QCOSTARICA – The Policia de Transito (Traffic Police), according to Diario Extra source, is scurrying to get from the Comptroller General approval for maintenance contracts of its patrol cars.
The Extra source says that 108 police cars (the blue Chevys) were abandoned when the Chevrolet dealer left Costa Rica, and with it the maintenance contracts.
Facing the huge costs involved in importing parts from the United States, the Consejo de Seguridad Vial (Cosevi) decided to park the vehicles at its Invu Las Cañas lot, in Alajuela, left to rust away, for an eventual de-registration and donation.
German Valverde, executive director of Cosevi, explained that the units came from the Policia de Transito who considers them too costly to repair and the Cosevi being government agency responsible for disposing of them.
Valverde added that the fate of the newer and still in use vehicles may be same, given the maintenance contracts expired last week, waiting on the Comptroller’s approval for new contracts.
Of the 700 patrol vehicles, 600 are in need of maintenance.
Where is the surprise here?
We gringos have learned that parts for vehicles are extremely costly here over the years and there are instances where it is cheaper to replace rather than renew. With the terribly high cost that Costa Rica puts on anything imported it is going to send the cost through the roof.
I know that I pay the same or more cost for shipping and import duties as the part cost in the US and it is still less than what the same part would cost if bought in Costa Rica. Where is the justification of this? Does Costa Rica manufacture autos? NO! Why is that they wish to put a monetary ban on the repairs of what is already here?
So many things going on here makes me wonder if Costa Rica is really a self reliant country or a country club for the extremely wealthy.
Heck, I know nothing about cars but I knew when I moved here over 10 years ago that you do NOT buy•bring a U.S. car into CR because that parts are much harder to find & LOTs more $$$.
That’s a no-brainer!!!