# RV shipping from U.S.A.



## dok49 (Mar 9, 2014)

Has anyone shipped an automobile or RV from the USA to the Philippines. Did it go alright and what were the costs and things you needed to modify?


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

dok49 said:


> Has anyone shipped an automobile or RV from the USA to the Philippines. Did it go alright and what were the costs and things you needed to modify?


There are many restrictions. The age of the vehicle, the engine capacity and must be left hand drive, which I assume your RV is. If you meet all of these there will be anything up to 100% import duty.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Beauracracy*



dok49 said:


> Has anyone shipped an automobile or RV from the USA to the Philippines. Did it go alright and what were the costs and things you needed to modify?


So far I haven't head of any positive stories other than those that were working for their business here or the US Embassy, so if you don't fall under those categories...?

There are so many nice vehicles/vans/modified refurbished in country, it's come a long ways since my last tour in Subic, so what I did was sell all my stuff and with the money bought a vehicle here, I didn't want to deal with any Philippine government agency unless absolutely necessary.

I was warned in my pre-retirement lecture by a VA representative that the Philippines has it's own blue book and the costs of shipping your used vehicles could be ridiculous, so basically the same price as new, even the used vehicles assessed as brand new. Watched a news special with all sorts of beautiful brand new expensive vehicles that were shipped here but the owners couldn't afford to get them out. 

Another note; Bureau of Customs agent (made the news) his monthly pay scale was 15,000 peso's or roughly $300, was caught shooting his Glock at some university students he was drag racing with, he was driving someone's brand new Porsche (his now), apparently he also has some nice properties, this was only two years ago. I think his punishment was that he had to leave the Bureau of Customs and no seconds on dessert, can you imagine what would happen to an expat if caught in a similar situation?


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## dok49 (Mar 9, 2014)

I figured an older not to expensive RV would make a great home here with a very modern fitout. The cost of duty would not be much and it would be an inexpensive home.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

dok49 said:


> I figured an older not to expensive RV would make a great home here with a very modern fitout. The cost of duty would not be much and it would be an inexpensive home.


The Philippine usually bans the import of any used vehicle. While there are always exceptions to laws here, to do so would require an enormous amount of import tax and duty fees that would add up to far more than the price of the vehicle when it was brand new. 

Beyond that, your very first concern here needs to be your own safety and security. People in most parts of the Philippines build homes out of cement for good reason. An RV of any type would offer you little or no protection. Remember, this is a 3rd world country. You do not want to wind up dead.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Labor Costs*



dok49 said:


> I figured an older not to expensive RV would make a great home here with a very modern fitout. The cost of duty would not be much and it would be an inexpensive home.


You could have someone build you a block home for a fraction of the cost in the West, labor costs will run from 150 peso's to 300 peso's for the more experienced workers per day, so for the cost of this used RV you could actually have a block house built. I'm with Jetlag, dangerous to live in a vehicle, ugh.. I wouldn't want to live in an RV, the Philippines is so hot and miserable (humidity) at times a vehicle would be an emergency use item only.

Your RV plan would be my plan if I had to return to the states but this the Philippines. Does your wife have a family land, many do and you could build your spot there little by little or as you can afford it.

It's basically what we did, we built on family land but actually the family and our land is squatted land so no title, were squatters and if for some reason we kicked out, :fingerscrossed: I'll move somewhere else and start again, family has been in this spot since the 1940's it's not close to any major cities.


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## dok49 (Mar 9, 2014)

I've been living in tents, caravans and campervans for 30 years now. I have a home and extra lot also on squatters land and feel very secure with all my friends and family around me. I'm not the showy type so I don't look at all rich enough to rob. Also, Im friendly with the bad boys and police in the area as well.

I thought a flashy nice motorhome would be great on my back lot which is all cement blocked walled in with barbed wire as well.


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## EuroBob (Feb 23, 2015)

mcalleyboy said:


> It's basically what we did, we built on family land but actually the family and our land is squatted land so no title, were squatters and if for some reason we kicked out, :fingerscrossed: I'll move somewhere else and start again, family has been in this spot since the 1940's it's not close to any major cities.


I have always heard, but never verified, that squatters may claim land after having lived on it for 10 years. Even if this is true, there may be other requirements, such as having used the land to grow food for income or something else which I am unaware of.
Has your family thought of filing for the land?
Is it common for people to squat AND file or just squat?


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

dok49 said:


> I've been living in tents, caravans and campervans for 30 years now. I have a home and extra lot also on squatters land and feel very secure with all my friends and family around me. I'm not the showy type so I don't look at all rich enough to rob. Also, Im friendly with the bad boys and police in the area as well.
> 
> I thought a flashy nice motorhome would be great on my back lot which is all cement blocked walled in with barbed wire as well.


Good luck,,, better add a few of the nastiest big dogs you can buy :couch2::bolt:


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## dok49 (Mar 9, 2014)

Squatting is normal here. It's land that is not used anymore for farming and people seem to start a community. It has a small government office, school, streets and churches. As time goes by it is offered up for sale to the squatters and developers and I believe the squatters have some rights? So, you don't own the land just the improvements and they sell them back and forth like any other home. You can't get any loans against the property though. I see some foreigners building homes very expensive in the 4+million peso range here. They must feel somewhat safe if doing that.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Dirty Professionals*



EuroBob said:


> I have always heard, but never verified, that squatters may claim land after having lived on it for 10 years. Even if this is true, there may be other requirements, such as having used the land to grow food for income or something else which I am unaware of.
> Has your family thought of filing for the land?
> Is it common for people to squat AND file or just squat?


I sure did years ago and we got worked over by Lawyers, lost thousands of dollars, nothing was accomplished. Now I don't have that kind of money to throw around plus the In-laws don't work with us.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Travel Vans/Campers*



dok49 said:


> I've been living in tents, caravans and campervans for 30 years now. I have a home and extra lot also on squatters land and feel very secure with all my friends and family around me. I'm not the showy type so I don't look at all rich enough to rob. Also, Im friendly with the bad boys and police in the area as well.
> 
> I thought a flashy nice motorhome would be great on my back lot which is all cement blocked walled in with barbed wire as well.


There was a special recently on Travel Vans/Campers for sale here, I found a spot on the internet here's the link.

https://carryboyphilippines.wordpress.com/carryboyphil-motorhome/mini-mobile-home/


To heck with living in it, this would be the way to get around here, now the only negative is space on the roads, some roads I can't get my Mitsubishi Lancer through because of tricycles blocking up the roads, people who sit with benches out in the road "I'm serious" and pedi cycles blocking roads, you can't make this stuff up it's a tough way to get around, the main highways would be a dream for an RV but as soon as you pull off the SLEX, NLEX get ready for some reality. 

What would be cool (Just me) in your back lot would be one of those Nippa huts 15,000 peso's for socializing, drinking and BBQ'ing... Hey it's the Philippines!


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