Asians rarely think of driving in South America. After all, we live in environments where cars aren’t necessary and transportation is very convenient. Moreover, for those of us who seldom drive, navigating narrow roads, mountain passes, and gravel tracks in South America can be quite a challenge—not to mention the altitude sickness in Peru and Bolivia.
Generally speaking, many Europeans and Americans who plan to stay for more than three months choose to buy a car, then sell it before leaving. This ends up costing about the same as transportation fees (for two people), but offers much greater freedom.
After some research, we found that buying a car in Chile and driving across borders is the most convenient option. Also, observing South America through the lens of Asian work efficiency can be a bit maddening—on top of that, you might run into strikes. Just when we thought we’d have to wait another three months, we were lucky enough to get help from someone at the tourism bureau. Their offices often close at two in the afternoon, and even when there aren’t many people, you still have to wait. After the wait, you might be referred to another office. But it’s undeniable that many of them are very willing to help.
The steps are as follows:
Apply for a RUT (a number Chileans use in daily life, similar to a Hong Kong ID number)
1. Go to the SII OFFICE and ask the information desk for a RUT application—they will give you Form F4415.1
2. Find a Chilean friend and ask them to fill out the double-sided Form F4415.1 (Inscripcion al rol unico tributario y/o declaracion jurada de inicio de actividades para extranjeros sin residencia). Then you need to go to the Notary together to complete a Poder Mandatario Adminstrador o Representante. Remember to get certified true copies (about US$10) of their Chilean ID and your passport.
3. With these four documents in hand, you can go to the SII to apply for a RUT. Once processed, you’ll receive a temporary document with your RUT number, valid for three months. The official document will be mailed to the address you provided. One thing to note: your Chilean friend’s address determines which SII office you should go to.
(You can also try asking an accountant or lawyer to help with the RUT application. Near the end of our trip, we asked an accountant near the Unión Latino Americana station, and their fee was about CLP10,000.)
Finding a Car
1. You can check out at garages
2. www.drivetheamericas.com
3. www.lonelyplanet.com
4. Facebook fan page: PanAmerican Travelers Association
Many roads in South America are small or gravel, such as in Peru, Bolivia, and Patagonia. It’s best to look for a car with 4WD and high clearance. We mainly considered models like the Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota 4Runner, or Mitsubishi Montero 4x4. There are also many VW CAMPERVANS available in South America. Additionally, in areas like Patagonia, gas stations can be 300 kilometers apart, so it’s advisable to choose a vehicle with a fuel tank of at least 60 liters.
Vehicle Transfer Procedures
Documents needed by the buyer:
1. Passport
2. RUT number (temporary document issued by SII)
3. Payment for notary transfer fees, about US$90–160
4. Payment of 1.5% tax on the sale price or market value (to the government)—the notary will collect this.
Documents to be prepared by the seller:
1. Padron (contains vehicle and owner details, proving the car belongs to the seller)
2. Permiso de Circulacion (current or overdue) (road tax, about US$60 every six months—check the expiry date)
3. Certificado Seguro Obligatorio (third-party insurance, valid for one year, about US$20—check the expiry date)
4. Revision Tecnica (annual inspection, about US$20—check the expiry date)
5. Certificado de inscripcion y de anotaciones vigentes (registrocivil.cl) (checks if the car is stolen or wrongly registered)
6. Certificado de Multas al dia (registrocivil.cl) (checks for any fines or outstanding payments up to the sale date, so the seller should handle this at the Registro Civil early that day)
With all the above documents, the notary will prepare a four-part sales contract. Once completed, the notary will send it to the Registro Civil for processing. At this point, you can only drive within Chile.
After about four weeks of processing, you can go to the Registro Civil to print a new Padron (with the new owner’s name). With the new Padron, you can exit to other South American countries.
If you speak Spanish, it’s highly recommended to go directly to the Registro Civil—you might get the new Padron in about two weeks.
If you're crossing borders, you’ll need to purchase international insurance (for Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay), which costs about US$150 for six months and US$250 for a year (we went with the largest car insurance company, Mapfre).
South America Self-Driving Information
Bolivia Chapter
https://www.facebook.com/theroadlesstravel2015TT/posts/1564730617187320
Peru Chapter
https://www.facebook.com/theroadlesstravel2015TT/posts/1567508430242872
Ecuador Chapter
https://www.facebook.com/theroadlesstravel2015TT/posts/1574641249529590
Facebook page:
Two People, One Car
https://www.facebook.com/theroadlesstravel2015TT/