The last time I was the was 30 years ago and it was bad then. I can't imagine it has gotten better. The police are thugs just like everyone else there. They are all looking to rip you off and take whatever they can. I was with another guy and we had 2 separate issues in 1 evening and I do not drink.

Avendia Revolucion is a safe area for a day trip visit.
I've been going to TJ since childhood, I consider it the most international city anywhere.

It’s still safe to drop a car off at Los Poncho’s, right? I mean it’s like 2 blocks from the border crossing?

My wife is Mexican and goes there quite a bit due to some family living in TJ. I've gone a few times for special events and such, but usually let her go by herself. She leaves her car at the border and her family picks her up on the TJ side.

Friends and I used to ride our motorcycles to Rosarita, then Ensenada for the weekend. But that was when the lobsters were big, the prices were low and it was relatively safe...Not interested in doing that now.

I would suggest doing a search for my or Redbeards posts about Garage Los Ponchos to get their telephone number, then give them a call as the manager (original owners son) speaks great English. Ask about what work you want done, what paperwork you need to bring such as title or registration, insurance for vehicle(s) and what kind of deposit they'll want (used to be 30% or so). If taking a race car on a trailer make sure no spare wheels and tires, no gas cans or oil cans and trailer also has Mexico insurance.

The last time I took the 914-6 race car to get a complete paint strip and rust spot repair they had someone meet me at the border as Mexico customs will most likely stop you for paperwork check. The last paint I had used was the same as sold in CA and the rest of the US now.
John

Whatever your children did, a trip to TJ is cruel and unusual.

I lived in San Diego for 6 years in the 80's...I have driven Route 10 at least ten times to Ensenada then Route 1 from there south.

I did port calls in Mazatln, Cancun, Cabo - my roommate met my ship in Cabo and we drove the entire stretch of Baja back to San Diego...the CO of the ship, when I requested leave (I was part of the helo detachment) was a mixture of, "take me with you" and "good luck".

My point is I love Mexico. The trip up Baja remains a highlight of my travels.

There was always, however, like any country where the fissures between the haves and have nots is so vast, an undercurrent of intrigue and, frankly danger. With the Cartels and the border issues I simply do not have enough street smarts and urban awareness to feel comfortable in TJ.

I've traveled most of Mexico except for the horth eastern part of the country numerous times starting in the '60s up to the late '80's. I've been all over Baja exploring and camping and rode my motorcycle a few times to the end of the paved road to Santo Tomas before the road to the tip was even started. I used to visit friends in TJ. It's a pitty the situation has deteriorated to what it is now. I really liked the country and the people, but corruption has eaten into the fabric of the country making it a no go for me for some time now. I'd welcome a return to the condition making it an enjoyable experience again. Sadly at my age, I don't think I'll ever see it.

There is a series on Nat Geo cable called "To catch a smuggler" and they show the border entry points for several US customs inspectors. Tens of thousands of people cross on foot every day. Lots more cross in vehicles. Of course the majority are legit travelers.

The cartels are picking cars owned by "regular people" and if the car is left unintended, the bad guys will crawl under and stick on magnetized packages to the undercarriage. They throw some dirt on the area to help disguise it.

Of course the border agents know of that practice. The use mirrors to look, and if something is slightly funny looking, it goes to inspection. One car had 8 packages of coke, worth over 100 grand. The drivers are usually surprised, and they usually let the drivers go if they have no record, and act right. Evidently the packages also have a GPS locator, and the bad guys find the car later, and remove the drugs and no doubt lots of successful trips on random cars.

It is amazing to see the people on foot crossing, and how many just went down for some drinking, or very vague stories.

One semi had over 2.5 million of drugs under a false floor in the trailer. Some of the drugs the find are things I have never even heard of. Of course I am an admitted neophyte of drug culture. I have never spent one penny on any illicit drug of any kind ever. The drug dealers would all be out of business overnight if the demand stopped. Not likely to ever happen.

Thanks, John. I remember that thread from years ago and have even talked to the manager on the phone but never got around to bringing them a car. I'm curious whether the situation has changed since then, as well as their prices. I would probably bring them a roller on a trailer already taken apart and leave it with them for as long as they needed. As bad as parts of TJ are, I'm having a hard time imagining that it would be dangerous one city block into Mexico(?) I would drop it off and immediately turn around and get in the long line to cross back into the USA.

Tijuana is officially the most dangerous city IN THE WORLD. Highest murder rate than any other **** hole.

I live and grew up in San Diego. Camping trips all up and down Baja, incredibly motorcycle trips traversing the peninsula. High school weekly parties on Revolucion.

You could not pay me to go to Northern Baja today.

Never been so all i know about TJ is Sundays are cheap but not free.

That I am not what I used to be...

You sir have passed the test. Well done.

They were right in my wheel house age, sensibility and enjoyment. One of my good friends and I play "Stump the Dan Lyrics" via texts...we even bring in Fagen's solo albums.

He has never missed.

I’ll offer a counterpoint. I’ve spent a lot of time in Tijuana the last 10 years and haven’t seen the horrors that the news and social media like to put out.
Tijuana is a border town with rival cartels fighting it out for the best smuggling corridors, both drugs and human. If you are involved in that business then it’s a very dangerous place and the cartels take great pleasure in being as violent and gruesome as possible with their rivals. They do not go after tourists or people just going about their daily lives. My wife is from Tijuana and her family still lives there so weekend and holiday visits are the norm. I have zero concerns driving across the border and spending time in most neighborhoods or downtown areas. Usually a backroad trip to Puerto Nuevo for lobster is part of that although the last few years the lobsters have gotten smaller and the prices higher, but still an enjoyable afternoon/evening.
The food is the big draw for me and many of my friends. It’s worth a day trip or weekend just to sample the aguachiles and tacos.
Now do I exercise a modicum of situational awareness when I’m there, of course, but a lot less than I would in many areas in Chicago, Baltimore, or NYC.
Ymmv but I think to dismiss going across the border due to hyped media reporting about the cartelsis a missed chance to see and experience a pretty interesting place.

make sure there is someone at home with
access to bank accounts to pay your ransom ;)

Tijuana, like other Latin American cities, is not some uniformly dangerous hellhole that you’re going to get killed in the minute you step across the border. Almost all of the violence takes place in highly concentrated areas and in TJ’s case is related to narcos or sexual assault. You’re fine for a day trip. You won’t need anyone to tell you what parts to go see, you’ll be able to tell easily enough.

I’m from Caracas, a city that a lot of Americans have funny ideas about, and completely uninformed people say the same kind of stupid **** about Chicago, where I live. SteveWig’s comment is the best one here, though you don’t need any more situational awareness here than you need in Tijuana ;)

No joke.

We spent a lot of time in Mex during the 80s and 90s surfing, fishing, scuba diving, motorcycles, Hobie regattas, volunteering time building a school for the locals who looked out for us when we were there. Always had a great time and loved the people. The vibe drastically changed about 15 years ago and when 2 people I knew were kidnapped and held for ransom by the cartels, we stopped going down. Both got back to the US safely with bank accounts drained, and both are ravaged by PTSD from their experience.

I’ve been all over the world and in some pretty sketchy places but Mex is still off the travel list.

Can't be too bad. The guy next door set off on his bicycle from Seattle and biked to the way to the bottom of South America. About 10 countries.

I guess if you can survive Maoris you can survive anything.