With the changes in the Manual of Procedures for the Inspection of Vehicles in force since November 6, the used units that are imported into Costa Rica and that have been declared in total loss or taken out of circulation in their country of origin, will not enter.
The importation is prohibited for registration of used vehicles established in Article 5 of the Transit Law such as, total loss, removed from circulation in their country of origin, unauthorized structural joints, altered odometers or right-hand drive, that have been declared in total loss in their country of origin or that do not comply with certain parameters that protect the final beneficiary as purchaser of the same in our country, explained the Ministry of Finance.
New models, better financing conditions and increased imports of used units would boost the sale of electric vehicles next year in Costa Rica.
Danissa, Q Group, BMW and Laudreni Auto, agencies in the country dedicated to marketing electric vehicles, estimate that between 2019 and 2020 their combined sales will increase by 45%, from 342 to 497 units.
With the tax benefits granted to the import of electric cars, the number of units entering Costa Rica went from 40 in 2017 to 350 in 2018.
Last year, the Law of Incentives and Promotion for Electric Transportation came into force, which grants fiscal benefits to the import of electric cars, such as the exoneration of between 50% and 100% for sales, consumption and customs taxes, according to the import value of each car.
Arguing that the objective is to ensure that used cars into Costa Rica are in optimal condition, the new Customs authorities are tightening controls on imported units.
Importers of used vehicles in Costa Rica report that since the new General Director of Customs took office in January this year, is promoting a new guideline that generates uncertainty in the sector.
Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua are the Central American markets which reported reductions in sales of new and used vehicles during 2018.
According to figures from the Ministry of Finance of Costa Rica, from January to November 2018 imports of new vehicles totaled 31,008 units, and used vehicles 17,134 units, registering falls of 12% and 23% respectively compared to the first eleven months of 2017.
In Costa Rica, the government approved a decree that exonerates from the payment of the selective consumption tax to second-hand electric cars that are 5 or less years in service.
To encourage the use of electric vehicles in the country, the Alvarado administration signed the Executive Decree 41426-H-MINAE-MOPT, which grants a fiscal benefit to second-hand electric vehicles whose antiquity is equal to or less than 5 years from the year of its model.
From January to June of this year 35,157 new and used vehicles came into the country, registering a fall of 17% compared to the first half of 2017.
According to figures from the Ministry of Finance, between the first half of this year and the same period in 2017, the number of new vehicles imported into the country went down by 14%, going from 28,203 units to 24,395.
Entrepreneurs in the sector have stated that the phenomenon affects Costa Rica exclusively, since at the global level prices of automobile sales are maintaining an upward trajectory.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Finance in Costa Rica, 5,835 new and used units came into the country in the first five months of the year, which represents a 16% drop compared to the same period in 2017.
Up to December 2017, 45% of the vehicles circulating in countries in the region were automobiles, and 13% were light load units.
Data from the report "Vehicular Fleet in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, details the different characteristics of the vehicles that transit the streets of Central American countries.
As of June 2017, 36% of automobile or sedan-type vehicles that circulated in countries in the region were of the Toyota and Hyundai brands.
Data from the report "Vehicle Fleet in Central America 2017" compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData shows different characteristics of the vehicles circulating in Central American countries.
Currently, the average engine size of new cars sold in Guatemala is 1,485 cc, while in 2011, the average size was around 1,625 cc.
Figures from CentralAmericaData's report entitled "Central American Vehicle Park" show that between 2011 and 2017, the average engine size of the vans sold in Guatemala was also reduced, as in 2011 average engine capacity was 2,962 cc, while in 2017 this figure is around 2,419 cc.
In December 2016, 20% of the vehicles circulating in the countries of the region were between 1 and 5 years old, and 19% between 6 and 10 years old.
Data from the report"Vehicle Fleet in Central America 2016" compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaDatashows the different characteristics of the vehicles circulating in Central American countries.
In Costa Rica, companies in the automotive sector predict that eventual abrupt increases in the price of the dollar would have a greater impact on the spare parts market than on the sale of vehicles.
Most of the vehicle distribution agencies in the country agree that if the exchange rate continues its upward trend, a negative effect could be seen on the automotive spare parts market, since these are products that are imported in dollars but sold in colones, the local currency.In the case of vehicles, which are marketed in dollars, most companies believe that the dollar price increase has not yet had a significant impact, but they are focusing on advising their customers on how to manage the foreign exchange risk when taking out a loan to buy a car.
About 50% of the 147,000 new vehicles sold between March 2016 and December 2017 were financed by banks and financial institutions, for close to $1 billion.
An analysis of the vehicle fleet in Costa Rica by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData reveals that placement of loans for vehicle purchases during the period between March 2016 and March this year amounted to $1.2355 billion.
Of the total number of vehicles circulating in the country in January 2017, 61% corresponded to automobiles, 21% to motorcycles, 11% to light-duty vehicles and 3% to heavy loads.
Figures from the"Central American Vehicle Park"report, prepared by CentralAmericaData's Business Intelligence Unit, indicates that in January 2017, 1.5 million vehicles were circulating, of which more than half corresponded to automobiles.