Drive it to Colombia - Dumb Idea?

[Zon]

So how would this work exactly?

I buy a vehicle in Houston with the intentions of driving it to Colombia.  Then get it licensed there.  (I am sure it would be a bunch of BS - but might be interesting)

Anybody know

[piglett]

all i can say is WoW
 
 
piglett

[JimD]

First of all you can't. There's no road between Colombia and Panamá so you'd have to put it on a boat probobly to Buenaventura but maybe one of the north coast cities. Second you can only import a vehicle temporarily like if you're doing a South American tour or some thing. You can not re-licence it in Colombia.

[Zon]

I think it is possible to make the trip by motorcycle?

[Fuzzyone]

So how would this work exactly?

I buy a vehicle in Houston with the intentions of driving it to Colombia.  Then get it licensed there.  (I am sure it would be a bunch of BS - but might be interesting)

Anybody know

   Never a dumb ideal if it has not been done before, but remember this you have to drive thru some pretty nasty countries to get to Colombia. I don't think you would have a problem in Panama but for the other one up to that point I don't know. Also remember you will be driving thru prime rebel areas near the border of Panama and Colombia.


   Taxes might eat you alive in Colombia they get you one way or another. Insurance? who knows if you can even get it driving where you will need to go. I thought there was a highway being built to connect North and south Am.

[dennislevy]

After having ridden through much of Colombia (and this was in busses!) I can t think of a single good reason why a foreigner would want to drive THEIR vehicle.
 

[benjio]

First of all you can't. There's no road between Colombia and Panamá so you'd have to put it on a boat probobly to Buenaventura but maybe one of the north coast cities. Second you can only import a vehicle temporarily like if you're doing a South American tour or some thing. You can not re-licence it in Colombia.

Jim, is absolutely correct. There were ferries that carried vehicles from Panama to Colombia but that stopped in the 90's. There are websites dedicated to people who have driven cars or rode motorcyles from cities in the United States  (usually northern cities) to the southern tip of South America. I've read in detail how this can be acheived. There are definitely some significant obstacles involved but it can be accomplished.
 
Jim is also correct about any entrance permit you get for your car in Colombia being temporary. You can't import a car to Colombia with the intentions of keeping it there by driving it from the U.S. You have to go through a Colombian Port of Entry and perform the entire customs clearance and commercial invoicing process. I've looked into this as well. It's usually A LOT cheaper to just buy a car in Colombia believe it or not. It is also VERY difficult to get a used car imported as supposed to a new one.
 
Also Zon, all the trip reports I've read about people doing this are rife with tribulation. Usuaully this is done with a 4 Wheel Drive Vehicle that is proven to be dependent in harsh climates and less than desirable road conditions. The Pan American highway stretches from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina, BUT:
 
 

• There is a huge gap in Panama called the Darien that consist of very dense rain forest in Southern Panama. It has been negotiated by Land Rovers and motorcycles but from what I've read it isn't very pleasant at all!!!!

 

• The PanAmerican Highway runs through multiple countries and each section is maintained by the country it's located in. While the highway is in relatively good condition in the United States, parts in Mexico and other countries in Central America are not in very good condition.

I've been researching this trip for a very long time and I'm still considering doing it. I wish you the best of luck if you decide to take the plunge.

[benjio]

  

[mudd]

completely a BAD BAD idea!!!!!


just for starters, driving through Mexico ( if you didn't have a head on with another driver)  would be  dangerous. now go down the road some more into other countries, Honduras,  Nicaragua and its just as bad.


And if you do actually make it to Colombia, Colombia in itsself isn't all that safe either.  their was a TV show about a guy who did the same a while back, when he got into Colombia, he  hit a ELN checkpoint and was taken captive for about a year, until he faked a prostate cancer problem and they let him go.    doest sound like a fun time to me.




hell, just on the drive from Medellin  to Manizales a few years ago, we were almost hit by semi trucks head on, on 3 separate incidents.

[JimD]

I think it is possible to make the trip by motorcycle?

