BajaNomad - Bringing portable air conditioner?

Bringing portable air conditioner?

jeremias - 8-24-2010 at 07:45 PM

So i bought this portable air conditioner at a garage sale for 50 bucks and I'm hoping to get it down this weekend. Could i just bring a handwritten receipt and pay the duty after declaring it? (and how much is that ?), or could this be more trouble than it's worth? :wow:

mcfez - 8-24-2010 at 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jeremias
So i bought this portable air conditioner at a garage sale for 50 bucks and I'm hoping to get it down this weekend. Could i just bring a handwritten receipt and pay the duty after declaring it? (and how much is that ?), or could this be more trouble than it's worth? :wow:

Yeah...we tried one of em too and what a heap.....I suggest you try it out before hauling to Baja. I wouldn't bother with paperwork, just pack it below everything else. Some others here would disagree with my thought to sneak it in.

mulegemichael - 8-24-2010 at 08:00 PM

we bought a GREAT portable a/c unit from sears last year to take down after jimena...it's the only thing that kept us alive, it seems...just buried it under all the other stuff and kept driving.

jeremias - 8-24-2010 at 08:02 PM

thanks, I've got a flat electric bill and this place is beyond stuffy and hot, so I'll take any somewhat cool air this thing brings in....lol This one is actually pretty dang big, not so sure how well I could hide it. But i may just try.

gnukid - 8-24-2010 at 08:07 PM

Quote:

One portable air conditioner should be allowed, say it is it a replacement for your camper or boat, or for your camp trip because you have a baby visiting-both are allowed duty free, camping gear (FMT) or replacement for your vessel or RV (if you have a permanent visa). If its camping gear it shouldn't be new in packaging, but it could be used/new in packaging.

Russ - 8-24-2010 at 08:07 PM

I tried my little window unit today and it got my small bedroom down about 20º to 86º during the day. I'm about to start the generator & AC and go read.And what I hope will be 80º. Dreaming.... maybe :yawn:

rhintransit - 8-24-2010 at 08:45 PM

I got 'caught' bringing in a three way cooler a few years ago. a 12 volt/elctric/propane ice chest. customs guy at Tecate wasn't pleased and rambled on and on that I couldn't bring that in. I told him it was used, cost about 200 bucks. he charged me 60US in duty, gave me a receipt. it wasn't until I read the paperwork later that I found he thought it was an airconditioner. I'd told him 'cooler'... but I guess I should have lifted the lid and demonstrated. anyway I guess that means that ac's pay duty.

Mexicorn - 8-24-2010 at 08:51 PM

108 in San Felipe today-

DO IT!!!!!

jeremias - 8-24-2010 at 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rhintransit
I got 'caught' bringing in a three way cooler a few years ago. a 12 volt/elctric/propane ice chest. customs guy at Tecate wasn't pleased and rambled on and on that I couldn't bring that in. I told him it was used, cost about 200 bucks. he charged me 60US in duty, gave me a receipt. it wasn't until I read the paperwork later that I found he thought it was an airconditioner. I'd told him 'cooler'... but I guess I should have lifted the lid and demonstrated. anyway I guess that means that ac's pay duty.

If I get "caught" does that pretty much eliminate
my option of using some sort of receipt to pay the duty on? Or could I maybe get away with pulling it out of my glove box? Another thing I'm wondering about if if I'm gonna blow the park's electric. This thing is 10000 btus, and says i should have a 15 amp 115 volt hookup. Does that sound like it would blow the average breaker in Baja? I know there are washing machines around the area.

