Same ol, same ol - buying/selling in Argentina
 

But with a slight twist that I haven't come across during a fair time browsing through existing threads.

I see lots of threads on buying ans selling US registers vehicles and see the reservations of those like Xfiltrate regarding legality of swapping US title when one or both parties are out of the country, and I also see methods where both parties are there and can do a swap on a ferry or in nomans land. And then there are the plain illegal and irresponsible methods involving fake documents and fake insurance documents - but as is always the claim - My situation is different.
Perhaps.

Involves British registered vehicle,
Title CAN be changed (apparently) by mail and any UK address can be used - in this case the seller's address. Current owner will arrange that

Insurance will be obtained using an agent in Argentina with a long record of doing it safely and legally.. He needs copies of all relevant documents and charges a small fee for doing it.

To the complications -

Seller is in adjacent country (Chile probably) and will re-enter Argentina and get an 8-month vehicle temporary import license, store the vehicle and go home Pretty standard and many travellers do that. Owner will sort out the title transfer and fedex it to me.

6 months later, with both new and old title documents in hand and valid insurance papers and the original import papers, I go to Aregentina, pick up the vehicle and drive off into the sunset.

BUT there is at least one snag. The Temnporary import papers will be in a different name to what is on the new title document.

Possibly no problem if I stay in Argentina, but that is not the plan.

SO - I have been told several things - some of which as is usual, are quite conflicting.

The easiest sounding is for the seller to go to an Argentinian notary and get a power of attorney drawn up which gives me the right to drive the vehicle and drive it out of the country. Seems to be normal practice, especially where hire vehicles are involved.

So to get out, I present the original title and the power of attorney to get out of Argentina and use the new title to get into the other country.

From then on, there should be no problems.

Is that likely to be workable.

Complicating matters is there is an agent who charges a fair bit of money to arrange all the paperwork legally - with a guarantee of not charging if there are problems at the border - because he reckons the system is too problematic for anyone not in the know to do it successfully.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Tony