Shipping Cars to Puerto Rico

18 messages, Last post on Sep 25, 2007 at 6:28 AM

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#17 of 18 Re: PR car excise tax didn't bite me after all [tonyv1] by tonyv1 Sep 19, 2007 (6:37 am)
Replying to: tonyv1 (Sep 18, 2007 6:24 pm) One last note, I received an email copy of my new car auto insurance policy which I thought was to be underwritten by Geico PR. The policy is actually under CAICO, which sounds like GEICO. I don't know if this is a subsidiary of Geico in PR or what, but my PR relatives assure me it is a reliable insurer because they use it too. I just wanted to advise readers of this detail. In fact I used an online insurance broker and not the Geico website itself, so when we spoke by phone to conclude the deal, when he said Caico, I heard Geico. I'm sure this is no coincidence to take advantage of the similar names, but that's business. Buyer beware. Replies to this message: tonyv1 (Sep 25, 2007 6:28 am)
#18 of 18 Re: PR new car Excise tax lingo in Spanish [tonyv1] by tonyv1 Sep 25, 2007 (6:28 am)
Replying to: tonyv1 (Sep 19, 2007 6:37 am) A friend suggested I offer a basic Spanish translation for asking about the new car excise tax if you call the Puerto Tax Dept. at 787-774-1474 and 787-774-1463 The tax itself is called el arbitrio "arh-bee-tree-oh." Therefore, to ask the tax on a new 2007 (dos mil siete) or 2008 (dos mil ocho) model you could say. "Buenos dias. Cuanto es el arbitrio del dos mil siete auto del modelo Dodge Caravan Ese Eckees Teh (SXT) , por favor?" Don't forget "Gracias" after you get an answer. It's very important to be extra polite in the Spanish language, especially if you are butchering the pronunciation. After receiving my new 2007 Caravan SXT, I asked the dealer how he and I avoided paying the arbitrio, which I was told would be over $6K. He told me that as soon as he received new stock of 2008 Caravans, the 2007 technically became last year's model and exempt, at his option, from the excise tax, although it could still be "liquidated" as new with the full factory warranty. So if you can wait till the usual Sept/Oct model turnover, that could be your best chance to avoid the new car excise tax. The dealer also said shipping a used car to PR should not have to pay the new car excise tax, but may still have to pay a host of shipping, insurance and customs luxury taxes that can vary greatly from model to model.

#17 of 18: Re: PR car excise tax didn't bite me after all [tonyv1] by tonyv1; Sep 19, 2007 (6:37 am)

Replying to: tonyv1 (Sep 18, 2007 6:24 pm)

One last note, I received an email copy of my new car auto insurance policy which I thought was to be underwritten by Geico PR. The policy is actually under CAICO, which sounds like GEICO. I don't know if this is a subsidiary of Geico in PR or what, but my PR relatives assure me it is a reliable insurer because they use it too. I just wanted to advise readers of this detail. In fact I used an online insurance broker and not the Geico website itself, so when we spoke by phone to conclude the deal, when he said Caico, I heard Geico. I'm sure this is no coincidence to take advantage of the similar names, but that's business. Buyer beware.

tonyv1 (Sep 25, 2007 6:28 am)

#18 of 18: Re: PR new car Excise tax lingo in Spanish [tonyv1] by tonyv1; Sep 25, 2007 (6:28 am)

Replying to: tonyv1 (Sep 19, 2007 6:37 am)

A friend suggested I offer a basic Spanish translation for asking about the new car excise tax if you call the Puerto Tax Dept. at 787-774-1474 and 787-774-1463

The tax itself is called el arbitrio "arh-bee-tree-oh."

Therefore, to ask the tax on a new 2007 (dos mil siete) or 2008 (dos mil ocho) model you could say.

"Buenos dias. Cuanto es el arbitrio del dos mil siete auto del modelo Dodge Caravan
Ese Eckees Teh (SXT) , por favor?"

Don't forget "Gracias" after you get an answer.

It's very important to be extra polite in the Spanish language, especially if you are butchering the pronunciation.

After receiving my new 2007 Caravan SXT, I asked the dealer how he and I avoided paying the arbitrio, which I was told would be over $6K. He told me that as soon as he received new stock of 2008 Caravans, the 2007 technically became last year's model and exempt, at his option, from the excise tax, although it could still be "liquidated" as new with the full factory warranty.

So if you can wait till the usual Sept/Oct model turnover, that could be your best chance to avoid the new car excise tax.

The dealer also said shipping a used car to PR should not have to pay the new car excise tax, but may still have to pay a host of shipping, insurance and customs luxury taxes that can vary greatly from model to model.