Job Discussion Forums

jimssam · Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 3

Hello,

My boss bought a home in Cabo San Lucas last year and would like to take a car down there and leave it there for his use when he visits. Does the car have to be a certain age, or can it be any car? He had heard that it had to be at least 3 years old.

Thank you!

Jim's Sam

danielita · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 281 Location: SLP

If you are bringing your car in and staying with it, it doesn't matter how old it is (mine was 2 weeks old when I brought it in). You will get a permit and it is good for as long as your visa is valid. However, the vehicle must leave when you do or you can get in serious trouble with customs....

jimssam · Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 3

I think he wants to leave it there, so that when he travels there he can use it. He lives in Sacramento, and does not want the hassle of renting a car everytime, so he'd just as soon leave one there. If he does that, does it have to be a certain age?

MELEE · Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:39 pm Post subject:

You might have more sucess with this question on the mexconnect forums. There are retiree types who come and go on those forums.

My husband and I imported a car, it had to be ten years old for the program we went through, and it had to be a truck, van, minivan, or suv.

you could also contact aduana: http://www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/A_Vehiculos_3.htm

or just buy a car in Mexico and not have the hassel...

jimssam · Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 3

Thank you for your help.

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

Baja California seems to be a country of it's own when it comes to this type of thing. Cool

See: http://www.bajabound.com/before/permits/vehicle.asp

Vehicle Permits
Do I need a permit to bring my Vehicle into Mexico?
Driving in Baja, Sonora, and Border Zones
You do not need a permit for your vehicle if you do not plan to drive south of 25 kilometers (16 miles) from the border, known as the "border zone", or anywhere in the Baja California peninsula or western Sonora.

business2300 · Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 60

I've read that if you plan on selling a car in mexico, it must be a minimum of 10 years old..... is that accurate?

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

This really isn't the forum for these types of questions. You probably should join Mexconnect forum where you will find accurate answer to things outside of teaching English. Several lawyers frequent that forum as well as other up-to-date experts. No offence but you really need to do more research because things you have gleaned here and there seem to be really confusing you.

If you bring a foreign plated vehicle into Mexico on a temporary import permit which is what most foreigners with cars do, you are not allowed to sell it in Mexico. It is against the laws. It must be removed from the country, permit scraped off by officials and then you can do what you want with it. If there ever is another window of opportunity to legalize a vehicle in Mexico and you are on an FM2 or FM3, it must fit a specified certain criteria to legalize it and a fee will be levied for that process. A friend of mine just did one in the last window which expired May 31, 2006 and it cost her about $500.00USD to legalize her 13 year old car- more than the car is worth on the books but it has sentimental value and she will never take it back to the USA. Most foreigners on FM3's see no reason to nationalize their foreign plated cars as it is much cheaper to keep it here as a foreign vehicle. No new registrations needed, just an annual insurance policy.

I think you can join Mexconnect for free for a week, and read all the posts during that time.