[el mechanico]

I've vouched for this guy three times in this thread and what the fuck is 50 bucks for someone to help you pull and navigate a capital city all day? Ali and I both think he's trustworthy and a pimp so why are you guys questioning it? If you think I'm fucking stupid please let me know but it's about irritating at this point.

[pitt]

El Mechanico you are missing the point.

50 bucks is nothing. If a driver in london asks me for 50 bucks to drive me anywhere in London for a day, i would accept his deal without thinking twice because i know how expensive life is here. However, when i am abroad, i dont want to be paying prices that i pay when im at home, i want to pay local prices. I had met 3 different drivers while in DR that were asking me 1000 pesos per day for them to take me wherever i wanted to go. And i didnt want to pay that money because i knew i could save way more just by jumping from taxi to taxi, plus i am fluent in spanish so i can get around ok.

In DR, if you are not fluent in spanish and dont know that many people they will take advantage of you. I used to roll with this black american cat and when he asked for something, they would give him a ''gringo price'', when i would go ask for it, they would give me a local price.


Ali i think we all appreciate you sharing all that info with us, i dont think anybody is hating on you or anything like that, we are just saying that there are other alternatives in DR and your costs could be reduced in all aspects.

[Spike]

(06-28-2012 03:56 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

(06-28-2012 03:50 PM)Menace Wrote:  

Also, I don't get some of the hating going on here.

People sometimes hate on here when people spend money.

You are only a true player if you sleep on the streets and have a ball of lint in your pocket.

yes, finally you see the light.

Ps, that was a joke.

Although 50 bucks a day is a lot of money. i probably wouldn't spend that even if i had the money for it. That 1500 bucks a months in a third world country.

[Aliblahba]

(06-28-2012 08:46 PM)txbeachbum Wrote:  

(06-28-2012 02:23 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

(06-28-2012 01:39 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  

(06-28-2012 01:13 PM)pitt Wrote:  

You are paying 50 dollars per day for this guy to drive you around? Jeez, if i was in his place i would even give you my wife for you to fuck her. I dont think you should pay more than 1000 pesos a day for a private driver to drive you around, 50 dollars is a lot of money to be spending in DR for a private driver. Guys like TXbeachbum and patron have lots of experience about DR, im sure they also think thats a lot of money to be spent on one driver.

Thanks for mentioning the barrios. I wanted to check out places like Vila juana but nobody wanted to go with me. Is it a very busy area where you can be approaching chicks left and right?

Who wants to negotiate cabs and buses all day? Feel like going to Boca chica for an hour? No problem. Want to troll the supermarkets in Cristobal? No problem. 24 hrs a day whatever you want to do or go isn't worth 50$?

How do you guys get around in SD and how much running around a day do you do?

Exactly. The buses are usually packed, and stop frequently to pickup/drop. Pickpockets are somewhat common, and you need decent Spanish to figure the buses out, or end up in the middle of nowhere, and then have to get a cab.

The metro is simple, but you have to know what's on the surface in order to know which station to get off of.

@Pitt- Petrol is fucking expensive here. You won't find a driver for 1K pesos. I'm getting a discount due to us running business. He normally charges 3k daily, and more for longer trips, like to Boca Chica, due to gas prices.

99% of the cabs here DO NOT use gasoline they are using propane gas which is about $90 pesos ($2 usd gallon) and it last for weeks. if you look close next time the trunk is open you will see a tank sitting back there, and some of them are using natural gas tanks which natural gas is about 25 pesos (about .50 cents a gallon) I'm about 99% sure he is not using regular unleaded gas here which is expensive.

$50 a day is a bit much price to pay for a taxi even all day, I usually pay no more than $1000 pesos a day if that,to run around and my taxi guy has a newer honda CRV suv and goes grocery shopping with me picks up my food, etc.

My back up is apolo taxi company.

$3k pesos a day i bet he had one customer in 5 years pay him that. Most taxi drivers are lucky to make $8k pesos a MONTH!!

Since you seem comfortable with the guy and can afford it why not, but just know that is more than double what it should be.

