Bridgetown - Post Report Question and Answers
What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Any vehicle would be fine. - Aug 2019
Most people have Rav4/CRVs. However small cars are also very common. The roads are on the smaller side. Potholes will destroy your car and the road are generally poor in quality. Parts are expensive so you may want to bring your own. A regular oil change can easily cost more than 100 USD. - May 2018
Any car works, small cars are easier to park and move around but most of the embassy community owns CRVs and seem happy with them. The resale on cars is very good. - Jul 2016
We have a small, locally purchased car (Suzuki Swift), which is fine, but a little more ground clearance for the potholes would have been better. I would not recommend bringing a luxury or hard-to-find-parts-for car (Volvo, Volkswagen, etc.). If you are allowed to purchase duty-free, you can resell fairly easily. - Mar 2013
SUV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Nov 2011
Roads are rough. Cars are a necessary to get around Barbados. Bring a car that you don't care about getting banged up. Many co-workers have had at least one accident. Gas is expensive too so you may want to consider a more fuel-efficient car. - Jun 2011
If you are with the Embassy, don't bring a car, buy one here. Because of 100+% duty on car purchases, the local new and used car market is ridiculously expensive for most. However, if you qualify for duty-free import of a car b/c you work at the Embassy, you can purchase your car at pre-duty rates, use it for several years and sell it for what you bought it for. Local dealers are willing to enter into a buyback agreement upon initial purchase, so you essentially get free use of a car for a few years. That said, bureaucratic process for purchase/duty-free status/registration is a pain - expect a couple of months of expensive car rental fees while it gets sorted. It is best to have right-hand drive (we drive on the right here, and left-hand drive vehicles required to post that ON the car).I've been happy to have a small awd vehicle - it is not required, but roads can get a bit roungh in places out of town or after big, sustained rains. Smaller vehicles are preferred for very narrow local roads, and tiny little cars are pretty common here. I feel a bit too big, but okay, in a mini-sport ute. - Dec 2010
See above about special advantages. Buying a car locally is essentially free (if you sell it back at the end of your tour).However, selection of in stock cars is very small, and importing on special order takes forever. Small cars are good, for the small roads. - Feb 2010
Small, gas is expensive and the local roads are not big enough for two cars. - Jan 2009