I think that has been done but you'd probobly have to pay some serious money to the FARC and the paracos to get through.  I met a guy at Platypus in Bogotá who was waiting for his motorcycle to arrive from Panamá. He'd driven from New York City accross Canada, down the US west coast then through Mexico and Central America. He was headed for Tierra Del Fuego. I know he made it to Ecuador but didn't hear any more about him after that.
 
 

[benjio]

completely a BAD BAD idea!!!!!


just for starters, driving through Mexico ( if you didn't have a head on with another driver)  would be  dangerous. now go down the road some more into other countries, Honduras,  Nicaragua and its just as bad.


And if you do actually make it to Colombia, Colombia in itsself isn't all that safe either.  their was a TV show about a guy who did the same a while back, when he got into Colombia, he  hit a ELN checkpoint and was taken captive for about a year, until he faked a prostate cancer problem and they let him go.    doest sound like a fun time to me.




hell, just on the drive from Medellin  to Manizales a few years ago, we were almost hit by semi trucks head on, on 3 separate incidents.

Mudd, I definitely can't argue with that. It's not an easy feat by any means.
 
Zon, like I said, if you'd really like to do it...go online and do your research. There's plenty of resources out there for people that have done it successful, i.e. safest routes, cheap places to stop and stay for the night, places NEVER to stop, etc. Takes some balls but I've never read a negative trip report from the guys that talk about it online. Those that come from Washington State, Canada, or even Alaska to eventually arrive on the Southern Tip of Argentina always express an immense feeling of accomplishment. I'd equate it to climbing Everest. The trek from Houston to Medellin is a stroll in the park compared to what these guys did.
 
Actually, for those who were well prepared, going through the red tape of getting your car on a container ship from Panama to Cartegena was the most challenging task.

[JimD]

After having ridden through much of Colombia (and this was in busses!) I can t think of a single good reason why a foreigner would want to drive THEIR vehicle.

Dennis I've driven around Colombia a fair amount in my own vehicle and had no problems. The roads between major cities are good. What's bad are all the tolls, you encounter a toll booth about every hour at over three bucks a pop. With the cost of gas at over four dollars a gallon it can be cheaper to take the bus. As to safety you hardly ever hear of the guerrilla puting up road blocks any more except in out of the way places in Cauca and Nariño departments. I used to drive blithely around Mexico but I sure wouldn't do that anymore!

[Zon]

After having ridden through much of Colombia (and this was in busses!) I can t think of a single good reason why a foreigner would want to drive THEIR vehicle.

The reasons are freedom, and GAME   Lotsa game.  I would like to be an adult when living in Colombia - and adult with a car

Sounds a little challenging

[dennislevy]

Jim D et al
My take is MOST (not all) but most of the roads in Colombia are AT BEST the equvalent of a two lane county road in the US .

Gas and tolls ARE expensive.........

but when you take into account the changes in altitude, frequent hairpin curves. washouts and the ABYSMAL driving of locals ...and ABYSMAL is too charitable a word......because quite simply the only rule of the road in Colombia....is that there are NO rules......

I simply cant see it.

Assuming and God forbid that you did.....have an accident and tried to get a settlment from an insurance company....

I think the insurance company would do EVERYTHING possible to avoid paying you...A FOREIGNER .

And that s assuming the other party or parties were even covered.

[benjio]

The reasons are freedom, and GAME   Lotsa game.  I would like to be an adult when living in Colombia - and adult with a car

Sounds a little challenging

Zon,
 
I've also researched the other option. If you are interested in shipping your car to Colombia from Houston and not driving it, then registering it as a permanent vehicle in Colombia, I can recommend a company. But depending on the value of the car IN COLOMBIA, and whether or not you ship it in a container or RORO, this process will cost you at the very least $6500, and take about 3 months. Also, although it's popular belief that only brand new cars of the current year's model can be exported, there are loop holes and exceptions to this. But as I mentioned before....it is EXTREMELY difficult.
 
I honestly think you could purchase a decent car in Colombia for less than or equal to $11 Million Pesos. If you are caught there with a car that has an expired tour registration, the police have every right to confiscate it. It's not even worth exploring the process of trying to get it back, because you won't.

