measomsan
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Importing a car, can I do it in Cabo
Can I go to the Sa Jose police department where they issue Mexico plates and pay the import fee? Or is it only done at the boarder. Please god no.
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gnukid
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Supposedly you can only import at the border and they have services that ship the car there and back but there are shady reports about this process.
There are other options. There are circulation plates, temporary plates, you might try these people noted in the article ACV (no experience but worth
a call) http://bajainsider.com/baja-business/importingregisteringveh...
[Edited on 1-28-2014 by gnukid]
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measomsan
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Thanks for the info. They want 1,200 to drive it back down, but I have to drive it up. Looks like with the additional services charges it will not be
worth it. So I guess I drive them back and sell on us side. Then fly back down and buy a cars here. What a racket
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gnukid
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In Baja foreigners with PR TR or FMM may drive foreign plated vehicles, importation is only required for PR to ferry cars to mainland.
Other options in Baja exist such as circulation plates, and ONAPAFA sticker.
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measomsan
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What us a on Onapafa sticker?
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alacran
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ONAPAFA, changed stickers as of 1/1/2014.
The green ones are not valid anymore.
I got mine today.
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dasubergeek
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ONAPAFA and ANAPROMEX are services that claim to regularize "chocolate" cars (cars that have come across from the U.S. and are not importable). You
get a sticker and/or a license plate if you purchase insurance through them. They've been in the news lately because the government has begrudgingly
allowed them to exist.
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Leo
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Mood: could be better
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I had a car imported by a guy who works at General motors dealer in Cabo at the parts department. forgot his name and he did it without driving the
car back to TJ. It took about a week or 10 days and $ 500 Us. It depends on how old/new is your car.
The grass is always greener....
and so, there is always a better spot in Baja
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alacran
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Never heard of ONAPAFA selling insurance, have been with them for over 5 yrs.
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Pescador
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I have seen plates and drivers licenses issued by OONAPAFA and Anopromex but never have I seen them handling liability insurance.
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bajalinda
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dasubergeek - do you have a source concerning,
"They've been in the news lately because the government has begrudgingly allowed them to exist".
would be interested to get more info. Thanks.
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karenintx
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Leo
I had a car imported by a guy who works at General motors dealer in Cabo at the parts department. forgot his name and he did it without driving the
car back to TJ. It took about a week or 10 days and $ 500 Us. It depends on how old/new is your car. |
A few months back there was an article in the G/G that provided a web link that allowed you to put in your import number to see if the import of your
car was legit/legal. Have a friend here in Cabo that thought his was legit/legal until he was stopped in one of the many check points. He found out
the hard way he had paid $$$ for nothing. He then sent his SUV to TJ to have it done there...legally.
Maybe someone can provide that web link...
I drive a SD plated SUV. I have been to SJD airport several times in the last month. Yes, there are Feds checking cars to see if all of your
paperwork is current and legal for both Mexican and USA plated cars.
I have only been stopped once about a year ago and that was as I was leaving SJD airport. The Fed walked to the back of the SUV to confirm my license
plate sticker was current. He was very polite, he said "you can go now." He didn't ask for the car registration, insurance, $$$ or my IMN status.
Actually at that time I had a Imagrante card which was the old FM-2. I now have a R/P card.
It is not unusual to see Fed checks points on the service road by the CSL Wal-Mart. Every time we have been waved through without being stopped. It
seems they are targeting Mexican plated cars to check their paperwork...especially cars with the ONAPAFA or ANAPROMEX.
I agree with "gnukid" statement. If it was really open season on US plated cars (in CSL) we, the people that live here would HEAR a lot more about it
from other SD plated people that live in CSL...not from someone that is trying to make money off of an article they have written.
There are too many Mexicans driving California plated cars, SUV, Cadillacs and other high end vehicles here in CSL. So at this time we will wait and
see if The Baja is changed from a "free zone" to be like the mainland...excluding Sonora of course as it is a free zone too!
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