Moving from USA to Panama
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Moving from USA to Panama
I'm moving from Florida to Panama, and considering having my 2023 S Class shipped to Panama City, Panama. I've heard bad stories about US cars having mechancal issues with the gasoline sold in Panama (no ethanol). Should I ship? Any advice is appreciated.
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I don’t know what it’s like buying or leasing a new MB in Panama, or if there are huge import duties, etc. For the sake of the question at hand, let’s say that everything is equal and all you would need to do is pay the shipping charges. Even then, I would say DON’T do it.
Too many potential issues that could develop, not the least of which is the car getting damaged in transit. I would unload the car here and get yourself something new in your new location. Best of luck to you.
Too many potential issues that could develop, not the least of which is the car getting damaged in transit. I would unload the car here and get yourself something new in your new location. Best of luck to you.
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From: Illinois
S560/SL550/LS460/Q70L 5.6 AWD
An S Class is not the right car to be driven in Panama, we have been there a couple of times there, roads, traffic, service are totally different, I do not even remember seeing an S Class, last time we were there was a couple of years ago, maybe today is different....
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Ethanol or no ethanol should make no difference to the engine reliability. These are designed to run with up to E10 and anything below that. If issues arise from the fuel, it's because of contaminations or lack of additives found in the TOP TIER fuel brands. There are many sides to the ethanol debate. Ethanol burns quicker, so an engine running on ethanol makes more power, but uses more fuel as there is less energy in a gallon of ethanol vs gasoline. Hypercars such as the Koenigsegg only make max power on E85, so ethanol is not bad per se. It's an octane booster and oxygenate. The latter helps gasoline burn more completely, which is all good. It hasn't lived up to the promised CO2 reduction and such, but that's another story.
Having said that, the first thing you should consider is that you will lose the factory warranty. Warranties are country specific and honored by the importer in each country. Your MBUSA warranty will not transfer to Panama. So if any issues arise with the car, it's gonna be out of pocket. IMHO, shipping a car when relocating to another country is generally not worth it, unless it's a very special car that you can't buy on the other end. A W223 doesn't fall into this category. If you really find you wanna be driving an S Class in Panama, you can buy one over there complete with warranty.
Having said that, the first thing you should consider is that you will lose the factory warranty. Warranties are country specific and honored by the importer in each country. Your MBUSA warranty will not transfer to Panama. So if any issues arise with the car, it's gonna be out of pocket. IMHO, shipping a car when relocating to another country is generally not worth it, unless it's a very special car that you can't buy on the other end. A W223 doesn't fall into this category. If you really find you wanna be driving an S Class in Panama, you can buy one over there complete with warranty.
Last edited by superswiss; Jan 15, 2025 at 04:04 PM.
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23 S580 Executive
Been there, the place was not nice to cars at that time, but in fairness, it has been awhile. The posters above me made some great points, and I agree with all of them.
Were it me, I wouldn't take it down, no visible wins, too many ways to taste pain. It used to be fairly cheap to hire a driver, less than a lease, although I'm not sure if that is still the case. Might be worth considering if it hasn't become too dear.
Were it me, I wouldn't take it down, no visible wins, too many ways to taste pain. It used to be fairly cheap to hire a driver, less than a lease, although I'm not sure if that is still the case. Might be worth considering if it hasn't become too dear.
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From: Corona Del Mar, CA
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One more thought: If the OP is not all that familiar with living south of the USA border, they might want to consider how driving a late model S Class might make them stand out from the crowd. If you look very wealthy in a sea of less fortunate folks, that might not be a great thing. You might want to fly below the radar until you get the lay of the land. I’m not sure about Panama specifically, but kidnapping wealthy Americans south of the border is still happening, probably now more than ever. Again, best of luck to you.
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Fearmongering.
Don’t ask on an internet social media forum.
Transport itself is a non-issue and no-brainer.
Call the local Panama MB dealer. Ask how you will have your car serviced either in or out of warranty. Ask about fuel. Ask about titling and registration. Dealer may punt on the last question but you should get a referral from him on who to call next.
Then visit the biggest MB dealer near you, get a coffee (if the syrup machine is working) and find the oldest SA and start chatting about your plans.
Don’t ask on an internet social media forum.
Transport itself is a non-issue and no-brainer.
Call the local Panama MB dealer. Ask how you will have your car serviced either in or out of warranty. Ask about fuel. Ask about titling and registration. Dealer may punt on the last question but you should get a referral from him on who to call next.
Then visit the biggest MB dealer near you, get a coffee (if the syrup machine is working) and find the oldest SA and start chatting about your plans.
Last edited by chassis; Jan 18, 2025 at 07:51 PM.
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This came across as a bit abrasive. Your points about calling ahead and seeing what they say are valid. Enjoy your P-car.
Fearmongering.
Don’t ask on a forum of temporally elevated members who drive 2,000 miles per year.
Transport itself is a non-issue and no-brainer.
Call the local Panama MB dealer. Ask how you will have your car serviced either in or out of warranty. Ask about fuel. Ask about titling and registration. Dealer may punt on the last question but you should get a referral from him on who to call next.
Then visit the biggest MB dealer near you, get a coffee (if the syrup machine is working) and find the oldest SA and start chatting about your plans.
Don’t ask on a forum of temporally elevated members who drive 2,000 miles per year.
Transport itself is a non-issue and no-brainer.
Call the local Panama MB dealer. Ask how you will have your car serviced either in or out of warranty. Ask about fuel. Ask about titling and registration. Dealer may punt on the last question but you should get a referral from him on who to call next.
Then visit the biggest MB dealer near you, get a coffee (if the syrup machine is working) and find the oldest SA and start chatting about your plans.
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From: Corona Del Mar, CA
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
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Ethanol or no ethanol should make no difference to the engine reliability. These are designed to run with up to E10 and anything below that. If issues arise from the fuel, it's because of contaminations or lack of additives found in the TOP TIER fuel brands. There are many sides to the ethanol debate. Ethanol burns quicker, so an engine running on ethanol makes more power, but uses more fuel as there is less energy in a gallon of ethanol vs gasoline. Hypercars such as the Koenigsegg only make max power on E85, so ethanol is not bad per se. It's an octane booster and oxygenate. The latter helps gasoline burn more completely, which is all good. It hasn't lived up to the promised CO2 reduction and such, but that's another story.
Having said that, the first thing you should consider is that you will lose the factory warranty. Warranties are country specific and honored by the importer in each country. Your MBUSA warranty will not transfer to Panama. So if any issues arise with the car, it's gonna be out of pocket. IMHO, shipping a car when relocating to another country is generally not worth it, unless it's a very special car that you can't buy on the other end. A W223 doesn't fall into this category. If you really find you wanna be driving an S Class in Panama, you can buy one over there complete with warranty.
Having said that, the first thing you should consider is that you will lose the factory warranty. Warranties are country specific and honored by the importer in each country. Your MBUSA warranty will not transfer to Panama. So if any issues arise with the car, it's gonna be out of pocket. IMHO, shipping a car when relocating to another country is generally not worth it, unless it's a very special car that you can't buy on the other end. A W223 doesn't fall into this category. If you really find you wanna be driving an S Class in Panama, you can buy one over there complete with warranty.
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
Is it still valid in the Canada side of things if you drive the car back to Canada for the service?
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