Buying a car in Jamaica

[AMCRambler]

So a friend of mine here at work was telling me this crazy thing they do in Jamaica to save money on new cars. Since Jamaica is an island everything gets shipped in on boats. When you buy a new car, it gets ordered and they have to deliver it by boat. Apparently the governments tariffs on new cars and products are wicked expensive.

So what they do is cut the brand new cars in half before they ship them to Jamaica. This way they can be listed as salvage vehicles and saves a lot on the tariffs. Once they get to Jamaica they've got welders that weld them back together again. Apparently they're so good they can do this without you ever being able to tell it was done. He doesn't know exactly how much the taxes saved would be on a particular vehicle but he's actually seen this done with cars his family members have bought. They go down to the port to pick them up and the guys are welding the two halves back together.

I guess then you just get a respray done on the car and it's hard to tell it ever happened.

 

[jlee]

Whaaaaat

 

[boomerang]

I think your friend is either a teller of tall tales or a repeater of tall tales.

 

[AMCRambler]

I know it sounds friggin' nuts. He's Jamaican by birth and goes back to visit his family every now and then. From some of the things I've heard about that country from others, it would not surprise me. People down there are pretty poor so if they can shave a grand off the import taxes it's probably a lot for them.

 

[alkemyst]

Your friend is holding too long. It's puff puff pass.

 

[AMCRambler]

Here's a little independent confirmation:

http://www.jamaicans.com/info/return/importingamotorvehicle.shtml

"Import tariffs affixed to motor vehicles are linked primarily to the engine's CC rating and tonnage, in the case of trucks. According to the Trade Board figures, motor cars, including station wagons, under 1,000cc, attract a duty of 67% of the value of the vehicle. Cars exceeding 1,000cc, but under 1,500cc, attract 83% duty. For cars above 1,500cc rating but under 2,000cc the duty is 94%, while those above 2,000cc but not exceeding 3,000cc attract a 121% duties. Cars exceeding 3,000cc(gasoline) or 3,200cc(diesel) attract 180% duty."

So if I wanted to bring my GTO to Jamaica it would cost me 180% of the value of the car since it's a 6.0 liter engine. That would be something on the order of $29,000!!! Now if they cut the car in half for say a grand, weld it back together for a grand and repaint it for 2-3k plus whatever tariffs they charge for a salvage vehicle, I'll saved myself at least $20,000.

I think I get it though. Jamaica is a small island and fuel is difficult to come by more than likely if they don't have their own refineries. The government is trying to limit the displacement of the vehicles that everyone drives to keep fuel costs and fuel scarcity down.

 

[Tristicus]

I think your friend is either a teller of tall tales or a repeater of tall tales.

This

 

[cyclistca]

Dr Sir,

I have bridge in Brookland that I'm currently selling......

 

[Bignate603]

Considering that the first hit on google for "Jamaica cut car weld" is this thread I think you're falling for a tall tale.

 

[LTC8K6]

What do they do about all the wiring they just burned in two?

 

[halik]

What do they do about all the wiring they just burned in two?

What wiring? All you need is some super glue and you're good to go. Also a big knife to cut the car in half like cake.

 

[Bignate603]

What do they do about all the wiring they just burned in two?

Or fuel lines, or exhaust, or brake lines, or carpet.

 

[AMCRambler]

Wiring is pretty easy to splice. Fuel lines, exhaust and brake lines can all be dropped or disconnected with minimal effort. The interior needs to get taken apart. Seats have to come out along with the trim, head liner and carpet. Other than that? I think it could work.

 

[Bignate603]

Wiring is pretty easy to splice. Fuel lines, exhaust and brake lines can all be dropped or disconnected with minimal effort. The interior needs to get taken apart. Seats have to come out along with the trim, head liner and carpet. Other than that? I think it could work.

I could see someone doing this for a body on frame pickup where you could cut the frame between the cab and bed. I can only imagine what kind of nightmares this would cause on a unibody car. Good luck ever getting that to drive the same after you've welded it back together. All bets are off on safety if you get in an accident because who knows how that weld will hold up.

Again, like I said before there's no indication on Google that people do this. If it was common I'm pretty sure the Jamaican government would have tried to figure out a way to tax it.

 

[AMCRambler]

Well he may have been full of it on the cutting cars in half story, but the concept is sound. If they charge 180% of the cars value to import it and say only 20% of the value if it's salvage titled, then it's cheaper to crash the car and have it totaled, then import it and repair it in Jamaica.

I think the loop hole perhaps was there. This could be 5-10 years ago, when he still lived in Jamaica. You're right about the government catching on quick.

 

[Throckmorton]

This is obviously a ridiculous story.

Tariffs are high in Trinidad, so a lot of used cars are shipped over because they somehow evade the tariffs.

 

[StageLeft]

Seems unlikely. Jamaica is by all accounts a poor hell hole, they probably import one new car every 5-10 years. Moreover, nobody on the plant can weld a car back together without it being evident that it was cut down the middle under close inspection (I certainly think this is the case and I'm sticking to it).

 

[Throckmorton]

There are plenty of upper class people in Jamaica to buy new cars, just like in Alabama.

 

[LTC8K6]

So let's say the story is true, and you want to buy a new M3. What is the labor cost involved in cutting it in half "properly", with the trim pieces, the wiring, the seats, cables, fuel lines, brake lines, etc., properly removed and replaced, and the car cut in half and put back together correctly later?

Must be an enormous cost, plus the risk of all sorts of gremlins after you take delivery.

Better just cheat, or pay the duty, and have an M3 that won't be an electrical and mechanical disaster.

 

[punjabiplaya]

I guess it could work, still doubtful of it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VaCBioR7bs

 

[SSSnail]

Uh, a lot of people that import cars to other countries OTHER THAN THE US do this; it's not new, and it certainly works.

Don't forget that cars in the US are extremely cheap compare to anywhere else.In some countries there's a 200% import tax (yes you read that right) tagged onto the price of the cars, plus some other ridiculous road and licensing fees.

America, FUCK YEAH!

Oh, and when they say "cut in half" it doesn't mean they take a hacksaw to the car. They do it at the welds and try not to be as destructive as possible, because they have to put the shits back. But, the car will be in pieces.

 

[LTC8K6]

What do they do about the VIN? Won't the tax folks check the VIN and be suspicious?

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Uh, a lot of people that import cars to other countries OTHER THAN THE US do this; it's not new, and it certainly works.

Don't forget that cars in the US are extremely cheap compare to anywhere else.In some countries there's a 200% import tax (yes you read that right) tagged onto the price of the cars, plus some other ridiculous road and licensing fees.

America, FUCK YEAH!

Oh, and when they say "cut in half" it doesn't mean they take a hacksaw to the car. They do it at the welds and try not to be as destructive as possible, because they have to put the shits back. But, the car will be in pieces.

India is one such country and I've never heard of anyone doing this. I have some pretty wealthy relatives as well over there.

 

[SSSnail]

India is one such country and I've never heard of anyone doing this. I have some pretty wealthy relatives as well over there.

So are you saying that because you haven't heard of it therefore it's not happening?

Edit: wealthy is relative, in India you can be pretty damn wealthy if you pull in $1200/mo.

 

[IcePickFreak]

They don't cut the car in half, but I know the general explaination for getting cars not sold in the US imported over, they will disassemble a car to a certain degree and ship it over as parts. I have no idea where the line is drawn or to what extent, but that's how some exclusive imports get over here.

That said, I don't buy that they literally cut the car in half and then run a welder back around it when it gets there.