PaulW
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Flat Tow - New law
I flat tow my Jeep behind my pickup to Baja and have not had a problem
Does anyone have any info on this new rule that prohibits it? Read the link below.
Or is it just a rehash about the difference between Baja and the mainland?
Folks enter Baja without a TIP when towing all kinds of stuff. (boats excepted)
“A vehicle [that’s not an RV] can no longer tow another vehicle into Mexico (i.e., a truck cannot tow a car into Mexico). If you need to tow
another vehicle, we recommend that you have someone drive the second vehicle across the border if possible and then hook up to tow the vehicle once
across the border.”
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2017/oct/20/stringers-re...
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Howard
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Not exactly relevant but last Friday I flat towed my Jeep behind my RV got pulled into secondary and that never came up. This was crossing at Tijuana.
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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JZ
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The article says it doesn't apply to trucks pulling utility trailers or toys.
[Edited on 10-18-2021 by JZ]
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BajaNomad
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Just pointing out the URL datestamp indicates the article is from Oct 2017. fyi
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.
– Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
We know we must go back if we live, and we don`t know why.
– John Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
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del mar
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reports of this happening over the weekend on both RDC and FB.....crazy
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Hook
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I have flat towed my Wrangler behind my truck more than a few times towards northern Sonora which ostensibly has the same "free zone" rules as Baja.
But we always disconnect before the border and drive across separately because the free zone exemption applies to only ONE conventional vehicle. By
towing, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE TWO ADULTS IN THE TOWING VEHICLE WHOSE NAMES ARE ON BOTH REGISTRATIONS, people entering Sonora have been forced to pay
the refundable bond and get the "conventional car temporary import permit" that is tied to your tourist or temporary resident permit (for expiration
purposes). This is different than the RV temporary import permit that lasts for ten years.
So, we separate just before the border and re-connect a few miles after the border.
If you are flat towing a conventional vehicle with an RV with the 10 year TIP, there GENERALLY hasn't been any problem. The RV is covered by the TIP
and the conventional vehicle is OK under the "free zone" exemption.
Could you be a little more specific, del mar. This is an important issue.
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JZ
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Sonora is not a free zone like Baja.
If you take a dirt bike or quad down in the bed of your truck you have to get a TIP for the truck and list all the toys.
This can be done online, when the site is working properly.
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David K
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Northwest Sonora is... down to and including Guaymas.
https://www.mexpro.com/blog/mexico-free-border-zone/
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JZ
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Doesn't operate as a free zone if you are bringing off road vehicles whether on a trailer or on the truck.
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PaulW
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Wondered about that?
I also wonder if there is a diference at San Luis crossing being more like Mexicali east being really a free crossing I am used to?
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Hook
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All this just goes to show you what most of us know.
The only consistent thing about Mexico is its inconsistencies.
BTW, there is also a "free zone" in the extreme south of Mexico that OSTENSIBLY has the same rules as northern Sonora and Baja.
I am encouraged by these potential new changes that may allow more vehicles to be imported for a far cheaper cost.
Maybe the most encouraging thing about it is how upset the association of automobile dealers is about the changes. 
Why shouldn't it be a reasonable cost for private individuals to import and sell vehicles; given all the treaties that basically favor corporations
exchanging goods across borders?
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mojo_norte
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Bump. Anybody Flat tow recently? I'd like to tow a Samurai behind my truck camper (probably doesn't qualify as an RV) Solo traveler w/ 2 dogs so
probably not practical to unhook and drive separately. Coming from Colorado so like to use the upper Sonora crossings - San Luis .
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PaulW
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Original message was dated Oct 20, 2017, and supposedly was to be implemented Nov 2017.
I suspect that news article did not apply to Baja free zone.
Last time I went south flat towing was Oct 14, 2021, No problem business as usual.
I have done the crossing many times towing my heavy Jeep.
I do NOT recommend San Luis. It is PITA because of the traffic pattern. Also, San Luis is the most dangerous place to drive thru what with all the
murders.
The easy crossing is Mexicali East. No hassle at all. Just enter in the no declare line and they pull you into their parking place. Show them the
registration for the Sami and it is done. Maybe the migration guy will be there and ask you for your FMM or per. res. id. If you need an FMM they will
tell you where to walk from the parking place.
If you need directions for Mexicali East just search there have been dozens of maps posted and all will work more or less.
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RFClark
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Interesting as people have always flat towed going to San Felipe (always = 30+ years).
That said we flat towed our Daihatsu 4X4 to our place in Cerritos earlier this year and were stopped by the National Guard just south of La Paz. As
the Officers didn’t speak English I was unclear as to the problem as I have seen lots of flat tows going south. I offered to disconnect and drive
the last few KM. The officer let us go and didn’t ask for an “instant fine”. Closest I could come to understanding them was it had something to
do with it being a Federal Highway.
I’m not sure if this helps any!
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