Buying a Car in the Cayman Islands

Buying a new car in Cayman is a relatively easy process, with reputable authorised dealers across most major brands and no restrictions on the number of cars per household. Tony's Toys is the leading independent dealer, selling new (and pre-owned) vehicles alongside leasing options.

Many authorised dealers each cover a wide spread of makes and models on-island. Just a note that there are no dealers on island for Acura, Alfa Romeo, Buick, Citroën, Peugeot, or Porsche, so getting parts for these makes can be more complicated.

Pricing across new 2024 and 2025 models gives a useful sense of the market. The Suzuki Alto GL starts at CI$15,900 at the entry end, the Suzuki Grand Vitara goes for around CI$31,000, and the Honda CR-V at CI$44,900. Island favourites like the Jeep Grand Cherokee start around CI$77,900. When negotiating, ask the dealer exactly what the quoted price includes (inspection, licensing, maintenance package, and warranty terms vary). In Cayman’s resale market, light-coloured cars to sell fastest, as they stay cooler in the heat. Right-hand drive vehicles and automatic transmissions are also generally easier to resell.

Cayman has a strong used car market, with reliable pre-owned vehicles available well below new-car prices. Decent used cars start around CI$8,000. Buying through a dealer is generally safer than buying privately through sites like ecaytrade.com, as reputable dealers usually offer a three-month warranty, servicing and parts support.

Established dealers include Tony's Toys, Vampt Motors, CARS Ltd., Car City and Distinct Imports. Avis and Budget usually sell their ex-rental fleet vehicles annually, often representing good value.

Used cars in Cayman typically depreciate by around 20% in the first year and 15% annually thereafter, depending on condition, mileage and demand. Japanese and Korean brands generally hold value best. Before buying privately, confirm the seller is the registered owner and check the logbook, inspection certificate, registration status and whether any finance is outstanding. A pre-purchase inspection is strongly recommended. 

Cayman has seen a meaningful shift toward electric and hybrid vehicles over the past few years, driven largely by Government duty concessions designed to reduce emissions and dependence on imported fuel. As of 2024, 648 fully electric vehicles were licensed in the Cayman Islands, alongside a growing fleet of hybrids. The duty advantage is significant: full battery electric vehicles attract import duty between 0% and 15% depending on landed value, while hybrids fall between 10% and 17%, compared to traditional vehicles at 29.5% to 42%.

For new electric vehicles, LJM Energy is Cayman's dedicated dealer for Tesla and other electric makes, importing both new and pre-owned EVs. Most major dealers also stock hybrid options across their existing brand line-ups. Public charging infrastructure has expanded considerably, and home charging set up is straightforward through CUC, which offers EV-specific tariffs and rebates for installing a Level 2 home charger. If an EV or Hybrid is your next ride, just make sure to verify insurance cover and be aware of expensive battery replacement costs for older vehicles.

Before signing on any used car (and ideally on any new car too), a pre-purchase inspection is one of the cheapest forms of insurance you can buy. A qualified technician will examine the whole vehicle and its workings. Common findings in Cayman include hidden rust, spent A/C systems and signs of past flood damage from hurricane events. Most local auto repair shops offer pre-purchase inspections, typically for CI$50 to CI$150 depending on the depth of the check.

Once the inspection clears, the closing process is relatively straightforward. Confirm the seller is the registered owner by checking the logbook, and verify there's no outstanding finance against the vehicle (your bank or the dealer can run this check). Make sure the current vehicle inspection certificate is valid and that registration is up to date with no back-duty owed, since any outstanding amounts become your problem the moment ownership transfers. Insurance must be in place before going to the DVDL to arrange licensing.