Bring a car or buy one local?

When one moves down permanently would it be better to bring a car (and keep it plated out of country) or purchase one locally? Pros/Cons. Also, do you require a Mexican DL to register and insure a Mexican plated vehicle?

Bob

USA or CANADIAN PLATES

Pro:
1. After paying the small permit fee at the border, there will never again be any government fees to pay.
2. You can let your foreign plates and insurance expire, so you don't have those expenses.
3. Mexican auto insurance costs less for your car than for a comparable Mexican car. (Why? is one of life's great mysteries.)

Con:
1. You cannot sell the car in México.
2. There are restrictions on who may drive the car.
3. Some repair parts may not be available and must be ordered from the USA or Canada.
4. With expired plates, it will be very difficult, probably impossible, to drive the car back to the North even for a short visit without re-registering and re-insuring in the USA or Canada.
5. Many people believe that foreign plates attract the attention of crooked cops looking for a mordita.

MEXICAN PLATES

Pro:
1. No restriction on who may drive the car.
2. Repair parts are probably readily available.
3. You can sell the car in México.
4. If you want to go back for a visit, you can drive the car through the USA and Canada with the Mexican plates and easily available trip insurance. However, there is a catch -- if you have an official residence in the USA, you will not be allowed to drive the car into the USA. How this can be enforced is a mystery to me.

Con:
1. The car will cost more than the same car NoB.
2. Insurance will cost more than with foreign plates.
3. There are annual registration fees and taxes. Some of the taxes disappear after the car is 10 years old.
4. While you can drive the car North for a visit, you cannot import it, i.e. get NoB plates for the car. If you move back NoB you will need to sell the car in México.

Thanks for the information Rolly. What about the DL? Do you need a Mexican DL to register and insure a Mexican plated vehicle?

That's a state matter. Some states require a Mexican DL to register. Most do not.

Most bring down foreign plated cars as they use them to transport fragile and valuable items. I did this as I bought all new furniture and didn't need a moving van. Also I love my car and it would have been silly to sell it to just turn around and buy the same thing. I haven't noticed being pulled over alot with California plates but then again I drive like a Mexican so they probably don't look at me twice and if they do all they'd see is a blur.

Rolly wrote:USA or CANADIAN PLATES

Pro:
1. After paying the small permit fee at the border, there will never again be any government fees to pay.
2. You can let your foreign plates and insurance expire, so you don't have those expenses.
3. Mexican auto insurance costs less for your car than for a comparable Mexican car. (Why? is one of life's great mysteries.)

Con:
1. You cannot sell the car in México.
2. There are restrictions on who may drive the car.
3. Some repair parts may not be available and must be ordered from the USA or Canada.
4. With expired plates, it will be very difficult, probably impossible, to drive the car back to the North even for a short visit without re-registering and re-insuring in the USA or Canada.
5. Many people believe that foreign plates attract the attention of crooked cops looking for a mordita.

MEXICAN PLATES

Pro:
1. No restriction on who may drive the car.
2. Repair parts are probably readily available.
3. You can sell the car in México.
4. If you want to go back for a visit, you can drive the car through the USA and Canada with the Mexican plates and easily available trip insurance. However, there is a catch -- if you have an official residence in the USA, you will not be allowed to drive the car into the USA. How this can be enforced is a mystery to me.

Con:
1. The car will cost more than the same car NoB.
2. Insurance will cost more than with foreign plates.
3. There are annual registration fees and taxes. Some of the taxes disappear after the car is 10 years old.
4. While you can drive the car North for a visit, you cannot import it, i.e. get NoB plates for the car. If you move back NoB you will need to sell the car in México.

Damn, you are good, Rolly. Even though you killed an entire post with your answer. grin. What more can be said, you said it all. Zoey

CanuckBob wrote:Thanks for the information Rolly. What about the DL? Do you need a Mexican DL to register and insure a Mexican plated vehicle?

Bob, if you live in Mexico, get a Mexican driver's license. Simple and easy to do and when you are pulled over and have a Mexican license, you will be treated in a totally different and better way than pulling out a Canadian or US license. Based upon my experience. Zoey

Great question and one we were discussing last weekend (we are still NOB) so I was glad to see it asked! We are leaning toward re-buying in Mexico as both our cars already older and also would "stand out" in MX. And once they died, getting a dead car to the border just seems like a lot of effort.

So the question arose about licenses. Zoey, I assume that the drivers license tests are only in Spanish. We are still in the "basic spanish" stage and could probably not sufficently understand the nuances of the test. Please confirm test is only in spanish. Thanks

YOLO wrote:Great question and one we were discussing last weekend (we are still NOB) so I was glad to see it asked! We are leaning toward re-buying in Mexico as both our cars already older and also would "stand out" in MX. And once they died, getting a dead car to the border just seems like a lot of effort.

