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expatsinmexico

Jul 25, 2011, 11:12 AM

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Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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We have sold our house and are ready to head down to Ajijic the end of April, 2012. We have two vehicles and are going to sell them because they are not a good fit for the Lake Chapala area. The trip from Washington State is about 4400 miles. Are we better off to look at flying down and buying after we get an FM3 or buying a car here and making the expensive trip down? We are looking for a very low mileage (under 50,000 miles) 2004-2009 medium or small SUV. (Jeep Liberty, Chev Envoy, Chev Trail Blazer, Nissan Xterra, Hyundai Santa Fe, Dodge Durango, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Wrangler X Unlimited) Washington State does not require us to present proof of insurance for renewal but we have an 8% sales tax. Also , we have sold or given away most everything and don't have much to take with us. Would love to hear some recommendations. Thank-you, Frank

(This post was edited by bound4ajijic on Jul 25, 2011, 1:40 PM)

Axixic

Jul 25, 2011, 1:51 PM

Post #2 of 31 (4858 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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I hate to advise anyone about buying a car but why not look on the internet, find one in Texas, fly there and drive down.

This is just what I've been told, but vehicles are more expensive in Mexico and might not have been as well maintained.

expatsinmexico

Jul 25, 2011, 2:54 PM

Post #3 of 31 (4842 views)

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Re: [Axixic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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Have thought of that. but been given advise to the contrary. Perhaps because of the time and expense of staying and waiting in Texas for plates to get to us from Washington State (Home) or South Dakota. I have also read North Dakota is cracking down on non-resident plating so have some concerns there. The major reason for me is to avoid the problems in and around Laredo and the other US Border areas.

(This post was edited by bound4ajijic on Jul 25, 2011, 2:56 PM)

tashby

Jul 25, 2011, 3:18 PM

Post #4 of 31 (4835 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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Just buy a car in Guadalajara. Every kind is available. Earlier this year, a friend bought a 2005 Toyota RAV 4, and in February, I bought a 2005 Honda CR-V. Both of them are in excellent shape, low-ish mileage and have been well-maintained. Prices were comparable to US. (In fact, based on internet comparison prices, we both paid less here than we would have in the U.S.)

There are pros and cons to having Mexican plates, but in my view the pros outweigh the cons.

johanson

Jul 25, 2011, 3:44 PM

Post #5 of 31 (4823 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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I have a place in Ajijic and up north. And have been commuting between either the Vancouver, BC or SeaTac airport and Mexico for 14 years. I go back and forth 3 to 4 times per year and have never contemplated driving. However I did fly up from Ajijic to San Antonio, Texas in 2000 and purchase a two door Ford Explorer Sport (Smaller SUV) and drive it down. It was a good decision. Oh, and the last time I was able to update my tabs was in 2004. Since then when Texas insisted I have Texas insurance (I only have Mexican Ins.) I haven't bothered to get tab updates. (No I don't drive the car to the US) and there is no problem.

These days, I would also contemplate buying used SUV locally should I need a replacement. Either option could be a good decision if you get a good price.

jrpierce

Jul 26, 2011, 7:26 AM

Post #6 of 31 (4764 views)

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Re: [johanson] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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My wife and I purchased a used SUV here in Morelia. The Mexican owner was the original purchaser, had all his paperwork, and had maintained it on the recommended schedule with the dealer and had all the service reports.

We had to look around for awhile to find this vehicle, and found a number of cars that had "funny" paperwork (a title not in the name of the seller, or a title from another city in Mexico), and no service records (thus no proof the odometer had been tampered with or that the car had been properly serviced). There's quite a business in stolen vehicles being resold in Mexico, so one needs to be careful about reviewing the documents. It was a piece of cake to transfer the ownership with the authorities.

It was not an unpleasant experience and we would do it again.

