Help with importing an American car

My wife and I drove across Del Rio into Acuna in July and they did not ask for passports, drivers license, dog health records....nothing!  We made sure:

Get mexican car insurance
Make sure you fill out FMM and get it stamped "At The Border!". You can fill it online.
Try and stay on Toll Roads, the hwy number will have a 'D' next to it.
Good luck

MexicoAfterlife wrote:

Anyone done this and know of a mexico importer that does private vehicles? We are driving in so no shipping needed.

Thanks ahead

The first time and last time I did this was online. I say first and last because once I had the sticker for my window I just renewed it every six months until I applied for R.P.
What happened was I paid the fee and when I crossed the border to renew my visa they refunded the fee and when I returned I took that same money to acquire a new sticker. I repeated that every six months for two years. You can't be a RP with a U.S. car so be aware the U.S. car will have to be sold in the U.S. Loved the car but being stopped constantly to check all my paperwork did get old fast. Once the car was gone and I had a Mexican plate the stops were pretty much over.

I'm also remembering that when I first came here I, like many others sort of shopped for a Mexicancounselet office. We were all looking for the most reasonable office I decided Arizona would work for me.
It's been over ten years so I had to be reminded of those events.   

Well, Franken,
That's a border town. Import stickers don't happen in border towns. You do need insurance ( Mexican insurance). If you try to go beyond the free zone border you will need an import sticker. So better not try that without returning to get that sticker.

OK I am not talking about the TIP sticker for temp.  We are importing our car permantly. We are Full-time Residence so we need to import our car.

Well, what I can tell you about that is that there have been very few cars that Mexico would allow to be imported and that number has not increased. I tried that also. There is an official list of cars they might allow. Mostly cars that are or can be made in Mexico.
They want you to buy a Mexican car.

The importers can be found at the border but use great care in finding one.
Historically the car issue was about a large number of cars being imported that were actually cars that had sort of survived Katrina or other disasters. Also some people came to Mexico and abandoned their cars. Mexico notices things like that.

Currently, there are a number of acceptable dealers who have dealerships in Mexico. That car could become very expensive.

Another ex-pat opinion which pretty much agrees
weexpats.com/taking-car-mexico-permanently-import-car-mexico/




 

I have a VIN that starts with 1-5 which makes it a North American made vehicle which is suppose to be the big stopper.  Just dont know how to find a agent to get this done lol.

MexicoAfterlife wrote:

I have a VIN that starts with 1-5 which makes it a North American made vehicle which is suppose to be the big stopper.  Just dont know how to find a agent to get this done lol.

The link I included has links for that did you look at it? it's near the bottom of the article.

Yes that is a dead link tried it before when I started my search

travellight wrote:

Well, what I can tell you about that is that there have been very few cars that Mexico would allow to be imported and that number has not increased. I tried that also. There is an official list of cars they might allow. Mostly cars that are or can be made in Mexico.
They want you to buy a Mexican car.

The importers can be found at the border but use great care in finding one.
Historically the car issue was about a large number of cars being imported that were actually cars that had sort of survived Katrina or other disasters. Also some people came to Mexico and abandoned their cars. Mexico notices things like that.

Currently, there are a number of acceptable dealers who have dealerships in Mexico. That car could become very expensive.

I wonder if you or someone else knows:

Do they possibly make an exception for cars which are customized for handicapped use?

The US Veterans Administration is fitting me for a prosthetic boot to keep me from bearing any weight on my right foot, and I will likely be wearing that boot for at least 2 to 3 years (except when bathing and sleeping).

I'm putting in a benefits reevaluation claim now and there's a possibility that the VA will technically consider me to have "lost the use of my foot", and since I wouldn't be able to effectively use the gas pedal in a car, they also have a program where they will purchase the car up to a certain amount in order to make it drivable for someone who cannot drive the car due to a service-connected handicap.

So this is just on the chance that they approve my claim, but I'm wondering if they would make an exception for a car customized in that manner?

Of course then the other question is, would they allow a car customized in such a manner, with what I'm pretty sure would be a hand-operated accelerator?

They allow cars newer then 10 years that have a VIN that starts with 1 2 3 4 or 5. Means it was made in North America

MexicoAfterlife wrote:

They allow cars newer then 10 years that have a VIN that starts with 1 2 3 4 or 5. Means it was made in North America

Ahhh...

So maybe the cars they haven't been allowing were imports purchased in the USA or Canada?

No, it covers ALL cars made in North America not just Mexico.

MexicoAfterlife wrote:

No, it covers ALL cars made in North America not just Mexico.

Maybe reread what I wrote.

I'm pretty sure I'm agreeing with you.

Not sure what it is you aren't agreeing with

Another source
https://yucalandia.com/driving-in-mexic … ermanently

travellight wrote:

Another source
https://yucalandia.com/driving-in-mexic … ermanently

Wow.

That's a very comprehensive information source.

I think I'll take a taxi...

Thanks all for the info.  That last link gave me a email and phone number for a importer.  our 2015 car will not be able to be imported till next nov.... not old enough lol.

Hello I’ve been reading everybody’s post I just want to make sure I understand, or maybe I have a few questions? Has anybody actually traveled from the states to Cancun? How safe is it, and can it realistically be done? I guess the point is moot because my husband and I both sold our vehicles, but wondering if it can be done then we may try to bring a car from San Antonio.

Leave it behind. You can rent a car here in Cancun when you need it but you seldom need it as the collectivo (local bus) will take you anywhere along with taxis. Having a car brings a lot of red tape and you are a target for police to stop you. Cancun is a very tourist city with all the conveniences. I went to Walmart today in Cancun and got what I needed , same as in USA, just cheaper.

Thanks mr. Jon! Yes we have found the buses to be very useful, and it seems they come by every few minutes! We take a taxi home if we make large purchases. I guess I was just wondering how safe it would be to drive through Mexico. I’ve heard good and bad.