jakethedog
Junior Nomad
Posts: 25
Registered: 9-11-2014
Location: sargento/bcs
Member Is Offline
|
|
Importing car to mex questions
New to board. Thick skin!
Need info, or direction to old thread, on process to import a car and/or road moto. Does one do this at the border (which crossing is best), is there
a company who can help, and can one do it in La Paz (I understand not). Time it takes ect.
Thanks in advance.
|
|
|
BajaUtah
Nomad
Posts: 190
Registered: 10-4-2013
Location: Salt Lake City/La Ribera
Member Is Offline
|
|
http://www.rollybrook.com/nationalizing.htm
Rolly Brook still seems to be the spot for info although he is mostly focused on the mainland.
I think the points to focus on are 1) it can only be done at the border, 2) only certain cars and certain years of vehicle can be imported and 3) you
need to have a Mexican drivers license (which I didn't know)
Hopefully others will chime in with more Baja-centric info.
Andy
|
|
|
dasubergeek
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
Depends what kind of plates you want.
Placas nacionales allow you to travel throughout the entire Republic of Mexico without issue and you can also sell the car anywhere in Mexico (though
if you sell it within the Arco Norte--DF, Edomex, Queretaro, Tlaxcala, part of Puebla, part of Hidalgo) you will have to have it smog checked).
Placas fronterizas allow you to travel anywhere on the Baja peninsula and as far east as Empalme, Sonora. If you want to go further, or take the ferry
to Mazatlan, you will have to temporarily import the car (put a deposit, get a hologram sticker, etc.) the same as if you were driving a U.S.-plated
car.
1. Does your car's VIN start with a number? If not, STOP. You cannot import the car.
2. Do you own the car lien-free? If not, STOP. You cannot import the car.
3. Is the car between 5 and 10 model years old? If no, STOP. You cannot import the car.
4. Is the car 8 or 9 model years old? If not, WARNING. You can only get placas fronterizas.
If you are coming through Tijuana, imports only happen at Otay Mesa, not at San Ysidro.
|
|
|
lilgimp
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: 9-11-2014
Member Is Offline
|
|
Additional question - we are importing also. Can you get the Mx DL at the border? TJ?
|
|
|
jakethedog
Junior Nomad
Posts: 25
Registered: 9-11-2014
Location: sargento/bcs
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thanks for input "geek" . Car is lien free 2001 "burb" only needing Baja plates and moto is 2006 BMW GS1150.
Any clue as to Mexicalli crossing and if so, where to go.
also if Otay Mesa, where does one go. I guess stop and ask at crossing.
|
|
|
dasubergeek
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
The 2001 is too old to be imported either with placas fronterizas or nacionales. The window is 2004 to 2009. On November 1st it will be 2005 to 2010.
I can't speak for importing a motorcycle, the regulations are silent on that. It is the right age to be nationalized.
At Otay Mesa you just go to the declaration lane (all the way to the right), park, and start asking questions.
No, you cannot get a Mexican driver's license at the border. You have to get it from the government in your municipio of residence (La Paz, Comondú,
etc.). You will need your FM3 or FM2 residency visa, a certified statement of blood type from a Mexican doctor, your CURP (that's your national ID
number), your old license, and 640$ (pesos).
Once you have your Mexican DL you return to the border with the car and do the importation.
http://www.lapaz.gob.mx/seguridadytto/servicioalciudadano/ca...
[Edited on 9-12-2014 by dasubergeek]
|
|
|
Bob and jane
Nomad
Posts: 272
Registered: 3-25-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
So, as was pointed out you can get your car "imported" and have frontier plates that are good in Baja and parts of Sonora; or you can "nationalize"
your vehicle and it will be good throughout the country. If you are "residente permanente" you have to have a nationalized vehicle to get on the
ferry in La Paz or to travel the mainland. Residente Permanentes are not eligible for the temporary import stickers.
The place to nationalize your vehicle is right next to the Banjercito office in Otay Mesa. After you cross the border take a right on Blvd Bellas
Artes and go about 2 blocks, taking the first right hand turn you can. (The first street you'll pass is one way coming at you). Drive north about 2
blocks and Banjercito will be on the corner on the right. The importation office is just to the right of Banjercito. And just to the right of the
importations office is the office of Luis Enrique Gonzalez who imports cars. He came recommended by Banjercito. We had very good luck with him and
have recommended him to others. His e-mail is luisimporta@yahoo.com. We e-mailed him ahead of time and sent him some paperwork so when we arrived it
took only a couple of hours to have it all done.
