I absolutely recognise what your saying as a buyer, and totally understand what you are saying about the risks buyers take and the need to let people know that, but as a seller, I would never allow someone to take the vehicle, with title, when I hadn't received payment in full. It's financial suicide and I think to recommend people do this is somewhat reckless.

It's not that different to buying any second hand vehicle. know the law, know what your looking at, know what your doing. You can get ripped off just as easily in the UK as in a foreign country. The only difference is in your own country you have a better idea of how the system works and what the paperwork involves.

It's why I can't envisage ever buying a vehicle from someone already travelling. I would always want to visit that person at their home.

Do you really want to risk all that money you have saved for your dream trip like this?

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014

Yes, of course, and I don't hear of anyone having problems when they buy a vehicle in Canada or the US and then drive south. Obviously it is easier to do the transfer legally when you are right there in the original country so there is no incentive to try and cut corners..
So my cautions are directed towards the central and South American scene.

Young couple here in the campground driving a North American vehicle they bought in S America. Would like to sell it but found out all their papers are fake. Obviously papers were good enough to get over the border once, and maybe OK for them to keep doing that, but what about the next owner? Just the insurance aspects would be a worry. Insurance obtained on the basis of a false declaration is going to bounce if there is an accident. Ending up in prison isn't on anyone's holiday of a lifetime blueprint.

I'm strongly suggesting that buyers ask for this and suggesting that lack of agreement might be just one more warning flag that in combination with other niggles, suggests they walk away and look elsewhere.

Probably a bit hard for those who have never done this to understand the situation. Big plans, long time coming to fruition, enthusiasm galore, lack of vehicles to choose from, lack of money, lack of time, difficulty in checking it out in person, ignorance of the real situation regarding legalities, timeframe pressures, ego, etc etc etc all add up to people totally ignoring sensible precautions. Yes, their own fault but not all that surprising if they have always operated within their own familiar tightly-regulated system back home. No nanny-state down here to look after consumer interests.

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

Great advice mate, but be advised, I've been flamed for saying basically the same thing on this site (by someone trying to sell a pup, as it happened).....

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Land Rover D90
www.Siroccoverland.com | Follow us on Facebook

You will need to use Google Translate, but Permit Probleme bei Fahrzeugkauf in Costa Rica - Panamericana-Forum is another cautionary tale, still to be resolved.

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map