BajaNomad

Leaving a US Registered vehicle in Mexico?

Jaybo - 3-7-2010 at 02:51 PM

I inherited a vehicle (94 Plymouth Grand Voyager LE AWD) and we are considering taking it down to Mexico. The plan is to leave it at friends place in Cabo so that we don't have to rent a vehicle when we are there. We will put our friends name on it and piggyback off her car insurance. She lives there 9 months or so out of the year and has a corporation (condo/restaurant) so the insurance thing should not be an issue. It would save us a fair amount of money on car rentals, give us a nicer vehicle, and allow us to drive down and check out a few areas we are interested in for future stays. Once the vehicle is down there it would quite likely stay there for the rest of its life.

So who has done this? Is there any problems doing this? Only one I can think of is when I need new tags having to put US insurance on it in order to buy the tags. Not sure if we should just leave it plated as an Oregon vehicle or perhaps see if our friend could get Baja plates for it? I'm sure someone has done the research on this, right? :)

Loretana - 3-7-2010 at 03:10 PM

Oregon will give you new stickers for your van when the plates expire if you show proof of Mexican Insurance. That way you don't have to take the vehicle back to Oregon to run it thru the DEQ to get your renewal sticker.
There is also a form the DMV has to declare that the vehicle is out of the country. You can find it on the Oregon DMV website.
However, you may have a problem if there is a discrepancy between the name of the registered owner and the name of the insured.

monoloco - 3-7-2010 at 03:11 PM

We have an Oregon plated vehicle that lives in Baja, when it's time to renew the registration we call the insurance company, add the car to our policy, renew the registration then cancel the insurance. Never had a problem.

Jaybo - 3-7-2010 at 03:22 PM

Wow, Great info there Loretana! Since we plan to add our friend as a co-owner, the insurance should not be an issue. I don't live in a DEQ area (thank god!) so that was not a concern.

Is there any advantage to getting Baja plates on the vehicle? I was thinking less Tourist/Policia' hassle issues...

Quote:
Originally posted by Loretana
Oregon will give you new stickers for your van when the plates expire if you show proof of Mexican Insurance. That way you don't have to take the vehicle back to Oregon to run it thru the DEQ to get your renewal sticker.
There is also a form the DMV has to declare that the vehicle is out of the country. You can find it on the Oregon DMV website.
However, you may have a problem if there is a discrepancy between the name of the registered owner and the name of the insured.


[Edited on 3-7-2010 by Jaybo]

Word of warning

bajaguy - 3-7-2010 at 03:25 PM

A large number of states are now using electronic verification matching between the insurance copmanies and DMV. As soon as you cancel an insurance policy, an electronic notification is sent to DMV, who in turn cancels the registration. When you go back to register, you are hit with a big fine.

Jaybo - 3-7-2010 at 03:29 PM

Yeah Oregon is one of those states, hence why they have the form for if the vehicle is out of the country I'd bet.

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
A large number of states are now using electronic verification matching between the insurance copmanies and DMV. As soon as you cancel an insurance policy, an electronic notification is sent to DMV, who in turn cancels the registration. When you go back to register, you are hit with a big fine.

desertcpl - 3-7-2010 at 03:38 PM

why make things so complicated,, if you are planning on leaving it in MX,, just get it registered in MX with MX insurance, inform Oregon what your doing , I dont think it is really a big deal

Jaybo - 3-7-2010 at 03:44 PM

That's why I am asking! Is the process to get MX plates a pain?


Quote:
Originally posted by desertcpl
why make things so complicated,, if you are planning on leaving it in MX,, just get it registered in MX with MX insurance, inform Oregon what your doing , I dont think it is really a big deal

desertcpl - 3-7-2010 at 03:54 PM

I dont know first hand,, but I have had friends that have and its really no big deal,, is the car in your name now?

Jaybo - 3-7-2010 at 03:59 PM

Hoping for first hand info. Car is not yet in my name (until I get done cleaning and refurb-ing it) but I have the title ready to be signed off on - Will need to add my friend in Cabo to the title as well, just have to reserch that with the local DMV.

Quote:
Originally posted by desertcpl
I dont know first hand,, but I have had friends that have and its really no big deal,, is the car in your name now?

desertcpl - 3-7-2010 at 04:01 PM

you might want to go thru a service ,, some one thats speaks MX I know alot of Nomads here use a gal in LA Paz to do their yearly updates on FM2 and 3,,, I dont think the cost is that much

El Jefe - 3-7-2010 at 04:08 PM

To get Mexican plates you will have to import the vehicle. That is costly and a hassle. Just keep it plated on Oregon and you will be fine.

Lots of us down here plate our vehicles in South Dakota because they don't require proof of insurance, smog testing and etc. There is a fellow who advertises in the Gringo Gazette that will do the SD reg for you. Many of us have done it on our own. Just have to know how to run it through the process.

But if you can keep your vehicle registered in Oregon without having to take it back there to get new tags you are golden. Lots of Oregon plates down here on cars that never leave.

Bob and Susan - 3-7-2010 at 04:36 PM

and...to legally import the car it HAS to be in the USA

then...
AFTER its imported it can cross the border

it cannot reside in mexico during the import

Jaybo - 3-7-2010 at 05:10 PM

Holy crap. OK, It will live just have to live there with Oregon plates :) The SD registration is interesting to me as well, just to relieve me of the insurance proof hassle.


Quote:
Originally posted by morgaine7
You can't just register any car in Mexico. It has to be imported first, as El Jefe mentions, and there are restrictions ... for example, age, country of manufacture, etc. My car was already imported ten years before I bought it, so registering was easy, but from what I gather, the importation process itself is a lot more complex and may cost more than you're willing to pay. Look into it, but have a Plan B.

Edit to add link w/ some info:
http://bajainsider.com/baja-business/importingregisteringveh...

Kate

[Edited on 3-7-2010 by morgaine7]