Jim

expatsinmexico

Aug 1, 2011, 10:15 AM

Post #7 of 31 (4553 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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Can anyone tell me about a sales service in Ajijic that will assist you in finding a car new or used. I ran across a reference to them some month ago but have not been able to find it again. Are they reputable? What is the cost etc?

bournemouth

Aug 1, 2011, 10:37 AM

Post #8 of 31 (4545 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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S & S Auto in Riberas del Pilar - they are reputable - I have no knowledge of costs but the website may cover that:

http://www.ssauto.com.mx/contact.html

expatsinmexico

Aug 1, 2011, 10:42 AM

Post #9 of 31 (4540 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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Thank-you

Gringal

Aug 2, 2011, 9:58 AM

Post #10 of 31 (4443 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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We bought a new car last year through S&S auto. Great service; no hassles, good pricing, nice people. Recommended.
For a fee, they will drive you to the major dealers in Guadalajara to kick all the tires you are interested in. Easy peasy.

expatsinmexico

Aug 2, 2011, 10:05 AM

Post #11 of 31 (4437 views)

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Re: [Gringal] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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What about low mileage used cars? Are they able to help you find those?

jerezano

Aug 2, 2011, 11:01 AM

Post #12 of 31 (4402 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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Hello all,

The Mexican customs people (aduana) have new rules on temporary importation of automobiles to Mexico. Those new rules require deposit of a $200 to $400 us dollar bond (depends on age of model) which will be returned to you when you remove the vehicle from Mexico permanently. Keep this in mind when making your decision. I personally don't like the idea of freezing $400 of my money for a long period of time. I would rather be getting some work out it. A couple weeks of a tourist visit would not be a problem for me.

To me (I am now driving a grandfathered temporary importation permitted Texas plated 2010 model car here in Mexico) this new requirement would automatically turn me to purchase of a used car in Mexico. I had one in the past and it worked quite well except that I needed to buy US daily insurance on my frequent trips to Texas. This was no real problem except that I had to have a Mexican Driving License (my state is Zacatecas) before I could buy that daily insurance. I understand that some states raise problems in granting that license to foreign non-permanent residents. Here in Zacatecas there was no problem.

Better check either option ( US vs. Mexico) and compare benefits and deficits before making a bad decision.

As ever, jerezano

Gringal

Aug 2, 2011, 11:26 AM

Post #13 of 31 (4391 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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Here is the way you can ask them that question directly:

S&S Auto: Their ad in the local phonebook says new and used car sales
Tel (376-76 5-4800 ir 765-4806
email: ssauto@laguna.com.mx
ssauto@prodigy.net.mx
Website:www.ssauto.com.mx

CanuckBob

Aug 2, 2011, 5:23 PM

Post #14 of 31 (4342 views)

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Re: [Gringal] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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Hi Frank, if you want to look at prices of used autos in the area you can check out this link. It is like the Mexican Auto Trader. You can use Google translation on it of you need to.

http://soloautos.com.mx/index/index.php

Bob
Inside Lakeside
http://www.insidelakeside.com

Grieger-Lods

Aug 4, 2011, 12:48 PM

Post #15 of 31 (4261 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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Check out: www.vivastreet.com.mx We had 3 vehicles which we sold last summer before moving to Puebla. We went online and found the perfect car for us while still in the US. We called a friend in Puebla who looked at it, drove it, deemed it perfect, and used the money we wired to purchase it for us. He put it in his wife's name (my friend) until we arrived. The night we made our final move we flew down with four adults, 3 cats, 1 dog, and 12 suitcases. The car (a red 10 year old Ford Expedition-Eddie Bauer) was sitting in our driveway. Over and over we congratulate ourselves on the decision we made. It is the perfect vehicle for us and our life here. Good luck.

expatsinmexico

Aug 4, 2011, 7:23 PM

Post #16 of 31 (4212 views)

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Re: [Grieger-Lods] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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Thank you so much for the link and the information.

