MexConnect.com Forums: General: Living, Working, Retiring: How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently: Page 2

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bournemouth

Mar 23, 2006, 9:16 AM

Post #26 of 44 (1005 views)

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Re: [dlyman6500] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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But if you have an accident and don't have insurance - well, I don't even want to think about it. Only total fools would go without Mexican insurance.

Bloviator

Mar 23, 2006, 9:51 AM

Post #27 of 44 (999 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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Agreed. We have insurance, but weren't asked about it at the border. In fact, our Jeep is double insured for the next few days as we went ahead and renewed it when getting insurance for the Mountaineer. Now I'm sweating out what to do if I get in an accident while I have both policies. I'm afraid that the companies will fight over who is stuck paying and neither will do so.

Papirex

Mar 23, 2006, 9:52 AM

Post #28 of 44 (998 views)

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Re: [Rolly] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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Rolly, as I’m sure you know the rules are the rules, and the law is the law, but the reality is the person you are dealing with at any Mexican government office.

It’s been over five years since we brought our last car into Mexico. At that time, I presented copies of the car’s latest registration and title to the Aduana at the border. They would not accept them. Only originals were accepted. I had them with me and had to go out to the car to get them.

As we learned in the military, be prepared for the worst, then no matter what happens, you will be ready. If they say an original document isn’t required, I bring the original. If they say they want a copy of a document, I bring three copies. If they say they want two copies, I bring four. They almost always ask for more copies than they think you have so you will have to go to cousin Beto’s copy shop next door to buy more.

I would rather have something I don’t need with me, than to not have something they want with me.

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

Bubba

Mar 23, 2006, 10:20 AM

Post #29 of 44 (991 views)

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Re: [jerezano] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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Jerezano is correct that joint ownership of the car is OK but - and this is a very important but - joint ownerhgip of the car means nothing to the aduana agents. The car must be exported by the person who imported it - not the joint owner. I am not kidding about this I am dead serious.

Also, the credit card must be in the name of the person importing it. Period! This is true even if the credit card is a joint account and the spouse is standing there proferring his/her card. . Not only that - if you post a cash bond in lieu of a credit card, at the end of six months they will snatch your money and it is gone. This will not happen with a credit card.

I'll tell you that if the United States Gov'ment was 1/2 as efficient as the Mexican Gov'ment when it comes to importing cars, Bin Ladin could kiss our (U.S.) butts.

indyoldguy

Mar 23, 2006, 12:09 PM

Post #30 of 44 (984 views)

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Re: [jerezano] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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I have now read almost everything on your website about everything. I am still somewhat confused about US car registration. It seems reasonable to me change my US address to that of my sister and keep a valid US license and registration there " just in case" although it looks like I would then have to keep up US car insurance - a serious negative. I could do my US banking there and Medicare registration. The South Dakota thing looks really good but doesn't that leave me out of the US loop for Mediacre , etc. in case I return ? Another question - does the state of the license plate have to match your driver's license - ala South Dakota.

Sorry about all the questions but I don't trust officials anywhere and want to prepare as much as possible for their caprice.

Bloviator

Mar 23, 2006, 12:42 PM

Post #31 of 44 (976 views)

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Re: [indyoldguy] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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Unless you plan to drive in the US or your state requires proof of insurance to register your car, you don't need to keep it. Even if it is required, you can cancel it soon after registration. Insurance for driving in the US is another issue.

I have been unable to locate a source for insurance in California to apply only when I am there. Evidently, Lloyd's has sources for insurance in Texas and other states, but not for CA. Before my next trip I'm going to do some serious searching to find insurance as my car was stolen last week in CA. Luckily it was insured (my CA car, now in Ajijic) and returned within the week.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to insure my car while in CA. So far, the only solution I have found is to keep it insured all the time - a real waste of $$$.

Georgia

Mar 24, 2006, 6:55 AM

Post #32 of 44 (926 views)

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Re: [dlyman6500] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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This insurance business in the US is tricky depending on the state. New York, for example, is impossible: you must have it insured (big bucks) to have it registered, and if you don't, you lose your driver's license. So, be sure to check your state's regs wherever you have your car registered.

Many down here register their cars in South Dakota because you don't have to live there, have a driver's license there, or keep it insured there when it is out of the country.

Now, as to California: I don't know what their insurance law permits, but here are some of the questions you might ask both an insurance agent and/or the department of motor vehicles there (check their website):
1. If my insurance lapses, what happens to my registration and driver's license? (if the answer is "nothing," let the insurance lapse or cancel it after the car is registered and brought to Mexico.)
2. Is there a lower insurance rate for when the car is in "storage" or out of the country?
3. Can I just have the very lowest liability limit on my insurance that is required by state law, and switch back to comprehensive and higher limits when the car is returned to the country?

Here's what we do: we have two cars registered in Texas and we have driver's licenses from Texas. (We are former NYS residents and the insurance requirements there were impossible for us living here. Our daughter lives in Texas, so that is our US residence.) We have one auto insurance policy, lowest limit of liability available. We switch that to whichever car we drive to Texas. As long as the car is insured on the date of the registration renewal, we are aok. We put on additional insurance for the time we drive there, depending on which car we have. (One is a "cargo" car, caravan-style, the other is a bit more luxurious - at least to us.)

hassmarciaj

Mar 25, 2006, 8:37 AM

Post #33 of 44 (892 views)

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Re: [jerezano] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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I was just at a Toyota dealer last night and asked about the VIN on a Toyota Tacoma, which only had 20 percent parts from Japan, the rest being from USA and Canada, AND it had been assembled in USA. My thought that it would not be classified as Japanese was correct. The new VIN numbers that start with 5 on the Toyotas mean they are considered USA cars. Thanks to this forum, was I even smart enough to ask the question. However, do not take my word as God... but be sure to ask your Toyota dealer what that VIN is/means.

