# Buying a car in Mexico



## illegibletrout

My family and I are from New Zealand and looking to move to Mexico, do we need a Mexican drivers license before we can buy a car and also how much is a reliable 7 seater worth in the Tijuana area?


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## Andreas_Montoya

An American drivers license is acceptable to drive or buy here. A seven seater is going to present a problem just due to size. Cost is reasonable but I am yet to see a city that has anything even close to adequate parking. Most of the cars here are very small as are the roads and parking spots. I've seen people backing into spots rocking both cars in front and to the rear wedging in so tight it would be almost impossible to get out. Driving here is not for the timid, they are very "opportunistic" to put it mildly. Cutting you off is considered normal. They are very impatient when driving.

The Mexican drivers test asks "What do you do when the light turns green?
A. Blow your horn.
B. Blow your horn
C. Blow your horn.


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## makaloco

Regulations are state-specific, so you’ll need the information for the state of Baja California. In Baja California Sur, where I live, you cannot use a US (or New Zealand or any foreign) driver’s license to register and drive a BCS-plated car. You need a BCS license, which is not difficult to get as long as you have a Temporary or Permanent Residence card. If the car has foreign plates, your license needs to match the plates. For example, you couldn’t buy a vehicle with US plates and use your New Zealand license to register and drive it. But rules may be different in Tijuana, which is near the US border. No idea about the 7-seater, sorry!


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## Isla Verde

Andreas_Montoya said:


> An American drivers license is acceptable to drive or buy here. . . .


The OP is from New Zealand, Andreas, not the US, hence unlikely to have an American driver's license.


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## Hound Dog

Andreas_Montoya said:


> An American drivers license is acceptable to _d
> The Mexican drivers test asks "What do you do when the light turns green?
> A. Blow your horn.
> B. Blow your horn
> C. Blow your horn._




I beg to differ. I have driver´s licenses issued by both the states of Jalisco and Chiapas. The Jalisco license is renewable every four years but the Chiapas license is permanent and only expires when I expire. I came down here with a California license and exchanged my California license before it expired for a Jalisco license without the necessity of taking either a written or driving test. When I went for that permanent Chiapas license (some eight years ago) , I was required to take a written test but the agent admistering the test felt sorry for me since I was a foreigner so he told me that he was going to make me answer questions that were extremely simple such as whether or not I should stop at stop signs. The real answer to that question in Chiapas is, "sometimes, perhaps but perhaps not" but I answered yes and that was technically correct so I passed.

By the way, I believe one can get a driver´s license in any Mexican state without a driving or written test if one has an unexpired license from a foreign entity whether that entity is the U.S., New Zealand ot Outer Mongolia bur each state is different and some far more stringent than others. You´ll find out what it is like where you settle once you initiate the application process just do that before your prior license expires. In sooe places the greasing of a convenient palm is an alternative some might prefer. 

Drivers in Chiapas not first in line at a red light always blow their collective horns immediately upon observing a change of a traffic light from red to green but before the cars in front of them have had time to take off. However, drivers in Jalisco rarely blow their horns for any reason, Therefore, the driver´s test multiple choice question in Jalisco reads:

What rule should one obey upon observing a change in a traffic signal if one is approaching that signal?
a) RED - stop (at least temporarily, A Califonia stop* is acceptable)
b) GREEN - go
c) YELLOW - go like hell 
d) All of the above 


* California stop is defined as slowing to a near stop but proceeding if no cross traffic is observed in the immediate vicinity.


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## Howler

I remember the sheer horror I experienced in Xalapa one night when the taxi driver turned off his headlights upon approaching a blind intersection - without slowing down - to see if there was someone (unseen) approaching from the left or right. He just laughed when my companion asked if that was a legal maneuver. I've seen other extreme or dangerous things from behind the wheel in Mexico, but I'll never forget that "first" time my heart jumped like it did that night in Xalapa. Conversely, the drivers in Taxco (a similar town to Xalapa) are among the most courteous I've ever encountered anywhere.

