Job Discussion Forums

Athanasius · Joined: 07 Oct 2005 Posts: 5

Hello all.

I plan to move to San Luis Potosi by Jan 06 to teach English. I want to take my car, but I am wondering about the financial feasibility of my plan. I'll have to make a 275USD/month payment, plus insurance of....how much? I think probably at least 60USD/month if I have a $500USD deductible, which seems to be normal for car insurance in Mex (which would cover the car itself, if stolen or damaged, and not just anyone I might hit).

Is it unrealistic to think I can make payments on this thing and cover my rent, food, clothing, etc., while working on a teacher's wage? If it is possible, what should I minimally make to make this feasible?

Also, can anyone give me an idea generally of what my monthly expenses are likely to be in SLP or another town in central Mexico? I mean the major categories, like rent, food, utilities, and misc. expenses.

Thanks in advance!

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Mexico forces you to purchase insurance from a Mexican company, or so I have heard from a half-reliable source.

Add into to your car budget all the bribes you'll have to pay for driving around with foreign plates. I'm not joking here. Cops are nasty with this stuff.

SLP can be a little pricey. A one -bedroom furnished apartment could run between 2000 and 5000 pesos per month. A homestay or furnished room would be a little better, between 1500 and 3000 pesos. Food is cheap if you cook at home, and still cheap is you eat at the right places. Utilities are often included when renting a furnished set-up, otherwise, will run no more than an extra 1000 pesos per month (gas, lights, water). Telephone service is all over the place on price. Anywhere from a few pesos per call from the payphone to costly setup fees and a long wait to have HellMex put a line into your abode.

On a bright note, one litre bottles of beer cost 13 pesos.

magpie · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 54

I had my 2000 Honda Civic with me in Mexico. I NEVER had any problem anywhere with bribes or robbery, etc., And I drove from south Veracruz state to the US several times. However, I am very careful with my car and had it parked in a private yard when not in use.

I bought insurance at the border from Sanborn's, but I know there are other places as well, but you MUST have car insurance before you cross the border. I would not have considered bringing a vehicle if it had not already been paid for. It's hard enough to make ends meet on normal expenses for most teachers, much less carrying a car or student loan. Try to pay off the car first if you still intend to bring it--or get rid of it if you don't need it while you're in Mexico

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

I bought my car in Mexico, with Mexican plates, and transfered it over to my name (which was a minor saga, trying to register an out-of-state car in a small town in Oaxaca) and never had a peso of insurance. I took the car to Guatemala and back into Mexico despite warnings from another car owner that I would need insurance, but at neither crossing did the question ever arise as to insurance.

As to making car payments on a teacher's salary, I would say not even a little bit possible.

Flo · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 112

I would assume that if you are making payments on your car you have to have full coverage insurance in the US until the car is paid off. In Mexico, you will also need Mexican insurance. Realistically, the car payments, double insurance, and fuel will most likely be about 1/2 your monthly teacher income.

On top of that, the roads in Mexico are terrible. Your car will probably get the crap beat out of it while it is there (mine sure did). Getting an older, yet realible, and cheaper car that you won't have to make payments on might be a better option.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

I don't know how it is in San Luis Potos�, but way down here in the southeast, if you need a part replaced on your car, and the mechanic says, "We don't have it in stock, but we can order it from Mexico City and have it here in a few days," that's usually the kiss of death. "A few days" can easily mean 2 or 3 months or even longer, especially if the car wasn't manufactured in Mexico.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

You will need formal written (notarized?) permission to bring a car with a lien on it into Mexico. Some credit companies will NOT grant that permission. That is the first thing you have to check and then find a work-around if that's the case.

Insurance is actually not mandatory in Mexico, so many people do not have it. They do require foreign plated vehicles to prove insurance upon getting the permits to enter Mexico, at least at the crossing where my car was imported. I would be nervous letting it lapse because generally the participants of an accident end up at the police station or the jail house, especially if there is no insurance. The judge decides who is at fault. Having an insurance adjuster makes that go so much better!

I pay under $200.00 US a year for what the insurance agent refers to as a "tourist" policy, basic liability insurance. My husband pays more for Mexican insurance on his beat up nationalized Ford Ranger. The deductible is high for theft insurance so I take my chances. They use a blue book type to determine value of the vehicle.

If your car is at all different or something that they don't see often here, bring a repair manual they can look at. The mechanics find my car intriguing so we keep an eye on them to make sure no weird scientific experiments are conducted! (I was rather impressed when they popped in a VW oil filter in place of the former, pricey Benz oil filter. It fit perfectly)

Incidentally I have had no problems with the police in the 5 years I have been driving here, in either vehicle. They do like their new radar guns though.

MELEE · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 6:11 pm Post subject:

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

It's you damned Edomex people that make all the smog here. 8 million in DF swells to 25 million every day for all the cars in from Satelite, Lomas, and beyond. Should be hoy y nunca circulan los mexiquenses. S'what public transport is for.

thelmadatter · Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:46 pm Post subject: pinche chilango

Dang Guy... youre starting to sound like a pinche chilango! Much like the guy Im seeing... took me 15 minutes yesterday to get him to correctly write down my new phone number... seems the idea of a phone number that isnt 8 digits long was just too weird for him!

Back on topic. Im playing with the idea of having a vehicle (not to drive to Mexico City - Toluca is bad enough!) bascially a very small truck - more or less the Chevy Courier size or the VW equivalent. My dilemma is this... do I buy a used one in the States (would have to be a cash sale - I have an excellent credit rating but no job and no cosigners) or do I buy one here (new or used). I understand that used vehicles are more expensive here but I do not want to pay insurance in both countries. I heard on one of my last trips to Arizona that it is possible to buy a car there and register it as "permanently out of the country" allowing me to get AZ plates but no insurance. (of course Mexican insurance is a no-brainer - esp for a foreigner like me!) I have not been able to verify this. I could buy a used car outright in the States as I have enough saved. A Canadian I work with seems concerned about the fact that I would be buying it after getting my FM3, but I havent heard any problems with this.

If I buy one here, any chance of getting credit? Just HOW does one get credit here? Ive been here for 2.5 years and have a good, steady job. But somehow I think my FM3 would cause creditors (for a new or used car) concern that I would skip out on them. Also, if I buy a car here -- I would most likely have to sell it if/when I go back to the States - right? Or could I legalize it there? I suppose I could buy a car cash here too although my savings are in the States. (less temptation that way Very Happy

)

So many considerations... I dont know where to start!

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Do you have a Mexican bank account? If you do, and you've had a good relationship with them for some time, you could try that. Or...do you have Auto-Fin in Toluca? they might set you up for something.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

If I were to do it over again, I would buy a car here rather than import one because I will be getting my citizenship and a foreign car then becomes a problem. (I imported it on my FM3 - there is no problem with that and it is legal in Mexico as long as your FM3 is current).

Buying a car here means you can resell it when the mood strikes. A little pick-up will always be in demand here. We bought an imported Ford Ranger that had been nationalized, and the thing to consider (that we didn't) is that any major repairs are expensive....the mechanic has warned us that if a water pump goes, it has to be ordered in and will be pricey. We are thinking of selling it and buying something else. So buy locally and buy something made in Mexico, would be my advice.

Have fun car shopping.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Do you have to have a car in SLP? It might make more sense to get by with public transport. If you feel the need for your own wheels, you may also want to consider getting a scooter or small motorcycle. I and several of my co-workers have them, and they're ideal for short distances.