A new online marketplace is aiming to transform the way Paraguayans buy and sell vehicles by bringing greater transparency, organisation and convenience to the car market. Ajogua, which means “I buy” in Guaraní language, allows users to search for vehicles, compare options and connect directly with dealerships or private sellers across Paraguay.
The idea was created by Austrian entrepreneur Dominik Springer, 33, who moved to Paraguay with his wife in 2025. The idea emerged from Springer’s own experience of trying to buy a car after moving to Paraguay. He found vehicle listings scattered across Facebook Marketplace, dealership websites and WhatsApp conversations, making it difficult to compare cars and prices in one place.
“I needed a car, and I never thought about creating Ajogua”, Springer starts. “So I went online, and I wanted to find a car. But there was no really good way to find it.”
Ajogua, the easy solution
After searching through Facebook Marketplace and contacting dealerships through WhatsApp, he found the process confusing and time-consuming.
“I had a bunch of WhatsApp numbers, a lot of dealerships writing me completely not relevant messages about cars, and it was just such a headache that I decided to create something that makes it easier.”
The platform allows users to first explore available vehicles online, then decide whether they want to contact the seller, visit a dealership or negotiate a price before making the trip.
Creating transparency in Paraguay’s car market
Springer states that the primary motivation behind Ajogua was to create a more transparent system for buyers.
“In Europe, where I am from, there is one platform. People just define what they want, like a family car, or if they know it even better, they look for a specific model, the year, the price. They find something, they call the dealer and they go and buy it.”
He wanted to introduce a similar experience in Paraguay, where buyers can easily compare prices and options.
“When information is spread across different dealers and WhatsApp conversations, it can be difficult for buyers to know how one offer compares with another. If you have the cars and prices together on one platform, the market becomes much more transparent.”
Ajogua does not sell vehicles itself. Instead, it provides an online marketplace where dealerships and private owners can list cars for sale in Paraguay and connect directly with interested buyers.
A platform built for Paraguay
One of Ajogua’s main differences from general marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace is that the platform is focused exclusively on vehicles.
“Facebook Marketplace is useful because it has a huge variety of listings, but it is made for everything, not specifically for cars. Ajogua is built around vehicles, so buyers can filter much more precisely and compare the information that actually matters when buying a car.”
Users can search according to different vehicle characteristics and contact sellers directly. The platform also includes a rating system designed to increase trust between buyers and sellers.
“If you are in contact with a dealer and you like the encounter, you can rate it. It is a bit more like Amazon. If a dealer is trustworthy, he gets better ratings, and it improves trust on the platform.”
The company is also preparing a mobile application with additional features adapted to car sales, including tools such as 360-degree vehicle views.
Understanding Paraguayan car preferences
After observing the market, Springer says he has noticed that Paraguayan buyers prioritise reliability and practicality when choosing a vehicle.
“Paraguayans love vehicles. They are very smart in buying them, I would say. Paraguayans love vehicles that they can trust. They do not just buy vehicles because they are fancy. They buy vehicles that are very easy to maintain and that are reliable. I have never seen a market where people so much focus on a few brands like Toyota, Kia and Hyundai. People love those cars.”
Springer has also noticed growing interest in Chinese vehicle brands due to their competitive prices and technology, as well as increased demand for larger vehicles such as SUVs. Another characteristic that surprised him was the importance of financing.
“The number of vehicles that are financed is something more in Paraguay than I have seen in other countries. A lot of people like to finance, and a lot of dealerships offer financing.”
For this reason, Ajogua includes both cash prices (“Contado”) and financed prices (“Precio Financiado”), allowing users to compare both options.
Free access for buyers and sellers
One of Ajogua’s key features is that dealerships and individuals can advertise their vehicles free of charge. To sell a vehicle, users only need to create a profile, verify their email address and upload information about the car. The platform may later generate income through advertising or additional services for dealerships, such as automated WhatsApp responses, but listing vehicles remains free.
“If you just want to sell a car, you can upload unlimited amounts of cars completely for free. I do not earn a cent from the car sales process. It is completely for free. It is like Facebook Marketplace. Ajogua started as a time investment because I do not earn anything with it right now. I give everyone a transparent platform to save money, hopefully. Because I do not like to do business just for earning money. I think it is always important to deliver something first, before expecting something in return, and to provide value for society.”
He added that the platform’s success depends on whether people find it useful.
“I can only profit if people actually like and use the platform. And that is what I love about it. I like to do something people actually can appreciate.”
Readers interested in exploring the platform can visit the Ajogua official website to search for available vehicles or upload their own cars for sale.
