Buying a car

[Celt202]

I have a friend who bought a car here in Santo Domingo from the owner of a small business. The seller gave him a receipt for the purchase (which did not make any reference to the Vehicle ID number) and said he would take care of the transfer of the registration. The car has developed problems that can only be fixed by a Mitsubishi qualified shop. The shop he took the car to will not fix it until he can prove ownership. They do not accept the bill of sale as proof of ownership. The seller did not give the buyer a copy of the registration (matrículacion). A few days ago the buyer asked the seller to provide him with proof of the registration so he could get the car fixed and the two had harsh words. The buyer lives in Santo Domingo, does not speak Spanish and has a temper. The seller is Dominican with US citizenship and speaks Spanish and English. The seller also owns 2 businesses here with brick and mortar locations. The seller may have been acting as a go between for a third party and may not have been the owner of the car.
This is long winded background for my question, which may or may not apply in this case.
The Question:
If you buy a car and are not smart enough to get the matrículacion in your hand at the time of sale what is your recourse if the buyer fails to produce the transferred registration or a copy of both sides of the original registration or proof that the registration transfer is in progress?

[Hillbilly]

The Question:
If you buy a car and are not smart enough to get the matrículacion in your hand at the time of sale what is your recourse if the buyer fails to produce the transferred registration or a copy of both sides of the original registration or proof that the registration transfer is in progress?

Get a Spanish speaking friend to go to the Police and tell them you have been "estafado." Which means cheated.

You give all the details that you can, names, dates, receipts (Photo copies, not originals) Photos of the car. Ask the Police to accompany your friend to the "seller" and find out what the phuck is up?

Get a lawyer, too.

HB

A Nastier person might say: "Get a "tiguere" to drive it though a ritzy storefront some night and leave it there." The "real" owner will will be charged with all the damages....hehehe Your friend just has to deny any, absolutely any knowledge with a "WHO ME?" look of absolute innocense////....
Or get out of Dodge for a few weeks....You see, the "real" owner is responsable for all damages until the Matrícula changes hands....

[Celt202]

Thanks for your reply. If this thing goes south on my friend I'll inform him he can do what you suggest. It would be my pleasure to take him to the police station and interpret for him.

I like your suggestion for a nastier person. I like the way your mind works.

I learned a similar lesson the hard way. Suggestion: for anyone, especially a foreigner, buying a car, don't pay for the car unless & until Rentas Internas issues a matricula in the name of the buyer / new owner. Then, & only then, pay. For unknown reasons, this is a complicated process. The police get involved, verifying the VIN; this can take weeks. Why? It helps to hire a lawyer. And to have a 'friend', however temporary, in Rentas Internas. Experience is the best teacher. But, sometimes the tuition is expensive!

[Fabio J. Guzman]

Buying a car in the DR, the same as buying real estate, should never be done without the buyer (or his/her attorney) going through a due diligence checklist. This applies to both Dominican and foreign buyers.

I have repeated this advice “ad nauseam” but it seems to fall on deaf ears in many cases. The client often cannot withstand the pressure for a quick closing from the seller or the broker involved in the transaction.