BMG
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Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: La Paz / Bahia Asunci�n / Away from home
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Planning our move to La Paz.
I guess this is going to be the beginning of my series of questions that we have about our move in October. I have found answers to many of my
questions already on this forum - "Thanks!"
We are planning on getting a Menaje de Casa. Somes friends of ours recently did that for a Nogales border crossing and ended up never even showing it
to a single official during their entire trip down to Las Bocas. Others on this forum seem to have problems even with the stamped documents in hand.
My 1st question: Seems to be some disagreement on whether it's best to get the Menaje de Casa or just pay a duty when crossing. We don't have a bunch
of stuff since we've been living on our sailboat for the last 12 years but it seems everyone is loading us up on furniture that they've been paying
storage on for years so we expect to have a 10' or 12' trailer load. Who here votes for Manaje and who votes for declaring and paying a duty?
2nd question: Is it better to let a border official know that you speak Spanish or to just play the iggy and pretend not to understand more than a few
words?
I'll leave it at those 2 for now but any more suggestions, recommendations, or advice is appreciated.
BTW, just a reminder at to why we chose La Paz instead of moving back to Idaho.
I think the world is run by C- students.
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bajamigo
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Posts: 1218
Registered: 6-17-2006
Location: Punta Banda, BC
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Mood: hubimos llegado
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Bajaguy just had a successful experience moving here. You may want to U2U him.
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Diver
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With the small amount of goods you are taking with, might it be construed that you are just taking things to furnish a rental unit for a few months ?
In case you are challenged, receipts will keep the duty reasonable.
I would have "official loking" receipts (used value) for as much as you can of the larger items or just one for "furniture", just in case.
I don't know how much the Menaje and all that costs but your potential duty may not be much.
.
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Bajagypsy
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Location: Bahía Asuncion BCS
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Are you sure that was Idaho??? Could have been Saskatchewan!!!! It went down to 2 degrees last night
Edit:
I forgot to say congrats on moving down, lucky family!!
[Edited on 8-29-2007 by Bajagypsy]
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Osprey
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Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Been a while but: I had every thing I ever touched in a great big long open trailer so I thought I had better do the manaje. Knocked my socks off to
make everything just like they wanted it, had a pal, a street-wise Mexican national meet me at the border. We both made nice in every language and it
still cost me 100 bucks for something the consulate said would be free. Keep your cool -- you'll only do it once. Suerte! You will love La Paz.
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajagypsy
!! It went down to 2 degrees last night
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Don't wait any longer; get out while you still can !!!  
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BajaWarrior
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Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
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Mood: Anxious to get south
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BMG, check your U2U.
BW
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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805gregg
Super Nomad
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Registered: 5-21-2006
Location: Ojai, Ca
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I just spent 5 days in La Paz, we loved it, and you don't even have to stop at stop signs.
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longlegsinlapaz
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Posts: 1685
Registered: 11-18-2005
Location: La Paz
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| Quote: | Originally posted by 805gregg
I just spent 5 days in La Paz, we loved it, and you don't even have to stop at stop signs. |
BAAAAAD advice 805gregg!!! If you DON'T STOP, then you're likely to rear-end me!! I DO STOP....and being from Oregon, it's a complete stop versus a California rolling stop! And YES, I have been rear-ended because I made a legal stop! 
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edinnopolo
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Many years ago I asked a Mexican friend , a Paceno, why they kind of ignored the Alto signs, he laughed and told me they were only suggestions. Dead
serious also.
Just to let you know what the natives think.
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msteve1014
Senior Nomad
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maybe checking the mirrors when you are are driving would be a good plan, if you know LOTS of people run stop signs in mexico
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longlegsinlapaz
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Location: La Paz
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I CHECKED my rear view mirror and I checked the cross flow traffic & opted to get rear-ended rather than side impact from the guy
running the stop sign to my left! You guys may think I'm dumb...I prefer to believe that I made an immediate judgment call in the best interest of MY
physical safety! A skinny door versus a large trunk & TWO seat backs between me & the inevitable....it was a good call!! 
