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Driving from Michigan


Sue Fergy

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I have a snowbird friend who spends six months here and six months in Wisconsin. She has been doing this for about 10 years. Until about three years ago she drove her American plated car down in the fall and back up in the spring. As she got older it became more tiring so she bought a used car down here which she leaves with friends when she flies home. She never had a problem in the years she was driving back and forth twice a year. She just got tired. You will hear from people who do this all the time and they will have the tips and hints you are looking for. But as for it being doable, I can say yes it is. And if you do it right it will be a fun adventure. 

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Yes, loads of people.... snowbirds mainly.... drive their US and Canadian plated vehicles into and then out of Mexico every year, so it is plenty doable. To do this one will need to get a 180-day Mexican Tourist Card and a temporary car permit (TIP) at the border. The TIP costs about $50 and one is also required to place a $400 deposit (cash or credit card), refundable when one takes the vehicle out within the 180 day window. To acquire a TIP, one must have either the title or Registration document and their name must be on the title/registration and it should be the same as the name on the US Passport. 

The most reasonable crossing into Mexico for you would be Laredo Tx., below San Antonio. From there one can and should drive on toll roads (cuota) all the way to Guadalajara... about 650 miles.... for about $60 US, paid in pesos. Most folks will do that in 2 days. Gas in Mexico is running about $4.30/gallon Regular (Magna) equivalent and is most often paid for with pesos.

Stock up on pesos in Laredo for the trip... most often at one of the prevalent  'change' houses there. The current exchange rate is about 18.2 pesos per 1 US dollar. If you plan on using a debit or credit card while in Mexico, be sure and let your card holder bank know this information as they may otherwise block any transactions while here. Most folks use a local ATM at their destination to get additional pesos for their expenditures. 

 

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Laredo is just about the worst crossing to use. First of all it’s a little difficult to find the first time because of the one way street on which the TIP building is located. 
If you do some research you will find  there is a lot of cartel violence happening in Nuevo Laredo right now.  A better crossing to use is McAllan, my favorite place to cross is Columbia, it’s about 20 miles west of Laredo. It is very easy to find, hardly any traffic, only open from 8am to midnight.  If you stay on the outskirts of Laredo and plan to reach Columbia at 8am when the bridge opens it’s very doable to reach Ajijic in 10 to 11 hours with all the new toll roads that have opened in the last couple of years...I would recommend using a GPS such as a Garmin or TomTom. I use a Garmin along with the Waze app on my phone as back up...the phone app works well unless it needs to recalculate when you have lost the WiFi signal..  There is a Mexican government app that will tell you the toll fee for each toll booth along your route, it gives you one thing less to worry about knowing in advance what the toll fee is.. Stay on the toll toads and you will have a relatively easy trip...

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My comment about using 'Laredo Tx.' includes the Colombia Solidarity International bridge, which is in the city limits of Laredo.

As to your McAllan (sic) comment, which bridge/crossing out there would you send them to, and then  where to then?  These are 'newbies' remember....

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Several suggestions.

1) You can get pesos from any ATM once you cross the border, at a much more favorable rate. However, you do face the possibility of an empty ATM, or your card not working (any of the problems which can happen when relying on online banking). If you need to feel secure by having some pesos, contact AAA and you can buy some through them. Just get enough to cover you to an ATM.

2) Don't rely on one form of travel info. Get a good Mexican road atlas delivered to you in the States. If you use GPS, make sure you have the most recent update downloaded to it.  I suggest you also get the WAZE app on your phone. It uses Google maps but is augmented by real-time data from all WAZE users. You create a (free) account and it gives you immediate updates on police, road debris, accidents, etc. You need more than one source of travel data in case one isn't working.

3) In picking where to cross, consider what Mexican States you will travel through. For example, Tamilaupas is under a "do not travel" advisory from the US State department, with the following comment: "Heavily armed members of criminal groups often patrol areas of the state in marked and unmarked vehicles and operate with impunity particularly along the border region from Reynosa northwest to Nuevo Laredo." I have crossed at Nuevo Laredo several times without incident, and you are quickly out of Tamilaupas.

4) Travel times in Mexico are much longer. You just can't drive as fast, and you do not want to travel after dark, so many people use two days to get from the border to lakeside. Some make it all the way in daylight, so it is possible. It all depends on your druthers.

5) If you're not in a hurry, take a little time on the US leg of your trip and visit some of the country. Many people make a smuggler's run of 12 hour driving days to get to the border. Taking shorter drives and visiting some places can be more relaxing and rewarding. There is a lot of country, history, culture, and cuisine you're driving by. The same goes for the Mexico leg.

6) Use Mexican toll roads (Cuotas) whenever possible. They are expensive, but faster, safer, and with better services. Also less prone to that Mexican phenomenon of a massive bovine-induced travel back-up. They also have the Green Angels ("Angeles Verdes") who patrol and help stranded motorists.

Enjoy!

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as for the colombia bridge, it is 18 miles up river from nuevo laredo and is in another state, nuevo leon. i do not believe it is in the city limits of nuevo laredo. i cross southbound in nuevo laredo and northbound at the colombia bridge. i also go thru saltillo and on to zacatecas and aguascalientes then guadalajara and i use my US debit card at all but 2 toll booths, they only accept cash,pesos, from the border to lake chapala  and at all pemex stations. never had a problem but i NEVER let it out of my sight. i stay with the card at all times. therefore i spend very few pesos on the trip, its all on the card. i make this trip 4 times per year.