[Edited on 8-25-2010 by jeremias]

[Edited on 8-25-2010 by jeremias]

Bob and Susan - 8-25-2010 at 05:36 AM

you know... don't listen to these guys that smuggle...
if you're leaving it at your house in baja
then pay the import fee...

just drive to secondary and ask the agent
you'll probably pay $15
it's not that much for "piece of mind"

remember... you can be stopped and fined later
after you cross and if you don't have import paperwork
you put your truck at risk of being seized...simple

now...the ac unit has to say on it somewhere
what it actually uses
probably 11 amps at 120v or 1250w

if your actual current is less...
say 110v or 109v your amps increase a little

it WON'T work off a solar system
too big

and it needs to be "vented"
bring the supplies to vent it thru a window or wall
make it a "install kit"

it will cool a room about 600 sq feet

DENNIS - 8-25-2010 at 08:09 AM

OK...So here's whaccha do..... On Broadway in Chula Vista, there's a medical supply business. Go there and buy a cheap plastic oxygen mask and a few feet of plastic hose.
Tape one end of the hose to a discreet place on the machine, hook the other end to the mask and put it on while you drive through the border.
When they stop you, tell them it's making life-support oxygen. Take off the mask and fall out of your car gasping for air.
You'll be down the avenue in less than a minute.

Or....you could make a receipt for 50 bucks and they probably won't charge you anything.

Given these coices, and I were you, I'd be going for the drama. You only live once.
--------------

10,000 BTUs? I thought that was a reference to heat.

Pompano - 8-25-2010 at 08:54 AM

Just mount it in the rear window and plug it in to a AC/DC adaptor plug. It is now part of the vehicle AC system.

Half the FUN of living in Baja is beating the mordida guys at the GAME!

[Edited on 8-25-2010 by Pompano]

Udo - 8-25-2010 at 09:28 AM

I like Roger's and DENNIS' ideas.

gnukid - 8-25-2010 at 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob and Susan
you know... don't listen to these guys that smuggle...
if you're leaving it at your house in baja
then pay the import fee...
...

Your comment is offensive and incorrect.

A boat owner or RV owner may replace a broken AC unit without being required to pay duty. Those people are not required to have a Fm-3 or fm-2 to do so. The AC could even be brought on a plane duty free.

Nearly every large RV camper that heads south has an AC unit which is portable and they may pass the border without duty, as they can do with portable TV, VCR, DVD, Computer etc... without fm-2 or fm-3.

In the case of any camper traveling south one may bring portable devices that will bring there and bring back or put in the trash or give away en route.

The issues with duty are in general in order to reduce competition of people who would bring in items for resale or perhaps are trying to reduce duties for items they would otherwise purchase in Mex.

I personally bring a portable AC unit each year, but not because I use one, I think they are a waste, but there are families with young babies who may need them in Baja, so these pieces of of crap are no longer garbage to those families.

I do want to say, when you perpetrate false allegations that people are criminal for their actions which are totally legal you perpetuate a false impression that Mexico's problems are caused by visitors, which is totally false and further supports unjust authorities who wish to extract money from visitors unjustly. Get the facts straight about importation for visitors, perhaps your position as a full time resident isn't a comparable mindset versus someone who travels back and forth?

Bob and Susan - 8-25-2010 at 12:27 PM

you're wrong
and i'm sorry you take offense to the FACT
i think not importing an ac unit that's not going back
to the states is smuggleing...

if you bring in an air conditioner that is going to stay in mexico you need to import it...period
if you don't import it you smuggled it in
even if you are just giving it away

replacement AC units for RV's are still taxed
you cannot bring them in for free
if you did you smuggled it in

Pompano - 8-25-2010 at 12:35 PM

Calm down, boys. Let's lighten the mood here, okay?

.
.

Smuggling:

Juan comes up to the Mexican border on his bicycle. He's got two large bags over his shoulders.

The guard stops him and says, “What''s in the bags?”

“Sand,” answered Juan.

The guard says, “We'll just see about that get off the bike.”

The guard takes the bags and rips them apart; he empties them out and finds nothing in them but sand.

He detains Juan overnight and has the sand analyzed, only to discover that there is nothing but pure sand in the bags.

The guard releases Juan, puts the sand into new bags, hefts them onto the man''s shoulders, and lets him cross the border.

