Selling the bike dilemma - BA or Paraguay, and how??

Ok, this is all very confusing, I think I read anything the search turns out on this subject both here and on the HUBB, and it's still confusing.

I'm trying to sell a great XR650L in Buenos.. but from what I read it's very difficult, people either don't succeed, or get bad prices etc etc. From what I gather so far I see three options:

1. sell to tourist/foreign passport by POA (local notary) and get new aduana papers by exiting and re-entering. Problem - finding tourist. Solutions?: HUBB,ADV ads? what else?

2.selling to a local for cash - empirically impossible, as no one wants a great bike with no legal papers. I find this VERY strange, there are XR's from 1994 going for 7000$ USD on local boards and no one would buy a 2008 one and solve the problem later? (as locals always can, in many ways, and doubt it would cost more than 100$US). So problem: finding a willing and able local. Solution: local sim-card and local sites? mercadolibre?? Problem number 2 : would I have problems flying out??

3. riding to Paraguay (Asuncion) and sell it there to local shops? Problem: how long would it take once there? is it worth it pricewise? good idea?

4. sell for parts, little money, lot's of heart-ache for the loyal and noble companion.

PLEASE, people who faced this situation and resolved it somehow - share your experience. I have two and half more weeks here and do not want to sell it for parts.

I am impressed on how the rate of bikers trying to sell the bikes in L.America has triplicated in the last couple of years. Many think that is practical and easy way toy sell it. Well unless you are doing arrangements way before your trip ends, fine but, while you are there and pressured to sell before you come back is even worst.
Selling in Argentina is not easy today. Bikes must be new and if a local is willing to buy, it would be under the table. (unlawful deal) , exposing you to be banned for life for not closing your Temporary admission.
Selling the bike to a tourist is ok but then USCustoms will notice it at the time of reentry and penalties and duties willl be imposed .

Chile is impossible unless the bike is sold at 'duty free areas' . Bikes should be new for import. Also, Chileans don't have the money to afford big bucks and a complicated negotation, unless you lower a lot the sellling price. Yuo should also close your Temporary admission as the law mandate.

Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay are the only one still allowing used bikes but, then again is the selling price what interest buyers. Forget $7000 for your bike, nobody is going to spent that sum unless is a high end bike over 1000 cc.

I 've just offered a BMW 1200 for $8k bucks in Bolivia and no one was excited. So figure out.

If you have 2 weeks time frame, unless you sell the bike for $3k, probably it would work. Don't waste your time traveling all the way up to Paraguay or Bolivia looking for a buyer, then it will be be even more expensive shipping and flying you out of those countries.

As a final comment , don't play the Cassidi and Sundance way to get rid of things. Assume your export and live with it.
Every time a tourist sell a bike under the table and go away, it is one negative point on that particular country for all other foreign riders, why? because these countries start getting tougher on the law about temporary admission and imports; eventually they could ask even for a bond in the future, and no one want that.

I have seen how lately , some riders wants to sell in Punta Arenas (Free duty in Chile). it is becoming the paradise for many in Patagonia. Nobody knows how the deal is managed but, I think, somehow over the time the law would change and everybody will be affected.

Well, everyone is trying to sell because its a popular trip and because everybody says that "it's not a problem to sell it there" when you prepare for your trip. Of course the reality gets more and more complicated with time. So I guess the right advice would be "It's complicated, and should be arranged ahead of time". But it's all too late for me now.

Also, there is no option of exporting it for me, because my country also accepts only new bikes :)

Thanks for the input, and could you please elaborate on what might be the implication of flying out without solving the customs issue? Banning, seriously? What did you hear about Paraguay, wouldn't it be simpler there? (it looks like a 3 days ride..)

Hi Ruthrad,

If you scroll down towards the bottom of the page on this ride report link you will see how one person dealt with your dilemma recently:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/ride-tales/no-jobs-no-responsibilities-no-56396-17

The reason nobody talks about how they got rid of their foreign bike in Argentina is because it is illegal. Just like nobody talks about where they stash drugs and money on their bike. Google is not your friend for this kind of information. And no, I don't stash drugs on my bike. I'm not saying where the money is.

I sympathize with your frustration, but rest assured that you will figure things out and it will all work out one way or another. You sound like a bright adventurous sort who is capable of thinking outside the box. Whether you get a police report declaring your bike totalled to get your TVIP cancelled and sell the bike privately to an Argentinian. Or sell it to a foreign traveller with a little help from photoshop. Or ride to Paraguay and sell it cheap. Selling to a foreign tourist will net you the most money. It has to be worth their while so forget about getting top dollar. Believe me, these things all work out in the end. In the mean time I suggest worrying about it obsessively. Just kidding.

Best luck!

Kindest regards,
John Downs

Cant a bike be sold between borders? Couldnt you board the ferry to Uruguay exporting the bike from argentina with the buyer, and have the buyer enter Uruguay as the owner, with your registration and sales contract?

Those are actually the 2 options that you have.
The fisrt one I already done it, twice. But consider that the bike will end up as spares, no way I can ride it legally.
So the selling price is low, or in the best option, far away from what you expect.

