car.

I have questions please:

1. is there diesel in BON
2. are there requirements for types of cars allowed?
3. I know if u send one over as a resident u are allowed a one time car so long as you own it 6 mos, right?
4. what is the price of gas please?
5. anything else I need to know?

Thanksssss

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By scott and sharon barlass (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #227) on Saturday, April 5, 2003 - 2:51 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Annie,
Yes...diesel is on Bonaire.
No restrictions...A guy in Sabedeco just brought the first Hummer to Bonaire!
We were just told by the head of customs you need to own the car for 1 year...not 6 months...and must prove registration and insurance for the 12 month period.
When we bought our Hilux we priced a Tachoma in the US...through a good friend who is a car dealer and would sell it for cost...the Hilux was cheaper.
Before that, we bought a used van on Bonaire...9 pass. and still have it. Got it cheap...lots of good deals around.

Also bought a used jeep really cheap and had Polo paint it for us.

Looks like mom is moving to Bonaire when we move (by Sept). She is not going to ship her car...just going to pick up a cheap used car on Bonaire.

Hope this helps!

Scott

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1064) on Saturday, April 5, 2003 - 2:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

thnx Scott...it's a hellava lot easier to buy there. ..ok, any deals out there?? :-)

One owner preferred and anything that runs..LOL

Also, I heard CUR has really good deals??

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By scott and sharon barlass (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #228) on Saturday, April 5, 2003 - 3:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Forgot to mention that the annual registration tax for diesel is much higher than for gas vehicles...not sure how much more but maybe 50% more?

We had a couple of friends on Bonaire keep their eyes open for good deals...might want to contact some of your Bonaire buddies directly!

Off topic..Shar and I got our sails and boards...ready to go!

Scott

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2244) on Saturday, April 5, 2003 - 4:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

A Hummer on Bonaire? That sounds utterly ridiculous to me....it will take up most of the roadway...in both directions! Will it even fit into the Park (not that they even want to go there)?? Is it just me or does a HumVee sound nuts on Bonaire? I chuckle at each one that drives by me here in NJ...get real. There are a ton of them for sale in the Cadillac dealership up the road from us....not really "moving" them at all. Maybe it's just me......oh well, we have more important things to worry about it the world. Carole

PS Sharon and Scott...have lots of fun windsurfing! cb

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By scott and sharon barlass (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #229) on Saturday, April 5, 2003 - 5:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks Carole! Windsurfing is a new sport for us...so we will discover many new muscle groups...much different than falling off a boat and swimming as slowly as possible while nearly weightless!

The Hummer is a used one...I think from Colorado. I've never seen it in town, just in Sabedeco once and at the Toyota dealer after servicing. Probably a lot of fun on some of the East coast gravel roads.

Scott

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lot (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Sunday, April 6, 2003 - 8:26 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello Scott,
Read this topic and was utterly surprised!We were thinking of taking our car with us from Holland as well, 'cause we heard from a lot of people used cars on Bonaire are very expensive, and now you write: lots of good deals around! That sounds like good news to us! Shipping the car is expensive and a lot of fuss, ofcourse! But.........can you easily get hold of an automatic in Bonaire?

hope 2 hear from you!


(Message edited by lot on April 6, 2003)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chet Wood (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #365) on Sunday, April 6, 2003 - 8:42 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Gas vs diesel
Yes, the annual registration is much higher for a diesel vehicle, but diesel fuel is a lot cheaper: in January '03
92 octane $3.05/gal
95 octane $3.24/gal
diesel $1.27/gal
I think it's because there is tax on the gas, and no extra tax on the diesel.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By scott and sharon barlass (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #231) on Sunday, April 6, 2003 - 12:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Lot,
I think it depends on what you want. I think Annie is looking for a car to use during her long and frequent visits.

Certain types of new cars on Bonaire are less expensive than comparable models in the US...not sure about Holland. As I mentioned, the Hilux double cab truck we purchased new on Bonaire was cheaper than a similar Toyota Tachoma double cab in the US.

I think also a small car model such as a Matice (spelling??) is very reasonable on Bonaire...a few friends have purchased them...but I'm not sure how much they paid.

All of that said...when we move to Bonaire fairly soon we will be brining with us a Honda S2000 convertible sports car...similar to a Toyota MR2 or Mazda Miata. The price for any of these on Bonaire is about double the price in the USA...mainly because they are not typical "export" cars to Bonaire.

My advice is to decide what you need for your lifestyle on Bonaire, then see what you can find on Bonaire or Curacao used or new. If you can't find what you need for a reasonable price, then ship it in!

Good luck with your move!

Scott

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1384) on Sunday, April 6, 2003 - 1:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Another factor to be careful of is the 'gasoline' sold on the island-- I have heard that it is really a high percentage gasohol that eats up US built engines. There was a thread about this some time ago so it may be available in the archives or an 'islander' may comment here.

Not sure about the diesel fuel quality.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter (Moderator - Post #4171) on Sunday, April 6, 2003 - 3:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Registration for a diesel vehicle is about 4x the annual fee of a gasoline fed vehicle (which was NAF 350/year this year).

New car import fees are still pretty significant if you don't get them as part of your one-time new resident's duty-free allowance. Duties are a lot less on vehicle which are deemed to be pick-up trucks.

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lot (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #9) on Sunday, April 6, 2003 - 5:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanx Scott!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1640) on Monday, April 7, 2003 - 4:48 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Annie, be forwarned. Buy a car locally on island. US bought cars are not that easy to get parts for even if it is a toyota or nissan.

 


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