best border crossings and safest driving routes

[Mainecoons]

On 9/30/2017 at 12:27 PM, blankletmusic said:

What are the easiest border crossings and safest driving routes to Lakeside? I live in Albuquerque and DO NOT want to cross at Ciudad Juarez., but would prefer not to have to drive hundreds of miles just to avoid it (if possible).

If you already have your FMM visa stamp (from the consulate) and importado certificate (purchased online) do you even need to stop at the border crossings? Or do you stop at the Aduana checkpoint 20 or so miles beyond the border?

We just drove to Albuquerque last week and completely bypassed Juarez using the Santa Teresa border crossing.  It is by far the fastest and most direct way to get to Lakeside from Albuquerque.  First day, we stopped in Camargo, Hotel Santa Fe.  Second day all the way to Albuquerque, no problem.  Going south I'd suggest stopping in Jimenez and then continuing on to Lakeside.

 

[pappysmarket]

10 hours ago, RickS said:

Pappysmaret, your comments are not entirely accurate. The law that prohibits selling a foreign plated vehicle in Mexico with a temporary import permit (TIP) is aimed at not permitting that vehicle to indefinitely stay in Mexico. Selling a foreign plated vehicle in Mexico to someone whose intentions are to immediately drive it out of the country is not in violation of that law. The 'sell' transaction (which merely means a US title gets signed over and funds pass hands) does not have to be done NOB as you have stated. What Mexico wants/demands is that the vehicle be removed as promised by the person originally obtaining the TIP. 

IF a person wishes to sell their foreign plated vehicle in Mexico, that person should demand from and be comfortable that the new owner WILL immediately drive that car out of Mexico AND, as you stated, cancel the 'sellers' TIP at a border crossing. That new owner should also remit back to the seller the receipt one receives from Aduana when one cancels that TIP and the seller would be wise to keep that receipt 'forever'.

IF the seller has already reached Permanente visa status, the seller must procure a Retorno Seguro (Safe Return) document from SAT in "Guadalajara" and designate the buyer as the driver. This document, once obtained, gives the driver 5 business days in which to safely remove the vehicle from Mexico. If the seller is 'merely' a Temporal or a Visatante, a Carta Poder (Power of Attorney) should be provided by the buyer to the seller to drive the vehicle out of the country.

I have purchased probably 15 vehicles in Mexico, Ajijic and San Miguel de Allende, over the last few years from owners who were either approaching or had achieved Permanente status and who just did not want to go to the hassle and expense of driving the vehicle out of Mexico, somehow dispensing of it NOB and then bussing or flying back to their home. I often use Spencer McMullen or a Notario for the formal paperwork to insure that the removal of the vehicle is done properly. I always cancel the TIP at the border and remit the receipt back to the seller. This is not "job" but something I do as a retirement hobby.... and it gets me down to Lakeside more often.

 

 

 

 

All very true. You have studied the rules carefully and know what you're doing. To the "average" buyer or seller my advice would still be the same: Don't do it. Yes, I would probably sell my car to you as you have established a reputation for honesty. I probably would not sell it to anyone else. I would definitely not buy one in Mexico for the reasons you listed, especially the difficulty obtaining a new title and plates unless I had a residence in Texas. I presume South Dakota, specifically Clay County could solve that problem but as you pointed out, takes time. To the average Gringo, don't get involved in that kind of transaction.

[blankletmusic]

8 hours ago, Mainecoons said:

We just drove to Albuquerque last week and completely bypassed Juarez using the Santa Teresa border crossing.  It is by far the fastest and most direct way to get to Lakeside from Albuquerque.  First day, we stopped in Camargo, Hotel Santa Fe.  Second day all the way to Albuquerque, no problem.  Going south I'd suggest stopping in Jimenez and then continuing on to Lakeside.

 

 Would you please email the route you took( via private mail on this forum) from Lakeside to ABQ?

 

Thank you.

 

[HDTVStreamers]

On 9/30/2017 at 12:48 PM, dcstroker said:

I would take the crossing at Del Rio, Texas. Just came down that way last week. Couldn't believe it, no one at either check point, U.S. or Mexico. Roads are also much better. Your other alternative from where you are is the crossing at Santa Teresa, just west of Ciudad Juarez. Very little presence at this border either. Going this way you pass by Ciudad Chihuahua though and I don't like the roads as well. 

I drove from Santa Fe and the distances are almost equal going either way.

Have you crossed there or at any others lately , entering to USA? WHat did you experience more recently?

[Shag]

For 4 years regularly every 3 months we drove back and forth to the states taking care of a mother.  We crossed 17 times.  Tried all of them on the texas border.  The result was always keeping to Del Rio, or Piedras Negras or our favorite is Presidio/Ojinaga, north of Del Rio. Many times the crossings were not even manned.  We just drove on through.  We NEVER NEVER NEVER go through Loredo.  We tried it a few times at the beginning.  Always stopped and checked.  One Christmas waited almost 2 full days at the border.

[Mainecoons]

On 9/30/2017 at 12:27 PM, blankletmusic said:

What are the easiest border crossings and safest driving routes to Lakeside? I live in Albuquerque and DO NOT want to cross at Ciudad Juarez., but would prefer not to have to drive hundreds of miles just to avoid it (if possible).

If you already have your FMM visa stamp (from the consulate) and importado certificate (purchased online) do you even need to stop at the border crossings? Or do you stop at the Aduana checkpoint 20 or so miles beyond the border?

We are formerly from Albuquerque and keep an RV in Las Cruces.  We cross at Santa Teresa which is west of Juarez.  So far, very good.