We bought a place in the Oasis in Mulege last year and we are moving some stuff down with us this year for the place. Anyone now how the 16% duty
works at the border for used personal possessions?
If you have a good link explaining the tax laws for bringing items accross, it would be great. I looked and just found info for what you can,t bring
in and how much food and smokes, etc. are allowed
ThanksDENNIS - 9-7-2014 at 12:23 PM
That is a difficult question. It will depend on the size of the load, what it is, and who at the border you talk to first. If it's a nominal amount
of merchandise, just make up a value and leave it up to them to figure a price.
If it's a lot of merchandise, you may be required to do an import on them.
Anyway...the word you have to stress is "used."
Good luck.Bob and Susan - 9-7-2014 at 12:31 PM
go to otay mesa to cross...
go to secondary (declare lane)
show them the load
let them estimate value
pay at bank there
drive down
don't bring food...there is food in mulege
they sell "SMOKES" in mulege too
its easy...
you can always turn around and go back to the usa if you are in secondary
you'll be happyAlm - 9-7-2014 at 12:45 PM
Seems they give a slack to people importing household items when moving in. Even when you bring some stuff later, it's often enough to mention that
this is "para mi casita' - even if you're still with a tourist status - and they go easy on you.
Yes, 16% tax on everything else, ex. new multiple identical items. Make a list in Eng-Esp, ex. Chair - Silla, Table - Mesa, etc, and tell that it's
used. Remove store packaging, stickers and price-tags. Some things are prohibited, like lumber. Some things are - technically - charged at 400%
rate, like Chinese goods, but I've never heard of them doing it - hopefully you don't carry a few boxes of new flip-flops or something else in big
quantities. Don't forget a life boat, he-he bajagrouper - 9-7-2014 at 12:51 PM
I would bring a list of serial numbers for all electrical items just in case.....Bob and Susan - 9-7-2014 at 12:57 PM
Costco is in Ensenada for lots of stuff...
theres a place in santa rosalia that sell beds and appliances AND delivers them free...BIG new store...they have everything
don't think you need to bring it all downBob and Susan - 9-7-2014 at 01:00 PM
Yes. Some things you won't need at all, or will need very little. And, you can always bring small stuff later. You can bring $300 tax-free PER PERSON
when you fly in, this is a lot of stuff. Oddly, it's only $75 p/p when you drive-in but like I said, they give you a slack if you are playing
more-less honest.fandango - 9-7-2014 at 03:28 PM
It is now $300.00 per person tax free driving in.
Unless it is building materials, no tax free for that.lenstewart - 9-8-2014 at 09:52 AM
Not entirely on point, but the store in Santa Rosalia with furniture, beds, appliances, etc. you're talking about, I think, is Coppel. You can search
their website to see if they carry an item, and as the above post said, they deliver (never used the delivery). If so, maybe you won't have to haul it
down from the U.S, but can just order/buy new here. A drop down window on their website lets you know if the item is actually in stock in Santa
Rosalia store, in which case I just drive up for what I need and bring it back to Oasis myself easy peasy. (Also: the Coppel in Loreto is mostly
clothes, I think, and shoes...2 Coppel's at least in La Paz). http://www.coppel.com/Mulegena - 9-8-2014 at 01:15 PM
Second that on Coppel on-line.
We bought tires, a special size and good price available nowhere else in nearby Baja Sur. They were delivered to our door on the exact day they
anticipated.
Well done. Happy we are.Ribbonslinger - 9-8-2014 at 08:17 PM
Thanks for the advice. We cross at Mexacali and drive through Coco,s to Mulege. I will make a list and estimated values in Spanish.
I went to Copel's in Santa Rosalia last year. I had a hard time with the concept of pay now and don't worry we promise to deliver it to you. I just
wanted a fridge and put it in my truck please after I pay you. My Spanish was poor but finally with a lot of charades I got the fridge in my truck.
I was surprised how expensive used household items are in Mulege, and the poor quality. If I brought a truckload of Canadian garage sale items down
and start my own segunda there, I could retire early.
I am going to look into Copel's on line.
Thanks again for all the tips. Looking forward to getting back to my second home.SFandH - 9-9-2014 at 06:43 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Ribbonslinger
I had a hard time with the concept of pay now and don't worry we promise to deliver it to you.
I was surprised how expensive used household items are in Mulege, and the poor quality.
Sounds like you were you worried about them not delivering the refrigerator.
True? If so, you shouldn't worry about that.
As far as used stuff goes, poorer people, like many Mexicans, especially in small towns, use things until they are no longer repairable. The larger
towns have many large "swap meets" where really good deals can be found.
In Mulege though, I imagine most locals keep all the money they have in their wallets and purses and are all the time real close to being flat broke.
Anything they have that works, they keep.
Extremely different from Canada.
On "Black Friday" the day after Thanksgiving there is usually a big gringo swap meet at one the beaches where folks like you that have houses there
buy and sell household stuff. Watch for it.
[Edited on 9-9-2014 by SFandH]Pescador - 9-9-2014 at 07:21 AM
And you have not been shopping till you hit the big segunda section in Santa Rosalia. If you go up the arroyo road past where the telephone company
is located and the main street intersects, you will start seeing lots of temporary tents and plastic tarps. This goes all the way up to Ministerial
Police station. Way more stuff than I have ever seen in Mulege and competition makes for good buys.mtnpop - 9-9-2014 at 12:40 PM
We have always had good luck crossing at Tecate usually early in the morning on Sunday.....coming south... most of the time they are not totally in
the groove yet..
If they look in the truck we usually tell them we are coming to our casa for 6 months and they shake their head and say go on...
Then of course we are not bringing the whole house with us... just personal items and some supplies...
Everyone always told us to load camping and fishing gear close to the back and you are headed down for vacation... Bazinga!!!
If ur pullin a trailer it gets a little more dicey.... better have a list..
although we slid through once with no tax.... go figure...Alm - 9-9-2014 at 03:02 PM
Yes, locals in small towns don't throw anything away. In segundas they sell items that we throw out to the back alley after garage sale, because
nobody wanted to give even a penny for it. This is still a poor country.
Good to know that Coppel delivers promptly. On a brief glance, their refrigerators are more expensive than in Canadian Home Depot, not to mention US
Home Depot. But, at least, you can get it there without having to haul it all the way from North.
