Roadtrip through Mexico questions:

speeder · speeder's Garage

I'm contemplating a "big drive", (as Ronny would say), through Mexico and maybe even SA in the future. My first question involves the price of diesel in Latin America; someone told me recently that diesel is super-cheap in Mexico because it's subsidized for their industry, is this true? Any Mexicans on line here? Anzures? I guess I could just google diesel/price/Mexico, but I need other info as well:

Am I crazy? Not to sound like an ignorant American, but is motor travel through Mexico generally safe? I've never explored the country and always heard that it's beautiful once you get away from the borders, obviously some parts are better and worse than others. If diesel truly is cheap, one or two people could have one hell of a great roadtrip in a diesel pickup w/ 4x4 and *live aboard* capabilities. It's really struck me this summer what an awesome road machine these are, other than the obvious high cost of fuel these days. Gas prices are down, but diesel is still sky-high. What's up w/ that?

TIA in for any help!

motion · 10-07-2007, 11:27 AM

Denis,

I rode my motorcycle with a couple buddies down baja to Cabo, over to La Paz, took the ferry to Topolabomba (or whatever the hell its called), down to Guadalajara then back up to the US via Nogales a couple of years ago. Food may be cheap in Mex, but expect to be surprised with fuel and lodging costs. As far as safe goes.... Nada, Gringo. Its extremely dangerous to drive down there. You might recall that one of us was killed by a truck driver during the trip. But then again, you might have an awesome trip. Hard to tell, but then that's Mexico!

Joeaksa · 10-07-2007, 11:27 AM

Friend of mine just drove a 4X4 from Vegas to Costa Rica. He had a very interesting trip but also said that he had to bribe his way out of being hassled by the police several times. Not sure that I would camp in the truck as in some places its just not allowed.

Could be fun, could be airlining back... just depends. Personally I have driven in Mexico and do not do it much anymore. As well, NEVER drive at night there. Just too dangerous...

Just my 2c worth, and I lived in Mexico for 4 years.

Joe

DARISC · 11:40 AM

Been there, done that (including once late at night - we got hassled for miles by a carload of drunk natives trying to run us off the road - we were afraid to stop, they toyed with us for a good hour - and this was WAY away from the border, in the interior). That was years ago - had my fill: many drives into the interior, camping trips in Baja.

Dangerous & risky then, even more so now, I'm told. Don't forget to buy MEXICAN insurance!!

speeder · speeder's Garage

Thanks for the replies, this was more or less what I was afraid of. One of the big problemas is that you cannot (legally) bring a gun or two along for the ride. I never think twice about driving anywhere at night or camping in the good old USA, I simply shoot my way out of those sticky situations.

Seahawk · 10-07-2007, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speeder

Thanks for the replies, this was more or less what I was afraid of. One of the big problemas is that you cannot (legally) bring a gun or two along for the ride. I never think twice about driving anywhere at night or camping in the good old USA, I simply shoot my way out of those sticky situations.

Denis,

NOOO guns!!! If you are found with a gun, you will not pass go, you will go directly to jail.
I love Mexico, but it is fraught with the type of peril found in most if not all countries on the margin.
I will of course, join you should your judgment fail

BeyGon · 10-07-2007, 01:44 PM

I drove from here, SoCal, to Costa Rica, at the time I wasn't interested in sightseeing, I was building a house in Costa Rica and took a truck FULL of stuff, the new stove, kitchen sink, all door hardware, etc. We drove to Brownsvill and crossed because we were looking for the least time of drive in Mexico. You can't, shouldn't, don't do it, drive outside a city at night once you cross the border. No place south of Texas. Get a safe looking hotel before night, get your truck in side lock it up and go get something to eat. Get up early the next morning and hit it. The animal life they talk about on the highways at night has guns.
We were stopped by the police/military 10 times before the Guatamala border. There are regular government stops but these were just roadblocks to get money. You can just give them a few pesos and make them happy. We went down the gulf side to Vera Cruz, cut across through Chiapas to the Pacific side to get into Guatamala, cross all of the borders as early in the morning as you can. If it turns out you can't get to the border before 11am I think you should stay back and come at it the next morning. There will be people asking to help get you through the system at every border, pick someone you think you can trust and let them handle it for you. The border people like it that way, you are helping the locals and it really is faster.
Every border, and everyone that stopped us asked if we had guns, you don't want to get caught with guns. I took two but I broke down the spare under my F150 4x4 and wrapped them in foam, taped them to the rim and put it back together. You couldn't get to them but I just wanted the in Costa Rica. If anyone had found them I wouldn't be telling about it here.
Once you get into Guatamala everything just seems more realaxed, no cops hassling you, the drivers are better, really a nice drive through Guatamala.
I drove through El Salvador but wouldn't do that again, I would take a different route, more easterly and go into Honduras, totally miss El Salvador and save yourself a lot of trouble. Honduras was cool, then Nicaragua, the poorest country in SA, but we never felt any hostility, I would live there. My wife won't. Then Costa Rica and Panama.
The roads are generally good and gas/diesel is everythere, my truck had two tanks and I always kept one full or close. Never did let the second one get down.
I do believe it is a fun and interesting trip but you can't be too carefull.
Every border is a pain in the butt and at every one they tell you, "don't drive at night".
I would do it again but not with my wife, I would have to go with one or two guys. It is just easier.

