BajaNomad - California Vehicle Licensing

California Vehicle Licensing

littlewesty - 5-28-2006 at 09:25 AM

Hi,

I am a UK citizen (England) very shortly retiring to Baja California. I am buying a vehicle in Los Angeles and then driving down past Ensenada where I have a house rental lined up, the idea being to have a place built and live there permamently. I have my FM3.

The question I would like to ask you guys is how do I go about renewing my vehicle license tags every year with California DMV if I am non resident. How do you guys do it. I will have a PO box address in Chula Vista. Anything else I should need to know about licensing renewal, especially about insurance would be most useful.

Many thanks

Dave

Bob and Susan - 5-28-2006 at 10:00 AM

dave

if you do not have a physical address in california you cannot do this...

and why would you want to...insurance taxes registration are ALL expensive...

Why can't you register your car in England where you are form???

bajalou - 5-28-2006 at 10:07 AM

If you have a P.O. in Imperial County you are exempt from periodic smog inspections. If you give them a Mex address, the do not charge the county tax portion of the registration fees. You need insurance ONLY for the day you renew the registration.

If the car will NOT return to Calif. you might do a Temp Import into Mex which is good for as long as your legaly in the country. (FM3 including renewals). Then do a Non-Op for Calif so you don't have to pay the anual fees and insurance. The Temp Imp costs about $30.

But be sure you have Mex liability insurance.

Bruce R Leech - 5-28-2006 at 10:58 AM

why don't you just buy your car here in Mexico and then you wont have any problems. I buy all of mine here and wouldn't do it anyway other than that.

Bob and Susan - 5-28-2006 at 12:44 PM

import cars only have to be 6 years old...

Bob and Susan - 5-28-2006 at 12:47 PM

bajalou

if you have a PO Box you have a physical address that can be verified...

otherwise NO PO Box...if you move you can lose your PO Box if you don't give a correct verifyable address.

since 911 and the anthrax scare things are a little tighter. :rolleyes:

Bruce R Leech - 5-28-2006 at 02:04 PM

if you are going to live in Mexico why would you want to buy your care in a different country?????

where are you going to get it fixed when it brakes down??

Used Cars

MrBillM - 5-28-2006 at 07:38 PM

Why buy in the U.S. and take it to Mexico ? Because you can buy a better car for less money.

Since Bruce doesn't cross the border on a regular basis, he is probably not aware of the HUGE number of vehicles that are imported EVERY DAY by Mexicans as well as Gringos. Cross anywhere on a weekday and you'll see vehicles as far as the eye can see. At times, it is a Zoo. I once went through secondary and paid some duty. Walking over to the Bank, I noticed that there were a dozen Mexicans standing around. Why ? Because there was no room inside. Some of the Mexicans had a stack of papers for multiple vehicles they were bringing in.

Awhile back, when the Mexican Government decided to clamp down on vehicle imports, the farmers in Sonora blockaded the roads in a protest because purchasing the vehicles in Mexico was so much more expensive. It was covered extensively in the print media.

Lou - Every vehicle I own has been registered in Imperial County for the last 10 years (or more) and, in that time, I have NEVER told another person the reason why. The secret still got out, though.

[Edited on 5-29-2006 by MrBillM]

comitan - 5-28-2006 at 08:00 PM

Importation, example 99 chevy astro, $830 5-7 working days with your vehicle in an impound area if you are lucky it can take 10-12 days. You can buy vehicles in the TJ, Ensenada area that where brought over from the US just for sale in Mexico they are imported. But a lot of those vehicles have been in accident and where brought to TJ to be repaired, I personally have a Toyota corolla that I bought in La Paz cheaper than I could by in the US, I knew it was in an accident because the left front headlight was new. Been driving it now 4 years 50,00+miles not a problem one. Know what you are buying.

Bruce R Leech - 5-28-2006 at 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MrBillM
Why buy in the U.S. and take it to Mexico ? Because you can buy a better car for less money.

Since Bruce doesn't cross the border on a regular basis, he is probably not aware of the HUGE number of vehicles that are imported EVERY DAY by Mexicans as well as Gringos. Cross anywhere on a weekday and you'll see vehicles as far as the eye can see. At times, it is a Zoo. I once went through secondary and paid some duty. Walking over to the Bank, I noticed that there were a dozen Mexicans standing around. Why ? Because there was no room inside. Some of the Mexicans had a stack of papers for multiple vehicles they were bringing in.

Awhile back, when the Mexican Government decided to clamp down on vehicle imports, the farmers in Sonora blockaded the roads in a protest because purchasing the vehicles in Mexico was so much more expensive. It was covered extensively in the print media.

Lou - Every vehicle I own has been registered in Imperial County for the last 10 years (or more) and, in that time, I have NEVER told another person the reason why. The secret still got out, though.