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jeffg
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Registered: 11-25-2004
Location: Vista, CA
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We tried the Menaje de Casa (at Otay) when we took a trailer load of stuff down to our casa in Los Barriles. Everything was all detailed and
approved by the consulate in San Diego. But at the border that didn't mean much. No one really wanted to deal with the Menaje. We were sent from
one broker to the next, maybe in an hour, no, maybe you need to come back tomorrow. After 3 or 4 hours of this I asked if we could forget about the
Menaje and just pay duty on the load. That was the ticket, about an hour later we were out of there. The duty was less than the original cost of the
Menaje de Casa.
So my vote would be just go and pay the duty.
Jeff
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805gregg
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Location: Ojai, Ca
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I stopped for maybe 2 days, then just drove like the locals, I do stop for pedestrians, and got honked at, flipped off and had one guy behind me zoom
past and almost hit the people walking. I didn't get it whats the hurry?
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BMG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1776
Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: La Paz / Bahia Asunci�n / Away from home
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Thanks for the info.
I've been getting even more via U2U. It's all very much appreciated. Looking forward to hearing from more of you about your experiences moving
households across the border. We're getting antsy to get moved.
"Maybe you should put the top up at night..." - Then why buy a convertible?
"...might it be construed that you are just taking things to furnish a rental unit for a few months ?" - I never thought about how it might be
construed. Would that be an issue for or against us?
"Could have been Saskatchewan!!!! It went down to 2 degrees last night." - I was really worried for you until I remembered you use C and I still think
in F. Must have felt rather balmy. Did it help the bananas ripen?
"...ignored the Alto signs, he laughed and told me they were only suggestions." - I once asked my father-in-law why no one stopped at the alto sign at
the railroad tracks. He told me you only have to stop if there is a train coming. Ya think?!?
"...(ie blink the brake lights)..." - Great, this means I need to get my lights working.
"The duty was less than the original cost of the Menaje de Casa." - This seems to be the general feeling unless the goods are being transported by a
mover.
"I didn't get it whats the hurry?" - Kind of an odd thing. Race down residential streets weaving in and out of traffic while blowing thru stops to get
somewhere 2 minutes sooner to do nothing.
I think the world is run by C- students.
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CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
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Mood: Peacefull
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BMG
I've been getting even more via U2U. It's all very much appreciated. Looking forward to hearing from more of you about your experiences moving
households across the border. We're getting antsy to get moved.
"Maybe you should put the top up at night..." - Then why buy a convertible?
"...might it be construed that you are just taking things to furnish a rental unit for a few months ?" - I never thought about how it might be
construed. Would that be an issue for or against us?
"Could have been Saskatchewan!!!! It went down to 2 degrees last night." - I was really worried for you until I remembered you use C and I still think
in F. Must have felt rather balmy. Did it help the bananas ripen?
"...ignored the Alto signs, he laughed and told me they were only suggestions." - I once asked my father-in-law why no one stopped at the alto sign at
the railroad tracks. He told me you only have to stop if there is a train coming. Ya think?!?
"...(ie blink the brake lights)..." - Great, this means I need to get my lights working.
"The duty was less than the original cost of the Menaje de Casa." - This seems to be the general feeling unless the goods are being transported by a
mover.
"I didn't get it whats the hurry?" - Kind of an odd thing. Race down residential streets weaving in and out of traffic while blowing thru stops to get
somewhere 2 minutes sooner to do nothing. |
BMG,
Thank's for starting the thread.... i too am moving to la paz
in october..... good luck to you.... as to the Manaja i am
leaning toward just going for whatever deal i can make at
the border..... no trailer just the bronco loaded ... with a
box spring and mattress on the roof rack
CaboRon
I will be crossing on the morning of tues oct 2
[Edited on 9-2-2007 by CaboRon]
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fdt
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4059
Registered: 9-7-2003
Location: Tijuana, Baja California
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Mood: Yeah, what if it all goes right
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| Quote: | Originally posted by 805gregg
I stopped for maybe 2 days, then just drove like the locals, I do stop for pedestrians, and got honked at, flipped off and had one guy behind me zoom
past and almost hit the people walking. I didn't get it whats the hurry? |
Funny, I think the first stop light was at the intersection of 16 de Septiembre and Revolucion and a choyero was driving by there and got a red light,
well as he waited and waited for it to change, he started getting desperate and started honking at it to change
A well informed Baja California traveler is a smart Baja California traveler!
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