Mexico

[Gurmail]

As I said, I have complete confidence in Mexican mechanics and infrastructure, gas etc. I was hoping to hear from some Prius owners who might have visited and had some idea if anyone/ group etc is/are interested in the Prius there and if they knew any Toyota dealer there who might have some interest or service capability. I thought that since the Prius is so popular in Los Angeles- San Diego area, there were bound to be some people who wou;d have gone across. I have driven in Mexico) and flown there) frequently without any problems, just not in a Prius yet.

[IsrAmeriPrius]

Originally posted by Gurmail
As I said, I have complete confidence in Mexican mechanics and infrastructure, gas etc.

So, what is the problem?

[Gurmail]

No problems. I just wanted to see if anyone had any experience. For example, if anyone knew a dealer who had some experience and also if there were any groups/ people who might be interested in seeing a Prius.

[richard schumacher]

Originally posted by Gurmail
In response to Richard, yes, you can get unleaded gagoline- Magna Sin- almost everywhere and yes, you can trust the gasoline. Hundreds of thousands of people drive across the border every year without any problems. You will be amazed if you haven't been there since childhood.

Ah, very good. If they can do something about the corrupt cops, parasites in the water, and murderous bandits, I'll be happy to go back.

Don't forget to check your car insurance. Your policy may not cover driving in Mexico.

[Canuck]

Hmm... corrupt cops, parasites in the water, murderous bandits... if we could just eliminate these in Canada and the US as well. 8)
The advice regarding insurance is very important.

[daniel]

Originally posted by Canuck
Hmm... corrupt cops, parasites in the water, murderous bandits... if we could just eliminate these in Canada and the US as well. 8)  
The advice regarding insurance is very important.

Parasites in drinking water are not a problem in the U.S. and Canada. Mercury, benzene, herbicides, radioactivity, lead, ... sure, but I wouldn't worry about parasites in the water north of the Rio Bravo. All our parasites are in government.

[Canuck]

you don't have an edge on parasites in government, we can probably exceed yours by population ratio . Before I made my last post I googled "parasites in US drinking water" just to make sure I wasn't making that remark without justification. Give it a try and see the results. I already know we have them in ours. :-)
I must research this so that when our Prius arrives we will make sure only non-polluted H2O is used in the young lady's drinking water. ;-)

[gturtle]

You definitely have to get special Mexican automobile insurance, which you can buy near the border. At least that is the way it was 20 years ago when I went to Mexico.

I've been thinking about driving down to Baja, but then I have not been babying my Prius.

[Gurmail]

The cops are not that corrupt. Usually they do not bther (savy)foreign visitors. I have never had any problems. A little "corruption" isn't always bad. Often it is the people who create this corruption by not paying voarius taxes which leaves the govt with insufficent money to pay good salaries( before I get flamed, I am talking about tax evasion, not higher taxes) and often the people don't grossly flout the laws. If you were stopped by a policeman for say speeding in the US or Canada or Europe, what would you prefer- a $200 fine plus points on your license, increase in insurance rates- possible loss of your job if you are a proffesional driver- or $ 20 slipped to the policeman who lets you off with a warning? I know many will say they would rather be cited as a matter of principle but if really given the choice.... Also, many foreign visitors to Mexico do not bother to become aware of local traffic laws, assume they don't apply to them and consider themselves above the law. They often speed knowing the enforcement is less strict and it won't effect their home driving records and that they could pay a bribe to get out of trouble. When stoped for a violation, a ticket and a bribe both serve as a detterent to the motorist. You know if you speed, you have to pay. The only difference is who the money goes to. For most, it is much better( financially) to pay little income tax, avoid sales tax, business license fees etc and only pay the odd bribe once in a while. This way the govt recieves less revenue but pays lower salaries which are supplemented by bribes. If the policemen in the US and Canada were payed say, only $ 800 a month, more of them may also be tempted to accept the odd bribe for minor infractions.

[daniel]

Now that's rather amusing, as it assumes that you get stopped for something you actually did. I assure you that my Mexican friend knows the Mexican laws and abides by them. But the cops in Mexico City see his Queretaro license plates and know he's from out of town and cannot fight it, so they stop him, accuse him of something he didn't do, and he has to pay. And that's very common.

Another example of how corruption hurts: Mexico has stringent pollution laws. Cars must be tested and get a sticker. But there are enough corrupt inspection sites, that if your car cannot pass, you go to a corrupt inspector and pay a bribe to get your sticker. The result: zero enforcement and the world's worst air pollution.

I spent a month at a language school in Oaxaca, but I had to flee to Guadalajara on one day's notice, because the corrupt immigration officer in Oaxaca wanted a bribe to renew my visa. But of course it's illegal to offer a bribe, so had I tried that, he very likely would have demanded a bigger bribe to refrain from arresting me for bribing him. In Guadalajara I was able to submit my renewal application without a bribe. One of the reasons I ended up in Queretaro, after my semester in Guadalajara, besides Qro being a very nice place to live, was that the immigration office there is honest.

Corruption hurts everyone, and nobody accepts "the odd bribe." The honest ones are honest, and the crooked ones will shake you down every chance they get.

That said, low-level corruption was less common when I was there than it had been. I don't know if it's changed for the better under President Fox.