No matter what, remember he IS NOT YOUR FRIEND!! you are just a $$ sign to him, and do not trust him especially since he knows you are probably here alone and cannot speak spanish.

Holy Fucking Christ dude!!! You are giving advice to the two most experienced mechanics on the forum? Holy fuck. Thank you for the lesson. Do you not fucking think that emech and I don't understand a fucking engine? I make $200K with this shit, and he operates his own fucking biz turning wrenches on vehicles that cost more than I make in a fucking year.

I've been in the ME for around 7 years. Don't you think I take into consideration the cost of barrel of oil?

I know EXACTLY why you guys are derailing this thread, and Emech and I will start another and bust this place open. In fact, NO MEMBER here will meet us because they know WE know what they are up to. And I'll leave that one alone. Unless they want too, because I've talked to and studied expats here, and the resounding response is.........

For the rest of the members....stay tuned. I pulled a number tonight and it was epic. Just you wait.

[WanderingSoul]

I would NEVER pay $50 a day for a driver........I have $1,151 in the bank right now. If you got it, spend it!

Lookin forward to the shitstorm that converges over SD when El Mech and Ali polish off a bottle of the DR's finest $5 bottle of rum.

[thegmanifesto]

Wow, people are really up in arms over this driver.

Would people get pissed at me to know I once dropped $40 on a hamburger?

Dropped $250 on Sushi on tues night?

[Aliblahba]

(06-29-2012 08:58 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

Wow, people are really up in arms over this driver.

Would people get pissed at me to know I once dropped $40 on a hamburger?

Dropped $250 on Sushi on tues night?

I've dropped $350 for a hotel in the Mayfair District in London. These guys are hatin' cause the never had that kind of money.

Now, 2 nights ago I'm hanging with my driver at a car wash. The girls that work the bar are hot, between 7-8. You can offer the girls a beer and if they like you they'll sit with you for a few minutes. The girl I like is pretty, tall, blond, and sporting HUGE tits and a thick ass.

I offer a beer and she jumps at the opportunity. My driver makes me talk to her and steps away to smoke. I carry the convo ok, then he steps back to help a bit. While playing picture phone game I make a critical error having forgot about pics of girls on there. She was making a lot of physical contact.

Still got the number, but felt the need to visit one more time to make sure things are kosher. I paid the tab which was 300 pesos. We leave and go to a bar Emech has been to. Hard place to pull, but I had gotten a # of a hot ass bartender 3 weeks prior but blew her off. Out of the blue that night she calls. My driver is working on setting up a date.

We leave the bar to the next one where I line up a meeting with a sure fire bet for the night. Upon entering the bar a morena 8 waitress starts playing with my hair. Girl shows up, we have a drink and leave.

Now watch. Last night my driver and I retrack the night. We got to the car wash but the girls not there. We leave after one beer, and he drops me at the same second bar and shoots off to take care of family.

I get the same waitress that was playing with my hair. I pass through the obvious "gf" shit test, escalate, and pull the number. All this before my driver shows up.

All this occured in two nights in two bars. And I'm not even playing hard anymore due to getting laid on the regular. But I can promise you that at both bars dudes are constantly macking on these girls and getting nowhere. In both places they hire talent to bring in customers. I like the challenge, and won in both places.

[patron]

Here is what happens to the average gringo that gets off the plane. They don't know anyone and the first person they meet is the taxi driver. He is your new best friend. He takes to the carwashes, barrios and other local places. He drinks and eats for free. Later, he goes back to these places and gets his propina (tip) for taking you there.

This is fine for a few days. Later, when you want to move to the city. Ask the cab driver, how do I open a bank account, get residency, buy property....where are the nice restaurants, clubs. They don't know. They only know where the cheap beer and girls are. My point of the post is not to rely too much on a taxi cab driver. They aren't your friend (when you stop paying them or buying them stuff, they will be gone)

[Aliblahba]

(06-29-2012 09:35 AM)patron Wrote:  

Here is what happens to the average gringo that gets off the plane. They don't know anyone and the first person they meet is the taxi driver. He is your new best friend. He takes to the carwashes, barrios and other local places. He drinks and eats for free. Later, he goes back to these places and gets his propina (tip) for taking you there.

