Anyone been down to Rosarita lately?

[speeder]

Sorry if this has already been covered here, I seem to remember a thread not too long ago. San Diego folks, what say you? Bad idea or still plenty safe? Where to stay for cheap, eat well, etc.?

I just want to bop around and explore some while not getting robbed or worse. TIA.



EDIT: ROSARITO...sorry.

[scottmandue]

I don't know but my last thread with questions about Mexico did not get a positive response.

YMMV

[motion]

That place is such a dump. Begs the question: Why?

[John Rogers]

The biggest issue is coming back across the border now. We went down a couple months ago when visitors from the east coast were here. We only went to Tijuana as they only had an afternoon but the time in line was longer than the time we shopped! If you go there are several things to note:

- Have your passports and any other forms of picture ID.
- Get Mexican car insurance, unlike CA the police can and do stop drivers checking for insurance. The CHP can not do this to Mexicans coming here according to the CA supreme court now!
- Get a list of prohibited items for returning
- Stay on the toll road and do not speed, make u-turns or otherwise break any traffic laws
- The hotels I would guess are as happy to get customers as the shops in Tijuana were and we got some pretty good deals for the visitors to take back.
- Check online as most of their hotels are there now and you can call 800 numbers to check on prices, package deals, etc.
- Lastly, if you use any sort of recreational drugs, do not take the car that may have had them anywhere close to it. The border drug dogs can smell pot, etc from a looooooong ways off!

[speeder]

Is it really bad? I've never been.

[vash]

god i love that place..sad i am paranoid, and the place is dangerous moving to and fro. i wont go back. yet

i just looked at my last visit's photos. what a good time!! we flew to SD and drove down. TJ was sketch feeling and our door locks felt inadequate. the long lines back was hangover hell.

[motion]

Its fine if you're a 19 year old looking for a party, but if you're a bit older and used to nicer accommodations, yeah its a dump. I've been all over Mexico, including the tourist spots, and I pretty much believe its all a big dump. Sure, there are nice resorts in Cancun, Cabo, etc, but leave the front gate and wander off 3 blocks and you're in trouble. Things can go upside down really quickly. The central area of Baja has some really nice small towns that are not touristy, and Guadalajara is very nice (but not for tourists). I just could never understand why people go to Mexico for a resort vacation when Hawaii is a 5 hour plane ride away, and very affordable if you look hard enough.

[red-beard]

You are better off going to Ensenada. Plus, 1D is fantastic. I echo all above.

[Jandrews]

Originally Posted by motion

Its fine if you're a 19 year old looking for a party, but if you're a bit older and used to nicer accommodations, yeah its a dump. I've been all over Mexico, including the tourist spots, and I pretty much believe its all a big dump. Sure, there are nice resorts in Cancun, Cabo, etc, but leave the front gate and wander off 3 blocks and you're in trouble. Things can go upside down really quickly. The central area of Baja has some really nice small towns that are not touristy, and Guadalajara is very nice (but not for tourists). I just could never understand why people go to Mexico for a resort vacation when Hawaii is a 5 hour plane ride away, and very affordable if you look hard enough.

Any specific recommendation for nice, affordable Hawaii alternatives?

Thank in advance,

JA

[speeder]

Well, I'm looking for a place to get a car or two painted cheaply. That's the only reason I want to go. Years ago, (maybe 10-15), I met a guy in L.A. who restored some old cars and had them painted in Rosarito for peanuts. Not bad quality work, either. They also do upholstery work for cheap.

Once in a while, someone will tell me to just go to East L.A. or some barrio and look for a body shop. "It's the same thing". No, it's not. I have never found decent quality body work or paint work in L.A. for a cheap price. I have a couple cars that need paint and I'm buying an old truck to restore as well.

I can go down there and figure out what's up but I'd need to drive and spend at least a day, maybe two in Mexico plus the same if I had the work done. I can handle some mild slum-ness for a couple days but I don't want to get stabbed. That's the type of info I am searching for. Years ago, it was NBD at all to go there.

[motion]

Craigslist is a great place to find a weekly rental. Off season is always MUCH cheaper. Last spring, I did a week hotel in Kauai, with airfare and a rental car for $707. I used a $200 Expedia coupon. But, I spent $10,000 on ahi poke and mai tais.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by motion

Craigslist is a great place to find a weekly rental. Off season is always MUCH cheaper. Last spring, I did a week hotel in Kauai, with airfare and a rental car for $707. I used a $200 Expedia coupon. But, I spent $10,000 on ahi poke and mai tais.

That's my boy!

[Joe Bob]

I'm betting the inside of their jail hasn't changed much in 30 years.....open sewer for a pisser, crappy wooden doors for the private rooms with chains thru the holes where the door handles should be.....not that I would know about that.......

[speeder]

That sounds luxurious for a Mexican hooskow.

[Nostril Cheese]

Check out Los Panchos in TJ. Good work.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by speeder

Well, I'm looking for a place to get a car or two painted cheaply. That's the only reason I want to go. Years ago, (maybe 10-15), I met a guy in L.A. who restored some old cars and had them painted in Rosarito for peanuts. Not bad quality work, either. They also do upholstery work for cheap.

Definitely Los Panchos in TJ. I had both the Suicide Blond (Yellow Factory 914/6) and the "Official" 101 911 Projects car painted there. It used to be the Mexican pain did not hold up. That is NOT the case today. There is also a shop about 20 yards away which has real R-12 FREON.

And Crap, I came across their business card in the past few days.

Let me look around the house.

2 things to note: There are police who will ticket you for anything around there. I got a $50 fine for parking on the sidewalk for being on the sidewalk RAMP into the business, in the car, with the motor running, while the business was moving some other stuff out of the way!

Of course if you looked down the street, there were literally dozens of cars parked half on the sidewalk, on both side of the one way street.

If you DO get a fine, you can go pay it immediately AND it is 1/2 price. I'm not talking about paying the officer, but the court in Mexico. They also have a judge on duty 24/7 to plead yourself.

When I received the $50 fine, we went to pay it and get the discount. We then found out about the judge and my GF (now wife) yelled at the judge about this bad cop. He reduced the fine to 50 pesos, which was about $4.50. I was still pissed I had to pay that, but at least it was only a fiver!

[red-beard]

Oh, and John Rogers has used them as well.

[red-beard]

Damn I'm good

[BRPORSCHE]

Now that's a business card!

[speeder]

Thanks, James! How many years ago did you last use them and what did you pay, if you don't mind saying?