Buying a Used Car in Costa Rica Can be Tricky Business.
Making sure that the vehicle is mechanically sound, that all the accessories work, there are no leans registered against the vehicle and that ownership and registration is good are just part of a sound purchase

However, an additional requirement is needed - driving around to make sure the vehicle you are intending to purchase is the only one on the road. Uh? that the vehicle is not "twinned".

Such was the scope of an investigation by the Unidad de Robo de Vehículos del Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) that took several months to complete and came up with 15 "twinned" vehicles, which investigations believe is only a small amount of the real number of duplicated vehicles circulating on Costa Rican roads.

The investigation began in December when records show that several different people were paying for the Marchamo - the he right of vehicle circulation which is paid annually - for the same car and in more than one case at the same time, leaving authorities to believe that there were two or more vehicles circulating with the same license plate and original registration documents.

"Twinning" is when two or more vehicles are circulating with the original registration documents issued by the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS). The documentation continues with the RTV, the annual vehicle inspection and the ownership card issed by the Registro Nacional.

Investigators say that the 15 vehicles confiscate by the OIJ were purchased by their current owners at a low price from uknowns who'se sales pitch was of a distress sale. Sellers of "twinned" cars take advantage of those who are looking for a "deal" on a used car and don't take the time for due diligence.

Authorities advise that before buying a vehicle they should double check the vehicle's registration and purchase only from known persons (take down the identification of the person selling the car, phone number, as much information of the seller as possible) or from registered car lots, to avoid losing money in possibly buying a "twinned" vehicle.