# Buying a vehicle in MX and getting it back to US



## DanMay

Can anyone tell me the logistics of buying a new vehicle (motorcycle) in Mexcio, then eventually bringing it back into the US ?


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## drblanke

The NHTSA website has a lot of information about importing cars to the US permanently.

The main problem will be complying with safety standards. Even though a Mexican car may have airbags, seatbelts, etc, if it has been manufactured for Mexico, chances are a few pennies were saved here and there on bumpers, headlights, etc. The NHTSA will demand that you alter those parts to comply ($$) or you send a couple Mexican cars in for destructive testing to make sure the differing parts comply ($$$!!!!). 

I imagine the same is true for motorcycles. But ask the NHTSA.



DanMay said:


> Can anyone tell me the logistics of buying a new vehicle (motorcycle) in Mexcio, then eventually bringing it back into the US ?


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## RVGRINGO

Generally speaking, you may purchase a vehicle in Mexico if you have a Mexican FM3 or FM2 visa and a Mexican address. You may drive that vehicle in the USA temporarily but, as mentioned above, importing it to the USA isn't usually practical; even if the same vehicle is manufactured in Mexico for export to the USA.


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## Rodrigo84

Drblanke hit on the destructive testing part, that's key.

Not worth the effort. I know of at least two people who tried to do this by bringing oddly enough a VW Beetle (the classic design) back over the border. One went to Florida and they wouldn't register the vehicle (this goes back many years ago before doing an Internet search would have helped) because he didn't have the proper paperwork and a Mexican title wasn't going to cut it. He ended up finding someone to junk it to for parts. Another person I knew tried to go through the actual logistics and again $$$ and time, not to mention that the vehicle had not undergone crash testing in the U.S. This is the same thing that killed the importation of certain models of the Nissan Skyline sportscar into the U.S. from Japan and other Asian markets.


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## drblanke

Not so odd. Loads of aging American hippies would love to bring over a recent vintage Mexican Beetle to relive their youth 

BtlMex was a company that used to take Mexican Beetles, take them apart, and ship the *parts* (not the car) across the border. They would then get an old rusted out, US registered Beetle and replace everything on it but the VIN number. Viola, new classic Beetle with US plates. 

I don't know if that is still possible to do today.




Rodrigo84 said:


> Drblanke hit on the destructive testing part, that's key.
> 
> Not worth the effort. I know of at least two people who tried to do this by bringing oddly enough a VW Beetle (the classic design) back over the border. One went to Florida and they wouldn't register the vehicle (this goes back many years ago before doing an Internet search would have helped) because he didn't have the proper paperwork and a Mexican title wasn't going to cut it. He ended up finding someone to junk it to for parts. Another person I knew tried to go through the actual logistics and again $$$ and time, not to mention that the vehicle had not undergone crash testing in the U.S. This is the same thing that killed the importation of certain models of the Nissan Skyline sportscar into the U.S. from Japan and other Asian markets.


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## Rodrigo84

drblanke said:


> Not so odd. Loads of aging American hippies would love to bring over a recent vintage Mexican Beetle to relive their youth
> 
> BtlMex was a company that used to take Mexican Beetles, take them apart, and ship the *parts* (not the car) across the border. They would then get an old rusted out, US registered Beetle and replace everything on it but the VIN number. Viola, new classic Beetle with US plates.
> 
> I don't know if that is still possible to do today.


It's quite common to see U.S.-plated vochos come over the border and get 'updated', but I have known people who literally did nothing but take an old bug (pre-1970 versions are valued in Mexico) and put in the same vin numbers as their U.S.-plated bug on a newer Mexican bug and then drive back over. I won't say anything more about that.


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## DanMay

Rodrigo84 said:


> Drblanke hit on the destructive testing part, that's key.
> 
> Not worth the effort. I know of at least two people who tried to do this by bringing oddly enough a VW Beetle (the classic design) back over the border. One went to Florida and they wouldn't register the vehicle (this goes back many years ago before doing an Internet search would have helped) because he didn't have the proper paperwork and a Mexican title wasn't going to cut it. He ended up finding someone to junk it to for parts. Another person I knew tried to go through the actual logistics and again $$$ and time, not to mention that the vehicle had not undergone crash testing in the U.S. This is the same thing that killed the importation of certain models of the Nissan Skyline sportscar into the U.S. from Japan and other Asian markets.


I was hoping that there was somthing similiar to the overseas purchase programs that the European car makers offer.

That, and the weak Peso along with my need for a bike in MX made it look attractive. Looks like I will just do it the traditionall way, buy in the US and bring it down.


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## Rodrigo84

DanMay said:


> I was hoping that there was somthing similiar to the overseas purchase programs that the European car makers offer.
> 
> That, and the weak Peso along with my need for a bike in MX made it look attractive. Looks like I will just do it the traditionall way, buy in the US and bring it down.


I don't think the weak peso would offset it enough to buy it in Mexico. Cars down here are very expensive. Add to that you have to pay tenencia (a property tax) on the vehicle every year and it's not cheap, plus insurance which is 2x that of the U.S. for a similar vehicle.

Autos Nuevos y Seminuevos | Marcas | Precios - Yahoo! México Autos


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