Bringing your car to Mexico

After having just finished a long trip from the northern border into central Mexico, in a car with US plates, I wanted to post a few tips about driving into Mexico for those who are planning to do it:

First the BIG NO NOs:
1. Weapons, especially firearms, are SUPER DUPER illegal in Mexico. I am trying to sound lighthearted but, if there is one boundary to not cross in Mexico, this is it. You should check your car before you cross the border to make sure you do not have any guns or anything gun related (casings, cartridges, holsters, etc.). Even "swords and sabers" are technically illegal and incur prison sentences in Mexico. This law is a bit confusing since half the population carries machetes perfectly legally but err on the side of caution.
2. Don't inadvertantly give the Mexican government your car. If you let anyone other than the person(s) on the legal import paperwork drive the car you open yourself to having the car siezed permanently by the Mexican government.

And now that I have scared you...
How to get your car into Mexico
1. Insurance. Your US or Canadian (or from any other country for that matter) policy WILL NOT COVER YOU in Mexico. Purchase Mexican insurance. The price for this usually varies greatly depending upon length of stay and how you buy. Buying insurance well ahead of time and/or for an extended period of time will generally help keep costs down. One of the most respected names in the business, which also let's you buy online is Sanborn's.
Although insurance does not seem to be legally required in Mexico, it is an extraordinarily good idea for the reason that an insurance company will often send people to help you (such as an adjuster and a lawyer) in the event of an accident. This is good because in a car accident in Mexico, he who argues best wins. Having a lawyer backing you up will make things much easier.

2. You MUST have a permit issued by the Mexican government to "temporarily import" a car. Generally you can find the permit station somewhere near the border (generally a stone's throw) on the road you use to cross. It is important that you do find it, however. It will often be tucked away in an out of the way corner so you will not be directed to it naturally. What you are looking for is a "permiso de importacion temporal vehicular" if you just point to your car and say "pear-mee-so" people will most likely undestand what you are talking about and point you in the right direction.
It might help you to understand what you are doing legally in the eyes of the Mexican government when you bring your car in. According to them, you are actually importing your car for a limited period of time. Mexico has high tariffs on many foreign products including cars. Therefore, they do not want you to bring your car and sell it. Thus the permit and a US $300-500 deposit (which they do repay without fail - don't worry) guarantees you will not sell your car in Mexico.
When you cross the border by land you also need to pay for a tourist card (the type of migratory form you want if you plan to be in Mexico for less than 6 months and don't plan to work). When we crossed this fee (usually around US $25.00) was included for one of us as a bonus in the US $40.00 aprox vehicle permit fee.
To get the temporary import permit you will need to present:
-Your passport
-Title to the car. Ideally this should have your name on it as it appears in your passport. If this is not the case, consider changing the name on the title or gather as much supporting documentation from the (other) owner(s) as possible. We were told to bring a letter and a copy of the other owner's passport. It will probably be easier in most cases to just plan ahead and change the title into your name.
-Registration. While technically you only need the registration OR the title, the more pieces of documentation linking you and the car, the better.
-Your driver's license. A state issued US driver's license should be fine for Mexico.
-A credit card. The all important US $300-500 deposit will be taken off of this and returned when you register your departure from Mexico.
With all this documentation in hand, you will wait for a fair amount of time in a line and then recieve various stamps and pieces of paper and, most important, a large sticker. Affix this sticker to the top middle of your windshield and you are ready to go. Welcome to Mexico!
Just be sure to register your departure when you leave Mexico to get the deposit put back on your credit card. This process is extremely quick and simple. There will probably be a little shack near where you got the permit (at least this is how it is in Nuevo Laredo), they will scan the sticker barcode with a scanner gun and wave you on your merry way.
Although you must cancel one permit before getting another one, this is more of a technicality and, if you forgot to cancel one before, simply cancel that first when you arrive and you should be able to purchase a new one easily.
Drive safe. Be sure to check out my related post about simple rules-of-the-road tips for Mexico. Please remember that rules change often in Mexico and, especially when driving, it's important to keep abreast of them. Also, much as I would like to be, I am not the final voice in Mexican driving information, I suggest you check other sites as well before setting out on your trip.