San Felipe Move

What an adventure.
Our home in San Felipe is not done yet, but, we decided to move our funiture down and leave it in a friends garage.

I went to the Mexican Counselet office and did all of my paper work to move our furniture using our FM3

So when I get to the office to pickup my paper work and pay my $127 I asked, "is there any other charges when I get to the border?" She says, No.

When I am ready to leave she says. "you need to have a broker forward your furniture across the border for you"

So, I called a friend of mine that lives in Mexicali and has a nefew who works at the border. He confirmed that you must use a broker. So with some help from a spanish speaking friend. she confirmed that a broker must fill out paperwork so "I" can move the furniture accross the border. He assured me it would cost about 50 dollars. So before I left with my full load I sent a copy of the paperwork to the broker so he would be ready when I got there.

So just before I arrived in town, called the broker and they were ready for me.
Man, were they ready for me.

When I arrived the story changed, drastically.

The broker just found out that the Mexican govt. changed the rules and I had to first export the furniture from the US and import it into Mexico, and the only way this could happen is if they Unloaded my trailer into their truck and then crossed it and then reloaded it again into my trailer.

This service was going to be 500 to 800 US dollars. I was so frustrated that I was ready to get this done. Just then my friend from Mexicali called me aand said, "get in your truck and get to the border, you will be let across"

180 smackers later, I crossed into the declration lane, paid my duties, and was on my way. I was amazed how fast it happened, no one even looked at the truck load.

So. after going through all of this, we were on our way to Costco for a much needed hot dog and Mattress.
While eating a gringo couple sat down next to us and they were talking about bringing furniture across. I immeadeatly asked how they did it. The wife says, "it was pretty easy, we pulled in and said we are on our way to our new home at El Dorado Ranch and they waved us forward, why?"

I about choked on my hot dog.

Bottom line, did I waste $180 or did I save 500 or more dollars? One may never really know.
I get there and all of a sudden, the story changes.

They now tell me that it is going to cost

Apparently that must be a "perk" of living at EDR, ya think?

Brokers ?

CortezBlue, Congratulations, it looks as if you slipped out of a scam..... I wonder how many have been taken by these cr**** .... I was quoted a twelve hundred dollar brokerage fee by a shipping company in San Diego, Outrageous ! Now, as I step onto the soapbox .... " It's bad enough that we get different rules at the Consul's office than from the Officers at the border , And that might very well differ depending on your entry point and time of day ..... After hearing all of the comments from Nomads about their experiences , I am more confused than ever and perhaps rightfully so . And it is in this climate of confusion that the unscrouplous ply their pirate trade ." Stepping down from the soapbox, CaboRon OK, I'll shut up now.