My best advice upon driving in Mexico is to learn how to driver super defensively by trying to anticipate even the most unlikely behaviors of the other drivers - and make sure you have & use ALL the mirrors on your vehicle! Some places are worse than others for driving, but like most anything else, you'll get used to it the longer & more you do it. Good luck!!


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## sparks

Isla Verde said:


> The OP is from New Zealand, Andreas, not the US, hence unlikely to have an American driver's license.


Any foreign licence is good to drive and in Jalisco you can buy a car with a Tourist Permit. 

Get help from someone that knows all the many things to check for ..... and don't buy a car registered in another state


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## illegibletrout

Awesome thanks everyone, so basically, we may or may not be able to buy a car on a NZ license or we may or may not need to get a Mexican one where we may or may not have to take a written and practical test LOL . Sounds like Mexico in a nutshell


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## sparks

You can't get a Mexico licence with a tourist permit ..... and the test is 10 questions on a computer. Here no driving test but other places ... yes


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## RVGRINGO

Mexico is not homogeneous. Each of the 31 states has its own laws regarding vehicles and drivers. The USA is that way too. So, there is no “Mexico license“ unless you mean the state of Mexico near Mexico, the city, which is not in the state of Mexico but is the DF or federal district separate from all states. That may or may not be as clear as mud. 
Anyway, your license has nothing to do with buying a car. However, you may need to prove a Mexican residence and even other documents, like CURP and/or RFC, in order to register the car you just bought. Insurance is also mandatory and each insurance company may have slightly different requirements regarding residency vs. car registration, etc. 
So, you should only inquire of those folks in the immediate area where you will live. Keep smiling.


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## illegibletrout

ok Thanks, Moving to just outside Tijuana so any info anyone can provide on that area i regards to cars and licenses would be great.


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## Andreas_Montoya

illegibletrout said:


> ok Thanks, Moving to just outside Tijuana so any info anyone can provide on that area i regards to cars and licenses would be great.


The only thing consistent about this country is the inconsistency.


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## GARYJ65

Andreas_Montoya said:


> The only thing consistent about this country is the inconsistency.


Was that supposed to be a funny remark?


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## Andreas_Montoya

I have purchased and got tags for a car and a motorcycle in Quintana Roo and s 4 wheeler in Veracruz with an American license.


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## Isla Verde

GARYJ65 said:


> Was that supposed to be a funny remark?


Yes, Gary, it's a joke based on reality, as are the best jokes. We are allowed to make jokes here. It's not against the Forum Rules.


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## GARYJ65

Isla Verde said:


> Yes, Gary, it's a joke based on reality, as are the best jokes. We are allowed to make jokes here. It's not against the Forum Rules.


I did not like it
That too is allowed


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## coondawg

GARYJ65 said:


> I did not like it
> That too is allowed


Sometimes truth hurts. Other times it will set you free.


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## GARYJ65

coondawg said:


> Sometimes truth hurts. Other times it will set you free.


I don't know if it's the truth
I really don't care
Just did not like it

But, if someone wants to play truth, let's


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## TJGUY

illegibletrout said:


> My family and I are from New Zealand and looking to move to Mexico, do we need a Mexican drivers license before we can buy a car and also how much is a reliable 7 seater worth in the Tijuana area?


Are you looking to buy new or used. If you are going to buy used do not buy in Tijuana. Buy in California or some other state and import it. You will get more car for your money and you could save some in the process.
I never buy my cars in TJ. I purchase in California and import. Where are you planning on living in Mexico? I might be able to offer other suggestions. I have lived in the TJ area now for about 30 years.


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## TJGUY

illegibletrout said:


> ok Thanks, Moving to just outside Tijuana so any info anyone can provide on that area i regards to cars and licenses would be great.


