BajaNomad

Registering a Vehicle in Mexico

CortezBlue - 6-9-2007 at 11:00 PM

I have a 1987 Suzuki Samuari that I am mainly going to use to drive on the beach etc. However, I may want to drive it into town as well. How hard is it to register a car in San Felipe if I have an FM3?

bajalou - 6-10-2007 at 12:47 AM

Have to get a broker and import the car.

Bob and Susan - 6-10-2007 at 05:21 AM

its too old to import

you can get a ten year temp import $50 at the aduana

More info please

nobaddays - 6-10-2007 at 06:37 AM

When is it to old and how do you get the 10 year ?

Bob and Susan - 6-10-2007 at 07:13 AM

The vehicle must be a minimum of 5 years old.
(so not to compete with new sales in mexico)
No older than 15 years (this is newer)
The vehicle may not have a value greater than US$12,000.

The following types of vehicles have a greater import cost: (HUGE)
Sports Cars
***Convertibles*** (suzuki)
Luxury Automobiles

the aduana is the import depatrment
there is one in every BIG city
where are you at?

Bob and Susan - 6-10-2007 at 11:31 AM

the LAW is newer...
i was not too clear

i havent imported a car....YET...
but i'm sure i will

bajalou - 6-10-2007 at 11:33 AM

Here's a link with some information

http://www.nmborder.com/vehicle.html

From New Mexico but regulations should be the same at any crossing point.

comitan - 6-10-2007 at 11:37 AM

This is all very interesting since my Toyota 1987 Motorhome is imported with current license plate from La Paz.

Al G - 6-10-2007 at 12:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by comitan
This is all very interesting since my Toyota 1987 Motorhome is imported with current license plate from La Paz.

What did it cost you, because mine (MoHo) is an 1988?

comitan - 6-10-2007 at 12:34 PM

$1000 but you can't compare, because they take everything into consideration(Generators, AC, on and on.

viabaja - 6-10-2007 at 12:59 PM

I'm confused - CortezBlues asks: I have a 1987 Suzuki Samuari that I am mainly going to use to drive on the beach etc. However, I may want to drive it into town as well. How hard is it to register a car in San Felipe if I have an FM3?

What registration? You register a car in Mexico - you must have Mexican plates & a Mexican license. Otherwise - it's registered in (ex. Calif.) with Cal. plates & Cal. DMV license. The FM3 takes care of leaving the car in Baja. When you leave (as in give up FM3) the car must go back to the states. Just tow the thing across the border. If stopped - show FM3!! Keep plates or ORV sticker current. It's no different than towing your toys for the weekend.

But that point is moot! 3/4 of Jeeps, Suzuki's, Quads, or whatever in Baja that are left there have expired LONG ago!

CortezBlue - 6-10-2007 at 04:21 PM

Here is my only problem

I live in AZ and I have to register it in AZ every year. We have emission testing and this unit has not been able to pass the test. So, I cannot register it here and thought it may be easier to register in Mexico.

Bob and Susan - 6-10-2007 at 04:24 PM

bring it down i'll buy it for $1500
i'll smog the thing
i have a brand new cat converter for it

Bruce R Leech - 6-10-2007 at 04:33 PM

that is a big problam so you cant do ether realy.

you would be better off to sell it and buy a beater down here. but if you do have some one check the papers before you buy.

also keep in mind that cars cost 2 times more in La paz than in Ensenada. and 2 times more in Ensenada than Mexicali.

Mexicali is the place to get cars cheep. you can buy one there way cheeper than you can in Az. or Ca. and import them.

viabaja - 6-10-2007 at 06:57 PM

CortezBlue,

The same thing applied to my 1980 Jeep CJ5. It would not pass smog for a number of reasons. So I just changed it to the ORV sticker only. The jeep is kept in Baja all the time. This way, one can still drive on the beach and on the road as registration is current. In SF, you can drive one's ATV all over the town as long as you are wearing a helmet and registration is valid.

Hope this helps out.

nobaddays - 6-10-2007 at 08:28 PM

it is the $50.00 ten year temporary import rules I would like to hear more about. Thanks

What does ORV mean?

Keri - 6-10-2007 at 09:34 PM

I have a 1996 van that is only here in Baja that also has trouble passing emisions. Something in the computer they can't fix even after I have spent over $500 for them to do so. The car isn't worth putting in another $570 they want to try to see if a new special gov approved cat. converter will work. I'm following this thread closely to see if there is a solution for me also, k:mad:::?:

Bruce R Leech - 6-11-2007 at 06:50 AM

ORV means that you register your vehicle for off rode use only in CA. then you dont need to smog it and they give you a special registration slip. it used to be 10 dollers a year but I am sure it has gone up. I did that for a few years on a car about 14 years ago that I kept down here. one time I got stoped by a Federal police while going to Santa Rosalia and he told me I could not drive it on the rode any more so I gave the car away and bought another one down here. It can also be a probalm to buy your liability insurance with a OVR reg.

bajalou - 6-11-2007 at 07:00 AM

One other thing is to register you vehicles in a county that doesn't require periodic smog tests - Imperial County CA, and Yuma county AZ. Or South Dakota - Clay County.

osoflojo - 6-11-2007 at 08:41 AM

You can keep your arizona registration current even if the vehicle is in Mexico and requires smogging. You certify to MVD that the vehicle is not in AZ and they give you a form to be signed by a local law enforcement officer that the vehicle is in that jusirdiction. I had my land lord sign one as Comandante Jorge. The down side is that you still have to keep AZ insurance on the vehicle to register it.