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Recently after speaking to quite a few people I thought it would be nice to once again alert people to current issues others are having in the hopes of avoiding problems.

Many people purchase vehicles here in Jalisco. Prior to purchasing any vehicle it is best to see how much debt is owed on the vehicle. Quite a few people have bought motorcycles and found out that there are more fees and fines owing on the vehicle that the value of the motorcycle. This is good to check BEFORE giving money to the seller and we can check it with the last paid receipt or license plate number and VIN#.

We can in some instances get a reduction on the fines for late payment of vehicle fees, many times the fine reductions are 50 to 70% of the fines so all may not be lost but this should enter into the equation when negotiating the price with the seller.

Also we can check to see if the vehicle has been reported stolen and what the national database shows the license plates should be after searching the VIN#.

Many people are also losing money to vehicle nationalization scams. Many people collect lots of $$$ and then give you fake paperwork. Always get a written contract with anybody you pay a large sum of money to. We can also check the pedimiento and other papers so you will not be arrested and have your car seized when you do the second part of the nationalization process which is getting license plates for Jalisco. They are very strict here and your papers need to be in order.

A Mexican friend was arrested this last week and her car seized when getting her plates not knowing that after paying $42,000 pesos to a guy in Ajijic that her papers were forged.

I advise against nationalizing vehicles as there is too much cost and fraud involved and it should only be done with extreme caution and at the border and with a written contract and receipts.

I also advise against buying a car with Mexican plates that are not Jalisco plates as there can be fines and fees that cannot easily be checked PLUS you will need to go early in the morning to Guadalajara to change plates and then may be surprised to find out that another $5,000 to $15,000 pesos or more needs to be paid to change the plates. This is assuming that you didn´t buy a stolen car or one with forged papers and then you will be a guest at the graybar hotel and be taking the bus home once you make bail or convince them that you did not forge the documents.

I know there are alot of do it yourselfers out there or those who want to make their maid or gardener their representative but so many people have done this to their own detriment and lost countless hours of their time (may or may not be valuable) and thousands of pesos all for not investing a little bit up front.

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In many cases, the problems arise because someone is new here. Still, for the most part, the trouble is that someone is either lazy or looking for a great deal (cheap). The cost of getting the car changed over legally is quite high, and not easy. If it seems to be too good to be true, etc.

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Would it not be a lot safer to buy a car, either new or used, from a franchised and established auto dealer of a major vehicle manufacturer, such as Ford or Honda? More costly, as it is in the U.S. also, but I wonder if you are much less likely to have problems?

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Great points Spencer. Here is SMA an expat bought a car and discovered in had been totaled in an accident but discovered only after purchasing. The person who restored has a body shop and bought if from insurance company and had no title as was sold for parts. It was finally resolved but after lots of costs and sleepless nights. Oddly, the person selling it was a well know local facilitator in SMA albeit a sleazy one. So as noted, be very careful and do not pay a pesos until you know as much as possible about the vehicle.

There is no Carfax etc here so no real history of km driven, if in an accident etc.

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  • 8 months later...

I suggest buying from a new car dealership which stocks good, recent used cars. They will take care of all of the paperwork and getting the license plates before delivering the car to you at your home. It is easy.

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