mojo_norte
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 2-14-2006
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Towing a non running vehicle cross the border
I have a complete 64 VW Bug I'd like to flat tow down South as a season project- Baja Bug. It's complete and ran when parked years ago but is not
currently running. It's in somewhat rough condition - some call it Patina  . It
has a title so I would register it. Am likely to have problems with the border people - Tecate?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65100
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Southbound? It is a trailer... it just looks like a car. 
Make sure your Mexican Auto Insurance is modified that you are towing, otherwise no coverage if in an accident.
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sancho
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2524
Registered: 10-6-2004
Location: OC So Cal
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That would be ALMOST like a Motorhome towing a
small car behind, or one of the desert racers towing
a race vehicle on a trailer, or someone with a motorcycle
or quad in the bed of a pickup. They can be sticklers
for extra tires, etc., but a 60's bug, I wouldn't THINK so
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mojo_norte
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 2-14-2006
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| Quote: | Originally posted by sancho
That would be ALMOST like a Motorhome towing a
small car behind, or one of the desert racers towing
a race vehicle on a trailer, or someone with a motorcycle
or quad in the bed of a pickup. They can be sticklers
for extra tires, etc., but a 60's bug, I wouldn't THINK so |
I read a post awhile back that they might ask you to start it to see if it runs?
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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you should have registration for the bug, trailer and tow vehicle in your name to make it simple. otherwise notarized letter stating the facts from
registered owner(s).
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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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Hide it in plain sight
Paint it up to look like a racer, or get it running enough to drive it 4 blocks
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mojo_norte
I read a post awhile back that they might ask you to start it to see if it runs? |
They might. They also used to prohibit cars.. [needy cars, that is] from crossing the line on trailers. They just assumed the car was on a one way
trip.
I'm thinking that hasn't changed since things at the gate have tightened up some.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
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Mood: thriving in Baja
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Too bad it's not a non-running quad
You could do what this guy did 
Bob Durrell
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willyAirstream
Super Nomad
Posts: 1786
Registered: 1-1-2010
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Put a number `5` on it, you will bringing in a race car  if it is registered,
You won`t have any problems, they love classics.
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mojo_norte
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 2-14-2006
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Southbound? It is a trailer... it just looks like a car.
Make sure your Mexican Auto Insurance is modified that you are towing, otherwise no coverage if in an accident. |
I did not know that - thanks for the heads up
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2745
Registered: 5-10-2011
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"Modifying" an insurance issued through Discoverbaja.com is next to impossible, as I've found. I insured a new travel trailer before I went to pick
it up, because the lot was on the way to the border so I wanted to reduce the amount of paperwork. It turned out that there was a mistake in VIN
number in the info that dealer emailed me earlier. No big deal, the title and registration were all correct, that's all that border people want. So I
tried and phoned the insurer, to make changes on their file. Oh my God....
1st agent picks up - heavy Spanish accent - and says that people who know how to do this will be there tomorrow because it's Sunday now. The phone
menu doesn't even have an option like "other questions", only "accident", "injury" and something else.
Calling tomorrow, another agent, "are you in an accident"? - no, (explaining what I want) - OK, I'll get you somebody.
Another agent - "are you injured" - no, - "are you in an accident?" - no, (explaining what I want) - OK, I'll get you somebody.
....... (5 or 6 more rounds) ......
After 9 or 12 rounds and 30 or 40 minutes on the phone, another "somebody" that was promised to me, never showed up. The line went dead.
All were speaking with heavy accent, all polite, and my impression has been that their ability to comprehend was limited to topics that they were
trained in, i.e. accident or injury.
So down South I went, with the trailer that wasn't - technically - covered, even though I paid for that.
I doubt that the other broker - Bajabound - will be different, as they all brokering for the same 3 or 4 Mex underwriters. Don't remember which one of
3 was in my policy.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65100
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Alm
"Modifying" an insurance issued through Discoverbaja.com is next to impossible, as I've found. I insured a new travel trailer before I went to pick
it up, because the lot was on the way to the border so I wanted to reduce the amount of paperwork. It turned out that there was a mistake in VIN
number in the info that dealer emailed me earlier. No big deal, the title and registration were all correct, that's all that border people want. So I
tried and phoned the insurer, to make changes on their file. Oh my God....