You can purchase a good 7 seater for about $5,000USd or less. If you can Obtain a California license then you do not need to import your vehicle. If not then plan on paying about $700 usd to import it.


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## TJGUY

illegibletrout said:


> ok Thanks, Moving to just outside Tijuana so any info anyone can provide on that area i regards to cars and licenses would be great.


I live in this area. If you have any questions feel free to ask.


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## RVGRINGO

TJGUY: When did you last legally import a vehicle into Mexico? Last I knew, it was near impossible.
How do you think a non-resident foreigner in the USA would manage to register a vehicle in California, or anywhere else in the USA?
Your responses puzzle me. So, I hope you can clarify with specifics.
Thanks.


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## TJGUY

RVGRINGO said:


> TJGUY: When did you last legally import a vehicle into Mexico? Last I knew, it was near impossible.
> How do you think a non-resident foreigner in the USA would manage to register a vehicle in California, or anywhere else in the USA?
> Your responses puzzle me. So, I hope you can clarify with specifics.
> Thanks.


I last imported a car last year for my wife. She has a Mexican license so needs Mexican registration. My son imports and sells cars here regularly.
Although it can be difficult at times to do so there generally is a way. There are many import companies here that would go out of business otherwise.
Oh and on the question of registration in California. If you read my statement I said if you could. I do not know the situation in which the poster plans to come. therefore I do not know if this would be an option for them. However if they are in Mexico on a FM3 then they could import.
Also on another note: In California it is not necessary to be a legal resident in order to obtain a drivers license. This took place recently.


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## RVGRINGO

Thanks. But, note that the FM3 was discontinued in 2012.
I do understand that there are some strange and different “arrangements“ to get US cars into Baja, but the national requirements that I am familiar with seem to prohibit such activity. Please, provide a reference to the legal process, which would allow such vehicles to be legally registered in Baja and also have a pedimento permitting them to be driven and sold or traded in other parts of Mexico. I seem to recall some problems in that regard; ie: the importations were not truly legal by federal rules.
I would really like to know the solution; ie: are these “import companies“ licensed brokers who can fill all the squares for national importation, and not just for Baja?


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## coondawg

The last ones I knew that were legalized, were costing $2000 USD, and that was before the procedure was shut down through out Mexico. I haven't heard of a $700 one in 5 years, since we did our van. Even the ones with fake papers were costing $2000, and many lost their money and had nothing. The legalizing is still shut down all over Mexico.
If you are getting it done now, your papers are fraud.


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## TJGUY

coondawg said:


> The last ones I knew that were legalized, were costing $2000 USD, and that was before the procedure was shut down through out Mexico. I haven't heard of a $700 one in 5 years, since we did our van. Even the ones with fake papers were costing $2000, and many lost their money and had nothing. The legalizing is still shut down all over Mexico.
> If you are getting it done now, your papers are fraud.


Here's a link you can read. It will also lead you to the decree that sets forth the import regulations. New Rules Announced for Permanently Importing Used Cars into Mexico | Surviving Yucatan

It's not so much that they have stopped the importation as much as it has to do with the requirements. If you don't follow the rules you can't import.


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## coondawg

TJGUY said:


> Here's a link you can read. It will also lead you to the decree that sets forth the import regulations. New Rules Announced for Permanently Importing Used Cars into Mexico | Surviving Yucatan
> 
> It's not so much that they have stopped the importation as much as it has to do with the requirements. If you don't follow the rules you can't import.


Those rules are not current. We are in 2016, that was almost 2 years ago. Need something for 2016.


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## LMtortugas

Baja vehicle imports operate under some different house rules that are generally more lenient and less expensive; the flipside is that such vehicles are recognized & regulated as any other foreign plated import by the mainland. Consequently, importing a vehicle permanently into i.e. Sinaloa via the frontera Baja to cut costs & hassle is not a viable option.


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## TJGUY

coondawg said:


> Those rules are not current. We are in 2016, that was almost 2 years ago. Need something for 2016.


