Job Discussion Forums

scott wilhelm · Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Posts: 63 Location: st louis, mo

I am thinking about making my move to Mexico by way of my old (105,000 mile) car. The main reason I would like to have a car in Mexico, is for weekend whitewater paddling trips in the mountains of Veracruz or Jalisco. For work, I would take buses.
Is it expensive to maintain, fuel and insure a car in Mexico ? Can it be done on the salaries one is likely to encounter in the language schools ?
Thanks for any advice on this.

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

I have had a car for the past year, it is an old nacional (Made In Mexico) Chrysler.

Gas is a bit over $6 a liter for Manga, Premium (Higher octane) is about $7.12 a liter, no idea if prices differ in different places.

Registering in my name was a major time draining hassle, but as I had planned to cross into GUatemala with it I wanted it legally in my name. All up costs were about $2500, plus days and days and MANY circles. This is in Oaxaca state, which has a reputation for being expensive for vehicle paperwork.

Mechanical repairs are way cheaper than in my native New Zealand or Australia, a good mechanic can fix things up with bits of metal and wires instead of expensive genuine parts. I don't even bother to change my own oil, the mechanic charges so little.

Fuel consumption is pretty outrageous, because the town is full of topes and potholes, I spend more time in 2nd and 3rd than in top gear. The sun here has done horros for the paintwork, which wasn't real great to begin with.

It's really worth having a car if you live in a smaller town, in Mexico City though I would prefer to use public transport.

BTW I can sell you mine if you are coming to Oaxaca state, 1986 Chrysler Volare (similar to Plymouth Reliant) for only $12,500, papers all in order.

thelmadatter · Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 12:56 pm Post subject: money

Might want to note that those prices are in pesos. Took me six months to stop reading $ as U.S. dollars! Laughing

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

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

In April of 1994 I drove across the border in an 1965 VW Beetle with a Superbeetle engine--already adjusted by the VW specialist in Santa Fe, NM, for the elevation of Mexico City since they are the same. I bought it to bring here, as during the 2 years I had been going back and forth doing research for a book I had rented Beetles here. The minute I crossed the border in Ciudad Ju�rez people were running up to me with cash in their hands--a US-made Beetle is something that makes folks go crazy here. (I even had a guy barge into my classroom at Harmon Hall with money in his hand because he saw the Beetle in the parking lot!)

The Beetle was deflowered 4 days after crossing the border outside my friends' home on Calzado del Desierto de los Leones in Mexico City, and I had to track down a replacement rear side window on the other side of the city, find the place, and have it installed. While I was there I could have sold the car for 4 times what I had paid for it to 3 different people!

As I began to see that the Beetle had a certain aura about it, I didn't bother to renew my vehicle permission, nor renew the insurance, nor change the license plates. I changed the clutch disc, the air filter, replaced a couple of tires and put in gas and oil--that was it. All the transito cops knew the car and argued about whom I was going to sell it to. When I moved to Cuernavaca for 1 school year I parked it in the back patio of a friend's house in one of the villages south of Cuautla because the urban disaster that Cuernavaca has become means a car is more trouble than it's worth. I had him sell it for me in non-running condition for double what I paid for it when I decided to make a trip to the US to sort out a family problem. That was 6 years after crossing the border into Mexico, and it was still wearing its Land of Enchantment New Mexico license plate....

The car is still going strong--I have had a couple of chances to buy it back, but right now I don't really need a car.

scott wilhelm · Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Posts: 63 Location: st louis, mo

Thanks for the replies. Glad to hear those prices are in pesos ! I would prefer to license my car in Mexico, rather than keeping Missouri plates on it. The fee doesn't sound excessive. Hopefully, if I drive the car only for Sunday paddling trips, I won't burn a huge amount of gas. I have always heard that driving in Mexico without insurance is really a bad idea. Your advice confirms this for me. My car is worth so little money now , considering the mileage (and some unrepaired hail damage) that I would go without collision and comp and just carry the mandatory liability coverage. That should save a few pesos.
I appreciate the info from all of you.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Uh, Scott: I see a potential fly in the ointment here. Your car sounds like it's an older car. I doubt that you will be able to "legalize" it here--only the newer models are eligible for legalization at this time. Of course, this is Macondo (pax, Garc�a M�rquez), so that situation could change at any moment--but the trend that I have seen at least during the past years has been a smaller and smaller range of years of cars eligible for legalization.

MELEE · Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:08 pm Post subject:

Scott,

You won't be able to put Mexican plates on your car through "normal" channels. Mixtecamike is talking about a car he bought in Mexico.

When you drive across the boarder, you will be asked to sign something that basically is an oath to take the car back out of Mexico with you. HOWEVER, if you come into the hinterland, foreign plates and illigeal cars are a dime a dozen here. Or in any part of Mexico, making friends with transit officials or politicians might open up some unkown channels and get you Mexican plates. If you bring in a pickup, someone at the campasino's union could probably legalize it for you. I once read something on mexicoconnect about being able to legalize after the car and you have been legally maintained foriegners for 3 years in Mexico--but that process also seems shrouded in mistery.

I've decided that I'm going to be buying a car in Mexico instead of bringing one down, because I don't invision ever taking it out of Mexico. Now I just have to decide which car to buy (no mike I don't want your car) and then find it!

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Guerrero is the place to get plates for your illegal car. The guy who bought my car put Guerrero plates on it immediately because my car was so well known.

Flo · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 112

If anyone wants information on moving to Mexico or importing goods such as a car, check out the information on these sites.

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/jrrimmig.html

http://travel.state.gov/mexico.html

Flo · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 112

Check your insurance if you are planning on putting Mexican plates on your car. Many policies issued in the U.S. are only valid with U.S. plates on your car.

MELEE · Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 8:21 pm Post subject:

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

Flo · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 112

I wasn't saying either of the sites I posted is the "Bible" for moving to Mexico with posessions. I thought they contained information that would be useful for some people. Of course, everyone has a different experience regarding the various aspects of obtaining an FM3 or documents for their car. No one case can be true for everyone.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Ben, this is quite worrisome. I'd watch my back if I were you, as it looks as if one of your co-workers turned you in to the Migra.