Rental cars, car insurance, and buying a car in Mexico...

[ohiojaz]

Ok so I'm a newbie to this site and I've been reading through the posts hoping to find the info I need without duplicating questions but so far no luck, so here's my situation..

I have been coming to gto for several years for business but just recently moved here permanently. While theoretically this is a permanent move, I don't have my FM3 visa yet as my company is still working out the details of setting up a permanent office here. Right now I'm on an FMM and I'll be doing some temporary contract work through my Detroit Michigan based company at GM Silao for the next several months.

My problem is I need a car. Relying on taxi's every day is going to be a pain. Importing my car from Detroit is not really a good option right now. Without the FM3 visa I can't leave it here when I travel back to the usa (or so I understand) and I don't really like the idea of driving back and forth across the boarder anyway. Also, my US car is a Hyundai Tiburon. Way too sporty and way too foreign to import, IMHO.

Eventually I'd like to buy a car locally in Guanajuato, but my assumption is that I can't do that until I have my FM3 visa (yes/no?). I do have a mexican friend that I trust that has offered to register a car in his name for me but I am concerned about his liability in that case. If I did go this route, can I buy car insurance in mexico before I get my FM3?

All that said, for now I am looking at a car rental. Problem there is the prices seem quite high, generally due to the need to purchase insurance. My question is can I rent a car without insurance and buy the insurance for it locally?

Just as an example, Thrifty rental car at the airport quoted me... get this... $140 USD to rent a car for a whole month... without insurance... but once the insurance is added on we were talking about $1800 USD per month, and that was with a $2500 USD deductable. Guess I know where they make thier money. ;-)

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Right now I have all questions and no answers.

Thanks,
Jim Ziemke
ohiojaz@aol.com

[linn]

There are any number of folks that buy a car with a tourist visa. Seems more economical than a rental at the prices you quote.

[doncoulter]

Jim,

You should be able to buy car insurance here despite having only an FMM. Among the places that sell insurance are the bigger banks. Some of them may insist on seeing an FM2 or FM3; if that happens, try another bank.

There are independent agencies as well. I buy my insurance through Lloyd Seguros, in San Miguel. Lloyd is just the agent; the actual insurer is HDI Seguros. I doubt very much that they would ask for an FM2 or FM3, but you could ask them. In San Miguel they're located at San Francisco #37, just a couple of blocks from the main plaza. Their phone number is 415-154-6694, and they speak English. Here is Grupo Lloyd's website.

Don

[mr bill]

Jim, contact John Havey who is on a contract with GSM in Silao. He has had the same rental car experience and I think he has it worked out.

Given how low the airport rates are its tempting sometimes to have a 'new car' One thought I have on insurance is to take it for a day [or the rental period but cancel it the next day] and then insure the car locally. You wouldn't be able to do this in advance as you wouldn't have the car details VIN etc. I use an on-line agency http://www.siseguros.com.mx/inicio.htm [see more info in this thread] One unresolved doubt on this plan is can a non-owner of a vehicle insure it? I'm sure the agency could clear this up.

A tip from this blog suggests that you take the insurance then call in the next day and cancel it.
http://consumerist.com/2007/03/9-confess...esman.html

At worst you could make a border run and buy a car in Laredo and then insure it at a reasonable rate through Johnson's or Lloyd's at the border.

Good luck and welcome to www.gtolist.com

[ohiojaz]

** This reply is in reference to the Don Coulter post about Lloyd Seguros, in San Miguel....

I called the phone number you provided and they couldn't speak english. I can speak some spanish but it's really hard to understand on the phone. I also tried the website. The "contact us" form doesn't work. LOL I'll keep trying but if you have another number, and email address, or a person I should ask for that speaks english it would help.

Thanks for the reply.
Jim

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Jim, contact John Havey who is on a contract with GSM in Silao. He has had the same rental car experience and I think he has it worked out.

I sent an email to John Havey and we'll see what he has to say. Thanks for the reply.

Jim

[doncoulter]

Hi again, Jim,

Sorry you've trouble getting through to Lloyd Seguros. My main contact there is Ana Maria Chavez, and she does speak English. I found another phone number: 415-154-9956. Her e-mail address is achavez@grupolloyd.com.mx.

Good luck.