So the question arose about licenses. Zoey, I assume that the drivers license tests are only in Spanish. We are still in the "basic spanish" stage and could probably not sufficently understand the nuances of the test. Please confirm test is only in spanish. Thanks

Yolo, you can take the test in Spanish or English in GDL If in Spanish, you touch the computer screen for your answers. If in English, you are given a pencil and paper test. You are given 30 mutliple choice questions out of a possible 120. My attorney, Susanna Rodriguez, has translated all of the possible 120 questions into English and marked the correct answers. I studied them for a few days and got all 30 right. The driving test is in a basketball sized court at which you need to adjust your mirrors,put on your seatbelt, use your turn signals properly, stop at the stop signs and parallel park into a space that is large enough for two vehicles, and someone with a clipboard follows you around and scores you. It is a piece of cake. This is absolutely nothing that you guys need to worry about. Zoey

Z-man, how about posting the 120 translated answers? Thanks

YOLO wrote:Great question and one we were discussing last weekend (we are still NOB) so I was glad to see it asked! We are leaning toward re-buying in Mexico as both our cars already older and also would "stand out" in MX. And once they died, getting a dead car to the border just seems like a lot of effort.

So the question arose about licenses. Zoey, I assume that the drivers license tests are only in Spanish. We are still in the "basic spanish" stage and could probably not sufficently understand the nuances of the test. Please confirm test is only in spanish. Thanks

I am going to start a new topic on chatter about owning foreign plated vs. Mexican plated vehicles, as I do not understand the difference either, but I know there is a diiference. Stay tuned and check it out. I hope it will be helpful to both of us. I have been here for five years with my Michigan plated vehicle and no problems. Let's see what folks have to say. Best wishes, Zoey

Rolly wrote:Z-man, how about posting the 120 translated answers? Thanks

Rolly, I think these questions would only apply to the State of Jalisco, correct? And in all honesty, I do not know how to do so without typing them all by hand, which ain't going to happen. Zoey

Rolly wrote:Z-man, how about posting the 120 translated answers? Thanks

Rolly, while I'm happily not the Z-man, your wish is my command.

State of Jalisco driving test questions in English

Demonio wrote:

Rolly wrote:Z-man, how about posting the 120 translated answers? Thanks

Rolly, while I'm happily not the Z-man, your wish is my command.

State of Jalisco driving test questions in English

OK, now that you have insulted me, please tell me how to send this correct list of questions on to others. I tried to cut and paste, but no success. Thanks, Zoey

Open the link. Click on file...send....link by e-mail. Send away.

Cheers,

Bob

Demonio, many thanks for the questions/answers. It takes some of the unknown out of the equation. And Zoey, thanks for the reassurances on difficulty, or lack thereof!

Demonio wrote:

Rolly wrote:Z-man, how about posting the 120 translated answers? Thanks

Rolly, while I'm happily not the Z-man, your wish is my command.

State of Jalisco driving test questions in English

I can't open the link, it says the file is damaged and cannot be repaired. Help?! :(

Itsme,

I just clicked through the link and it worked fine. Might be cause you need the Adobe Reader plug-in since the questions and answers are in a PDF format. It's available as a free download HERE.

Zoey,

Sorry, didn't mean it as an insult. I'm happily no one else either. I'm quite content being me. Just copy the url by clicking on it and it'll "highlight", then either right click on it and choose copy from the pull down menu, or copy using the alt and C keys. To paste right click and choose paste, or press the alt and V keys. PM me if you need more help.

Peace -- G

[quote="Demonio"]

Rolly wrote:Z-man, how about posting the 120 translated answers? Thanks

Rolly, while I'm happily not the Z-man, your wish is my command.

State of Jalisco driving test questions in English[/quote ]

LOL Thanks! Can I get one that has an English translation of the English translation? After reading the rules of the road it's amazing how many laws you see broken on a daily basis. When's the last time you've seen a child in a car seat? Passengers in a pick-up, that's a joke! It would be great to see a list of laws that are on the books and that are actually enforced.

Speaking of Rules of the Road-we are thinking of renting a car when we come down, but the "Left Turn" rules have me a bit skeptical...I understand that to turn left you pull on the right shoulder and signal 'left' and when clear, you turn left. What if there is no shoulder? And if it is two lanes each way, the same thing? We took the bus from Playa del Carmen to Chutumal and I don't remember people doing this. I don't want to get either rear-ended or broadsided by this turning issue! ... Everything else seems kinda 'normal'-well, except for the fact that a left turn signal in the driving lane means it is oklay for the guy behind you to pass you. Are these true? Any advice? Thanks (I can see that this left turn signal is going to do me in!)

When the left turn requires pulling to the right there's usually a pull-out provided. Other places have left turn lanes on the left, e.g. the retornos on the Guadlajara Hwy.

David wrote: Other places have left turn lanes on the left, e.g. the retornos on the Guadlajara Hwy.

Those are the ones that scare me. I've seen more accidents where instead of the cars waiting one after another to turn they line up like a Roman chariot race. I've seen up to 6 or 7 cars lined up all waiting to get into 2 lanes.

Yup. Same thing in Seoul and Taipei. I was always in a taxi so I was even more scared than if I'd been driving!

Demonio wrote:Zoey,

Sorry, didn't mean it as an insult. I'm happily no one else either. I'm quite content being me. Just copy the url by clicking on it and it'll "highlight", then either right click on it and choose copy from the pull down menu, or copy using the alt and C keys. To paste right click and choose paste, or press the alt and V keys. PM me if you need more help.

Peace -- G

Back atcha and thanks. Zoey