Bringing boat stuff over the border, Mexico customs

[Gene T]

I looked at a boat in Mexico recently, didn't buy it but if made me think. The boat lacked hundreds of pounds of stuff I would need, all stuff that is in my garage right now. So I had this thought that I could load up the old van and drive down there from California. RIB, outboard, coffee pot, bedding, pots and pans, you get the picture.

What issues could I expect when I go through Mexico customs?

Selling the van in Mexico?

[Giulietta]

Pretty much what they do with people....

The people lack the stuff you have in the US, namely food, many pounds too.

They load up a van with food and drive it across the border, south, then they bring it up with people...

Don't sell the van, rent it ot a group smuggling more Mexicans

[sailingdog]

If you had a boat in Mexico, you could probably bring the stuff across the border as goods for a yatch in transit, which wouldn't require you to pay an import duty on them AFAIK. I think selling the van would force you to pay an import duty on it in Mexico.

[AjariBonten]

So don;t sell the van, trade it for some locally produced product you can trade elsewhere........

Tongue placed firmly in cheek ...............

[RandyonR3]

I've sent parts south in other boats and I've also taken parts down for others.. never mentioned the it while checking in, but that was by water.....
What you might do before going down.. check in with "Downwind Marine".
They can give you the info you need and they may even have some goodies for you to drop off to someone else.
Downwind Marine is the south-most contact before entering Mexico......

[Gene T]

good info, thanks.

[uspirate]

I've never had problems bringing anything into Mexico (i mean anything ) it's bringing things back into the USA that causes problems.

[schwuller]

a bit late! but i'll chime in here. i've loaded up my range rover and driven straight through mexico to belize (via baja, which involves more aduana (customs) inspections when you load the car onto the ferry at La Paz). this rover was packed to the gills, including a full safari roof system with hundreds of pounds of scuba gear etc up there. not once did anyone ever look inside them. to be fair, though, crossing into the usa from mexico, over....50 times over the years, no one from the US side has ever looked either. same crossing back and forth through canada. they have never even gotten out of the booth to peek into the back seat! anyhow, moving on: make sure you have a written list of what you have, and present a copy of this to the aduana people. the longer the list, the less time they time will spend reading it. you cannot sell a US licensed car in mexico. and, bringing the car into mexico requires a permit good for 6 months. you must clear the car out of mexico when you leave, thus closing a round-trip permit, proving you didn't sell the car in mexico. you get a complex hologram sticker for your window glass and some papers. you get this permit once you cross the border although i always get mine at a mexican consulate in advance because when i cross the border into mexico i like to get going. none of this is a big deal at all. i've done it scores of times.
1.temporary vehicle importation permit.
2.international driver's license (from AAA)
3.copy of california license (never give real license to police if they ask)
4.copy of passport (same deal). say the original is at the hotel safe.
5.can't sell a US car across the border.
6.can bring LOTS of stuff, but no guns, drugs, or over a certain amount of cash (this includes traveler's checks, too)
-john