Papirex

Aug 5, 2011, 6:21 PM

Post #17 of 31 (4128 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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There are at least two states that will not issue a Mexican drivers license license to a non-Mexican citizen. Rolly lives in one of those states, if a person has powerful friends, there are sometimes ways around the laws.

Here in Morelos state, a non-Mexican citizen will not be issued a drivers license for longer than a one year term, the license must be renewed annually. It is a small annual expense, but it is more of an annoyance than anything.

I have owned Mexican registered cars for a couple of decades here, and I just bought another one. The best advice I can give anyone that is buying a car here, is to slow down for the topes, and you won't need to waste any money buying a SUV, or a pickup truck.

Rex
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

joaquinx

Aug 6, 2011, 6:08 AM

Post #18 of 31 (4081 views)

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Re: [Papirex] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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In Veracruz, those with an FM3/No Inmigrado can only get a Permiso to drive, not a Licencia. It is good for six months and costs around 400 pesos. With an FM2/ Inmigrado, it costs the same but good for four or five years.
_______
My desire to be well-informed is currently at odds with my desire to remain sane.

expatsinmexico

Aug 6, 2011, 8:00 PM

Post #19 of 31 (4016 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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I am confused. Is a Mexican drivers license required to buy and operate a Mexican plated car?

DavidHF

Aug 7, 2011, 7:25 AM

Post #20 of 31 (3970 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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No, your WA license is fine.

bournemouth

Aug 7, 2011, 7:42 AM

Post #21 of 31 (3964 views)

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Re: [DavidHF] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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I suspect it depends on what Mexican state you are in.

Rolly

Aug 7, 2011, 8:09 AM

Post #22 of 31 (3955 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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Yes, it does depend upon the state laws. A foreign license is good in all states for rental cars, but some states do require owners to have a Mexican license. I'm sorry that I lost the list of those states, so one should inquire locally.
Actually, you really should have a Mexican license to avoid conflicts with cops who don't know the rules.
That was the advice given to me by the lady in the "DMV" office when I first came to México.

Rolly Pirate

Papirex

Aug 7, 2011, 9:42 AM

Post #23 of 31 (3939 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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A comment on drivers licenses here is that a US drivers license is valid in México, and a Mexican drivers license is valid in The US. Not all policemen are aware of all international agreements, so you may need to see a judge to have all charges dropped, and to have your Mexican drivers license returned to you NOB.

My Mexican wife and I kept our US drivers licenses until they expired, it was then simpler to just get Mexican licenses here. Do not waste your money getting an International Drivers license. They are not recognized in México.

I have only made a couple of trips to The US in the past decade or so. I always stay with one of my widowed daughters up there. She lives alone, and she has two cars. She always loans me one of her cars when I am there. I drive it with impunity, using my Mexican drivers license.

An interesting thing happened a few years ago. My wife was involved in a little fender-bender accident .after she had her Mexican drivers license, but before her US license expired. Another car had pulled into the small space between her and the car ahead of her, and immediately slammed on his brakes. She bumped his bumper.

We had to follow the police car to the station so the investigators could determine if she was at fault. The investigators are usually too lazy to leave their office to investigate any accident in the field. They determined that my wife needed to pay a small fine. To assure that she would go to the Transito office to pay it, they took her Mexican drivers license, it would be returned when she paid the fine. They did give her a temporary pasteboard license to use until the fine was paid.

As we were walking out to our van, she asked another policeman how long before the temporary license expired? He pointed to The US plates that were still on the van, and asked her if she still had an American license? When she told him yes, he said “No problem, use that one.”

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Rex
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

expatsinmexico

Aug 8, 2011, 12:30 PM

Post #24 of 31 (3825 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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I'm sorry I guess I should of mentioned that we would be in Jaisco.....What I am hearing sounds like you can purchase and operate a car in Jalisco with a US license.

DavidHF

Aug 8, 2011, 2:49 PM

Post #25 of 31 (3790 views)

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Re: [bound4ajijic] Buying Mexico Car or Driving

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That's correct.

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