Pfish
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Registered: 3-30-2015
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San Diego to LA Bay via Hwy 5 Questions
Greetings all. I am thinking of taking highway 5 down to LA Bay (Hitting Hwy 1 about 40 miles above the LA Bay turnoff) from San Diego as I have
never done it in the past. The purpose is to miss all the traffic and speed bumps in Ensenada and San Quentin. I have a diesel, so I am curious as
to the last stop for Diesel. Do they have diesel in Puertocitos? I am aware of the last 23 miles being dirt, so that will slow me down a bit. Any
advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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woody with a view
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they have diesel in BdeLA most of the time.
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David K
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Fill up in San Felipe. The Puertecitos station is not even on the highway if they did have diesel or were open. Have fun and beware the steep vados*
on the older style highway between San Felipe and the Puertecitos jcn.
The Hwy. 1 & 5 jcn. (Laguna Chapala) to the L.A. Bay jcn. is close to 30 miles, not 40 (if that helps your fuel planning)...
*dips, about 10 miles from San Felipe to near Puertecitos, keep it under 55 so you can slow enough with the poor warning... broken frames on
overloaded trucks have been documented here, from flying into or out of one of these vados!
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bajabuddha
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How much does two yeller plastic 6 gal. bottles cost these daze?
EDIT: Empty, that is, as in WallyWorld?
[Edited on 9-7-2016 by bajabuddha]
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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bkbend
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Location: central OR or central baja
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I fill diesel in San Felipe and still have 1/2 tank when I get to BdeLA. It's doable from El Centro on a single tank but as pointed out BdeLA has it
only "most of the time." I don't like arriving near empty.
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basautter
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I have a 6.0 liter diesel, and have made it from San Felipe to BOLA with fuel to spare (26 gallon tank). There may be diesel at Chapalla, but you
can't count on it. If you are concerned, take an extra 5 gallon can. It's too nice of a drive to be worried the whole way. 
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David K
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Chapala or the L.A. Bay jcn. (Parador Punta Prieta)?
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Rossman
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Never seen gas or diesel at Chapala
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mjs
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Location: Off grid in San Felipe
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Diesel is (or may be) available in an emergency from the Rancho Grande Market. Had to stop there one time after a large caravan/tour of RVs emptied
the tanks at BoLA and we were unsure of making it to San Felipe.
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Doug/Vamonos
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I give the same advice to anyone who wants to avoid speed bumps or traffic in the little towns on highway 1. The alternative route will rattle your
brains out (and truck) for twenty plus miles past Cocos Corner. I've done it a couple times because I was driving someone home who wanted to go that
route. I won't do it again till they pave the road. Unless you could air down your tires and then have the ability to air them back up before you hit
the highway again. I agree with most that it is a prettier drive. But the bumps and rattles....!!!!
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honda tom
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fill up in Calexico (cheaper)...
top off in san felipe and go. you will have plenty of fuel. 2 stations in BOLA and i can only remember a couple of reports about them running out.
(just fill when you get there).
the dirt portions have actually never been nicer, the rough last about 8 miles past cocos.
went through in june with my diesel crewcab and a friend in his mid 90s van conversion, just went slow on the rough, didn't bother to air down this
time. I would normally air down because i carry my own air tank and i drive fast in the dirt in this truck (it takes out the washboard rattle) but
with the van and his street tires we decided just to go slow for a bit.
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chivatojoe
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Location: French Valley /Chivato/Asuncion
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Dieasl is available at truck service stop at rancho grande across from Pemex. They will also air up or down tires which is highly advisable. On the
other end at Chappala is a itinerary shop for these events purpose. I Haledon the rock and roll now 5 times round trip from Murrieta to Chivato. 667
miles door to door. When I'm towing trailer (boat razor) it's 14 hours when not it's 11 to 12. I have driven since 1974 (Honda 250 xr) and I have to
say that Mex 5 is the most scenic drive and I to don't miss traffic,topos,stop lights, busses,trucks,congestion of small towns,police hiding behind
stop signs,toll roads,coastal fog, trucks on Hills, and alike. I guess it's just something different for me. Air down drive slow and enjoy the rock
scape and then some day when it's paved and everyone is using you can say"I remember when"
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BigBearRider
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I also prefer the scenic Mex 5. It's also nice to mix it up and take one down, and the other up.
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basautter
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I have driven that route with an F250 diesel. Unless you are towing a heavy load, you should have no problem getting from San Felipe to BOLA on a
tank of gas. BOLA has diesel, and I have never seen them run out.
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bacquito
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Quote: Originally posted by basautter  | I have a 6.0 liter diesel, and have made it from San Felipe to BOLA with fuel to spare (26 gallon tank). There may be diesel at Chapalla, but you
can't count on it. If you are concerned, take an extra 5 gallon can. It's too nice of a drive to be worried the whole way. [/rquote
If you fill up a 5 gal. can with gas/diesel, do so in Mex. They took my gas a few years back because I purchased it in Calif.
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bacquito
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David K
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Correct; as has been posted here for years... ONLY empty gas cans into Mexico!
If 23 graded (2WD easy) dirt road miles is an issue, avoid... but there is no comparison to going 200 paved miles with only one town en route (San
Felipe) than going through all farm towns, traffic, speed bumps, stops, and construction detours on Hwy. 1 (and 3) from the border to El Rosario.
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greg4444
Newbie
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Registered: 12-14-2016
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No full gasoline containers through customs! Does that apply to diesel also?
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bajabuddha
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Errm, ya think? 
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
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Diesel and pixie dust are allowed!
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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David K
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Posts: 64857
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Location: San Diego County
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DO NOT BRING FUEL INTO MEXICO. Empty cans only. It is to protect Pemex sales, and Pemex (government owned oil monopoly) sells gasoline and diesel
fuel.
Many have not been checked, but on the occasion when they do, you will be sent back into the U.S. That can really ruin the start of your trip. Just
fill your containers in Mexicali or San Felipe.
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