buying a car in chile with a tourist visa

[depprussell]

HI,

I haven't found this topic anywhere, so let me know if there is already an answer to my question.
I want to buy a car in Chile in order to travel in this country as well as Argentina and Brazil. Through what i have seen, it is the easiest country out of the 3 to do so.
I plan on travelling in those 3 countries extensively in order to find a place to settle down (I have already spent 3 months in Brazil and 2 in Argentina). I usually always travel by bus but now things are getting serious and I need a car to push my searchs more thoroughly.
Could you please confirm this is possible on a tourist visa, and what procedures I need to go through. I also saw that you have some tax free zones, like Iquique, can I purchase a vehicle there as well ? would the conditions be the same ?
I plan on leaving for Santiago in November 2009 and spending a month there (if anybody knows of a small studio or bedroom up for rent) to enable me to look for the famous car and take the opportunity to get acquainted with the chilean culture.
I'm looking for a second hand confortalbe 4WD (where I could sleep in), so oculd you let me know which are the most popular in Chile, and if possible Argentina and Brazil (Suzuki, Nissan and Hyundia seem to be popular) ? that would be a great help.
I have a French driving license so I guess that should do it.

Please help.

I did not find the right solution from the internet.

References:
https://www.allchile.net/viewtopic.php?t=3065
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Thanks!