The second one I've helped with the contact (the tourist can be from another South American Country).

The only foreigner bikes we can actually ride legally are the one built BEFORE 1989, and its very hard to legalize them....

Sorry...

OK, thanks. After all this advice, the situation seems somewhat clearer.

You could try leaving it with Dakar motos in BA. I think they sell foreign bikes on consignment. I remember when I was there they had a number of foreign bikes for sale.

Dakar Motos has indicated many times in strong terms that they do not and have not been involved in any way in selling bikes, which would be illegal. They do not want people posting to this effect here or elsewhere.

Mark

In uruguay you maybe can sale it for parts bikes , probably same price us the same bike in usa 3k to 4k .
iff you interested i can e mail some peaplo to see iff they want it ,other than that is pretty much imposible to register a foregein bike anywere in the mercosur area .
5 years ago i try the see iff i can took som e locals into registred a used bike riding it from usa ,i can do it but was 100% tax +license and the bike has to be in your name for more than a year and cannot sale it for 4 years ,that was in uruguay

Send you a pm with a offert from my good friend in uruguay .

Completely legal selling a used bike in Punta Arenas, and not much paperwork involved providing all papers are in order. Have in mind though that it's a relatively small town (150k) and there is not a huge market for used bikes. About a month ago a fellow Advrider sold his 1150GS with 75k miles in some USD7,500.00.-

Heading there in a few days to see if I can drum up some interest for my KTM 690.

I write this mainly so people who come to similar situations in the future would have more information to act on, and would make better use of their limited time. So feel free to contribute a reply, an opinion, or ask for me to edit something in my post (like a business that doesn't want to be mentioned).

Short version - try to sell in Punta Arenas to a local, if not online to a tourist (Buenos is a comfortable place, but anywhere close to a border would work), if not - Ciudad del Este to locals, surest option (but lower price).

Now for everything I know now on this subject.

Argentina:
1) best option if you find a tourist to sell to (through posting on ADV / HUBB), depends on season (when people start trips), takes time to find (so arrange beforehand), takes some trust. Documents are either photoshoped (US registrations), or transfered legally in US (US title), or transfered by a "poder" (power of attorney) in a local notary. This is the known / popular option. Price range 2500 -3500 $.
2) shitty option - "sell for parts" to local in Buenos or Mar del Plata. 1500$


Paraguay:
It's like Guatemala, but in SA. Just switch back to central america / third world mode, and you'll feel back at home with the people and the traffic.
Coming through the border you are told that you don't need the aduana paper, so basically your bikes in not regirtered anywhere (they just check your ownership papers). You can go back and get it if you ask for it, but it depends on the buyer - if they think they need or not (both in Asuncion and Ciudad del Este the border is very close if you want to go back and get it).

- Asuncion:
First of all, a much cheaper place to stay, not nearly as dangerous as people make it out to be, some parts are pretty western, some nightlife.
But not many cheap places to stay (just three hostels) and parking is difficult. What I found was a very cheap hostel (30000 guarani - 30 arg pesos) on 1422 Paris street (there was no sign, just ring the bell). The owner has a parking space in an underground parking of a building nearby, secure and confortable. Aircon in the rooms and good atmosphere.

The process for legalizing the bike in Paraguay from what I understood is that they buy the bike from you using a local notary (escribania) and than legalize themselves later (that a process called "despachar" and the complexity and cost of it depends on the connections of the buyer, but I kept hearing sums from 1500$ to 3000$, for all I know, they might not be paying anything, and that's just negotiating).

To sell what you do is:
1) go to the bike businesses and offer the bike. They call friends, and than either you'll have someone interested in the bike or not. I was offering for 3000$ and had a few people interested but non that came through quickly enough (one disappeared just before the exchange) before I moved to Ciudad del Este. The bike shops there were recomended to me on the HUBB via messages etc are the following:
- Klein motos, on aviadores del chaco, near chacore street. They seem to be the boutique bike shop of the city with the attitude and prices to match. Weren't very helpful or nice, maybe I came on a bad day. But drop by to see maybe they know somebody who happens to be interested.
- Gotze dealership, on mariscal lopez near the municipalidad . was very helpful despite being busy.
- Motoland, on cedro street between concepcion and patria. a harley shop, but he might know.
- A shop on Francia right after Brazil street.
- Alsina, on Independencia 840 or smth.

2) publish on Clasipar.com (the local craigslist). I tried that twice and my ad got deleted both times. First I thought it was because I only had e-mail there, but than I used a local phone and it still got deleted. I think it's because I wrote that it was "a despachar" meaning it still needs to get legalized.. I don't know really, but the locals all say to publish there. So try that, as it might be a much more efficient way.


- Ciudad del Este:
I read a couple of times that this might the ultimate place to sell quickly, I was told in Asuncion multiple times that I should go there (but be very careful), also a HUBB user and traveler who lives in Foz do Iguazu (the brazilian side of Ciudad del Este) - Rodolfo (on the hubb under "Iguassu falls Quati") contacted me and told me the same thing and even offered his help.

