Which used car should I buy?

Before signing

1. I requested registration and census information, and checked the debt.

   With those two pieces of information, checking the SUCIVE debt is free and shows the license plate, payment agreements, and fines. If you're seriously interested in the car, before handing over any money, ask for the SUCIVE certificate: it's the only one that releases the debt. As long as there's an outstanding debt, the car can't be transferred.

   Check your debt in the SUCIVE system

2. Look at the actual license plate of that car

   The license fee we calculate here is based on the asking price. The official fee is calculated based on the vehicle's capacity for that year, model, and version, and is verified using the license plate and registration number.

   Check the patent value

3. I requested the registration certificate.

   The information certificate from the General Directorate of Registries shows liens, encumbrances, and the registered owner ($1.265 in standard processing, September 2026). If the seller is not the person named on the deed, this must be resolved in writing before payment.

   Information certificate (gub.uy)

4. Ask about the cash price

   Many car dealerships advertise the delivery date but not the price of the car. In our directory, we show the cash price when the ad states it; if it doesn't, ask before comparing.

   View directory

5. Take it to a mechanic you trust.

   No one in Uruguay publishes how many problems each model has: the mechanical inspection before signing a deposit is the only way to measure the car's reliability. I also asked for service records and, in Montevideo, the last vehicle inspection certificate: private cars pay for it every three years between 5 and 15 years old, every two years between 15 and 25, and every year after 25.

   Technical inspection in the Montevideo Digest

6. Be wary of what the warning leaves unsaid

   Accidents, insurance claims, foreign license plates, outstanding debts, or pending paperwork all lower the price, and sometimes the ad states this. Our declared risk dashboard shows you how much less the asking price is for each reason.

   Cars that have been wrecked and have outstanding debts

How to calculate

• The year. For each model, fuel type, and transmission, the newest year whose median price fits your budget, with at least three listings. A model needs 12 active listings to qualify, and the same car listed in multiple sources counts once.
• The patent. Used cars 4,5% of market value, used electric cars 2,25% excluding VAT (hybrids do not have their own rate: they pay like any other car), floor of $8.770,10 and dollar at $41,826. The official market value (assessment) is consulted by registration: here it is estimated with the median of what is asked. Ordered Text · inquiries about enrollment.
• The fuel. The average consumption of that model, declared or estimated by model, based on your mileage and the current ANCAP price. Electric vehicles, 16 kWh per 100 km at $10,31 per kWh (site estimate — no official Uruguayan source).
• Mandatory insurance. $7.238 per year: This is the market average published by the Central Bank of Uruguay (BCU), not a fixed rate; the law uses it to calculate the fine for driving without insurance. The amount you will pay is determined by comparing prices.
• Maintenance. $12.000 per year plus $2,00 per kilometer, multiplied by the parts index for the model. This is an assumption from the website: there is no published service price list.
• What loses value. The annual decline of the model, measured against its own warnings, is the same straight line as market report; if the model does not have a curve, the typical one for the market.
• The spare parts. Six items were searched on Mercado Libre Uruguay for each model; the index compares each item to the median of all models. Each model is re-analyzed every two weeks.
• Safety. Los ensayos de Latin NCAP del modelo, que se muestran y no puntúan: cada uno es de una versión con sus airbags y casi nunca dice desde qué año vale. La lista completa de los ensayos de los modelos que se venden acá, con el enlace a cada resultado oficial, está en the Latin NCAP trials.
• The order. Each option is scored against the others that passed your filters in seven areas: age, cost of ownership, resale value, spare parts availability, safety, space, and suitability for your needs. What you mark as important carries three weight. A missing piece of information is worth half the score: it neither penalizes nor rewards.

What we can't tell you: how often each model fails (no one publishes that information in Uruguay), what the final sale price is (we only see the asking price), or how much comprehensive insurance costs (it's quoted separately). If you're hesitating between a car, motorcycle, or bus, there's the... transport comparator.