# purchasing a car in mexico



## rozillop (Sep 29, 2011)

I have my FM 3 and we own a house. this year we want to purchase a car and leave it in mexico. who knows the process, registration, insurance, safety etc?

I notice some ads say insurance paid until December. What does this mean?


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

rozillop said:


> I have my FM 3 and we own a house. this year we want to purchase a car and leave it in mexico. who knows the process, registration, insurance, safety etc?
> 
> I notice some ads say insurance paid until December. What does this mean?


You'll need your visa, passport, but it's best to ask the dealer what they need. Generally, dealers want a deposit receipt from the bank where you deposited the sales amount into their account. With that, you will get the fractura or title. When I bought a new car here, the dealer gave me all the papers and told me where to go to register the car - La Hacienda (tax office). There I paid the fee for the license plates and was given a form to take to the bank and pay the taxes. Sometimes the taxes are included in the price of the car and sometimes not depending on the state. 

As for insurance, with new cars, sometimes, the first few months are included in the price. 

As for safety. Driving in Mexico is, well, a belief in the power of prayer!


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## rozillop (Sep 29, 2011)

Thank you for your quick response. Just a couple of other questions.

1. do have to renew the licence every year? If yes can you take it to another city in jalisco to do it?

2. would you recommend a dealer instead of a private sale? 

3. do you know of any scams that we should watch for with private sales?

we have driven lots in mexico so are very comfortable with it so we have decided to purchase a car and just leave it down there when we come home.


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

I bought a used car from a private owner (classified ad). We went together to the Tránsito (Traffic) Department, which was great for me since I knew little Spanish and was unfamiliar with the process. She had to pay off tickets and I believe a small fee in order to get the car out of her name.

I paid her for the car, and she turned over the papers. This involved the factura being signed over to my name. In my state, this serves as a "title". The car had been imported, so another essential paper was the "Pedimento de Importación" showing legal importation with duty paid. I had to provide my passport, FM2, and a utility bill to prove residence in order to register the car in my name. My state requires a state driver's license for registration, so I had to get that, too.

They took her plates off the car and gave us a paper to show that registration was in progress, so we could drive around while waiting for it to be finished. Later in the day we went back and found everything ready. My car is too old for the "tenencia" tax, so I only paid the normal registration fees, maybe 700-800 pesos or so? Registration has to be renewed every year in March, which involves an inspection. Since I bought the car in October, the former owner's inspection sticker was good until the following March

For insurance, I just went to the Grupa Inbursa office nearest me with the car, all its papers, driver's license, utility bill, passport, FM2, etc. My car is too old for collision insurance, so they issued a standard liability policy.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

rozillop said:


> Thank you for your quick response. Just a couple of other questions.
> 
> 1. do have to renew the licence every year? If yes can you take it to another city in jalisco to do it?
> 
> ...


We used to have a tax call Tenencia,but now it has been revoked. In its place is a much smaller tax that covers the everything including Cruz Roja. Answer is no, but you are required to have the car inspected yearly or semi-yearly.

Go for the dealer. For the private sale, you need to see and get from the seller: the fractura, the license registration, and originals of all the taxes paid. Without the fractura, you don't own the car, without the receipts for taxes, you might have to pay them.


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## rozillop (Sep 29, 2011)

*buying a car in mexico*



makaloco said:


> I bought a used car from a private owner (classified ad). We went together to the Tránsito (Traffic) Department, which was great for me since I knew little Spanish and was unfamiliar with the process. She had to pay off tickets and I believe a small fee in order to get the car out of her name.
> 
> I paid her for the car, and she turned over the papers. This involved the factura being signed over to my name. In my state, this serves as a "title". The car had been imported, so another essential paper was the "Pedimento de Importación" showing legal importation with duty paid. I had to provide my passport, FM2, and a utility bill to prove residence in order to register the car in my name. My state requires a state driver's license for registration, so I had to get that, too.
> 
> ...


thanks very helpful


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## mexliving (Mar 30, 2009)

when purchasing a used vehicle..... you can save yourself a lot of problems by checking the status of the vehicle...... using the plate or vin number, it will show you the information for that vehicle.
some vehicles have a plastic vin number on the top left of the window and the metal vin on the passengers side below the seat.
check your vehicle through SESNSP *REPUVE* Portal en Internet look for conoce la situacion de tu vehiculo.... next page click on accepto las condiciones de uso.


