>From David Locklear Hit delete button now, please.
I am posting this here because someone might have had some vague intangible interest. This post is only for U.S.A. people wanting to drive their car deep into Mexici, and who do not live near a bordertown, nor want to have vehicle importation problems at the "aduana" slow down their trip. In Houston, in order to get a "vehicle" permit it is a huge hassle. But before I get to that, you first need to have a car title, or an official letter from the leinholder. It is helpful if that is a credit union, and that process of getting them to provide such a letter for the first time takes about 24 hours. They will not give you the letter unless you first purchase Mexico insurance. That really sucks, because you are throwing all that time and money down the toilet, if you change travel plans. So once you have all that, here is what I had to do: Step 1: call Mexico long-distance and apply over the phone for a formal interview appointment. # 011-52-55-5626-0500 <+52%2055%205626%200500> You get a complicated voice menu and you enter a 4-digit extension. This has to be done at least 24 hours in advance. The operator will tell you which appointment slots are available with the Mexican Consulate Office in the mid-town area of Houston ( Hwy 59 and Fannin St. ). Step 2: Then you have to drive there the following weekday ( or later) arriving exactly 5 minutes before the appointment. You stand in a complicated line outside on Caroline St. ( very reminiscent of the movie "Soylent Green," waiting for your Soylent Green ration. ) you feel there like you are no longer in the USA, nor even in the 21st Century. You have to be careful here for pickpockets and scammers and muggers from your parking spot to the line. There is one security guard at the main pedestrian gate which is the only way to enter. Once in line, you do a bizarre childish ritual of musical chairs for an hour with some scary looking guys that resemble Enrique Penya Nieto. In my case, there was a super gorgeous lady sitting next to me and so I gave her my number and asked her to please forward it to her younger sister who she said was single in Mexico. While in line they pull you out for 5 minutes for an interview with person of low IQ. You have to formally declare your religion to them, along with other bizarre questions. Fortunately, I read the fine print of my initial interview form while sitting in the line, because the clerk typed that I was from Aruba. At the end of the line - the window ( Banjercito ), you begin the vehicle stuff. It is chaotic - 2 clerks and 2 tourist using the same window. There are no holes in the window for speaking, so you have to yell and listen carefully. You want to say to yourself, WTF ! Nothing is logical. All they ever asked for was a copy of the Texas Vehicle Registration paper that you get when you apply for a state registration window sticker. I do not recall seeing them look at the credit union letter, nor my insurance. But I would not have done all that without first assuring myself that I could get my credit union permission. Then you hand them a credit card, and they charge $ 470. The $ 400 part is a deposit, and there are more bizarre questions, the rest is a standard processing fee. They did not ask about my former vehicle papers, but it has been 13 years. I assume I get the deposit back in July ?? I have never ever done anything that stupid, that I recall. In addition to all that, in my case, I also spent money on gas driving there, as I do not live in Harris County, and also paying to park in a place my car could have easily been broken into. I will say, that after leaving the Consulate Office with the permit in hand that it gives one a warm fuzzy feeling - until you receive the text message your charge card was hit with $ 470. My permit is good until May 19th, and my credit union says they will amend the letter next time I want to go again. AAA clerk said that that was too much of a hassle and hope I don't have to do that insurance again. As far as other expenses getting ready for a road-trip, so far All I did to the Sequoia was change the oil, but Jiffy Lube charged $ 112. I didn't have time to do it myself. Then I spent time searching junk-yards for an extra spare tire, which was $ 70 plus about $ 5 spent on gas. Fortunately it is a common thing in Houston junkyards. This was something I should have done before my road-trip to the Nevada NSS Convention. On a lighter note, I picked up CavePearl from Girl Scout Camp in Conroe, Texas and took her to Arlington and dropped her off. Now I am chauffering my estranged-wife back home. We are in Centerville in route to Arcola. I deserve The Nobel Peace Prize for tolerance. Once I get paid by my customers, I will start thinking more seriously about a road-trip to some scenic place north of Monterrey. It would be great to leave town on Tuesday, but that is highly unlikely. I have ruled out Cuatro Cienagas, and Matamoros as destinations.
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