So, the wierdest shit is happening to me this week...

[Kali]

I made it down to Chihuahua last week. Took a rental car with my two German friends and got back Tuesday night. The Mexican govt. has a new tourist-friendly bullshit hoop to jump through now - starting in June they take a 200 to 400 dollar (depends on age of vehicle) deposit for any cars going below the 21 KM free zone. I guess you can pay cash, but I just put it on a credit card. On the way back the Banjercito employee that did our paperwork and scanned the car said my deposit would be credited the next day. Uh, no - still not there as of Friday afternoon.

I called the Mexican consulate (gave me 2 phone numbers, one was out of service and the other was in too fast Spanish for me), the US State Dept ("You are the first person that I know of who has had a problem!" uh, yeah thanks for your help)

I can't find much about not getting the refund back on any websites. I've called the Mexican Tourism Board (no help - same numbers the consulate gave me) and I have now e-mailed Banjercito in English.

For all the paranoia and hysteria from the US govt and the media, THIS is the problem I get. No exciting shoot-outs or beheadings. Just a $400 bank rip-off. Shit, I can get that at home from my own bank.

To add to the weirdness, when I returned the rental car they didn't charge me the $180 worth of daily Mexican insurance they usually rip you off for. I even told the guy, but he said it was just my lucky day as the original person didn't put it in my contract.

So I'm kind of having trouble figuring out my karmic balance here. Out $400 that should be mine, but "ahead" $200 that sort of shouldn't.

woooeeeeooooooo

[REP]

1. Call your credit card co and dispute the $400 charge

At least you won't be charged interest while it's being sorted out; they may even reverse the charge.

[Kali]

2. ooh good idea

thanks!

I did actually call them once because it is a low limit card and I was paying for the car on it too - the overlap was going to cause an over amount (not now with the missing insurance charge though!) - they said I was a good customer and would probably reverse any service fees if they happened.

[quakerboy]

4. Seconded. Dispute illegitimate charges

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. +1

and welcome back :)

no pictures?

[REP]

7. If you INSIST

One my orchids, a mini cattleya:

[Kali]

11. ha! good one

beautiful shot too

[Tuesday Afternoon]

20. very nice

thanks.

[Kali]

14. here are a couple

:rofl: folk art idea I may have to steal, have a neighbor that would REALLY "appreciate" something like this:evilgrin:
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[Tuesday Afternoon]

21. hey

is that cool dude thinks its a fence post hanging out drinking beer

[Kali]

12. I decided to wait a few more days on this.

I talked to the cc company and the rep said I have a couple weeks easy to dispute it and meanwhile I have been getting some trickles of info that these refunds are all coming in OK, just MUCH longer than the 24 hours "promised". I once had a problem with not turning in papers on a vehicle and I really don't want to get flagged by their system again, so I will wait a few more days.

I was all panicked because I wanted to pay for the car on the same low limit card and it would have put me way over, but yet another strange thing happened when I took the car in - they didn't charge me for the $30/day for Mexican insurance - the check out person was new and didn't put it in the contract (of course the car is already on an annual policy that costs them about 3 days worth of what they charge renters) so as the return guy said to me "It's your lucky day!" that left me about $7 clear on the limit with both charges posted. whew - that was my biggest worry.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Hope you get it straightened out, and pronto!

And welcome home!

:hug:

[Kali]

13. thanks Peggy!

see post 12, going to wait a few more days

[nolabear]

6. Good grief! I third that contact the bank suggestion.

And MAN Mexico is a hard place to love lately. I hope it gets better.

[Kali]

15. it was pretty interesting

they aren't really sure why but the world economic problems haven't been nearly as bad as here, for example - the places dependant on tourism, especially from the US are really hurting - but the remainder is actually doing OK. The violence is real, but mostly not affecting too many civilians directly - although we know somebody who's sister had been kidnapped in Juarez and held for $100K ransom - the family could only come up with 30 and the extortionists got pretty hostile, but took all their personal jewelry and watches and stuff like that plus the cash and let her go. The brother says the reason is becasue the border enforcement is actually working and the cartels can't get their product across so they are resorting to kidnapping and extortion for money now.

I'm not so sure much product is actually being stopped - demand has a way of knocking down barriers - but it was a new perspective any way.

wile there is drug use and addiction there, it is nothing like here so internal purchase/usage isn't profitable enough I guess. Most of the fighting is over shipping routes to the US.

once again WE are a huge part of the problem and providing weapons and funding for yet another useless "war on fillintheblank" is NOT the solution.

[blueamy66]

8. I've lived in AZ for over 30 years.

I refuse to go to Mexico anymore.

It's too damn dangerous. I'd rather go to San Diego. :-)

Hope everything works out for you.

[Kali]

16. meh, you are at way more risk there OR at home

listen to the news for one day or read the paper's local section

[blueamy66]

19. I watch the news daily and get the newspaper daily.

I'd still rather vacation in San Diego than anywhere in Mexico. Shit, I'd rather vacation at the community pool in my subdivision.

Too much drug trafficking, the federales are crazy, etc. And the wait at the border is ridiculous.

[blueamy66]

22. hell, I'd rather vacation in Tucson than Mexico

same shit.....different rules

[pacalo]

9. You might want to do a security check on your credit card, too, & I can help you with that, Kali.

:rofl:

[Kali]

17. bwahahaha

good one!

[Ptah]

10. Welcome home, neighbor

[Kali]

18. thank you - I have a picture for you especially

this is ONE sunflower plant! it came up from a seed dropped buy a macaw that lives at this house. the tree is dead from the big freeze that also hit southern AZ early this year