Hello, I thought you guys might be able to give me some advice. I live in the US, but have a business that keeps me in Ecuador more than half the time. There are no speed limits or other enforced driving laws in Ecuador, and almost all of the roads go from super smooth & straight to potholed winding dirt. In addition, elevation can be sea level or 15,000 feet. Given these terrain characteristics, AWD and turbo seem to be necessary, not to mention incredibly enjoyable without the fear of police. Finally, because of the poverty level in Ecuador, a more expensive car would not be a very good idea.

Thus, my choices seem to be EVO or STi, like everyone else on the board. However, I have the option of selecting non US-spec vehicles. So, here are my questions:

Is it better to import a J-Spec EVO and have the driving position shifted from right to left, or import a Euro or Aussie spec? Do they sell EVO's in South America? What does the J-Spec have that the others do not? What companies are good at providing the importation services?

Finally, if I decided to purchase a used, modded EVO VI, for example, how would this change the importation requirements? What is the best way to search for such a vehicle?

Thanks a lot for your help in advance. I know these are not run-of-the-mill questions, but I'm sure someone here has the knowledge.

 

Is Ecuador LHD or RHD? What kind of fuel can you get there? 98 RON or higher?

JDM typically have higher power output compared to Euro or USDM specs but is obviously RHD.

Be careful of servicing too.. if I were you I'd get the USDM Evo just so you don't need to bother with maintaining the AYC and ACD systems.