So why Ciudad del Este? many more bike shops, and a lot of trading happening, the pace is quicker and people are more business oriented. It will be harder negociating, but you get answers quickly. I wanted to sell in a day, and it happened to be a saturday (short day), and after a lot of riding around (first alone, and than with Rod) and some luck asking directions from the right people on the street - there was an agreement, and monday we went to the notary and money and bike changed hands.
Money - I was offering it for 3000$ and was bargained down to 2600$ by the buyer only because I didn't want/have more time to spend on the sale even though I had other potential buyers scheduled to see the bike a bit later. I think if I would spend another day or several days it was totally possible to sell it for more, because I think that those people there, pay less for the legalization, if at all.
So basically, bike sold in a day (and a saturday) in Ciudad del Este. I think it's lucky, but also, I think Ciudad del Este is probably the right place to offload a bike quickly for a reasonable price in SA.

If you go to sell in Ciudad del Este, you should stay in Foz do Iguassu (the brazilian side) because it's much safer and cleaner (but EXPENSIVE). Crossing the bridge is not a problem at all (no one ever asks you anything, I crossed it maybe 10 times, with luggase and without).
In any case - if you go there contact Rodolfo ("Iguassu falls Quati" on hubb), he's an incredibly helpful guy, knows the towns, and he told me that he'll be happy to help other moto-travelers as well. Could not thank him enough!
Also, "Vorteks" (from the hubb) helped me a lot with info on Asuncion. Thanks!

Punta Arenas : read several times of people selling bikes there to locals because of different tax laws. Wish I would have known that when I was there. So if you can try and sell there before going north - try that (and write about it).

Well, definitely Punta Arenas (or Iquique in Northern Chile) seems to be tho only legal option. I use to spilt my time between Punta Arenas and Buenos Aires and can tell you that a) in Punta Arenas is absolutely legal although not necessarily the best place to get big money as the "market" is pretty small, an b) in Buenos Aires you may find someone eager to pay probably a bigger amount on cash, but certainly not legal; I wouldn´t reccommend that way.

Send me a PM and may try to help you.

clearly you didn't read the whole thing (and I don't blame you, it's pretty long and detailed, but that's the purpose), so first the bike is sold, and second Paraguay is definitely a legal option as well.

Thanx Ruthrad!

And to everyone else who has replied.

This thread contains valuable information, that surprisingly... seems quite hard to find... given the number of people riding south and selling there bikes.

I've been scouring the internet on and off for the last weeks about how and where to sell a bike in SA, and this thread has the most relevant, clear and up to date info I've seen (so far). I've still got three months of riding joy left, the Punta Arenas option will suite me the best if I can find a buyer. Its a long haul back to Paraguay!

Thanx again matey, would be so good if there was a way to compile all related post's and info under one forum title in Horizons Unlimited, as it seems there are many people trying to sell instead of ship.

Adios,

Sean

Good comments! But this one bit above is incorrect.
US Immigrations/Customs at land borders don't care about the vehicle your riding or it's origin or any thing like that. Ride through.

They DO run the plate in the computer ... but only to see if the bike is stolen or owner wanted. If bike has been reported stolen ... then you have a problem. The fact the owner listed does not match you is not a problem for them ... long as YOU are not wanted and as long as the BIKE is not stolen. ALL OK.

So, no problem at all to ride in on your bike that is NOT in your name and is showing foreign license plates. ALL OK.

HOWEVER ... meeting local law enforcement down the road may be more interesting. As a tourist (NON US National) you should be OK. As long as YOU have a visa for yourself ... your vehicle is of little importance to the cops.

BUT ...
If you are a US citizen ... you may get a ticket and be required to register the bike ... and that could be a problem.

Problem is ... you can never register it in most US states. Some states it is still possible but unlikely. This is due to EPA and DOT regulations that are there to protect home markets and official importers. That said, I know several friends who've ridden Euro plated bikes for YEARS in the USA as tourists! (using foreign ID) Local cops don't check Visa's (yet).

After the trip would be good if you could sell it for a fair price as Ruthrad did in Paraguay, but the transaction is not so simple like it seems to be. i'm the guy who helped ruthrad and many other bikers to sell, to send or even storing bikes bikes in Iguazu that's the border with Paraguay.
It gets a bit complicated because the person who is buying it knows it costs some good money to send it back home and also he needs to spend some amount to legalise in Paraguay, i don't know exactly how much it costs but i know it's not so cheao and varies according to the size and year of the bike. So you think about making money on the sale, forget it, but if you think it's not worth sending the the loved machine back home and you're able to negotiate the price, definetly Paraguay is a good option, and we're here to help every single biker, there's a small hostel that belongs to m friend "iguassu motorcycle travellers hostel" with safe parking and loads of fellow bikers here to help on whatever you may need, from parts to tickets.

Iguazu, Brazil has a international Airport, also is a quick way to get flights or a bus to Santiago or BA. Any help needed or information please get in touch with us.

Rod
www.bikershelpdesk.blogspot.com