Driving in Mexico
October 20, 2008
Driving in Mexico – On Short Notice
We recently needed to go to Guadalajara Mexico on very short notice. One option was to fly, but that was going to run about $5,000. We thought we could do the whole trip for much less if we drove. We also knew that not having a car in Guadalajara is possible, but not convenient.
So we opted to drive into Mexico.
What are the issues?
- Security – With two young kids we were worried about crime.
- Poor Roads – We worried about the road conditions
- Insurance and Road Side Assistance – I did not even know that 040 is 911 in Mexico
- Getting Sick – We did not want to eat along the way and get sick.
Some precausions we took.
- Not traveling at night. (Although we ended up doing it)
- Filling up on gas and food before crossing the Mexican border
- Getting a good nights sleep before crossing the Mexican border
Unexpected things for driving in Mexico
We crossed the Mexican Border in Laredo, Texas. The Mexican side is really chaotic and we ended up paying tolls several times before we found the road to get to the visa place. They were not making it easy.
Car Registration – We had to have origionals, not copies, of our car registration. We did not have it and had to go back to the United States and get temporary tags in Texas.
Insurance – Your US insurance does not cover you in Mexico. We bought extended travel insurance before we went and we bought our car insurace at a business close to the Mexican border. A pleasant surprise was that it included roadside assistance.
Road Quality – Most of the roads were better than I expected. They are building a network of new highways that are very nice, and most of our trip was on those. What I did not expect was the very high tolls (cuotas) to travel on them. From Laredo to Guadalajara was well over $100 US. However, we felt very safe and they were good roads. In many cases they were fenced in, making the livestock problem less of an issue.
Crime – The person that sold us the insurance said that the big problem with driving in Mexico is not the crime. It is the livestock. And as you drive you can see why. People have cows and horses tied up right along the highway. That is the number one reason you do not drive at night. Since we did not experience any crime, I cannot say anything else. Everyone has been friendly and great once we got away from the border.
Mexican road signs are not as clear and consistant. You really need a map and to know where you are going. Unfortunately, my GPS does not work in Mexico. Talk about the dark ages.
Ultimately, 85% of the trip was exactly like driving in the United States. Great, clean, smooth highways and no problems.
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