[fathertime]

Hey zon,


I gotta say this ideal of yours seems like a good one.  Heck you aalready have the hair and earring you may as well be a little balsy and start driving a car or motocycle in colombia. 


aftr you get the car there you can look into GPS if you want to get around easier, although it will probably have a negative impact on your own intuitive or as you like to say 'natural' navigation skills. 


If i were going to live there like you are, i would be driving...i like the freedom of doing what i want and not having somebody else driving me.  I would think that women would see a gringo driving as being more capable overall.


Fathertime! 

[mudd]

Zon,
 
I've also researched the other option. If you are interested in shipping your car to Colombia from Houston and not driving it, then registering it as a permanent vehicle in Colombia, I can recommend a company. But depending on the value of the car IN COLOMBIA, and whether or not you ship it in a container or RORO, this process will cost you at the very least $6500, and take about 3 months. Also, although it's popular belief that only brand new cars of the current year's model can be exported, there are loop holes and exceptions to this. But as I mentioned before....it is EXTREMELY difficult.
 
I honestly think you could purchase a decent car in Colombia for less than or equal to $11 Million Pesos. If you are caught there with a car that has an expired tour registration, the police have every right to confiscate it. It's not even worth exploring the process of trying to get it back, because you won't.

bringing a " used " car into colombia, if its not a  approved " classic or antique" by the auto club is next to impossible, unless you work in the embassy or govt. As benji said, you better off buying  a used car already in colombia.

[Micky]

Zon -

 
I used to think you were smart.  The Darien Gap is NOT passable by car.  People that have done the NA/SA drive of a lifetime ship their vehicle from Panama to Colombia or Ecuador.  If one has ever flown the Panama City/Bogota route you go over the Darien.  You know how when you fly over desolate places in the U.S.,  Mexico etc,  you will still see the occasional building,  mine,  tower,  old road/trail,  over the Darien you see NOTHING,  jungle and rivers,  nothing but jungles and rivers for thousands of square miles.  Before someone "corrects" me,  yes it has been crossed,  a couple of times by moto and expedition teams,  not by Zon and his co driver Mo.  If you insist an doing such a stupid thing,  I'll go with you.

 
Micky

[JimD]

When I decided to buy a car in Cali I went to driving school, not because I didn't know how to drive obviously but because you got a license automaticly at the end of the course without having to present yourself at Transito (now changed). I learned lots of usefull stuff from the instructor like how to spot armored vehicles and the motos favored by hit men. Graduation was driving through the worst of El Centro. When I first started driving on my own I would be pissed after fifteen minute behind the wheel at all f(snip)ers who cut me off, cut in front of me, passed me on blind curves or drove within two inches of my door handle on congested streets like Avenida Sexta. That was then. Now I drive just like them (except for the passing on blind curves...well mostly)  and take a certain pleasure in cutting off taxis and motos before they can do it to me. When driving in Cali the important thing is to read the "body language" of the cars around you in order to anticipate what they're going to do. I'm always amazed the first couple of days when I return to the US at how layed back and orderly the driving is with people always saying no, no you go first. Fortunately driving style is like language. You switch back to the apropriate one almost immediatley (though I always say "si" and "perdon" automaticly for the first few days).

[benjio]

Zon -

 
I used to think you were smart.  The Darien Gap is NOT passable by car.  People that have done the NA/SA drive of a lifetime ship their vehicle from Panama to Colombia or Ecuador.  If one has ever flown the Panama City/Bogota route you go over the Darien.  You know how when you fly over desolate places in the U.S.,  Mexico etc,  you will still see the occasional building,  mine,  tower,  old road/trail,  over the Darien you see NOTHING,  jungle and rivers,  nothing but jungles and rivers for thousands of square miles.  Before someone "corrects" me,  yes it has been crossed,  a couple of times by moto and expedition teams,  not by Zon and his co driver Mo.  If you insist an doing such a stupid thing,  I'll go with you.

 
Micky

Zon,
 
You and Micki aren't having all the fun. I'm in too. I live in Houston so if you're leaving from there just let me know when. We can throw my thiry-aught-six in your trunk and I'll just hold the HK .40 S&W in the car. No worries, no one checks for $HIT crossing the Mexican border when you're headed south.
 