1st agent picks up - heavy Spanish accent - and says that people who know how to do this will be there tomorrow because it's Sunday now. The phone
menu doesn't even have an option like "other questions", only "accident", "injury" and something else.
Calling tomorrow, another agent, "are you in an accident"? - no, (explaining what I want) - OK, I'll get you somebody.
Another agent - "are you injured" - no, - "are you in an accident?" - no, (explaining what I want) - OK, I'll get you somebody.
....... (5 or 6 more rounds) ......
After 9 or 12 rounds and 30 or 40 minutes on the phone, another "somebody" that was promised to me, never showed up. The line went dead.
All were speaking with heavy accent, all polite, and my impression has been that their ability to comprehend was limited to topics that they were
trained in, i.e. accident or injury.
So down South I went, with the trailer that wasn't - technically - covered, even though I paid for that.
I doubt that the other broker - Bajabound - will be different, as they all brokering for the same 3 or 4 Mex underwriters. Don't remember which one of
3 was in my policy. |
Discover Baja and BajaBound are the agents who sell insurance (and they both sell the same ones, also). You called the Mexican insurance company
rather than the people who sell the policy. Both Discover Baja and BajaBound are in San Diego, and closed on Sunday... and if you called the Mexican
insurance company (Claims number) from a BajaBound purchased policy, you may have experienced the exact same thing.
One thing is good, you actually got English speaking people when you called... For those of us who have never been in an accident in Mexico, that is
reassuring.
So, when you need to CHANGE the coverage on you policy, do so with the people you bought the policy from (Mon-Sat) during business hours.
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mojo_norte
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 2-14-2006
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Alm
So down South I went, with the trailer that wasn't - technically - covered, even though I paid for that.
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So - is it a liability issue or just that the towed vehicle is not covered? ie: if I hit someone I won't be covered..
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2745
Registered: 5-10-2011
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mojo_norte
| Quote: | Originally posted by Alm
So down South I went, with the trailer that wasn't - technically - covered, even though I paid for that.
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So - is it a liability issue or just that the towed vehicle is not covered? ie: if I hit someone I won't be covered.. |
I "think" that liability was not affected since I had liability covered for the pickup - the policy that I was trying to "modify" included both pickup
and trailer. But the trailer damage was not covered. Which in turn means that liability won't be affected if you only insure the pickup and leave the
towed "bug" not covered. From those brokers/agents mentioned above you wouldn't be able to purchase anything but liability for 1964 car even if you
were able to drive it.
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2745
Registered: 5-10-2011
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
So, when you need to CHANGE the coverage on you policy, do so with the people you bought the policy from (Mon-Sat) during business hours.
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David.... If you read my post again, it WAS Monday, except for my very 1st call. And it was during business hours.
When you purchase the contract online and print it, there is nothing there indicating even existence of Discoverybaja.com, other than - rather
unexpected - surcharge for using Discoverybaja.com, $20 or so, that pops up on your invoice at the very end of the transaction when it's too late to
change your mind ...
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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They could care less about the VIN number of the trailer except if a claim is lodged for or against it.
But connect anything onto a motor vehicle that is not specifically acknowledged in writing by the insurance COMPANY and you have zero coverage for
anything including liability. Been that way for decades.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
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Mood: Easy Does It
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DavidE
They could care less about the VIN number of the trailer except if a claim is lodged for or against it.
But connect anything onto a motor vehicle that is not specifically acknowledged in writing by the insurance COMPANY and you have zero coverage for
anything including liability. Been that way for decades. |
I have insurance through MAPFRE TEPEYAC I have had the same policy through the same agency for 12 years. The agency tells me anything I am in
possession of that is Licensed is insured. whether it be Towed Or driven the policy cost around 200dls. a year for my wife daughter and myself. I
carry my daughter on the policy so she wont have to get coverage when she comes down.
LUCKILY I CANT CONFIRM THIS AS I HAVE NEVER HAD A CLAIM.
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