A week later, the same thing happens. The guard asks, “What have you got?”

“Sand,” says Juan.

The guard does his thorough examination and discovers that the bags contain nothing but sand.

He gives the sand back to Juan, and Juan crosses the border on his bicycle.

This sequence of events if repeated every day for three years. Finally, Juan doesn't show up one day and the guard meets him in a Cantina in Mexico.

“Hey, Buddy,” says the guard, “I know you are smuggling something. It's driving me crazy. It's all I think about….. I can't sleep. Just between you and me, what are you smuggling?”

Juan sips his beer and says, “Bicycles.”

DENNIS - 8-25-2010 at 12:52 PM

:lol:

Cypress - 8-25-2010 at 12:58 PM

That's a good one!

jeremias - 8-25-2010 at 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
OK...So here's whaccha do..... On Broadway in Chula Vista, there's a medical supply business. Go there and buy a cheap plastic oxygen mask and a few feet of plastic hose.
Tape one end of the hose to a discreet place on the machine, hook the other end to the mask and put it on while you drive through the border.
When they stop you, tell them it's making life-support oxygen. Take off the mask and fall out of your car gasping for air.
You'll be down the avenue in less than a minute.

Or....you could make a receipt for 50 bucks and they probably won't charge you anything.

Given these coices, and I were you, I'd be going for the drama. You only live once.
--------------

10,000 BTUs? I thought that was a reference to heat.

:lol I don't think I could pull off the mask idea without laughing the whole time

castaway$ - 8-25-2010 at 01:17 PM

Juan is a smart hombre :lol:

DENNIS - 8-25-2010 at 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jeremias
:lol:

:lol I don't think I could pull off the mask idea without laughing the whole time

OK....But don't you live in San Miguel? Do think you'll ever use an air conditioner there? There are very few days out of the year I would even consider one. Especially this year.
I have a seven foot covered deck all around my place so the sun never hits a window. That helps.

Pompano - 8-25-2010 at 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
....

I have a seven foot covered deck all around my place so the sun never hits a window. That helps.

Sooo...NOW we know the vacation headquarters of Count Dracula. :light:

DENNIS - 8-25-2010 at 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano

Sooo...NOW we know the vacation headquarters of Count Dracula. :light:

Well, the light comes through the windows...just not the heat. :cool:

jeremias - 8-25-2010 at 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by jeremias
:lol:

:lol I don't think I could pull off the mask idea without laughing the whole time

My place is pretty much a shack studio with a trailer attached to it, so there isn't much for windows, or ventilation for that matter. I probably could get by without it, especially in winter I'm guessing, but it was pretty hot and stuffy last week. Maybe I could claim it's for my camper shell like Pompano said and have the cord going into my cab. Only problem is it's not like I could power it with the cigarette lighter power inverter.

DENNIS - 8-25-2010 at 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jeremias
Only problem is it's not like I could power it with the cigarette lighter power inverter.

That's the first rule of crossing the border with contraband....Don't tell them everything. :lol:

willyAirstream - 8-25-2010 at 06:36 PM

Juan didn't tell him the whole truth, he was smuggling bicycles And bags!

jeremias - 8-27-2010 at 07:38 AM

Got the green light!!!!!

DENNIS - 8-27-2010 at 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jeremias
Got the green light!!!!!

After all that rehearsal? Gasping and choking? Doesn't seem fair, does it.
Oh, well....it's nice when the ADUANA GODS give you a break.

jeremias - 8-27-2010 at 08:47 AM

first time in this truck, they ALWAYS pull me over. But I did have the oxygen mask ready just in case...

DavidE - 8-28-2010 at 04:05 PM

THE MAINLAND

"Señor why are you in the declaration lane?"

"Well I have these things here in the car"

"Are those things for your own personal use?"

"Yes they are"

"Then they are legal to bring into Mexico; buen viaje"