[Edited on 5-29-2006 by MrBillM]

since you don't live in Mexico you probably don't realize that those people that import all of those cars are professionals and they buy those cars at a wholesale price in large numbers from company's such as Hertz car rentals. and import them at a way lower rate than you or I can. then they shine them up and sell them at a profit that is still lower than I can buy a car in Calf. and import it . I buy my used cars this way, and I have never been disappointed. before you buy the car you can run the Vin numbers and check the odometer and service history. also when I buy the used hertz cars I get a 12 12 warranty. so much for used cars

you can buy a new car in Mexico and on many models get it cheaper than in the U.S. with good warranty and when you brake down in some remote area of Baja Ca. they take care of the towing. you don't get that when you buy in the U.S. also you cant import a new car .

Where do I Live ??

MrBillM - 5-29-2006 at 08:38 AM

Oh, the Big, Fat (no offense) Elitist pain of it all. I'm crushed.

Now, I have to figure out WHERE I live. If residing in Baja 80 percent of the days each year in Baja at a house I've owned since 1982 doesn't qualify, then certainly living 20 percent of my days in the U.S. won't count, either. I guess I'm a man without a country.
Perhaps I'm not far enough into the interior to actually be in Baja. At what mileage marker would I qualify ? AND, will I start collecting SNOB points if I do move ? That alone would be worth it. If I move south, can I be just like you ? Do you have badges or funny hats to wear so we know who the Old Salts are ?

Funny thing about all of those Bulk (only ?) imports. The majority of the Mexican people I've been in line behind were importing single vehicles.

Personally, I don't give a crap. I have no intention of importing any vehicles. Awhile back, I gave a Mexican friend an old 86 Toyota pickup I had laying around, but I just gave it to him and said "the paperwork's your problem". It all worked out.

Bruce R Leech - 5-29-2006 at 09:16 AM

MrBillM
you are out of touch with the Mexican way of life. you think you are a resident but you bring every little thing in from the US :barf:

in the original post he spoke of buying a car. he did not state whether he was going to buy a new car or a used one. sense most of the foreigners that live in Mexico that I know buy new ones I gave advice for that .

MrBillM if you want to fight about this, lets not spoil this man thread. start a new one and we will go at it :lol:

[Edited on 5-29-2006 by Bruce R Leech]

littlewesty - 5-29-2006 at 11:30 AM

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your answers and some useful advice. Sorry that differences of opinions caused any dispute.

I will be buying my used Vehicle in L. A. , simply for the reason of convenience. I will have my wife, several suitcases, a dog and air carrier all just landed in LAX. Seems sense to me to load up there and drive down to Ensenada.

Its in a years time, when I come to relicense the vehicle that I was asking the advice for. Living 99% of my time in Mexico and just occasionally crossing north maybe 4 or 5 days in a year.

I think I have the answers I need, especially only needing the insurance for the times I am in US.

burro bob - 5-29-2006 at 12:05 PM

littlewesty
Ok buy the car in LA if it is most convient.
But first get in contact with an auto importing company. If you have everything lined up right they will meet you at the border and do all the paper work. Your car will be imported and the whole mess will take half a day, tops. I have never heard of anyone having their car put in impoud for a week. I have a friend that does this as a side business and his cars are always across the border within hours. You must do this importation at the border. The import fees will be around $400 or $500 for 10 year old vehicle, a little more for a newer one. Insurance in Mexico is much cheaper than in the states.
If your car is going to reside in Mexico most of it's life, then is much easier if it is also registered and plated here. Don't waste time and money registering the vehicle in California.
burro bob

comitan - 5-29-2006 at 12:15 PM

:lol:

bajaguy - 5-29-2006 at 12:19 PM

Littlewesty....check your U2U

bajalou - 5-30-2006 at 09:29 AM

The Temperary Importation Permit you get for about $30 is for as long as you are legaly in Mexico. With a FM2 or FM3 this includes renewals. If you have the FMT, then it's no longer than 180 days.

UK guy

Baja Bernie - 5-30-2006 at 09:43 AM

If I were going to live down there permently I would follow Bruce's advice--but I would also get a Baja drivers license and insurance. Then, if I decided to return to the UK or wherever I would sell the vehicle to a Mexican national and be most happy at saving more than a few pesos in the process. And skip most of the headaches in dealing with California DMV

littlewesty - 6-3-2006 at 07:41 AM

Hi Guys and thanks for all the advice, it has helped me out a lot and now I have a good plan

After flying into LAX, going to rent a vehicle for a pair of weeks and driving down to Ensenada and house rental. In that two weeks, I will buy a vehicle in Ensenada if I can find what I want. Return the rental car to SD and get back down to Ensenada on the bus and then pick up my Baja Plated vehicle from the dealer. In that two weeks I will also get my Baja drivers licence. I have International driving licence and FM3 so I think I have all I need.

Anybody know anymore that I'll need, please let me know.

Dave

comitan - 6-3-2006 at 08:07 AM

I think you have a good plan, but I would also check TJ for a car also.

littlewesty - 6-3-2006 at 08:16 AM

Yes, Good Idea

Dave

Bruce R Leech - 6-3-2006 at 09:10 AM

Dave Welcome to Baja Ca. I think you are on the right track. there some good Nomads in the Ensenada area that can help you if you get in a bind. just post here. I hope I get to meet you some day.