Reviewed September, 2006
General Information About Cars and Trucks
One of the best places for information about having a US plated car in Mexico can be found here See also CarPermit, Driving, and Safety on this site.
Repairs
Larry Torres is the owner of American Automotive Services in Mazatlan. He can help you. He is a gringo, and will tell you the truth. Phone 990-1104.
Rafael Serrano Venegas speaks excellent english. El Tiro Refacconaira, is located on Insurgentes. Tel - 983-1499, cell phone 044-669-919-2066.
Auto Refrigeracion Aguilar on Carvajal. Tel 985-34-86.
There are a number of car dealerships here in Mazatlan. The Chrysler dealership on Rafael Buelna (south side between Sabalo and La Marina) has been recommended as providing good service.
Body work at Taller Felton Sierra Rumorosa #116, street on the North side of R. Bulna. Alex, the owner, speaks English.
Manuel and Rafael Tel. 983-1499 or 983-6373. Their shop is by Telmex.
Gonzalez located across the street from the huge funeral home near the shrimp market in between Juarez and Serdan.
GL Automotriz Gonzalo Llausas Azcona speaks excellent English. Av Camaron Sabalo. Zona Dorada. Tel. 916-7222
Insurance – How, Why, Who
Rolly has some great tips on insurance here I would add 2 additional insurance companies. Bob Acosta at San Xavier Mexico Insurance - mailto: mailto: [mailto:MEXICOBOB@aol.com MEXICOBOB@aol.com]. I have had great service from Bob. Any problems or questions were handled very quickly.
Of course, for a local agent, there is Juan Chong.
Adventure Mexican Insurance at www.mexadventure.com allows you to purchase and print coverage online, or call 1-800-485-4075.`
US Plated
Complete information for the entry requirements of your US plated vehicle can be found on the InfoFromTheGovernment. Important Note - The Nogales crossing is now requiring that the credit card used to obtain your temporary permits have the same name as the title for the vehicle. In other words, if the title is in your wife's name, you need a credit card with her name on it. party ideas
If you made a mistake and did *not/ get your correct papers and sticker at the border, check out a suggestion on AduanaLetterCarImport.
If you plan to live in Mexico, you might want to renew you car permit each year. A rep from Aduana made a presentation at Friends of Mexico. He mentioned the letter from Aduana was being issued as a "courtesy" and is not mandatory (law changed in March 2005). This is all stated in Article 106 of the Customs Law (I suggest keeping copies in English and Spanish in your car).
I put a copy of the Renewal Letter on this site. Take 4 copies of the letter, 3 copies of your FM3 and picture page of the passport, and 3 copies of the import form to the new Aduana office. To find their office ead east on Aleman and turn right at the docks. The building is a new 2 story, light yellow office on the dock side of the street. Lots of folks in the office speak English. The whole process took less than 10 minutes and an official letter stamped by Aduana will probably keep anyone from questioning your car's legal status.
There are significant advantages to owning a US plated car in Mexico as there are substantial insurance and tax savings. Unless you plan to drive the car back to the US, you can let your registration expire and just keep the tags on the car. Your only real cost is the "tourist" car insurance which costs about $200 per $5000 of vehicle value.
If you plan to go back to the US with your car, you will need to maintain some type of registration. You can keep your car registered and uninsured legally in South Dakota - even as a non-resident of the state. Here is a web site for the office where you can get all the information They will mail your title and plates to a US based address. If you have let your insurance lapse, don't forget getting insurance. Some insurance companies will put your insurance "on hold" if you are outside the US. You simply reactivate it when you go back to the US.
You may also need to get a new import sticker on your car every time you leave & return to Mexico if your current sticker has expired – there are people that have done this and people who haven’t. Current policy implementation is inconsistent, but the strict Adjuana interpretation says get a new sticker if the old one has expired. The new law states, when an FM-3 holder exits Mexico with their vehicle on an expired temporary import permit, the permit shall be surrendered and a new permit required upon re-entry into the country (I guess they want the extra $30).
If you permanently take your car back out of Mexico, make sure you get the sticker removed in Mexico at the border and get a receipt. The car import system is computerized and you are only allowed 1 car per person. You should now receive a document, not just a receipt, showing your vehicle has been removed from the country.
If you want the latest information directly from the source, try the Aduana website - note it's in Spanish.
Warning! Your US purchased vehicle’s warranty will not likely be honored in Mexico.
Versus Mexican Plated
Drivers License
You will need 1 copy of your FM3 need proof of domicilio (electric bill). You must know your blood type as well. If you don't know it, there is a lab two blocks away and the test takes ten minutes. You go to the office and fill out an information form. You must take a written test and a driving test (no parallel parking). The test is in English.
Registration
To own a Mexican plated car, you may need a Mexican drivers license and that requires an FM-3. Some people report no problems registering a car without a local license, others have been told its required. To obtain your registration you need proof of domicilio (electric bill), passport, kids supplies, and FM-3. If the car registration is out of date (used car), you'll probably pay all previous registration costs. Payment is made yearly at any bank.
Tenencia
reprinted with permission of Ed Sifiuentes
Tenencia is a yearly due that was established by the Mexican Government to pay for the infra-structure of the 1968 Olympic Games but still present. Is paid yearly depending upon the book value of the car (national cars). You pay that for 10 yrs and is paid yearly at the Unidad Administrativa de Gobierno (same place you get the driver licenses). Two years ago was messy and I ended paying a "runner" to do the ordeal but this year was a simple line and no more than 20 minutes at the UAGI. This tenencia tax is quite expensive for my Jeep 2003 (I bought it new in 2003) the dues were $523.00 USD (equivalent in pesos) this year. You pay that tax in February.
Ah be sure you pay on time. My kid when we were here last year bought this piece of junk and his tenencia for 2005 was suppose to be 93 USD (equivalent in pesos). He never got the tenencia sticker this year because the car was in state of "coma". Now he decided to fix it so we went last week to pay the dues. Surprise/surprise with the fines, and fines over fines and more fines we ended paying $273.00 USD (equivalent in pesos) so he could basicly "tow" the car w/the 2005 sticker. You will pay 2-3 times as much for a Mexican plated car as a “tourist” vehicle. Again, Juan Chong can help with local insurance.
To pay your bills
(reposted with permission of Susan Silva, January, 2006)
You can go on line to right now it is not accepting any info as it is too early, but about the middle of next month you can go there, and you input your license plate number and it will tell you the amount that you owe for this year. Normally since I do alot of online banking I can pay it on line using Bancomer and they send the new sticker and tarjeta to my home in about 2 weeks. If you do not do it that way then you can go down to the Banorte on Rafael Buelna and pay it there and they will give you your new sticker and then the tarjeta is sent to you, or you can go down to the Recaudacion de Rentas which is over by the aquarium and the bus station and pay it directly there. I prefer online and get it done and over with and do not have to get in any lines, if you need any more info, you can write to me off site.
David Shafer Janaury, 2006
