Mazatlan - Miscellaneous Information
Radio program about Mazatlan
(Whatsupmaz)
Starting last Saturday we now have an English speaking radio program. The program is broadcast on 100.3fm every Saturday from 7pm – 8 pm. That is not the most convenient time to listen to your radio, but not to worry.
You can go to their website www.360radioshow.com 24x7 and listen any of the previous programs at your convenience. In addition to good music they discuss the history of Mazatlan, current entertainment, and just a lot of good information to enhance our lives in Mazatlan. I strongly recommend it. Just turn it on while your home sometime.
Murry Page
Bringing a car into Mazatlan, no Mexican drivers allowed -
Re: Purchasing a car in Phoenix Message #64622
If you can't or don't register the car, you cannot bring it to México
on a temporary importation permit. Right, wrong or otherwise, that's
the rule. You have to have a valid foreign registration to get a
temporary vehicle importation permit from Aduana.
As long as you have a valid AZ address to use and you keep it insured in AZ, you can register the vehicle in that state. Note, however, that registration in either Pima or Maricopa County may require an emissions check at an official station annually (based on age of vehicle.)
Dan Herzer
Remember, you don't have to have a current registration for the vehicle if you always leave it in Mexico. Mexico simply doesn't care. The glitch will be driving it back into AZ now and then. Some US insurance companies are more cooperative about temporarily suspending coverage and then reactivating it. I think someone mentioned GEICO and being one of those companies.
George
Or you can buy and register the car in a State that does NOT require
insurance.....Sheryl
Sheryl,
Can you tell me which US state doesn't require at least liability insurance? It might help me out.
Having said that, would you be willing to risk all you now or in the future may own to avoid having insurance when you drive in the US?
BTW, Mexico doesn't require that you have auto insurance.
Thanks,
George
Dear George...... I had my car registered in Montana and at that time they did
NOT require insurance.....I now have my car registered in Texas and I gave them my insurance
info for Mexico.....I am not a risk taker when it comes to auto insurance that is why
when I go to the States with my car I purchase insurance for the STATES! Sheryl
P.S. You may want to check with each States DMV as to if they require
insurance...I have also heard of people writing to their DMV's to ask if they can renew their tags
intending to not return to the States and therefore ask if they have to still purchase
insurance. Someone posted here before, stating that their insurance company put their insurance on hold while they were here and then had it reinstated when they went NOB
I just pulled out an old newspaper article from 2001 when we lived in
Jalisco(could easily be different from Sinaloa) and it listed a fine
of 76 pesos for not having auto insurance. If I was considering NOT
having auto insurance because it's not required, I'd double and triple
check if that's the case before going that route!
Yes you can use your brother's address and register the car in your name....If
you get an FM3 you do not have to take the car to the border, but if you want to keep the
tags up in Arizona I believe you will have to return there to do a smog test....I was told
certain cities in Arizona do not request a smog test when doing a renewal.....you will have to
check this....Sheryl
Sheryl is correct about some areas inAZ not requiring smog checks. Tucson for one, Nogales for another. There is a DMV in Nogales, and while I was able to register my truck there and obtain an Arizona license based on a "mailboxes and more" address 3 years ago, I don't know if you still can do that. I don't know if it was legal then or not, but the DMV guy recognized the address as soon as I gave it to him for what it was, and didn't say anything else about it. It's worth a try, just be sure to get an address that isn't in an area that requires smog check. They check by Zip Code. Oh, and you can register for 1 or 2 years, if memory serves.
One more thing, if you are used to dealing with California DMV, you will love the AZ DOT. In and out in less than an hour with permanent Drivers License good for 15 years, permanent title for truck, and license plate (they only use one) and tags for the plate.
Ted Weston
This topic has been discussed to death on MazInfo in the past. Search the
archives and you will find lots and lots of information -- some of it accurate.
Here are a couple random, but important, points to keep in mind:
David Bodwell's statement about the necessity of having US or Canadian
registration before you can bring a car into Mexico is spot-on accurate and your first
important consideration. Mexico wants to be sure that a vehicle is solidly grounded in
foreign registration before letting it into the country as a "temporary" import.
You said that you plan to register the car at your brother's Arizona address.
That should work fine. Anyone out there thinking of buying a a vehicle and "floating" it
into Mexico unregistered and then trying to register it in Mexico has some sort of death
wish.
Someone else recommended checking Mexonline for details on requirements for a vehicle temporary import permit, and that, too, is very good advice. Services like Mexonline will
tell you about vehicle regulations from the Mexican side, but they won't tell you anything
about the varying registration regulations in the 50 US states and Canada.
A word of caution: Before registering a car in the US with plans to take it for a long-term
stay in Mexico, check the state or local laws governing emission and safety inspections.
That's particularly important in California. Depending on the year of the vehicle, you will
have to present it biannually or at some longer interval for an emission test. That could
present a royal pain in the a____ to have to drive a couple thousand miles round trip back
to California to pass a test and get your registration renewed. Oh, and when you leave
Mexico to get your car inspected in some US state, you'll have to cancel your Mexican
import permit and then buy a new one on your return.
Happy trails y que te vaya bien.
-- tio Ken --
Message #62937
According to an Auduana speaker at a Friends of Mexico meeting a couple of years ago, you can also have an FM-2 Visa according to his interpretation of Ley Auduana.
Bob Story
biagio0701 wrote:
I would like to add to David's post...if the car is taken away by
Hacienda you will not only lose it you will ALSO BE FINED.....also a
foreigner can drive the car ONLY if they have a tourist visa or a FM3
so you need to be careful...I know I had a car taken away for this
very reason! Sheryl
--- In , "David Bodwell" <mazbook@...> wrote:
> Mike,
>
> 1. If he is Mexican, it is illegal for him to drive the car in México
> and if caught by the Aduana cops, the car will be confiscated.
>
> 2, If he is not Mexican, the car will become illegal once YOUR tourist permit or other visa expires. If you have an FM3, and you keep it renewed, the car remains legal, and it is legal for another foreigner to drive it.
>
> 3. You will never again be allowed to bring a car into México, as the records in Aduana will show you already have one here and only one per foreigner is allowed.
>
> I hope this answers your question.
>
> David Bodwell
> Editorial Mazatlán
> Mazatlán Book & Coffee Company
>
> --- In , MikeL6920@ wrote:
> >
> > Let me ask someone in the know this: I have a friend in Mazatlan who I'd
> > like to give my 01 Saturn to. What happens if I get the permit, drive it down
> > there and then give him the car? What happens after the 6 months are over? What
> > options would we have?
> >
> > Any info would be appreciated...
> > Thanks,
> > Mazatlan Mike