Moisheh

Mar 31, 2006, 6:00 PM

Post #34 of 44 (840 views)

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Re: [Georgia] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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Georgia: You MUST have a SD drivers license to register your car in SD. Renewals must be done in person.

Moisheh

Georgia

Mar 31, 2006, 8:24 PM

Post #35 of 44 (821 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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That hasn't been the experience of people around here: or is it NORTH Dakota? Anyway.... lots of Dakota license plates Lakeside.

Ron Pickering W3FJW

Mar 31, 2006, 9:06 PM

Post #36 of 44 (817 views)

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Re: [Georgia] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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South Dakota is a state that offers vehicle registration, home address for RVers. There are mail services that forward mail to where ever. One of the requirements is that you also get a drivers license with the address of record. I'm not sure, but I would imagine that one would have to return to have a picture taken for a renewal. Probably every 5 years or so. Are those Dakota license plates current or expired. I would imagine from the remarks I've heard on the forum and elsewhere that they're not renewed when they expire and since the Mx government doesn't seem to check, all is apparently well.
Getting older and still not down here.

Moisheh

Apr 1, 2006, 5:29 AM

Post #37 of 44 (791 views)

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Re: [Ron Pickering W3FJW] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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Ron: They must be expired. I inquired about registering a vehicle in S.D. and the DMV reuires a SD driver's license. It must be renewed in person.

Moisheh

Georgia

Apr 5, 2006, 10:27 AM

Post #38 of 44 (733 views)

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Re: [Rolly] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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Rolly, a question I've never seen answered: if one wishes - or must - because of migratory status - have his/her car nationalized when it is less than ten years old, can't it be done by paying some confiscatory import duty?? If so, what is the percentage of book value?

Rolly

Apr 5, 2006, 11:08 AM

Post #39 of 44 (728 views)

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Re: [Georgia] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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I have heard, but don't know for sure, that it can be done for 40% plus other fees. I have also heard that it can only be done at the border. But all this just hearsay.

Rolly Pirate

mexijo

Apr 22, 2006, 10:42 AM

Post #40 of 44 (667 views)

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Re: [dandl] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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I found that prices for used cars have dropped a lot over the last 2 years. They are now (here in Oaxaca) almost the same as in the states.
For example we are now selling our Neon 2000, 97.000km, AC, all paperwork in order and we are expecting to sell it at about 40.000 Pesos. Two years ago a car like that would have cost 60.000 Pesos.
____________________________
www.house-oaxaca.com

Bloviator

Apr 23, 2006, 6:35 AM

Post #41 of 44 (624 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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Evidently the rules vary depending on county. There is one county where one can still get SD plates without an SD drivers license. I don't know the county, but the county seat is Vermillion. A friend recently got his SD plates and when this came up on another forum called SD and they confirmed that plates were still available.

People using SD plates emphasize that one should not contact the state DMV as they are likely to close the loophole (which is, I guess, legal) and spoil it for everyone.

It really is a problem. We recently sold our CA home. NoB, we would simply go to the DMV in our new home and get new plates and a local drivers license. Here, that does not seem to be a practical procedure. See above posting.

As of now, we have one car Non Oped in CA that we are driving here with Mex insurance and expired registration. Another with reg. due to expire in june and Mex insurance. We'll probably non op it also to keep our options open. In order to renew our CA reg. we need to provide a false address, get insurance that we won't use. Our CA insurance just expired and they won't renew it unless we pretend we are in CA. Since we are not, the insurance would be worthless except when we might be driving NoB.

The only three solutions that I can see are to pay the exhorbitant prices of legalizing the cars (2005 & 1998), getting SD plates, or just driving without registration. Insurance is even a bigger problem. We have good Mexican insurance, but when we go NoB, we now have no insurance and I can't seem to find any (I've just started a systematic search - this posting is part of it). Lloyd's seems to have sources for insurance in Texas and other states, but not for CA. So far, I have not found a practical source of insurance for use when NoB, that is not expensive and does not involve some sort of fraud.

johanson

Apr 23, 2006, 7:25 AM

Post #42 of 44 (614 views)

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Re: [dlyman6500] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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Here, lakeside, when I have an insurance problem that I do not know the answer to, I seek out a broker, not an agent. Remember, an agent is the agent of just one company, while an insurance broker can represent any number of companies offering various options to potential clients. (Isn't Lloyd's not a broker but an agent of one insurance company?) My Broker of choice, in the greater Ajijic-Chapala area is Parker Insurance.

I would check with them or with some other Broker. There has got to be a solution for California.

By the way for that car that you are not going to drive NoB, what is wrong with simply driving with expired tabs? If I understood the folks at www.Ajijiclaw.com correctly, this should not present a problem as long as you are in Mexico.

bournemouth

Apr 23, 2006, 8:27 AM

Post #43 of 44 (609 views)

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Re: [johanson] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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Pete - you are right in that one can drive a car with expired US tags, but I seem to remember that California is somewhat punitive about expired tags, when you want to sell the vehicle or return NOB. Bubba can fill us in on that aspect I think.

Bloviator

Apr 23, 2006, 9:28 AM

Post #44 of 44 (597 views)

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Re: [johanson] How to Import or bring a car/vehicle into Mexico permanently

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Thanks for the suggestion. I plan to visit Parker ASAP. I can drive with expired plates, but when I go NoB, I may have a problem. But as you say, just drive one car and not the other. I have solved the expired plate problem, with Non operating both cars. When or if I want to get OK with CA, I'll just stop at the first DMV office NoB and register the car.

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