This is fine for a few days. Later, when you want to move to the city. Ask the cab driver, how do I open a bank account, get residency, buy property....where are the nice restaurants, clubs. They don't know. They only know where the cheap beer and girls are. My point of the post is not to rely too much on a taxi cab driver. They aren't your friend (when you stop paying them or buying them stuff, they will be gone)

I absolutely agree. Emech got lucky and stumbled on this guy. Every single cabbie I've used starts off with "my friend" then starts going on about chicas, weed, and coca. That shit gets old quick. This driver takes me to restaurants where sopa de pescado costs 70 pesos, or pollo guisado runs around 150 pesos. And that meal comes in two bowls and two platas.

It's very similar to my experience in SE Asia. Most cabbies are no different than the street hustlers.

[Jalouse]

Even if the guy is hustling you a bit (I'm sure $50 a day is decent money there) it's still not a bad deal, he drives you around all day, he translates for you and he arranges girls for you. I'd happily pay $50 for that.

[txbeachbum]

(06-29-2012 04:44 AM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

(06-28-2012 08:46 PM)txbeachbum Wrote:  

(06-28-2012 02:23 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

(06-28-2012 01:39 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  

(06-28-2012 01:13 PM)pitt Wrote:  

You are paying 50 dollars per day for this guy to drive you around? Jeez, if i was in his place i would even give you my wife for you to fuck her. I dont think you should pay more than 1000 pesos a day for a private driver to drive you around, 50 dollars is a lot of money to be spending in DR for a private driver. Guys like TXbeachbum and patron have lots of experience about DR, im sure they also think thats a lot of money to be spent on one driver.

Thanks for mentioning the barrios. I wanted to check out places like Vila juana but nobody wanted to go with me. Is it a very busy area where you can be approaching chicks left and right?

Who wants to negotiate cabs and buses all day? Feel like going to Boca chica for an hour? No problem. Want to troll the supermarkets in Cristobal? No problem. 24 hrs a day whatever you want to do or go isn't worth 50$?

How do you guys get around in SD and how much running around a day do you do?

Exactly. The buses are usually packed, and stop frequently to pickup/drop. Pickpockets are somewhat common, and you need decent Spanish to figure the buses out, or end up in the middle of nowhere, and then have to get a cab.

The metro is simple, but you have to know what's on the surface in order to know which station to get off of.

@Pitt- Petrol is fucking expensive here. You won't find a driver for 1K pesos. I'm getting a discount due to us running business. He normally charges 3k daily, and more for longer trips, like to Boca Chica, due to gas prices.

99% of the cabs here DO NOT use gasoline they are using propane gas which is about $90 pesos ($2 usd gallon) and it last for weeks. if you look close next time the trunk is open you will see a tank sitting back there, and some of them are using natural gas tanks which natural gas is about 25 pesos (about .50 cents a gallon) I'm about 99% sure he is not using regular unleaded gas here which is expensive.

$50 a day is a bit much price to pay for a taxi even all day, I usually pay no more than $1000 pesos a day if that,to run around and my taxi guy has a newer honda CRV suv and goes grocery shopping with me picks up my food, etc.

My back up is apolo taxi company.

$3k pesos a day i bet he had one customer in 5 years pay him that. Most taxi drivers are lucky to make $8k pesos a MONTH!!

Since you seem comfortable with the guy and can afford it why not, but just know that is more than double what it should be.

No matter what, remember he IS NOT YOUR FRIEND!! you are just a $$ sign to him, and do not trust him especially since he knows you are probably here alone and cannot speak spanish.

Holy Fucking Christ dude!!! You are giving advice to the two most experienced mechanics on the forum? Holy fuck. Thank you for the lesson. Do you not fucking think that emech and I don't understand a fucking engine? I make $200K with this shit, and he operates his own fucking biz turning wrenches on vehicles that cost more than I make in a fucking year.

I've been in the ME for around 7 years. Don't you think I take into consideration the cost of barrel of oil?

I know EXACTLY why you guys are derailing this thread, and Emech and I will start another and bust this place open. In fact, NO MEMBER here will meet us because they know WE know what they are up to. And I'll leave that one alone. Unless they want too, because I've talked to and studied expats here, and the resounding response is.........

