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| The
new rule cover all vehicles:
cars, trucks, trailers and
similar. / A.M.
Costa Rica wire services
photo. |
A new
regulation prohibits importing
vehicles declared a total losses or
manipulation of its VIN
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Those who to import a vehicle from
another country must be certain
that the car has not been declared
a total loss or the vehicle
identification number has not
tampered with. Otherwise, the car
can not be registered in Costa
Rica, according to a new rule.
Wednesday Rodolfo Mendez Mata,
minister of Transport, announced
the new regulation that applies
Article 5 of the Law of Transit by
Public Roads and Road Safety.
The new rule cover all vehicles:
cars, trucks, trailers and
similar.
From now on, any vehicle declared
a total loss in it country of
origin can not be imported. The
same is true of vehicles that have
unauthorized structural joints of
the chassis or that have had the
vehicle identification number
manipulated.
To verify that the imported
vehicle meets all the requirements
to be registered in Costa Rica,
documents and car structure will
be reviewed, said the minister.
"Through the Road Council, the
ministry will establish a list of
the characteristics under which it
is considered that a vehicle
presents a total loss," said Mata.
In a case of suspicious of
possible false documents or VIN
manipulation, the National Customs
System will analyze the complain
and then authorize or reject the
import of the vehicle, he added.
The regulation also allows the
Ministry of Transportation and the
Ministry of Finance to sign
agreements with the different
countries from which vehicles are
imported, to have access to and
information on the history of the
vehicle and thus determine if in
the country of origin the vehicle
was declared with a total loss.
If the importer is found to have
made a false importation
affidavit, there is a fine of
$2,400 per car. Additionally, the
customs could order the vehicle
returned to its country of origin.
Vehicles usually are declared a
total loss by insurance carriers
when the cost of repair exceeds 50
per cent. This also is a category
of vehicles that were caught in
floods or other natural disasters.
These so-called salvage vehicles
can be purchased cheaply, hence
their attractiveness for
exporters, who hope that the
vehicle's history will not be
checked in a foreign country.
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Have you heard about cars with
total loss sold as used? We would
like to know your thoughts on this
story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
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