BeyGon · 10-07-2007, 01:50 PM

I have also driven down the west side to Matzatlan and Guadalahara, a whole different story, comming back a got into a wreck in Culiacan and spent some time in jail. The American Consulate in Matzatlan said I could be there for two years and they couldnt do anything about it. He called back a couple days later and said he might be able to get me out, they wanted my car, the insurance, and everything except what I could carry. I said ok. the next day I was on a bus out of town. Be carefull. Nasty jails down there.

BeyGon · 10-07-2007, 02:10 PM

I should never get started on this, another thing you want to do is go to each Embassy and get a visa for the country you are passing through, they will stamp your passport and it will make things SOOOOO much easier at every border. Get copies of your pink slip, your insurance, your birth certificate, copie the first two pages of your passport, the pages with the visas stamps, they will want these at every border and if you don't have them it just makes it a longer ordeal.
Don't stay at a gas station overnight, stay in a good safe looking hotel. I never thought they were expensive and if you try staying out someplace at night, it could be really nasty. The police really aren't going to be any help.
It is still fun but you really can't be too carefull.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Man, this is disheartening. I wanted to do a motorcycle trip down there someday.

Took this photo in El Paso last year.

BeyGon · 10-07-2007, 03:02 PM

I rode a motorcycle to San Quentine in 1964, back then it was all dirt from Ensanada, short weekend trip but fun. When I was living in Costa Rica I met people that rode bikes down two or three at a time and they seemed to have a good time. None of them rode at night.

Joeaksa · 10-07-2007, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Denis,

NOOO guns!!! If you are found with a gun, you will not pass go, you will go directly to jail.
I love Mexico, but it is fraught with the type of peril found in most if not all countries on the margin.
I will of course, join you should your judgment fail

Worse than bringing a gun is getting the vehicle searched at the border or the 20 mile post inspection and their finding ONE bullet on board. Just one bullet and no gun...

You go directly to jail and they could care less who you are or how much money you have, you stay there for at least a year. Oh yea, the truck and everything in it, the dog included, is siezed.

This is not anything like America...

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

It depends on what you are planning to do. If you want to drive around in Mexico, most of it is actually fairly safe.

About 16 miles (25 km) inside the boarder, you cannot pass unless you have a permit.

Here is the online connection for the permit.

http://www.banjercito.com.mx/site/tramiteitv_ing.jsp

You can get the permit just inside any mexican boarder, it just takes longer.

Joeaksa · 10-07-2007, 05:27 PM

Denis,

Red Beard is really a good person to talk about. He is married to a lady from Mexico and they spend a fair amount of time there, or have in the past.

Course he cheats as he has someone in the car who is fluent and that helps a lot!

Joe

Evans, Marv · 10-07-2007, 09:40 PM

I spent three months riding the bus & hitch hiking thru Mexico, Belize & Guatamala back in '73. I also rode my bike to San Quentine a couple of years after Dean did. Had a couple of people come over the center line at me that time.
What I hear here sounds the same as I heard from lots of people back then. I've been all over Mexico but quit going there. Things don't seem to be getting better according to the natives (I spent a couple of years going to T.J. mostly once a week to work on my car in a shop there.) I have spoken to. My truck is like Denis' truck, and according to the guy who runs the shop there, it's the one most in demand theftwise.
I remember being in Merida a long time ago and passing a VW van parked on the street from the U.S. It didn't have any curtains and inside you could see closed, locked steel boxes secured by several heavy bicycle cables. I thought at the time it was a crappy to have to travel. I hitched rides with Mexicans and americans. Never had any problems except crossing borders and in Belize City.
Good luck if you do it. I think things are so bad down there economically & culturally, it can't be any other way.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Denis,

Red Beard is really a good person to talk about. He is married to a lady from Mexico and they spend a fair amount of time there, or have in the past.

Course he cheats as he has someone in the car who is fluent and that helps a lot!

Joe

Au vorbesci romanesc

Je parle un peu francais

y

Yo hablo un poco espanol

5axis · 08:35 AM

A friend of mine is/was currently doing a ride through... Jay does some great writeups
http://www.chicagolandsportbikes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61726

and http://jamminmex.blogspot.com/ for a blow by blow account.

Jims5543 · 05:57 PM

Anyone else see the irony of a guy from L.A. wanting to do a road trip through Mexico?

I jest.

Very eye opening information posted here. I never knew it was so bad in Mexico. I guess I never paid attention.