Monrovia - 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?
A Toyota Rav4 seemed to be the vehicle of choice. I'd say any Toyota, Honda, or Nissan SUV is the best option for maintenance and utility. Be sure to use an expat mechanic. The Liberian mechanics are mostly incompetent and will replace your working components with sub-par components without telling you, and then sell them on the black market. I never heard of carjackings, but burglaries are common if you park on an unguarded dark street at night. - Oct 2021
An SUY or Jeep is best. The roads are not good and once you are out of the main towns you will run into mostly dirt roads which in rainy season become unpassable. - Aug 2019
Four-wheel drive. - Aug 2019
Four wheel drive with high clearance is best. Roads have potholes that grow worse in rainy season. Side roads are often dirt and will be flooded in the rainy season. - Aug 2019
A used Toyota SUV, Rav4, 4runner, Land Cruiser. Anything else, forget it. Availability of spares, servicing, repairs is too difficult. Make sure the car is in great mechanical condition before you ship it, suspension and running gear particularly and bring filters and brake pads if you can. Service it yourself if at all possible. The roads, even in Monrovia, are not good for a saloon car but you could get away with a Corolla or Camry. - Nov 2017
In Monrovia you can get around with most anything, but outside of Monrovia four wheel drive and high clearance vehicles are advisable. Due to the close relationships with the U.S. there are a large variety of cars here, so parts are not terribly complicated though they do tend to be more expensive and less quality. Good idea to bring some basic spare parts if you can. - Jun 2016
AWD/4WD is not necessary but recommended, especially if you're going to drive yourself to the beach. A vehicle with high clearance is a good idea - Monrovia's main streets are paved, but often with enormous potholes, and side streets are not always paved, or the pavement has broken down. It is best to drive with doors locked and windows up in crowded areas. People have been known to reach into cars and take things. Motor oil and basic parts are available locally, but they can be expensive, so it is best to bring brake pads, filters, spark plugs, etc. with you. Toyotas are probably the most common vehicle, so they are most likely to get fixed properly. There are a few car dealerships in town, but the quality of work varies, and service is not necessarily up to Western standards. - Aug 2015
SUV for sure, unless you'll only be in the city. High ground clearance is a must. There are a ton of Nissans. Don't get in a wreck, you WILL be found at fault. Car theft is not a problem, but stuff IN them gets stolen, sometimes even when you are in the car. - Dec 2013
Bring an SUV for sure. It doesn't have to have the ability to run over other cars to get to your destination, but just having the higher clearance will be a godsend in the rainy season. Make it a 4x4 if you plan to leave the city as. Some roads are just two tire track trails cut into the bush. - Dec 2012
An SUV is best. Roads were repaved in town, so an SUV is not as necessary as it once was - but outside of town, the roads may have lots of potholes or be unpaved. There are a few places that can do minor work (oil changes, etc.) but they can be pricey. If you plan to bring something and then try to sell it, there is a 40% duty/tax to sell to non-diplomats. - Aug 2010
A 4WD SUV or truck is best. New potholes are always popping up and the depth is unknown when filled with rain. A decent clearance is necessary. Your vehicle will get beat up while here. The good news - the resale value is ridiculously high! - Jul 2009