Oh,but they are current. They have been extending these rules by one year at a time and they are in effect until Dec. 31,2016 as stated in this link, Limitan hasta Diciembre 2016 la importación de vehículos usados - Los Impuestos


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## TJGUY

LMtortugas said:


> Baja vehicle imports operate under some different house rules that are generally more lenient and less expensive; the flipside is that such vehicles are recognized & regulated as any other foreign plated import by the mainland. Consequently, importing a vehicle permanently into i.e. Sinaloa via the frontera Baja to cut costs & hassle is not a viable option.



These rules are Federal an in such apply to the entire country unless otherwise stated in the Decree. However you may have a point in that the registration by the individual state could vary for the cost of registration. That I would not know without some research.


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## Howler

TJGUY - in reading this...



TJGUY said:


> Are you looking to buy new or used. If you are going to buy used do not buy in Tijuana. Buy in California or some other state and import it. You will get more car for your money and you could save some in the process.
> I never buy my cars in TJ. I purchase in California and import. Where are you planning on living in Mexico? I might be able to offer other suggestions. I have lived in the TJ area now for about 30 years.


and this...



TJGUY said:


> You can purchase a good 7 seater for about $5,000USd or less. If you can Obtain a California license then you do not need to import your vehicle. If not then plan on paying about $700 usd to import it.


...You are probably the first person I've come across in the forum to recommend importing a US vehicle to Mexico. The reasons given against the idea usually have to do with how expensive & bureaucratic the process is, concluding that it's cheaper & less hassle to buy a Mexican-made vehicle. However, $700 USD doesn't sound too bad to me for a price to keep my own favorite vehicle with me in Mexico instead of having to give it up to find & buy another. 

Question #1: Are you talking about a permanent importation that would serve the purposes of a person who has obtained permanent residency in Mexico?

Question #2 - Reference the cost, does this represent a standard cost, or more a reflection of someone you deal with on the border?

Question #3: I haven't read any discussion about buying a US-made vehicle that has already been imported in Mexico. I'm sure there are many there that have ended up for sale. Are there any particular complications in doing so?

Just askin' (again)


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## TJGUY

Howler said:


> TJGUY - in reading this...
> 
> 
> 
> and this...
> 
> 
> 
> ...You are probably the first person I've come across in the forum to recommend importing a US vehicle to Mexico. The reasons given against the idea usually have to do with how expensive & bureaucratic the process is, concluding that it's cheaper & less hassle to buy a Mexican-made vehicle. However, $700 USD doesn't sound too bad to me for a price to keep my own favorite vehicle with me in Mexico instead of having to give it up to find & buy another.
> 
> Question #1: Are you talking about a permanent importation that would serve the purposes of a person who has obtained permanent residency in Mexico?
> 
> Question #2 - Reference the cost, does this represent a standard cost, or more a reflection of someone you deal with on the border?
> 
> Question #3: I haven't read any discussion about buying a US-made vehicle that has already been imported in Mexico. I'm sure there are many there that have ended up for sale. Are there any particular complications in doing so?
> 
> Just askin' (again)


I am talking about permanent importation. There are two kinds. There is one that is for the border area and then their is Nacional. If you don't live in the border area than you have to nationalize it. You would do it through an importer and they would handle all the details for you. The price will vary depending on the year of the vehicle and it's value.


