Job Discussion Forums

Athanasius · Joined: 07 Oct 2005 Posts: 5

Thanks for the responses everyone.

I think I do need a car in SLP...that's what I've been told by one of the natives, anyway. Their bus system is better than the ones we have here in the USA but it's still a pain apparently.

I would rather sell my car and save the money, that's for sure. How much do bus rides normally cost in Mexico?

Let me ask this question too, since in my first message I was trying to ascertain my expenses: what wage can I realistically expect, given the following:

1. I have merely an internet certification (Bridge-Linguatec), and have little teaching experience (negligible in fact).

2. I am a well published political opinion writer with lots of major newspapers under my belt, like the Wall Street Journal for example, although I haven't written for publication since 1994. Don't ask, please! (It's a long story.)

3. I do speak conversational Spanish, although I'm not fluent.

4. I have a B.S. in Economics

5. I'm a natural-born English teacher -- my grandmother, uncle, mother, and cousin on my grandmother's side all teach or taught it, and I love to teach, period.

I have heard that pay can go up to 10 USD an hour in SLP, although I'm sure that isn't even close to the norm. What can I realistically expect?

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

In my local area, the transit buses charge 2 pesos a ride.

I would guess that with a bachelors and a TEFL certificate, you'll have little trouble finding work, but it may not be the greatest because you have no English teaching experience. A typical job at a language school might pay 6000 to 8000 pesos a month. If you land a job at a university (extremely unlikely without teaching experience) you could earn as much as 10000 pesos a month.

We have a new teacher who moved here recently from SLP. She paid 2500 for a small furnished townhouse. A small apartment, utilities, and groceries might say you back, say, 3000 pesos a month. If you like to dine out a lot and have gringo luxuries, expect that to double.

thelmadatter · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:11 pm Post subject: ?

Hey Samantha... are you predicting that I will be in Mexico that long? I know it is starting to look like it but wow.... Laughing

Can Mexico sometimes be like the La Brea Tar Pits... only meaning to stop for a while but then a million years from now, someone will find my fossilized bones here Laughing

*Politically Correct Legal Disclaimer... the above is meant only for humour... I do not mean anything negative toward Mexico.... just couldnt think of a better analogy.

Seriously.. I will think about your suggestions.... it sure would be fun to shop for a new car! Ill go with VW if I can... I just don't trust American-brand cars.

MELEE · Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 2:29 pm Post subject:

After years of thinking about bringing down a car, I ended up buying one here. Mainly because I had twins, and live outside of town and wouldn't have been able to leave the house without a car. I bought a 92 Bocho, the best thing about it is I paid cash! I did look into buying a new car, mainly because cars hold their value so much more here than they do in the US. To get credit, go to the dealership with your pay stubs and if you really make enough to afford it, they'll be more than happy to give you the credit. Of course, I did this in a small town, where everyone knows more or less how much the university professors make.

leslie · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 235

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

I don't think this applies to foreign plated cars...only Mexican, or foreign cars that have been 'nationalized'. The system is called 'tenecia'. That's as much as I know about it as I don't have a car.

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

It's "tenencia". Smile

New Haven · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 52 Location: Merida, Mexico

I will be moving to Merida, where I've recently purchased a home, in February, after doing my CELTA certification program in Carmen del Playa. Hope to get a job as quickly as I can after certification, then returning back to US in the summer to move all my worldly good to Merida. My question: I have 2 cars, a Mazda "beater" 14 years old, no AC and a late model Toyota convertible with A/C and the usual whistles and bells. I'd like to bring the convertible and get rid of the beater. But realize that this might be asking for trouble. Any advice? Thanks.

MELEE · Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 5:32 pm Post subject:

My advice is to get rid of them both. Niether Toyota nor Mazda do much buisness in Mexico. That means parts and mechanics familiar with the cars will be hard to find. Get a car with no bells and whistles, they are only problems waiting to happen. Manually roll down window and manually lock doors! Even in the US I had a 82 Chevy Cavalier, in 93 one of the power windows went down and never came back up--this was Feb, in IOWA!!! it cost me 50 cents in parts and 50 dollar in labor to get the window back up.
If I were in your position, I'd buy an old VW camper van, you can fit more of your stuff in it on the way down, and travel around the southeast of Mexico in it once your here AND would never have problems finding a mechanic familiar with the car (heck you could probably learn to fix it yourself) and parts are easy to come by.

BUT I'd never own a toyota convertable so we may just be too different for my advice to be worthwhile Laughing

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

That is very good advice.

snorklequeen · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:10 am Post subject: Cars in Mexico

bummer about the Toyotas and repairs!

wonder if i can get by in the DF area with a 1995 Toyota Corolla 4-door sedan? they don't need a lot of repair -- mostly oil changes and a tune-up every two years

i recently bought a DieHard battery from Sears so that should last

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

Cdaniels · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:55 pm Post subject: Cars in Mexico

Honda does business in Mexico, right? Do they sell very different models? For parts, I've hear of some local US mechanics recommending a person buy certain parts, (including tires) on the internet. Apparently you can find stuff cheaper there than in any mechanic's shop. I wonder if you could have parts shipped to Mexico? Confused

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

Honda is a pricey brand in Mexico...I've never seen the little three door Civics here that are quite popular in Canada, but they do have the larger Accord Sedans.

I would bet it would be expensive to have parts shipped to Mexico. There are are some big companies here that produce auto parts and ship them north, but parts you can't find in Mexico? Might be easier and cheaper to get body parts replaced!

M@tt · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 473 Location: here and there

I thought I'd throw in my situation into the mix.
I live in DF, I'm planning on staying for awhile, or at least for as long as I can tolerate it. I don't really feel like I NEED a car here but it might be nice... I have a 97 Nissan Maxima in the States that is sitting in my parents' driveway, just depreciating. I bought it used for about $2000 under book value and I love it. I know it doesn't make much sense to drive it all the way down to DF but I almost don't want to sell it... It's the first car I've owned that I didn't hate.

Having said that, I'm not sure there's any point to driving it down, either... It is DF, after all. There are traffic, parking, and criminal issues to think about.
Any thoughts? What about repairs on a Nissan? I know they're all over the place here, but maybe the parts are slightly different? I'm not really sure. I don't want to sell the thing, and I don't want to bring it since I don't feel like I really need it. At the same time, I can't just leave it in my parents' driveway forever and let it rot. What would you do in my position?