Good luck.
|
|
|
Wally
Nomad
Posts: 182
Registered: 3-15-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
Call these guys:
Auto Agencia Aduanal. Just across the border in Otay. Get the vehicle to them by 8am and back by 5pm. Car must be COMPLETELY empty.
Otay # 664-623-2989
San Diego # 619-489-8333
www.autoagencia.com.mx
They've done 4 cars for me this year.
I've never gotten someone to answer the San Diego number but there is a woman in the Otay office that speaks perfect English.
Cost for the last car, plates not included (you get them from locale where the car will reside) was $1400 total.
|
|
|
Bob and jane
Nomad
Posts: 272
Registered: 3-25-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
Just FYI
We were at Luis' at 8 a.m. and out by 10 a.m. Truck was completely stuffed with items we were bringing for our home in Loreto. Even had the camper
on the back. He hemmed and hawed a bit about having to take the camper off but we had a photo of the truck without the camper and he danced a bit for
the aduana and we never did take the camper off--whew. Would have been iffy.
|
|
|
Tioloco
Super Nomad
Posts: 1403
Registered: 7-30-2014
Member Is Offline
|
|
What's the problem with a camper?
|
|
|
Bob and jane
Nomad
Posts: 272
Registered: 3-25-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
Question was did we need to import the camper also, as an integral part of the truck. Whole 'nother ball game. Whole 'nother set of paperwork. We
convinced the aduana that the camper was a separate entity. Not a permanent part of the truck, which is a bit of a stretch. It's 15 years old and we
hate to take it off the truck---not very confident of the jacks, especially with a full load. Anyway, no one has ever asked for importation papers on
that old pop-up camper and we live in and travel around Baja and make a trip to the mainland every year.
|
|
|
jakethedog
Junior Nomad
Posts: 25
Registered: 9-11-2014
Location: sargento/bcs
Member Is Offline
|
|
I have just learned from AVG logistics, an import company, that of Sept.1 one can not import a US ( and probably Canadian) vechicle into Mexico. I was
told that this may change, but uncertain when. Bummer as it is really hard to sell anything down in BSC if it has not been imported as the vehicle has
to be imported at the border.
Please, somebody tell me I was misinformed!
This might make it difficult for permanent residents to actually be able to legally drive their car without risking having it confiscated. I guess
they may be are subsidising the used car industry?
Kinda like the old days when you needed a bank account to renew a FM3 and the bank would not give you one unless you had a current FM3. 
Hope all do well with Odile.
|
|
|
jakethedog
Junior Nomad
Posts: 25
Registered: 9-11-2014
Location: sargento/bcs
Member Is Offline
|
|
Yes, Unfortunately. there are some restrictions right now to import vehicles into Mexico. The Mexican Government stopped all import of Vehicles
starting September 1st, At this moment, there's no fir date on when the vehicles can be imported again.
Thank You. Have a Nice Day
Veronica Mijares
Customer Service
ACV Logistics, LLC.
+52 (664) 647.8505 | USA +1 (619) 955.7652 FAX (619) 414-1559
www.acvlogistics.com | veronica.mijares@acvlogistics.com
I guess that is that, for now
|
|
|
lilgimp
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: 9-11-2014
Member Is Offline
|
|
importing car into Mexico
I got the same reply from Veronica at ACV Import re imports on hold. Has anybody received newer information? We are hoping to import/cross mid
October.
|
|
|
bajacalifornian
Super Nomad
Posts: 1117
Registered: 9-4-2010
Location: Loreto/Lopez Mateos/Rosarito
Member Is Offline
|
|
Dang! Without knowledge of the Sept 1 stuff, I completed an importation
27 Aug 2014.
I used Agencia Pacifico, down the street in front of SENTI entrance Otay.
Went perfect.
Best price of several I checked. I removed my camper shell & emptied the truck.
It was a "very busy" time, now I'm guessing because of the approaching deadline.
American by birth, Mexican by choice.
Signature addendum: Danish physicist — Niels Bohr — who said, “The opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth.
Jeff Petersen
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