For the rest of the members....stay tuned. I pulled a number tonight and it was epic. Just you wait.

First off chill the fuck out, stop being so emotional. I was just explaining the gas prices, not giving lessons. Just sharing info period just an fyi. Not insulting your mechanic wisdom.

Derailing? huh man people just trying to give you a heads up on whats really going on or could be, like i said in previous post if you cool with the guy and comfortable then no worries. It aint that serious.

Seriously whats up with dudes getting so sensitive when members don't do back flips when forum dudes come to town, especially if you gonna be awhile? We have shit going on just like anyone else we not sitting at the airport waiting to give tours.

Please explain what WE members that live here are up to?
And what did all the expats that you have met in the last couple weeks give you the holy grail to the DR that we have been keeping a secret?

Whats the resounding response in your study?

The members that live here just trying to help you avoid the same shit 99% of the tourist come here and think they're gonna have the Hangover 3 in DR and tear the place up (which most do the same ole typical drunk shit), they meet a taxi driver aka leech think he is giving them some inside info on the island fuck a few barrio bitches fly back to their country and brag like oh "i know all the secret spots in DR, i got a connect that took me to most dangerous places in DR bla bla bla. same ole shit, driving through or sitting outside a colomado drinking presidente with barrio chicks for a couple hours aint shit, live there rent a room for a week there or the month actually live in that shit then you will see the real city.

I don't give a fuck about the driver or how much you pay, we just sharing some info, why would we hate? What you eat dont make me shit?

We just looking out for other members, bottom line.

Anyone else gonna be in DR fuck it lets have a meetup. First round on me!

[WestCoast]

Comments turned into a pissin match because of this:
"Your driver chats the girl up, gets her number, calls her and arranges the dates. Does he fuck her for you too?"

Aggressive commentary. No doubt most cab drivers are bad in that situation but this also proves the same old truth "if you are the best at anything you make a ton of $". Sounds like this other cabbie kills it, has fun and is stand up. Not surprising, kinda like getting a haircut at a high end salon, those people kill it, or a waiter at say the French laundry, clean house.

$50 all day cabs is murder! That's like one night in NYC to and from clubs! Steal IMHO.

More importantly how long does it take to close the deal? 3 meet ups? 2?

[UgSlayer]

Regarding the driver: Who cares it's his money and he feels like the driver is enhancing his experience.

Ali, how are your spanish skills? It sounds like you're not at a conversational level yet. Do you feel like it's a huge handicap when it comes to picking up chicks? Do you open them in spanish or english most of the time? Thanks for the info so far.

[txbeachbum]

(06-29-2012 11:08 AM)WestCoast Wrote:  

Comments turned into a pissin match because of this:
"Your driver chats the girl up, gets her number, calls her and arranges the dates. Does he fuck her for you too?"

Aggressive commentary. No doubt most cab drivers are bad in that situation but this also proves the same old truth "if you are the best at anything you make a ton of $". Sounds like this other cabbie kills it, has fun and is stand up. Not surprising, kinda like getting a haircut at a high end salon, those people kill it, or a waiter at say the French laundry, clean house.

$50 all day cabs is murder! That's like one night in NYC to and from clubs! Steal IMHO.

More importantly how long does it take to close the deal? 3 meet ups? 2?

Depends on the chick and the dude's game or spanish, if she from a barrio probably just a presidente on the first meetup.

The higher up the scale you go a bit longer, but their are always exceptions.

[Hotwheels]

I pay $56 for a round trip from my place to the saloon. 50 bux is a fart in a hurricane.

For the service this guy gives I'd probably pay him double, just for cutting through the bullshit and going places most tourists would never see. This guy is more of a fixer than a driver. Winston Wolf if you may. He solves problems.

I know when I get to the DR I'm hitting up Mech for the guys number.

Now, can we get back to commentary not related to the fucking driver/fixer?

[WanderingSoul]

What's up with the carwashes? Someone break this down for me, not exactly sure what you guys mean by it. Like people literally go drink beers at your drive up spray n wash?

