I'm heading off for a week of exploring in northern/mid-Baja after Christmas. Anybody got any info on the legalities / logistics / procedures involved in taking your car across the border to Baja? There seems to be a minefield of conflicting information out there as to what you need, where you can and can't go, and what you can and cannot do, when it comes to taking a US registered car south of the border.
Any first-hand accounts of what currently happens , and what I can expect (other than a four hour wait) at the Tijuana border and beyond it would be much appreciated.
Not much wisdom to offer, but you should know that your car insurance isn't valid. Cars with US plates do disappear from time to time, so it is worth it have yer ducks in row. Call your insurance agent to get in touch with someone legit on the other side of the border. Also, you can't take a rental car from this side of the border over there.
I explored Baja in May. It was awesome! The landscape is incredible for a midwesterner like me! We didn't get too far - the maps are decieving and traffic and road construction and getting lost all added up to taking at least twice as long as we always thought. We only had a weekend too. But enough about my trip...
We took a car across at San Diego - wasn't a problem at all. There was a wait of an hour or so. We all had our passports ready. They didn't really care, waved us on in. Perhaps it was because of the holiday weekend?
On the way back, it was really kinda the same. We came back at Mexicali, asked a few questions, checked the trunk. Good ol' homeland security.
However, we did get stopped in the middle of nowhere in Baja by a military road block. There were like 5 guys with guns that wanted to search our car. We had to get out. We were drinking beer in the car and were all buzzing, there was beer bottles everywhere and so we were a little paranoid. But they didn't really care. They looked in the potato chip bag real close instead... whatever. We were blazing too, I don't know what they would have done if they'd have found that stuff. Anyways, my friend could speak Spanish - that helped. We just said we were tourists and smiled. If they were going to give us crap about the beer we were planning on reminding them that Americanos can't drink the water. They asked where we'd been and where we were going yada yada.
That's right about the car insurance. We had a junker so we didn't get it. It was pretty affordable tho if I remember correctly. There was a rental place or two in San Diego that would let you take a car across, but most all wouldn't.
Most places accept American money, but they rip you off bad. They may give you your restaurant bill, etc. in dollars but ask how much in pesos and pay in those unless you are feeling generous.
They also pumped the gas for you at stations.
And the tequila wasn't any cheaper in the stores. Was hoping it was.
Thanks folks - actually got the car insurance bit sorted out through AAA. For future reference you can do this online from AAA's website (even if you're not a AAA member) I would think it's safe to assume this is legit...cost worked out at roughly $20 a day for a late model car.
Also, I discovered that Hertz at San Diego Airport will rent you a car to take into Mexico. Not cheap mind you - about $45 a day plus $35 a day in mandatory insurance. And then they tell you that you can only take it up to 250 miles from the border which doesn't do an awful lot of good. Needless to say, I'm not going that route.
How much do you tip the guy or gal who pumps gas for you?
Dec 22, 04 12:57 pm ·
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Driving to Mexico
I'm heading off for a week of exploring in northern/mid-Baja after Christmas. Anybody got any info on the legalities / logistics / procedures involved in taking your car across the border to Baja? There seems to be a minefield of conflicting information out there as to what you need, where you can and can't go, and what you can and cannot do, when it comes to taking a US registered car south of the border.
Any first-hand accounts of what currently happens , and what I can expect (other than a four hour wait) at the Tijuana border and beyond it would be much appreciated.
Not much wisdom to offer, but you should know that your car insurance isn't valid. Cars with US plates do disappear from time to time, so it is worth it have yer ducks in row. Call your insurance agent to get in touch with someone legit on the other side of the border. Also, you can't take a rental car from this side of the border over there.
I explored Baja in May. It was awesome! The landscape is incredible for a midwesterner like me! We didn't get too far - the maps are decieving and traffic and road construction and getting lost all added up to taking at least twice as long as we always thought. We only had a weekend too. But enough about my trip...
We took a car across at San Diego - wasn't a problem at all. There was a wait of an hour or so. We all had our passports ready. They didn't really care, waved us on in. Perhaps it was because of the holiday weekend?
On the way back, it was really kinda the same. We came back at Mexicali, asked a few questions, checked the trunk. Good ol' homeland security.
However, we did get stopped in the middle of nowhere in Baja by a military road block. There were like 5 guys with guns that wanted to search our car. We had to get out. We were drinking beer in the car and were all buzzing, there was beer bottles everywhere and so we were a little paranoid. But they didn't really care. They looked in the potato chip bag real close instead... whatever. We were blazing too, I don't know what they would have done if they'd have found that stuff. Anyways, my friend could speak Spanish - that helped. We just said we were tourists and smiled. If they were going to give us crap about the beer we were planning on reminding them that Americanos can't drink the water. They asked where we'd been and where we were going yada yada.
That's right about the car insurance. We had a junker so we didn't get it. It was pretty affordable tho if I remember correctly. There was a rental place or two in San Diego that would let you take a car across, but most all wouldn't.
Most places accept American money, but they rip you off bad. They may give you your restaurant bill, etc. in dollars but ask how much in pesos and pay in those unless you are feeling generous.
They also pumped the gas for you at stations.
And the tequila wasn't any cheaper in the stores. Was hoping it was.
Thanks folks - actually got the car insurance bit sorted out through AAA. For future reference you can do this online from AAA's website (even if you're not a AAA member) I would think it's safe to assume this is legit...cost worked out at roughly $20 a day for a late model car.
Also, I discovered that Hertz at San Diego Airport will rent you a car to take into Mexico. Not cheap mind you - about $45 a day plus $35 a day in mandatory insurance. And then they tell you that you can only take it up to 250 miles from the border which doesn't do an awful lot of good. Needless to say, I'm not going that route.
How much do you tip the guy or gal who pumps gas for you?
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