I am moving to Costa Rica and will need to buy a car. I am thinking of getting a Jeep. The ones I have seen online in my price range ($5000.00 - $7000.00) are 25 years old! Any cautions or suggestions? Am I crazy for even considering this?
I have no idea if jeeps are popular there, I would buy whatever 4WD the locals have, and what the local mechanics can fix and get parts for. Are you going to buy one in the U.S. and drive, or are you going to buy one once you get there?
I am going to get a vehicle down there. I’ve seen Jeeps in Costa Rica, I believe they are driven there and that there are parts and mechanics for them.
What I really want is a 4 wheel drive with a convertible top. Jeep is the only one I know that makes one, although I have heard of something being referred to as a Toyota Jeep. I don’t know what that is.
The Toyota Jeep that is referred to is a an FJ40 Land Cruiser. The design was copied from the original Jeep.
This is what they look like.
Yes, they’re desireable!
They’re pretty good vehicles. My neighbor across the street has had one for about 20 years now, but he converted his to a GM 350 crate engine a few years back. It will definitely move, both quickly and through the muck.
If you’re not going into the boondocks that much you might check around on Daihatsus. A guy I used to do work for lived in Costa Rica for several years and he said the Daihatsus were pretty popular there, although they never really took off in the U.S.
A convertible top or hardtop Jeep is optimal for Costa Rica. The roads are really bad and require a tougher SUV.
Thanks for sending the link for a photo. WOW! That rig on ebay went for 17,000.00? I have seen 3 or 4 of those on Craig’s list for $6, to 7,000.00 and I thought that was expensive for an old vehicle. Do they make them in a convertible.