[patron]

(06-29-2012 01:46 PM)RioNomad Wrote:  

What's up with the carwashes? Someone break this down for me, not exactly sure what you guys mean by it. Like people literally go drink beers at your drive up spray n wash?

A car wash usually takes an hour o two. It is a bunch of guys sitting around drinking beer and playing dominos, with loud music. The waitress are semi pros and some places have rooms on site.

[worldwidetraveler]

I was planning on paying EMech 50 a day to drive me around Tampa and speak spanish. I was hoping to hit the cool 7-11 spots to play a little scratchy ticket game, hit the car washes for a few beers and possibly some trailer parks for budweiser game.

Now you guys got me rethinking. What if Emech tries to fuck all the women and takes the winning scratchy tickets?

Seriously, I think we are getting sidetracked here. Great stuff Ali.

[patron]

Nothing wrong with spending $50 a day on a taxi. The problem is when you let the taxi driver control/run your trip.

[thegmanifesto]

(06-29-2012 02:48 PM)patron Wrote:  

(06-29-2012 01:46 PM)RioNomad Wrote:  

What's up with the carwashes? Someone break this down for me, not exactly sure what you guys mean by it. Like people literally go drink beers at your drive up spray n wash?

A car wash usually takes an hour o two. It is a bunch of guys sitting around drinking beer and playing dominos, with loud music. The waitress are semi pros and some places have rooms on site.

An hour or two for a car wash?

Damn, that is one slow car wash.

How long does it take to wash an SUV?

A week?

[thegmanifesto]

(06-29-2012 03:33 PM) Wrote:  

(06-29-2012 02:48 PM)patron Wrote:  

(06-29-2012 01:46 PM)RioNomad Wrote:  

What's up with the carwashes? Someone break this down for me, not exactly sure what you guys mean by it. Like people literally go drink beers at your drive up spray n wash?

A car wash usually takes an hour o two. It is a bunch of guys sitting around drinking beer and playing dominos, with loud music. The waitress are semi pros and some places have rooms on site.

An hour or two for a car wash?

Damn, that is one slow car wash.

How many cars a day are they cranking? 5?

How long does it take to wash an SUV?

A week?

[worldwidetraveler]

(06-29-2012 03:30 PM)patron Wrote:  

Nothing wrong with spending $50 a day on a taxi. The problem is when you let the taxi driver control/run your trip.

Maybe you should post it a few more times to make sure everyone got it.

Look, he isn't controlling or running the trip. Ali is trying to understand how things run down there and this guy is helping. I would pay for that as well. Sure, Ali can learn on his own but how long will it take and how much would he be scammed out of while trying to learn it?

Ali can let the guy go at any time. It isn't like the cab driver drew up his itinerary, made him sign a year long contract in blood and has a gun to his head telling him we do it his way or no way at all.

[patron]

I am just trying to offer some advice. I have lived in the DR since 2006 and seenlots of guys come down and make the same mistakes. Well, its time for me to go out in Santiago and rock some hot dominican bitches.

[redneckpunk]

People get touchy when given advice they don't ask for.

They take it as in insult to their intillegence.

I get it, I get slightly irritated when people who have spent a few months or weeks in China get labeled experts and are fired question after question, when I lived there for 5 years, have been on this board for 3 years, posted about it dozens of times and nobody listens to a word i say about the place.

People will listen to who they want, when they want.

I like this thread, the DR aspect, the name calling, all good stuff.

Seems most are trying to help, and that is what matters.

[el mechanico]

Well i'm here in now too. I tried to get my iphone hooked up at the airport and it wouldn't work for some reason and the evil driver had to take me to some mall to get it hooked up. I met some black dude from Oakland with the same problem and asked him what exactly was he here to do and his response was " Not fuck pros" good enough so we brought him along and fixed his shit too. I opened a couple girls at the mall and watched the girls stare at Ali the rockstar with the hair and the boots. The Oakland dude had the driver make him a cheat sheet to open girls and he was straight at it with two girls working a purse shop that all of us agreed falls into the 8 category I think he got digletts but with a I have a boyfriend disclaimer.