Georgetown - 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?
You drive on the left side of the road here so a right hand drive vehicle is handy. Also, a high-clearance is nice for the potholes. Parts can take a while to get regardless of the make. I wouldn't bring anything too expensive due to bad or drunk drivers. There are lots of accidents. There are carjackings after dark and on the road to the airport. - Jun 2022
Small or large SUV, mainly for the potholes and speed bumps in the city. - Aug 2021
Off-road, higher-clearance vehicles do well in the rainy season. Smaller is easier to park though in many venues in Georgetown. Toyotas are popular. Both left and right hand drive work here. I would advise not to bring any car with a low clearance due to speed bumps and pot holes. - Sep 2020
Guyana is officially right-hand (U.K.) drive. It’s legal to use a left-hand (U.S.) vehicle, but turning and passing are a challenge if you’re driving from the left side of the car. Embassy staff usually import their cars from the U.S. or buy a used car from Japan, although if you arrive in the summer transfer season, there should be a handful of cars available for purchase from departing personnel. Most cars will work fine in Georgetown and along the coastal highway, but 4WD and high clearance is a must if you want to travel anywhere outside the developed areas. Your car will take a beating here, so don’t bring something brand new. Locals generally prefer large Japanese models, although you’ll see plenty of Fords and Jeeps too. It’s not impossible to get parts for most vehicles, but it can take several weeks if you need to order something from the U.S. or Japan. If you’re not affiliated with a diplomatic mission, be aware that vehicle import duties are extremely high, especially for larger vehicles. - Aug 2019
Any car will do. It is a right-hand drive country, but you can use either type of car here. - Sep 2016
Japanese cars are king here- you can do left or right drive vehicles, both work fine though harder to pass in traffic with a left hand drive- an elevated vehicle is better and the deeper you plan on driving, the more rugged you should get- that being said, most of the traffic on interior roads still are basic vehicles such as mini-vans and canter trucks. - Apr 2014
Toyota is a very popular brand here, both left-hand drive and right-hand drive. Many people opt for four-wheel drive. Those make it easier to drive into the interior or to get through some flooded areas. Service and parts for Toyota seems to be readily available. I do not believe there are any restrictions on what type of vehicle can be imported. Local liability insurance runs about US$125 per year. Import duties can be quite high on diplomats' vehicles if they are sold before being in the country at least three years. Even still, many locals are very interested in buying vehicles when diplomats depart post. The amount of duty they owe on the transaction will be considerably less than if they bought a new vehicle or imported one themselves into the country. I am not aware of any carjackings. - Nov 2013
Any type of car would work while traveling around the city. - May 2012
If you are only going to drive in-town, a sedan is fine. If you are going anywhere outside town, an SUV is a must. I would recommend high-clearance and a winch, for rainy season. - Mar 2012
Right hand drive is recommended. Many people import from Japan. The price of gas is US$1 per liter so it can be pricey. Many people have 4x4 Toyota trucks and the RAV4 is a very popular car here. You will see some expensive cars and more are showing up on the streets. Amazing, as the import duties on cars is almost 200%. The streets are narrow and playing chicken with the mini-bus and taxi drivers is the norm. After a while, you learn that you don't need more than a few inches between you and the car barreling towards you at break-neck speeds. - Feb 2012
Toyota Rav 4! Don't even think of anything else (or anything not comparable to that).You need high clearance for the roads, but something fairly small for how narrow the roads are. - Feb 2010
