Cardon Man
Super Nomad
Posts: 1319
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Thetis Bank
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Mood: !Al Chingaso!
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Buying a car in Baja?
A guy I know has a vehicle for sale but it's not imported and has Canadian plates. Is it possible for me to buy it and either register it in Mexico
or in my home state of Washington? Any thoughts, advice, experiences from fellow nomads appreciated.
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tp
Banned
Posts: 41
Registered: 1-1-2008
Location: Spartanburg, SC & Mulege, BCS
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You can buy whatever you want. That's one thing.
Importing is another story.
Permanent or temporarily is the first question.
Import is done on a regular base @ the border. Takes about 3 to 5 days depending on make and model and year and if you can show the car.
You got to have a PEXIM (Permission exporting / importing)
Importing inside Baja is also possible but more difficult and only where there is an aduana office..
Go and see mexican aduana, they tell you what it takes.
tp
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Now is not a good time to import. In Cabo San Lucas and elsewhere now there are roadblocks to check for stolen/unregistered/expired registered cars --
they are looking for dope/arms/terrorist stuff and more. Real importation (the legal way) will be risky and will cost about $1,000 U.S. For a lot less
than that you can get one to satisfy the plates people, get the plates but the federales are now keeping records and could catch a fraud with the new
stickers/doctored import papers. Beware if you find "a deal". You could get the plates, later lose the car.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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If you do a search on this board you can find some posts where Nomads were registering/titleing vehicles LEGALLY in South Dakota (I think) and very
reasonable in price.
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tp
Banned
Posts: 41
Registered: 1-1-2008
Location: Spartanburg, SC & Mulege, BCS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Osprey
Now is not a good time to import. In Cabo San Lucas and elsewhere now there are roadblocks to check for stolen/unregistered/expired registered cars --
they are looking for dope/arms/terrorist stuff and more. Real importation (the legal way) will be risky and will cost about $1,000 U.S. For a lot less
than that you can get one to satisfy the plates people, get the plates but the federales are now keeping records and could catch a fraud with the new
stickers/doctored import papers. Beware if you find "a deal". You could get the plates, later lose the car. |
That is not quite correct how you say it, Osprey. Importation is NOT risky if done correctly. And it does not cost $1,000.
It first of all depends on the year of manufactoring of the car.
Out of my gutts: it is $300 for a year 2000 car. Older is cheaper, newer more.
Again as already said, go to Aduana and ask. They are friendly and helpfull. Speak Spanish or get a friend to help you. Mexican authorities are far
more friendly than US authorities. You will see!
And, hey, loose the car?? That's BS! Other than the car is stolen you have nothing to fear.
Those Panda Roadblocks North of Cabo are no harm to you if your car is o.k. And remember: As a US citizen w/ US drivers lisc. and a US lisc.plate on
the car you can drive as long as you want wherever you want in Baja. No Panda can change that. Everything else is incorrect.
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Mulegena
Super Nomad
Posts: 2412
Registered: 11-7-2006
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car importation - Aduana
sorry, what is Aduana and where is/are office/s located, please?
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longlegsinlapaz
Super Nomad
Posts: 1685
Registered: 11-18-2005
Location: La Paz
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Uhhhhh....Panda = black & whites...State versus City Police, is my guess!
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tp
Banned
Posts: 41
Registered: 1-1-2008
Location: Spartanburg, SC & Mulege, BCS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by longlegsinlapaz
Uhhhhh....Panda = black & whites...State versus City Police, is my guess! |
Correct. PFP (Policia Federal Preventif) is called Pandas as of black and white cars.
I have to add that the roadblock north of CaboSanLucas was mostly done by military guys w/ Pandas aside. You got to know that Pandas have no authority
inside city limits.
Aduana, also correct, is the Mexican Customs.
A main office is located in La Paz @ the Malecon.
Very friendly people there will give you in writing what it takes to import a car.
Or just punch in your search machine "Aduana Mexicana"
everything else is explained clearly. Importation of cars easy to find even if you don't speak Spanish. But understanding the process, you got to have
knowledge of the Spanish language.
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