I figure somewhere in the Darien Gap we'll break down or get stuck in the mud or quick sand. We can hunt and eat monkey and live like the locals until Dora and Mateo find a way to get us out of there. Anyone I'd call for help would just say, "Why would your dumb ass drive through a rain forrest?" I figure you'll be in the same position. But no worries, Micki's got folks that actually love him. Plus he's old school 1st Calvary. Poppa said those guys don't die...they multiply. We'll be just fine.

[JimD]

 We can throw my thiry-aught-six in your trunk and I'll just hold the HK .40 S&W in the car.

When I was in college in Philadelphia a friend of mine and I decided we'd make a trip into Mexico the following summer in his VW w/rebuilt motor. We even got the school nurse to give all the necessary shots. Of course we knew we'd have to be armed and thought .45s would be the thing. One day we went to a party where there was a real Mexican. We told him our plan and he said god no don't bring a gun, they'll kill you to get it. Talk about agua fiesta!

[Zon]

Great discussion, actually!  Everyone showed a different side.  Nice.

Anyway, my post was the first of my research.  It turns out to be a mighty dumb idea, in truth.   I have a friend that imports heavy equipment into Colombia from the States.  He still has not returned my email.  But, I have seen enough that I would want to risk my life in other ways.   A trip from Colombia to the Patagonia sounds great, however.  Today that was just been added to the bucket list (and I like to get those things out of the way fast...

Thanks for the Love Micky - you are a good Joe.  And Benjio, dude, I have been holding my breath on the PM about Periera for days:)

[Researcher]

......not by driving anyway.....   

      I actually looked into how to get a car into Colombia from the US.Driving was out as soon as I learned about the Darien Gap.When you consider the costs involved with shipping one there you would come out better to buy a car there.

         I guess you could always tunnel there like Bugs Bunny.Just don't forget to take that left turn at Albuquerque! hahaha!

    Researcher
           

[dennislevy]

In September, i met a Swiss family  in a hostal in Quito.

They were tourists, spoke very good English and we talked a lot. They werent young backpackers, this was a smart couple in their sixties

They had flown their Mercedes  camper (sounds like it was a big 5 th wheel) from Switzerland to Ecuador. Three weeks of driving around in Ecuador, the motor crapped out...at high altitudes, jejejeje.

Somehow they got it to the Mercedes dealer in Quito. A bunch of service hours later and (of course there is NO warranty outside of the home country), there were told that the service department DIDN T have the part to repair the motor.

Gee............now .there s a surprise!!!!! lol

When I said goodbye to them, the dad was thinking of flying to Germany, buying the part and bringing  it back personally so he could avoid customs delays.  They had checked Argentina and Brazil aand  found flights from Ecuador PLUS the price f the parts to more expensive then flying to Germany.....

For all of you thinking about this....Im curious, just how many service dealerships for whatever you going to drive exist between say Tiajuana and Patagonia? ?


jejejeje..............








 

[Jeff S]

It must have been a long time since you spent time in Mexico, because all major cities in Mexico now has every major auto company service dealerships now. There are plenty of Mercedes, BMW, US Big three, and of course all of the Asian car manufacturers represented there. Finding parts might be a bit difficult, not because of their disinterest in carrying sufficient inventory, but that there are models made in Mexico that are not offered in the US, but only sold into the Latin American market. The Nissan Tsuru and Chevrolet Chevy are two examples - very popular in Mexico but not offered in the US. Many American models aren't offered in Mexico. If you do plan on taking a vehicle to Latin America, I'd suggest you be sure to take one that is popular both there and here, like the Ford Escape, Toyota Camry or the like. Research is in order.


I also take exception to Mexico being a dangerous place to drive. The tollroads are safe, fast, well patrolled, and have lots of extra perks, like free insurance, towing, good cellular coverage, clean restrooms, etc, etc. Mexico has changed a whole lot in the past 15 or 20 years, and much of it for the better.


The worst part of the trip from Prudhoe Bay to Tierra del Fuego is certainly from the Guatamalen border to the Colombian.