BajaNomad

Importing tires for ATV

Warf - 4-25-2018 at 09:08 AM

Tires for an ATV here in La Paz are pricey. Does anyone know if you can import tires? Several times when I´ve crossed at Otay, I´ve seen new tires stacked at the aduana office...which makes me think one cannot import tires. Any nomads out there know the actual official policy on importing tires.? Has anyone done it?

Rossman - 4-25-2018 at 10:16 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Warf  
Tires for an ATV here in La Paz are pricey. Does anyone know if you can import tires? Several times when I´ve crossed at Otay, I´ve seen new tires stacked at the aduana office...which makes me think one cannot import tires. Any nomads out there know the actual official policy on importing tires.? Has anyone done it?


By import, I take it you mean buy them in the the US, declare them at border and pay duty. Can't help you with the official rules but I have on two occasions bought them in the US and took them to Baja with no questions asked. Could have been lucky I guess.

BajaUtah - 4-25-2018 at 11:51 AM

Unmounted new tires are not legal to bring across - per several threads here. What I have done is bought cheap rims and mounted them. With them mounted I have never been questioned. I had 4 new tires this way when I trailered my Ranger across a few years ago. I had the trailer full of spares and these mounted tires and Aduana was only interested in registration for SxS, Trailer and Truck.

I can buy used Polaris rims around here for $10 a piece.

bajatrailrider - 4-25-2018 at 12:15 PM

This not the case for me bringing new moto tires across TJ border last 30 years. Half the time they see the tires charge duty, One at a time if they see the tire they let me go. I have had mounted new trailer tires in back of truck yes charged duty. The rules are changed by the hour depending on who checks.

Lee - 4-25-2018 at 01:58 PM

I've imported RV tires with Monica Page http://www.monicapagelogistics.com and it was fine. Dropped the tires off to their warehouse in Otay area, they wrapped each tire (6) in clear plastic and I picked them up in La Paz.

Didn't want to drive them down. US tire price with shipping probably came to what I would have paid in La Paz.

bajapedro - 4-25-2018 at 03:53 PM

I also have crossed, but in Mexicali, with RZR tires. They were mounted on rims. No questions. no problems. I do as a rule, generally cross the boarder between 3-4 AM. They seem to be much less interested in anything at that time of the morning.

bajapedro - 4-25-2018 at 04:03 PM

I also have crossed, but in Mexicali, with RZR tires. They were mounted on rims. No questions. no problems. I do as a rule, generally cross the boarder between 3-4 AM. They seem to be much less interested in anything at that time of the morning.

Pacifico - 4-25-2018 at 06:21 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaUtah  
Unmounted new tires are not legal to bring across - per several threads here. What I have done is bought cheap rims and mounted them. With them mounted I have never been questioned. I had 4 new tires this way when I trailered my Ranger across a few years ago. I had the trailer full of spares and these mounted tires and Aduana was only interested in registration for SxS, Trailer and Truck.

I can buy used Polaris rims around here for $10 a piece.


I wouldn't say "not legal"...you just have to pay duty on them. No big deal. I brought 4 unmounted trailer tires for my boat trailer and just had to pay minimal tax on them.

Warf - 4-26-2018 at 09:25 AM

Thanks to all of you for your input. I won´t head north till August so I´ll keep shopping the local LP area. There are several off road rental business for tourists along the road into Cabo from TS. They have to get their tires from somewhere. Maybe they can guide me to a better price? Quien sabe! Anybody know if ATV (RZR) tires in the Los Cabos area are available for a reasonable price?

BajaUtah - 4-26-2018 at 11:48 AM

Los Barriles has several ATV rental outfits and a repair shop just north of town. I've never tried to get tires down there but I'd bet they can tell you.

I know when I talked to the repair shop about my Ranger they said they imported all the parts from the US as they couldn't get any in Mexico (or at least Baja Sur.

dtbushpilot - 4-26-2018 at 05:30 PM

The tire shop south of Los Barriles has a good selection of ATV tires at a fair price. If they don't have your size they can get it in a day. By the time you factor buying them, paying duty, transporting them down and having them mounted you are better off buying local unless you have some super high performance tire need.

Alm - 4-27-2018 at 09:02 PM

Can't say about rental businesses in Cabo, but more than 60% of domestic sales are Mexican brand Italika. There is (at least) one Italika dealership in La Paz. Parts are cheap, but I think their quads have smaller tires than RZR.

Hook - 4-29-2018 at 03:59 PM

You might try calling Rocky Mountain ATV and asking about ATV tires that come super bundled and compressed. They are very easy to hide, if you are carrying a lot of other stuff. I had a friend get some from them and did this. They were not top of the line tires, but they were six ply; though I believe they were not radial construction. They were Kenda Bear Claws. Very inexpensive, compared to most tires. Highly rated by RMATV customers.

https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/1602/5375/Kenda-Bear-Cl...

Just be sure and call to make sure they are still shipped like this. Maybe other tires are, too?