Crossing borders in vehicle registered to someone else
 

Hola
Looking for information in regards to crossing borders in a vehicle registered in someone else's name. We are borrowing a car and wonder if there will be issues at the border with that situation. Specifically we are coming from Chile and traveling to Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador

You will have problems at most borders in the world unless you get a PODER (power of attorney) that is fully legal.

Even with one it may not be smooth sailing, but from personal experience, you should be OK in the countries you mention with some possibility that some crossings from Chile to Arg you might be refused, and crossing direct from Chile to Peru you might be told to go through Bolivia first. Or maybe not depending on the phase of the moon

First it depends on which country the vehicle is registered in.

2nd, it depends on the laws of each border you are crossing. REMEMBER that at a border crossing you must not only be able to GET OUT of the present country, but also GET IN to the bordering country!

Some countries do not recognize a PODER from another country and you get caught in No-man's-land.

Plus the laws (or the wax of the moon) changes! and everything you were told no longer will works!

Here's a link to a recent discussion about the same subject - perhaps the information there may be of use to you.

Visiting Morocco with a borrowed motorcycle

Michael

From my experience and talking to other riders the only sure way is to bring your bike from your home country registered in your name. I have had no problem at any border in Chile Peru Argentina or Bolivia with my New Zealand bike. As a point of interest the VIN number has never been checked nor the make or model. If had only carried the plates and papers from home I could have put them any bike of same make in Chile

I'm in Chile right now and am travelling with a Poder as well.
The first time I tried to cross the border to Argentinia, the Aduana (Customs) told me, that the Poder is only valid if its made by someone with chilean residency, but that is not true.

Anyways in Chile you should always have the poder and the Apostille.
You can find a good step by step description at this link:

Overland Chile Travel - WikiOverland

The Apostille is registered online so the Aduana can check, if your documents are correct, but you have to make that very clear.

Once you have these documents, you just need some patiance at the border.

Was going to ask about this, as I'm planning to send my bike down there and a friend of mine might accompany me for my year in SA. I was considering having her purchase a bike down there, but I'm familiar with the way things work in Latin America and honestly to me it's not worth the headache. Much easier to have the vehicle registered to the rider.

Registered to the rider?
 

You mean registered to the rider in the riders home country. If you do then completely agree.