# Importing US car permanently (border zone)



## Riom (Apr 30, 2010)

I've been looking at threads on here from a while back that say "It is no longer economically practical to even attempt permanent importation of most vehicles to Mexico".

Can anybody point me to any sources to find out the approximate costs, and whether it will even be possible? This is for a US-reg 2006 Ford Escape (value maybe $12k) , in the border zone (Baja California) - recently it was possible to import a 5 year old car in the border zones (which this will be later this year), is that still the case? 

I'm comparing the cost with having to sell the car locally, and then buying a similar replacement - all told that's going to be thousands of dollars, plus I end up with a car I haven't tested. But there does come a point ($5k to import?) where I'll have to consider that.

I have an FM-3, plus Baja California (and other) Driver's Licenses.

Just to be clear, this is for permanent importation with frontera plates, nothing to do with the temporary imports that are needed on the mainland that don't apply in BC.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Welcome, Riom.
I hope you can get an answer from someone in the 'frontera' or Baja zones. I don't have any information on that situation here in the interior. However, since it is a federal concern, you may find it somewhere between difficult and impossible; certainly expensive. As long as you have an FM3, there really isn't any need to nationalize the car. Your US registration will suffice, insurance will be less and you may come and go with or without your car. Even if you change to FM2 status, you will have five more years to investigate nationalization before you become 'inmigrado'.


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## Riom (Apr 30, 2010)

RVGRINGO said:


> As long as you have an FM3, there really isn't any need to nationalize the car.


I have an additional reason why I need to cease having a US registered car (didn't really want to sidetrack the post with this). As a non-American, the US immigration have asked me not to have a US-registered car (as I'm a visitor, not a resident). It's a grey area, 99% of the time it's acceptable. I got the other 1% US border person who didn't like it.

So my choices are to import the car or replace it with (or add) a Mexican one, neither is cheap but I don't have the option to retain US plates (if I want to enter the US with a car).

It'll be a while before I head north so I've got time to look at the costs, but I really haven't been able to find any factual source that deals with the border zone.


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

Here's the appropriate page on the Aduana website. I couldn't find it in English.
http://www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/2008/vehiculos/141_10173.html
My car has frontera plates, but it was already imported and nationalized long before I bought it. I don't know anyone who has gone through the process, sorry.


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## Riom (Apr 30, 2010)

makaloco said:


> Here's the appropriate page on the Aduana website.


Thanks Makaloco. That helped me find the current law at economia.gob.mx/pics/p/p487/D118.pdf (I'm not allowed to make that a link until I have 4 posts here).

According to that, in the border zone a car 5-9 model years old can be imported (if made in North America). So I should be allowed to import a 2006 model after November 1st this year (when the 2011 model year starts), have I understood that right?

It states the duty is currently 3% (10% on the mainland) - this might change of course. Not sure if that is based on the value at time of manufacture, at last sale, or at the time of import? Does anybody know? 

At a current value of say $12k that would be $360 for duty (even based on a "new car" value it's well under $1k). But I'm sure there's lots of other costs, does anybody know what they are? They would be the same as on the mainland, just a different number of years and a different percentage. 

Thanks for the help so far, it's getting there, could well be affordable. 

I've already investigated the running costs and they're comparable - much higher registration/tenencia but full MX insurance with US/CA cover isn't vastly different (for me) from a US policy plus MX coverage (and anyway cost isn't a reason for doing this).


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## Riom (Apr 30, 2010)

I've now found a manual which although it's dated (2006) does explain how the import values etc are (were?) calculated. The duty is (was?) based on current NADA value, plus I'll also have to pay VAT (IVA) (at first glance 11% on only 30% of the value, need to read that bit carefully!).

Can anybody who has imported a car recently confirm whether the procedures and costs in the manual are fairly current? The model years involved have changed of course.

"Manual de procedimientos para la importación definitiva de vehículos automotores usados VU1 y VU2":
aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/Descargas/vehiculos/VU1_VU2_2203061.pdf
(add a www to the front of that to make it a link).


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

I wouldn't count on anything from 2006 being an indication of the current situation.
If you click on "Tramite" at the bottom of the page at the link I posted, you'll find a more recent description of the procedure, including the fees to be paid. I read it that the 11% IVA is assessed on the value of the vehicle (no mention of 30%) plus the amount of the importation and other taxes?
Vehículos - Trámite - SAT México


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## Riom (Apr 30, 2010)

makaloco said:


> I wouldn't count on anything from 2006 being an indication of the current situation.


I agree (it did seem dated), although that is the latest manual they have available on the site.

Very useful page you pointed out, thanks again (I could only find the temporary import pages). In particular it shows I need to get a CURP number to do this, that's well worth knowing in advance (I've had no other reason to get one).

So there's the IGI tax at 3%, IVA at 11% (on value and duty giving 11.33%, no reduction shown now!), and processing of 0.8%. NADA value of the car is $11-16k (more than I thought) so at 15.13% total that's $1.7-2.5k in taxes. (and other costs for import agents etc)

If anybody has recently imported a car I'd love to know if these are about the right figures... 

On the mainland it would be nearly twice as expensive, the tax would be 10%+17.6% (tax on tax) +0.8%, over 28%. I can see how that is much less viable.


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

Getting a CURP is easy and free. I needed one to register my cell phone. I just went to the Registro Civil with my FM2, and it took maybe 10 minutes. Supposedly we'll also need a CURP for the new FM2/3 cards that will be issued starting today. I think they're starting to implement its use more widely.

Can't help saying that in your shoes, I'd sell the car in the US and buy another one in Mexico. I'm not sure why you think that would be more costly?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

I'll second that recommendation. The cost of nationalizing that car will escalate, as is often the case once you are half way through the procedure. You may also find that it may have to pass through the hands of a Mexican owner, temporarily (???), at some point in the process.
The advantage of a Mexican car is that you can drive it into the USA without any formalities and that you won't have problems getting appropriate insurance, as is often the case with nationalized vehicles which weren't actually made and sold in Mexico, because of the uncertainty of parts availability and the assumption that it may be a 'chocolate', nationalized under questionable circumstances.
So, selling at a slight loss and replacing the car in Mexico may be less expensive than nationalization.


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