BajaNomad

Importing a vehicle - brokers in La Paz?

BajaBruceFan - 1-22-2012 at 07:51 PM

I'm planning on permanently importing my 2003 Honda to BCS this year. There's alot of good info at http://www.sanfelipelife.com/post/Importing-a-car-to-Baja-Ca... on how to do it ..... but what I would like to do is find someone in La Paz who can handle the importation process for me. Anyone have any recommendations?

Bajatripper - 1-22-2012 at 08:58 PM

If you don't hear from anyone else with personal experience on this, I'll go down to the Aduana office this week and see if they have any info. A few years ago I know they gave out a couple of phone numbers of people who supposedly were authorized to do that.

Mula - 1-23-2012 at 06:48 AM

I can send you the name and phone number of the company and person in LaPaz later today.

Only 1 agency apparently there. But much easier than going to TJ or Mexicali.

Bob and Susan - 1-23-2012 at 06:59 AM

the car HAS to be at the border

otherwise the importation is illegal and you could get burned later

[Edited on 1-23-2012 by Bob and Susan]

Can a vehicle made in Japan be nationalized?

Kimpatsu_Hekigan - 1-23-2012 at 10:23 AM

BajaBruceFan sez:

I'm planning on permanently importing my 2003 Honda to BCS this year.

It's my understanding that only cars manufactured or assembled in NAFTA countries, i.e., the U.S. or Canada, can be nationalized. If the VIN number of your Honda begins with the letter 'J', it was made in Japan, and thus, would be ineligible.

I would be delighted to find out this is not true. So if you are successful in getting BCS plates for your car, please do report back to us how you did it and how much it cost.

Rolly Brook also has a bit more info on his site. It's focused on the mainland, but some things may apply to Baja.

Nationalizing a Foreign Vehicle -- from Rolly Brook's site

Good luck!

-- K.H.

More Info

Mula - 1-23-2012 at 11:48 AM

I have several friends who have imported their vehicles through this company in LaPaz.

They speak English, take many detailed photos of your vehicle, fill out your application and send it all to Mexicali.

Also, note it is necessary to declare if the vehicle is to be imported only to Baja - or if it will be used on the mainland also.

Big price difference for Baja only importation.

Right now, the current fees and years/models accepted for importation are being updated, so you can call this company and they will notify you when the new rates and conditions are ready for application.

Agencia Aduanal Zamorano S. C.
Alfonso Solis
J. Ortiz Dominguez #2155
Col. Centro, LaPaz

612 122 0635
612 128 9469

Bob and Susan - 1-23-2012 at 06:05 PM

mainland is natonalization import...

baja is frontireization import

still...to meet the rules the car HAS to be at the border
or you could get burned later

and i thought hondas were made in the USA??? no???

David K - 1-23-2012 at 06:28 PM

My Toyota Tacoma was made in BAJA!

PCbaja - 1-23-2012 at 07:51 PM

I live in BCS a good part of the year and had my 1999 honda CRV imported. I had to drive it to TJ and it took several days and about 1800.00 USD.

Now every Mexican I know wants to buy it!

BajaBlanca - 1-23-2012 at 08:06 PM

I have an excellent contact in TJ and if you can wait about 10 day, we will be back from la paz/yucantan and can help you with this. In themeantime, send me your email via u2u if you are interested.

Bajatripper - 1-24-2012 at 10:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by PCbaja
I live in BCS a good part of the year and had my 1999 honda CRV imported. I had to drive it to TJ and it took several days and about 1800.00 USD.


Ouch! Two years ago, we imported a '98 Honda CRV (made in Japan) and "only" paid $900 USD to import it (zona fronteriza).

Bob and Susan - 1-25-2012 at 07:30 AM

same thing last year...within 12 months

import a pickup 2003 dodge
about a grand in tj

Kimpatsu_Hekigan - 1-25-2012 at 09:58 AM

Bajatripper sez:

Two years ago, we imported a '98 Honda CRV (made in Japan) and "only" paid $900 USD to import it (zona fronteriza).

So does this mean the car has license plates for Baja California (Norte) that say "Zona Fronteriza"?

If so, where is the car registered? Can the registration be transferred to an address in Baja Sur to get BCS plates?

Does it matter if you live in BCS but drive a car with Zona Fronteriza plates?

Thanks,

-- K.H.

Bajatripper - 1-25-2012 at 04:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kimpatsu_Hekigan
Bajatripper sez:

Two years ago, we imported a '98 Honda CRV (made in Japan) and "only" paid $900 USD to import it (zona fronteriza).

So does this mean the car has license plates for Baja California (Norte) that say "Zona Fronteriza"?

If so, where is the car registered? Can the registration be transferred to an address in Baja Sur to get BCS plates?

Does it matter if you live in BCS but drive a car with Zona Fronteriza plates?

Thanks,

-- K.H.


First off, all of the peninsula falls in the "zona fronteriza" so the same rules apply down here (BCS) as up in the northern state of BC. Our license plates down here also have "front" on both plates, which causes some confusion for Americans who see the back plate first. As you've likely guessed, "front" is short for "fronteriza."

When you import a vehicle at the border (we did it at Tecate so the hassle wouldn't be as great), they issue you paperwork that you take to your local DMV to register in your state, so that isn't a problem (provided you live in one of the "fronteriza" states).

But just to be safe, after we picked up the car at the agency where they handled the transaction, we went to the a government office in Tecate where they issued us (for about $20 US) a temporary road permit in case we got stopped on our return trip home.

We had no problem registering the vehicle in La Paz on our arrival.

As for transferring ownership once it's been properly imported, it's just like any other vehicle down here, so you won't have any problems. That's why you pay that grand up at the border, to legalize your ride--for you, and subsequent owners.

[Edited on 1-25-2012 by Bajatripper]

rts551 - 1-26-2012 at 07:36 AM

A somewhat related question,
Do you know how Anapromex works? What the rules are?

dtbushpilot - 1-26-2012 at 08:00 AM

I know that you must have a MX drivers license to drive your MX plated vehicle but what about towed vehicles? What if I'm driving my imported pickup towing a US plated boat or utility trailer? Has anyone had any experience with this scenario?...dt

BajaBlanca - 1-26-2012 at 08:47 AM

Les says it is possible to import without taking the cr to the border but it is simply more expensive.

PCbaja - 1-26-2012 at 12:43 PM

The plates are given to you by the Municipality that you live in. TJ only processes the paperwork.