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For 4 years, every 3 months we have to go back to texas.  Weve done ALL the border crossings.  Will never do Loredo.  It is nightmare traffic and strict most of the time. We love Presidio/Ojinaga.  Sometimes there is no one manning the bridge.  We dont even show our passports and no one ever checks what we bring.  Tues Wed and thursday are easiest to cross.  Other good crossings are Del Rio/Acuna    and  Eagle Pass/Piadras Negras.  The reason we dont like to cross at far south texas, like McAllen, Mission, Brownsville is because it takes a long time to drive down there, when you can cross much sooner.  We are about to make another trip back to Texas.  We always start when it begins to get light, drive to Matehuala and stay at Las Palmas Hotel, arriving there about 4:pm before dark, there is a walmart.  then get up early next morning and make it to the border, cross and spend the night again on the texas side.  The toll roads are awesome.  Maybe you already know this but keep to the right side of the road as mexicans coming the opposite direction pass other cars and come into your lane.  It is not dangerous and everyone is aware of this rule, just know it exists.  If a trucker is in front of you and he has his left turn signal on it is usually to let you know that the coast is clear and you can pass safetly.  We have found the truckers to be very very helpful.  Just know alot of mexicans drive very aggressively and fast so we personally have to drive a little more defensively being cautious.  The only other information I would like to offer is use "Waze" or some good GPS as the signs in Mexico can

be misleading as to which roads are toll and which are "Free" (libre)  We love driving, it is a beautiful country, have never been fearful and actually feel safer here than in the states.  Hope this helps.  Good luck
 

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Just as an aside, it is well-known etiquette in most of Mexico to follow the driving procedures you describe. If there is traffic behind you that obviously wants to pass, and the highway allows for it, one moves to the right to allow it. Oncoming drivers are aware of this technique. It is a thoughtful way to drive. Around here, no one seems to understand this. The highway to Vista del Lago and beyond is perfect for it, but the concept is studiously avoided.

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21 hours ago, Sue Fergy said:

We are contemplating driving our vehicle down when we have a 6 month stay starting in August.  Had anyone done this and if so do you have some suggestions or input? Also I am open to opinions as well.  

When you get closer to your trip time i'll send you a turn by turn log from Pearsall Texas through Columbia to Ajijic that you can print out. Just PM me you email address and I will send you a link. My log is updated about 3 times a year. I use a credit card for gasoline too keep from having to carry so much cash. If you leave Pearsall Tx at 07:00 you can cross and spend the night at San Pedro 5 hours into Mexico. That will get you off the road before dark, a must!

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Just to be clear....while the Colombia crossing IS a ways out of town, it IS a part of and in the city limits of Laredo Texas.

Also while many of us use out of the way crossings, I do not like to send 1st time drivers out onto non- couta 2-lane roads on their first trip into Mexico. Colombia is OK but on my last two trips through there I have been stopped by cops looking for mordido. Didn't pay but I know the ropes!

 

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22 hours ago, Sue Fergy said:

some suggestions or input?

Think about how many hours you like to drive per day, and check the map for where that will land you, city-wise, to help set up the route and the mindset.    And depending on your approx. hours of departure and arrival at each stopping point, choose a place to stay that is on the "outbound" side of that city, so you won't have to fight rush hour traffic going into it, in the AM.       Try to avoid going through Austin TX from 3pm to 7pm as well, pretty congested.

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I agree that going to Columbia southbound adds a lot of extra mileage and forces the driver onto a road that is known for its corruption.

We crossed into Mexico for the first time

using Laredo Bridge II many years ago. The building to get the car permit is directly below the bridge making it fairly easy to find. After exiting the red/green light area, make an immediate left heading downhill to the main road. Perhaps it's 4 or 5 short blocks. When you get to the first traffic light make a U and cross back onto the lateral paralleling the river until you reach the building for FMMs and car permits.

When done retrace the route taking the road following the river that bends eventually getting to the light where you go under the over pass left (south) onto hwy 85 for a straight shot to Monterrey. The signage in Monterrey to the Saltillo perifico is clear and when you get to Saltillo you can choose the south route through Matehuela or continue on the north side of Saltillo taking the road toward Zacatecas. 

The signs and roads are much better than they were 15 years ago. 

Enjoy the scenery while driving in Mexico. It's not boring like the superhighways in the US, especially the white knuckler on I-35 between Dallas and San Antonio where the never ending construction will keep you awake.

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12 hours ago, wanderer said:

as for the colombia bridge, it is 18 miles up river from nuevo laredo and is in another state, nuevo leon. i do not believe it is in the city limits of nuevo laredo. i cross southbound in nuevo laredo and northbound at the colombia bridge. i also go thru saltillo and on to zacatecas and aguascalientes then guadalajara and i use my US debit card at all but 2 toll booths, they only accept cash,pesos, from the border to lake chapala  and at all pemex stations. never had a problem but i NEVER let it out of my sight. i stay with the card at all times. therefore i spend very few pesos on the trip, its all on the card. i make this trip 4 times per year.

RickS was talking about Laredo, TX not Nuevo Laredo

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