Job Discussion Forums

[maefrey]

...to drive down south of the border in a car? and I am speaking specifically of all the way down to oaxaca.

what kinds of obstacles would one expect? bribing cops? nonexistant gas stations? i am totally in the dark here...

.......
Thanks for all your feedback.

[thelmadatter]

The major north-south roads are in good condition and there are enough gas stations (just dont run on fumes, Pemex is the only option). Tolls are common on these roads and expensive.

Drove a bit in Sonora in the north and never ran into a cop, so I dont know about bribing. A friend of mine with a car here in Toluca has had to bribe cops driving in town but never had an experience on the highway.

The only caution Id give you is to not drive at night. Cattle, other unseen road hazards and on certain secondary roads I have heard of robberies (Rt 134 from Toluca to Zihuatanejo).

[sickbag]

We drove down to Puebla a couple of weeks ago. Crossed the border at Nogales and down the coast to Tepic, then Guadalajara, Morelia and through DF to Puebla.

We didn't have any problems whatsoever. We did get ripped off at one Pemex station but only through our own carelessness. We even managed to negotiate DF during Friday night rush hour!!

We took our time doing it (5 days from the border) and it was well worth it. A great trip.

[lozwich]

[sickbag]

[MELEE]

Not at all totally unthinkable. Lots of people have done it, myself included. I do think it would be better if it were not your first trip down. I think the ideal situation would be fly down, get settled, get to know the place, get a feel for how traffic moves, have a realistic idea of what things you do and don't want to bring with you in the car. Then, like six months or more after you have first arrived, drive down. I also think it is better if you have already have an FM3 rather then driving in with with your car and household items on a tourist visa, but in reallity that may not be an issue.

Unfortunately, ideal situations are not the majority of situations, and there are plenty of sucess stories of people driving their first trip down.
I'd suggest you check out The People's Guide to Mexico, great advise and great humor in that book. Also possibly a general Mexico forum, lots of retirees drive down and have a lot of free time to share their experiences! one site is mexicoconnect.com, but I think you have to pay to see all the content. Also if you get Sanbourn's car insurance they give you driving guides. Like other's have said, gas stations are plentiful enough, and I've never had to bribe a cop, but we were stopped one in the State of Mexico and hasseled by local police until we were saved by the Federal police who happened by. But that had to do with the car and my husband being Oaxacan. I've never had any problems in a car with US plates.

[danielita]

...it is definitely doable. I do recommend the Guia Roji which includes all highways in Mexico plus a few local maps of some major cities, it can be invaluable when trying to navigate--especially if you are heading into Oaxaca and your highway is blocked by a demonstration. I do not recommend driving at night whatsoever. There are way too many things to pay attention to during the day (cows, topes, bicycles etc), let alone trying to navigate at night. The border crossing is a red light green light system, so if you have nothing to declare and have a green light you are OK. If you are crossing with a lot of household goods on an FMT, make sure you have a good story to explain it without mentioning the job. If you are well prepared and can go with the flow, it can be a great adventure.
Good Luck!

[maefrey]

you guys are really helpful and thorough.

i guess i should clarify that i would only be going on a vacation and driving only because my friend and i can't pay 500 each for plane tickets. i figure i need

1. $20 tourist visa
2. mexican car insurance
3. $400 dollar bond plus $27.00 fee
4. hotels to stay at each night along the way

Well, with all that and gas to boot, a 500 dollar plane ticket is looking more and more attractive! Anyone know of any good ticket sites?

[lozwich]

Why not take the bus? Buses in Mexico are great! And you get to see a lot more while you're not bothering with dealing with the driving. Just get a cheapie airfare as close to the border as you can and bus from there.

www.ticketbus.com.mx

[snorklequeen]

the buses are great! i recommend business class for an overnight bus trip; there is a Huge and Wide footrest so you can completely relax your legs and sleep soundly. they show movies, have restrooms and are very nice, comfy. one way from Houston, Texas to Mexico City 2-1/2 years ago cost $120 USD. and you can practice your Spanish if you travel or make a connectin with a Hispanic bus company, such as El Expreso Bus Company in Houston.

if you travel over a holiday such as C'mas, be aware that the bus companies will sell as many tickets as people will pay for, and you may have to wait at the border for quite a while for a connecting bus. you'll see why the Mexicans are so patient and accepting; it's part of the lifestyle. we were supposed to have a 2-hour layover in Nuevo Laredo; we were actually there for 14 hours before a bus became available. bring a book or some crafts or whatever you enjoy to pass the time.

[sickbag]

[Guy Courchesne]

[danielita]

Spirit airlines runs cheap flights into Cancun (sometimes $79 one way) from quite a few centres in the US. From Cancun, you can then take a bus to wherever you need to go. check them out at www.spiritair.com

D

[snorklequeen]

YES!!! they're insane behind the wheel. we were warned as tourists, at age 15, that it is sport on Reforma to aim your car at someone. i plan to bus it as much as possible once i move there; much prefer driving in the countryside than in DF

[tonydicer]

CON HUEVOS, AMIGO.
CON HUEVOS!!