www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Maybe some of you guys living in San Jose can help me. I'm looking to buy a laptop for a business associate here. She doesn't need anything fancy or with huge capacity. Just something basic to get on the internet.

I bought mine at pc doctor at mall carieri . They seem to have good prices.

Of course they are more expensive here than in the states. Older models also.

They seem to start at around 1000 .

Another problem is the spanish keyboard although for your friend it may not be a problem.

You can get twice the computer for 1000 in the states, so if it is possible buy one their.

Their are lots of toshiba service centers here , so that would be a good choice.

Thanks Zman. Yeah, was planning on buying one on ebay supercheap.. Just haven't been able to make time to go back to the States. Probably will just keep my eyes on the classifieds in La nacion and Tico Times.

Frequently Dell has an insert in the Sunday La Nacion. They usually have 1 barebones laptop on special with software (windows XP) in Spanish and a Spanish keyboard.

Not sure but I think they are around $700.00

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

700 is a great deal for a new dell laptop in Costa Rica.

I just checked Dell online and their cheapest is 500 so why not get a trusted CRT guy to pick you up one and bring it down in his luggage? I'd do it for you, but I won't be back until around May.

500 is the basic system, but 549 buys you one with 512 of RAM instead of 256 so this is definitely the way to go - the extra 256 makes a big difference. I don't know what shipping will cost so it could amount to 600 when all said and done. Trouble with buying new and from the states though is that if anything bad happens to it, you are phucked! A cheap and used ebay laptop might be better - get someone to bring it to you.

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My last trip to CR (last week) I brought 2 unused cell phones and a laptop and gave it all to a chica (not a working girl) that works in one of the hotels we frequent. They really appreciate the cell phones if you have any, even the TDM phones, that you aren't using anymore.

before I bought mine I checked out the dell adds in the la nacion. Seemed like a good deal until they tell you the shipping and excise charges . Those charges added over 300 to the price.

Thanks for the information Zman. I had never read the fine print. Seems once you do it is not a good as it looks kind of deal.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Thanks for the help guys... I'm out of touch living down here. I didn't know you could get a new Dell that cheap..... Might just wait til I go back to the States.

Excuse my lack of knowledge, but buying computers, television, and clothes online in US and having them shipped to your address in CR has what kind of taxes added on?

40 to 50%. IMHO NEVER ship anything to Costa Rica. Most of it ends up in customs and you have to battle them over the value, how much taxes. And even at the best you spend the large part of a day sorting things out.