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Need referral to an auto import broker.


Eric Blair

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My wife's lady BFF lives in Canada and came here last year. She left her Canadian plated car here. She is coming here in November (at this time) for maybe six months. She wants to get her car nationalized.

 

I read up on it and there is no way my double-digit I.Q. brain is near understanding it.It's a 2005 and I don't know where it was made and/or if covered by NAFTA or whatever is current. Thus my need for a broker.

Referral(s) appreciated.

Thanks.

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You don't need a broker at this point. If she was here on a tourist visa, or on a temporary residency that has now expired, and left her Canadian plated car here, it is here illegally. She will need to get a Returno Seguro and remove it from Mexico.

If the VIN number starts with a letter, rather than a number, it isn't a NAFTA-covered vehicle and can't be imported. 

And importing it will likely cost far more than it's worth, for a 16 year old vehicle. She would be better off to take it back up north and buy a Mexican-plated vehicle if she plans to spend a lot of time here.

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First only you can decide if the cost of nationalization is worth it to you.

It must be a vehicle built in Mexico, Canada, Or the USA.

The procedure is you "sell" your vehicle to the importer. They obtain a safety & smog certification then drive into Mexico to Aduana and get the proper papers and then they "sell" the vehicle to you. You then get a temporary permit to drive it to Jalisco. In Jalisco you take it to Tonala for an inspection, then pay the used vehicle tax and registration fees and get your plates. 

Here is the Mexican govt website with the actual facts as to requirements

https://www.gob.mx/sat/articulos/que-no-te-enganen-131317?idiom=es

as it will explained this procedure can only be done by a licensed import broker Here are 2 in Laredo that I have used. 

https://quality-imports.com/

https://loshermanoscuevas.negocio.site/

They will be able to tell you which years they have permits for (this can change) and be different with different importers, and what the cost is. 

Anyone who tells you that you can do it here, get Mexico City plates, etc is offering you an illegal process that could lead to serious problems. 

 

 

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The two previous Posts pretty much sum up your wife's friend's situation. Unless the friend has a valid 'multi-year' Temporal visa, the car is now illegal and should not be driven except with a Retorno Seguro (Safe Return) within 5 business days after receipt TO THE BORDER and out of the country.  A Retorno doesn't cost much but, unless the friend is comfortable going to Guadalajara SAT to acquire it, a 'facilitator' can get it and there will be a fee from them.... lately in the range of 1000-1500 pesos. 

I agree that the decision to sell it and buy Mexican is a personal one and can have many ramifications that no one but the owner can determine. It's not a cut-n-dried situation. For example in some states including Jalisco one needs a CURP number to register a vehicle and that is only available once one becomes a Temporal or Permanente. In all states one must also have a Mexican state driver's license if/when you own a Mexican state registered vehicle. 

A broker can 'pre-determine' about how much the Nationalization will cost... it depends on the vehicle being Nationalized.... but a decent estimate for an average 2005 vehicle would be around $2,500 US. Then, as noted, Jalisco taxes and fees and plates will also be required BUT that would also be the case if one bought Mexican instead so that's kind of a wash IMO. 

 

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1 minute ago, El Toro Furioso said:

 

Contact me by email for specific information about a couple of highly reputable if not actually venerated people who have been doing this as a side line for years.

I'm afraid it might violate the rules to plug them here by name.  jon.b.pace@gmail.com

 

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1 hour ago, El Toro Furioso said:

 

This needs to be done by a licensed importer at the border. 

I posted 2 that I have personally used in Laredo.  If you try to use someone local and they are managing the process for you they will need to use a licensed importer  if not it is illegal.

https://quality-imports.com/

https://loshermanoscuevas.negocio.site/

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Azucena Bateman Campos is a local attorney at law and well respected. Azucena also does this kind of work. She quoted us around $3,100. US, as I recall on a 2009 Honda Accord. This was about 3 years ago. She has broker contacts at the border.   376-766-1654. You must drive the car to the broker at the border.

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You actually don't need one IN Laredo Texas.... Nuevo Laredo will do.  Maybe his just happen to live in Laredo... not N. Laredo. Just a guess on that last part.

If the vehicle was a US plated vehicle... this one is Canadian so this does not apply here..... the vehicle that is being Nationalized (Imported) in Mexico would FIRST have to be officially EXPORTED from the US by US Customs IN the US. "Any" bonded broker at the border, either side, can and will do this as the FIRST step before taking the vehicle into Mexico to continue the process of Nationalization with Mexican authorities.

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2 hours ago, Mostlylost said:

Everyone that read the posts has 2 contacts at the border. The work is done by them. They are in the USA. You can pay someone to call them for you or you can call them yourselves.  No need to pay an attorney to call Laredo for you. 

Of course you are right. BUT some folks are more comfortable.... for whatever the reason.... when processes like this are done with assistance. That's not a bad thing, just a choice that each of us get to make.

 

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7 hours ago, Natasha said:

Sonia would have been able to answer this in a heartbeat. Pretty sure 2005 is now to old to be allowed even IF met the other requirements.

OR.... is this just  "old lady brain" in action again? 🤪

 A 2005 can be imported even though the *official* years are 2012-2013 now....the 2 year window changes every November and will be 2013-2014 'soon'.  One just has to pay a different fee when Nationalizing a vehicle out of the current 'window'... 50% of its value rather than 10% for the 'window' vehicles. 

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3 hours ago, daisy2013 said:

Why do you need a broker in Laredo and not in Nuevo Laredo.  I know someone that used a broker in Nuevo Laredo and everything was legal. Paperwork was shown at the check point and car registered for years in Chapala.  Never a problem

Both of the import brokers I used had an office on both sides of the border. One of the vehicles had been in Mexico on a TIP and had to leave Mexico for the process. I found it much nicer to have my hotel in Laredo. The offices in Laredo are much bigger and have many vehicles stored there. I let them drive them back and forth across the border while I was shopping. in Laredo.

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