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Driving
to Mexico
Crossing the boarder.
It seems that almost everyone spends their last night in the US and then early
in the morning they set off for Mexico. In the morning you can almost plan
on spending at least an hour maybe 2 getting your two permits. What
I always do is cross the boarder in the afternoon get all my paper work done,
get your visa stamped, and get your car permit. Then go back to the US
have your last supper <grin> then in the morning you just go, all the paper work
is done.
To bring a car into Mexico
You must have a title or Notarized bill of Sale
Or if the car is leased you must have a letter from the company that owns it
stating that you can bring it to Mexico and for how long.
You must have a drivers license and a credit card.
I have crossed the boarder at both Laredo and McAllen and I much prefer
McAllen. The boarder crossing is smaller then in Laredo and the people
that work there seem to be friendlier. If you cross at McAllen you then
have a choice of going to Monterrey and thus to Mexico city or going to Cuidad de
Victoria. This is shorter but its mostly two lane roads. Once
you get to Cuidad de Victoria its a beautiful ride through the mountains with
very little traffic. This is the way I always go.
Two things to remember.. Signs in Mexico only go from city to
city. So you have to know what the next city you are going to is.
You will never see a sign for Mexico City until it is the next city.
Mexico city has a "Day without a car" on this day
you can not drive your car in Mexico. So plan ahead so that you will not
be trying to drive though Mexico City on the day you can not drive. If you
get caught and they look for you. It will cost you between 50 and 100 US
dollars to keep going. Depends on how good a negotiator you are.
Police
If you are driving in Mexico your greatest worry is getting stopped by the
police. Most police are nice, and the Federal Traffic police are very
helpful. But there are always a few bad apples. If you are stopped
right or wrong you will probably have to pay. The secret to remember is
that the policeman is going to keep any money you give him. He does NOT want to write you a ticket or take you to the police station. He wants
CASH. So you have a bargaining chip. It will be hard, the first time.
But you have to bargain with the policeman. Most of the time they will be
happy with 100 pesos. Depends. This is where if you don't have
much money in your wallet its a real big help, you show him your wallet
and say I only have 400 peso's and I need to buy gas soon.
I could write a book
about dealing with traffic police in Mexico. They are very underpaid and
this is how they supplement their pay. Their bosses know they do it.
In fact in most cases their bosses demand part of the take. So
if you were in the wrong, pay him and be happy you are not getting any
points. If you did nothing wrong. Just grin and bear it.
Nothing you can do about it. Think of it as a informal toll booth.
Insurance
You must have Mexican Car insurance in
Mexico.
Your US insurance will not cover you. Here are two companies that I have
dealt with in the past. Both are large friendly reliable companies.
In the past I have found that Mexpro is cheaper, but Sanborn offers travel
advice, maps, and books. One other little thing. If you are planning on
towing a trailer make sure you tell the insurance company and get a rider
attached to the policy. Otherwise you could have a big problem if you get in
an accident while towing a trailer.
http://www.mexpro.com
http://www.sanbornsinsurance.com/
Also.. Note that with every policy you are given an 800 number to call in case
of an accident. Keep this number and a copy of the policy in your car at all
times. In the event you do get in an accident call this number right
away, from the accident site. They will send a claims adjuster to the
accident site and this man will deal with the police, the other party,
everyone. This is so convenient. Usually they get there before
the police.
Breakdowns
To begin with Mexicans are much more friendly then
US drivers. If you have a problem while driving in Mexico do not be
surprised to see one, two or even three cars stop to help you. On the
major roads the govt. has an organization called the Green Angels who drive green
trucks around and give help to any motorist who needs it. They don't do
major repairs but they will help you to find a reputable mechanic.
If you need mechanical assistance the police, or others will
send a mechanic to you, your car is towed only as a very last resort. The
mechanic will try to fix the car, if he doesn't have the right parts he will go
get them and return and fix your car right where it broke down. And the
charges are usually fair. But its a good idea to always ask ahead of
time how much its going to cost. If you don't negotiate a price when the job is done he can charge
anything he wants. This is true of anything in Mexico. Always get
the price before consenting to having some work done.
Hotels
I
recommend you get a AAA guide book to Mexico and use their suggestions.
Hotels in Mexico (in the larger cities and well traveled areas) are almost
always clean and well kept up. And, they are about 1/3 the cost of
comparable US Hotels (not the US chains). If you have any doubt about what
the rooms are like, ask them to let you look at one. A good hotel will more
the happy to let you look at a room before you pay for it.
When traveling to the US I use to stay at a
really nice suite hotel in San Luis Potasi. It was very inexpensive, very nice then one
year it became a Holiday Inn. The prices tripled!! Gouge the
tourists!!
Car
Permits When you
enter Mexico you get a car permit (make sure you get one). If you have an
FM-2 or FM-3 your permit automatically renews when you renew your FM. This
permit lets you drive a car with US Plates (they do not have to be current).
For more information
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