7 replies to this topic

[Ajijic]

For details call these Aduana lawyers:

Aduana Dept of Donations Lic. Petit Salcido 01 55 58 02 0000

Aduana Dept. Juridico Lic. Lourdes del Fierro 01 55 58 02 1335

According to both of these lawyers to donate a car it must be at the border or in another country. It requires a letter to Hacienda in Mexico City and the only accept a vehicle that can be used as an ambulance, for handicapped people etc.

However, to sell a car at least 8 years old with foreign plates the buyer has the responsibility for the car. In doing so, the buyer and seller sign the vehicle Carta Responsiva. This form can be found at places where forms are sold such as Office Depot or similar ones via the Internet. This form would be handy in selling any car but to legally sell a NOB plated car it must be at least 8 years old. It does not have to be returned by the seller to the border. Once signed, the buyer bears all responsibility.

I will not argue the points but rather a simple post explaining the process. If you disagree call them yourselves, please.

[jaykay]

Any idea how much it would cost to complete the process?

[Ajijic]

jaykay not sure what process you mean. It is a matter of selling the car to someone and the content of the Carta Responsiva can be found on line or bought for a few pesos. The idea is to absolve the seller of responsibility.

[Mainecoons]

You know, every time I go to TX, on the way back I see these Mexicans towing cars from there back to Mexico. Given the outrageous fees to "nationalize" cars here, I wonder how this could be economic unless these guys have found some way to skirt the system.

I though NAFTA was supposed to get rid of all these car hassles. Instead, it seems to have gotten worse.

[Ajijic]

Mainecoons, a Mexican we know, for 7 years brought in a car every week from Texas and made a good living at it. He paid a small mordida at the check point or simply took other roads. Just like there are unattended roads in western Canada to the US there are many routes into Mexico unattended. For those cars being towed I am sure no one is paying $2500 plus to nationalize.

As to NAFTA, I believe every year one can nationalize a car one year newer than the previous year and currently the number is 8 years old. The large depoists with Mexico is simply taxation. One takes a US or Mexican registered car into Canada with no deposit nor even documentation. Similarly, one takes a Canadian or Mexican plated car into the US with no deposit or documentation. These large fees stop nothing but cause a big pain in the butt.

As I noted before, here in SMA every Tuesday there is a huge weekly market and almost adjacent a car sale with upwards to 80 vehicles. Many have Texas plates and no car permit. It seems we expats are more in tune with the laws on this issue and following them than many Mexicans. The longer one lives here the more we realise almost every rule has a way around it be it legal or otherwise.

Back to my original post, in the process I mentioned it does not take away the fact you have a car showing up as being in Mexico especially when you have the same passport on which you brought in the car. Cars are tied to passports. To confirm look at your car permit.

The only exception may be for those who have gone to Aduana and updated their car permit to protect the $200 to $400 deposit. But even then I doubt if it is tied to a visa. Certainly when you enter Mexico with a car it is tied to a current passport and not a visa. For example, some obtain a car permit, before even entering Mexico and therefor before getting a visa. Others I know have brought in a second car after renewing a passport.

Our car came in before the high deposits and on the permit is only an old passport number. And, since no large deposit we have not gone back to Aduana.

[Mainecoons]

That pretty much confirms my suspicion as most of the cars I see being towed are hardly worth the cost of nationalizing. However, I don't see how the people who end up with these cars can get Mexican plates for them without the required paperwork. Probably pay another bribe would be my guess.

After being hassled by people who don't know or want to ignore Article 106, we've been getting Aduana paperwork on our car yearly even though we don't have the big deposit problem. That came in handy several times at checkpoints going into GDL during the Pan Am games.

[RVGRINGO]

Many of those cars, being towed south, are just passing through Mexico on their way to Guatemala and points south. A large number of them are purchased from junk yards and cannot be sold in the USA. They'll be 'rebuilt' and sold elsewhere.

[Intercasa]

I have brochures for preapproval of donations of vehicles to non profit and government entities in Mexico, aduana in Guadalajara gave them to me, if anybody wants info they can stop by my office.