How much does it cost to maintain a car in Panama?
Roy Cannon - Gestoria Cocle - main office in Penoneme
There are cars.....and luxury cars. Normal cars, with Ex-Pat type of maintenance (Panamanians frequently drive the car until it complains, or stops, and then do a service) seems to run around 10-15 cents per kilometer driven (16-24 cents per mile), which includes your annual license plate renewal. Find a good local mechanic, check your neighbors and friends for recommendations.
If you go to the agency for your brand of car, often unwillingly but required...
There are cars.....and luxury cars. Normal cars, with Ex-Pat type of maintenance (Panamanians frequently drive the car until it complains, or stops, and then do a service) seems to run around 10-15 cents per kilometer driven (16-24 cents per mile), which includes your annual license plate renewal. Find a good local mechanic, check your neighbors and friends for recommendations.
If you go to the agency for your brand of car, often unwillingly but required for idiot light problems or serious mechanical issues, expect your parts to cost anywhere up to twice what you would pay in the US, but labor will be a bit less, generally around $35 per hour. For luxury cars (BMW, AUDI, MERCEDES, LAND ROVER), be prepared, and get a quote in writing before turning over your keys. These places do, however, comply with the law and normally give discounts on labor charges to resident jubilados (retirees).
Fuel costs are similar to the US in price, and are now priced in dollars per liter. Unless you have a gas hog, your fuel costs will probably average out around 10-12 cents per kilometer outside of the city and double or more this in city traffic (horrible at the moment as there is a lot of construction going on).
Posted April 10, 2013
David Whittington - Tucan Golf Club and Resort
In Panama, car maintenance can vary widely depending on make and model. Going to dealerships is as expensive as in North America. There are many good local mechanics, the trick is to find them. Most expats have their favorite. My suggestion would be to ask if they have diagnostic equipment to analyze to problems. Many don't. The rates for the local mechanics are reasonable.
The cost annually for regular maintenance (oil changes,...
In Panama, car maintenance can vary widely depending on make and model. Going to dealerships is as expensive as in North America. There are many good local mechanics, the trick is to find them. Most expats have their favorite. My suggestion would be to ask if they have diagnostic equipment to analyze to problems. Many don't. The rates for the local mechanics are reasonable.
The cost annually for regular maintenance (oil changes, filters etc) would be around the $200 per annum. Depending on the amount of driving. Not including fuel.
Posted November 22, 2013
Rafael Alvarado - Rafael Alvarado / Attorney / Real Estate Broker
Here in Panama, you will pay less for mechanics and about the same amount in car parts as you would in the US. The car stores make sure that they have parts for most car brands.
We have all brands of cars in Panama, but my suggestion if you are buying a car, is that you buy a car that you can mostly see around such as Nissan, Ford, or Toyota because the more demand for the same brands, the more the stores stock up on car parts for these brands....
Here in Panama, you will pay less for mechanics and about the same amount in car parts as you would in the US. The car stores make sure that they have parts for most car brands.
We have all brands of cars in Panama, but my suggestion if you are buying a car, is that you buy a car that you can mostly see around such as Nissan, Ford, or Toyota because the more demand for the same brands, the more the stores stock up on car parts for these brands. Therefore, if you buy one of the more popular brands in Panama, any time you need parts for your car, it would be easily available. In contrast, if you buy a Lotus (for example), you will only see around 6 to 10 cars of this brand in the city, getting parts for a Lotus or another car that there aren't many of in Panama might be a problem because you have to import the parts.
Posted October 15, 2014
RICH Novak - RE/MAX Beaches & City! INC.
It has been a long time since the last time that I have been in the US, so I am not sure if the cost to maintain a car here in Coronado, Panama is cheaper or more expensive. I can say, however, that I get a 20% discount on labor fees because of the Descuento Jubilado (the discount for being a retiree). Even before the discount, however, the labor fees to fix a car could be less in Panama than how much it is in North America because the labor costs on pretty much everything else is so...
It has been a long time since the last time that I have been in the US, so I am not sure if the cost to maintain a car here in Coronado, Panama is cheaper or more expensive. I can say, however, that I get a 20% discount on labor fees because of the Descuento Jubilado (the discount for being a retiree). Even before the discount, however, the labor fees to fix a car could be less in Panama than how much it is in North America because the labor costs on pretty much everything else is so much less. However, I don’t get the retiree discount on parts. The discount only applies on the labor fees for the mechanic.
Posted October 25, 2014
Antonio Cheng - Romero Realty
The cost to maintain a car is cheaper here in Panama than it is in the US.
The cost will depend on where you take your car to get fixed. If you go to a certified repair shop, it might cost you more, but if you go to just any mechanic or if you know someone who can fix your car for you, then it will be cheaper. Regardless of where you go in Panama to get your car fixed, the cost will still be less than the cost to maintain a car in the US....
The cost to maintain a car is cheaper here in Panama than it is in the US.
The cost will depend on where you take your car to get fixed. If you go to a certified repair shop, it might cost you more, but if you go to just any mechanic or if you know someone who can fix your car for you, then it will be cheaper. Regardless of where you go in Panama to get your car fixed, the cost will still be less than the cost to maintain a car in the US. However, car parts are cheaper in the US than in Panama.
Posted October 30, 2014