How to Read a Costa Rican Car Ad
Most car ads in Costa Rica are a photo, a model, a year and a price. The details that decide whether the car is right for you are often missing. Here is how to read an ad quickly, and what to ask before you drive across the country to see a car.
Check the basics first
- Currency. Prices appear in colones and in dollars, sometimes without a symbol. Confirm which one before comparing cars.
- Mileage. Costa Rica uses kilometres. If the ad gives no figure, ask for the odometer reading and a photo of it.
- Year and plate. Ask for the plate number. You will need it for every check that follows.
- Transmission, fuel and doors. Many ads leave these out. A hatchback, a sedan and a small SUV can all be “Auto en Venta” with the same price.
What a missing detail usually means
Usually nothing bad: the seller wrote a quick ad. A missing detail is not a warning sign and it is not an answer either. Treat it as a question. If several important details are missing and the seller will not answer, move on.
Five questions to send before you visit
- What is the plate number?
- What is the exact mileage in kilometres?
- How many owners has it had, and is the seller the registered owner?
- Is it manual or automatic, and what fuel does it use?
- Is there service history, and when was the last technical inspection?
How Buscar.Autos helps
Buscar.Autos reads these short ads for you and estimates the details they leave out, such as body type, instead of hiding the car. Estimates are labelled as estimates, so you always know what the ad said and what we inferred. Then check the details with the seller before you pay for anything.