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## rozillop (Sep 29, 2011)

thanks that is great to know. 
wow glad I just signed up here, everyone has been so helpful

thanks and keep the info coming


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

mexliving said:


> check your vehicle through SESNSP *REPUVE* Portal en Internet look for conoce la situacion de tu vehiculo.... next page click on accepto las condiciones de uso.


That's very cool, thanks!
Uh-oh, my car's plates and VIN don't show up, but at least it's not reported as stolen. The relevant PDF gives a couple of legitimate reasons this might happen, for example if the local entity didn't send it in, or didn't supply all the info required. In my case I suspect it's because the car (1987) and maybe even its importation (1997) pre-dated the internet. :doh:


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## rozillop (Sep 29, 2011)

yes I can see that happening. not everything gets reported eh?

thanks I have copied all the info onto one document so I can print it and bring it with me.

cheers and have a great day


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## Scubagirl65 (Nov 27, 2012)

*Help buying a car*

Hi
Recently my Canadian car was severely damaged in the rains in Sept in Cabo. I held Mexican insurance and it has been nothing short of a nightmare.
Originally they were going to fix the car but the motor was blown do to debri hitting the oil pan and then my car blew a rod. At first everyone was all nice, telling me parts were ordered and it would be fixed....2 months later they decide after my persistence to pay me for my car....which I'm not getting the full amount ...by about $1500.... Guess I shouldn't complain. I finally courier end them all the paperwork they required so they can cut a check ( I'm sure this will be the next long wait)

So now I'm in the process of looking for a replacement car. I hold an FM 2 and I have been told not to buy American or Canadian and to buy only national because the police are going to cracking down on people that drive out of country plates that hold more then a visitors visa. Is this true?
The only place I have been looking for a car is craigslist and viva street . Should I buy from a small car lot to make sure I don't get ripped off? What should I look for? I want to buy a newer model...2004 or so. I was told that lots of people sell cars from person to person without having proper documentation.

Any help will be appreciated, after being jerked around by the insurance company
Thanks


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

My car is much older, and I bought it from a private owner who ran a classified ad in ElSudcaliforniano (newspaper, for non-BCS folks). Luckily, the seller was friendly and honest and walked me through the formalities. I'd imagine a reputable dealer would do the same, but I've never dealt with one. I'm not sure if regulations in Los Cabos are the same as in La Paz, but we need a BCS driver's license to register a car. With the new immigration laws, who knows what the requirement will be for the license, but here it's currently FM3, so your FM2 should be fine to start with. With your Canadian license, they may not make you take an exam.

If you buy a car that has been imported, be sure to get a paper from the previous owner called "Pedimento de Importación", which shows that it was imported legally with duty paid. You also need the original factura (sales receipt) signed over to you. If there has been more than one owner, it should show a "trail" of previous owners, each signing over to the next. (This serves as what would be a title in the US, but I don't know the system in Canada.) You'll need both of these papers to register the car in your name.

Hope this helps a little!


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

I would suggest that you look for a good used car from a new car dealer. They only keep the good ones, just as in the USA. They sell off the other 'trades' to the smaller, independent lots.
Beware of Auto Tianguis, or other individual sellers without unbroken documentation all the way back to when the car was new.
Avoid cars imported by individuals. They may be assumed 'chocolates' and can be uninsurable.
Buying a car from another state can cause serious complications; some, making it unable to be registered in your state.
Insist that the seller go with you to the 'Recaudadora' and complete the transaction there. If there are tickets or other liens, he can pay them; not you.
All of this can be avoided by purchasing from a frabcgused dealer, who will take care of registry and deliver the car to you in a matter of about 3 days.


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

RVGRINGO said:


> Buying a car from another state can cause serious complications; some, making it unable to be registered in your state.


Agree, much better to look for a car already registered in BCS. Note as well whether the plates are standard or "fronteriza" ('Front BCS' stamped on both plates). The latter are very common here, and if you intend to take the car to the mainland, there will be additional permits and fees. That didn't matter to me, but it may to you.


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