How are you planning to get the car to South America? The PanAmerican Highway has not been open through the Darien Gap area in Panama for close to twenty years. There are trails, but walking it is not possible because you have to contend with local tribes, drug traffickers from Colombia hiding out, gang members from Colombia hiding out, and, oh yes, there is no government presence at all. No towns, no mayors, no police no army.

So if you are going to South America, you will have to ship the car, leave it, or sell it. You can't sell it, because what you guarantee when you enter a country with a car is just that, that you will not sell it and you will remove it. You won't be able to leave it there after your visa expires either. And if you planned a one-way trip, with a car sale and a flight at the end, that won't be allowed either.

And be sure you have your paperwork in order, make sure you have all the numbers from all the documents recorded somewhere, and you should probably scan them and store them on the internet somewhere (I use a notes section that comes with my e-mail). Because you have to have them with the car, and if you car is stolen, and the papers are inside, you will be in for a lot of hassle even with copies. And if you store them on your computer and that is stolen...

Also, check into safety as far as driving through Guatemala is concerned.