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## LMtortugas

Howler said:


> TJGUY - in reading this...
> 
> 
> 
> and this...
> 
> 
> 
> ...You are probably the first person I've come across in the forum to recommend importing a US vehicle to Mexico. The reasons given against the idea usually have to do with how expensive & bureaucratic the process is, concluding that it's cheaper & less hassle to buy a Mexican-made vehicle. However, $700 USD doesn't sound too bad to me for a price to keep my own favorite vehicle with me in Mexico instead of having to give it up to find & buy another.
> 
> Question #1: Are you talking about a permanent importation that would serve the purposes of a person who has obtained permanent residency in Mexico?
> 
> Question #2 - Reference the cost, does this represent a standard cost, or more a reflection of someone you deal with on the border?
> 
> Question #3: I haven't read any discussion about buying a US-made vehicle that has already been imported in Mexico. I'm sure there are many there that have ended up for sale. Are there any particular complications in doing so?
> 
> Just askin' (again)


Current import & "nationalization" of vehicles into the mainland has developed into a contentious issue subject to (and anticipated) future change in policy. Only NAFTA U.S. documented export 2007/2008 models qualify. The process is rather simple & straightforward if dealing with a reputable broker, but the levied fees/taxes were significantly increased 1 year ago. $700 was a realistic expense through August/2014, thereafter $1800-$2000 would be a more accurate measure.

There has been, up until these recent policy changes were enacted January 2015, a healthy import demand for used U.S. vehicles in Mexico. Cautious Mexican buyers enjoyed a detailed condition & history report of the vehicle, audit by U.S. CBP that all documents (i.e. title, origination, emissions cert, owner, mileage, etc) are legit at time of export, and generally more favorable pricing. Such required disclosure and compliance seldom accompany used vehicle purchase agreements transacted within the Mexican retail market.


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## Howler

TJGUY said:


> I am talking about permanent importation. There are two kinds. There is one that is for the border area and then their is Nacional. If you don't live in the border area than you have to nationalize it. You would do it through an importer and they would handle all the details for you. The price will vary depending on the year of the vehicle and it's value.


My mistake, I failed to differentiate between the terms "import" & "nationalize". I should have remembered, also, that there are "two Mexicos" when it comes to the frontera area and the rest of the country.


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## Howler

LMtortugas said:


> Current import & "nationalization" of vehicles into the mainland has developed into a contentious issue subject to (and anticipated) future change in policy. Only NAFTA U.S. documented export 2007/2008 models qualify. The process is rather simple & straightforward if dealing with a reputable broker, but the levied fees/taxes were significantly increased 1 year ago. $700 was a realistic expense through August/2014, thereafter $1800-$2000 would be a more accurate measure.


Sad. It's (not) funny how when demand goes up the greed kicks in... then the government jumps in to complicate things even more.



LMtortugas said:


> There has been, up until these recent policy changes were enacted January 2015, a healthy import demand for used U.S. vehicles in Mexico. Cautious Mexican buyers enjoyed a detailed condition & history report of the vehicle, audit by U.S. CBP that all documents (i.e. title, origination, emissions cert, owner, mileage, etc) are legit at time of export, and generally more favorable pricing. Such required disclosure and compliance seldom accompany used vehicle purchase agreements transacted within the Mexican retail market.


Hmmm... Okay, so once a foreign vehicle has been nationalized, is it a straight-forward transaction for anyone else (native or immigrant) to purchase it?


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## LMtortugas

Howler said:


> Sad. It's (not) funny how when demand goes up the greed kicks in... then the government jumps in to complicate things even more.
> 
> Hmmm... Okay, so once a foreign vehicle has been nationalized, is it a straight-forward transaction for anyone else (native or immigrant) to purchase it?


To clarify terms, legal import is defined either temporary (i.e. vacation) or permanent (nationalized). Many vehicles (*chocolates*) are imported from NOB without following the legal protocols; thus authenticity of prior ownership, title, condition, etc. is likely compromised.

Once the vehicle is tagged a permanent export from the U.S. & nationalized in Mexico its status is the same as any other vehicle legal to register-plate, drive Mexican roads, and buy/sell. Any hassle associated with purchase thereafter would not relate to it being a nationalized vehicle. 

Also, a nationalized vehicle is eligible to insure (comp/collision) and finance if other related factors are aligned. My experience finds most Mexican purchasers take possession of the vehicle at time of entry and nationalization to ensure quality control.


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