Mexico Abruptly Restricts Used and New Car Imports from US

[Ichingcarpenter]

Mexico Abruptly Bans Imports of Most Used Autos, Causing Panic Among South Texas Dealers

HIDALGO, Texas (AP) -- Some are dented, scratched and rusty. Others rattle and belch under faded paint jobs. But the "'98" soaped onto their windshields and a surprise change in Mexican import rules have turned a single year's worth of used cars into pick of the used-car lot.


Beginning Monday, only cars made for the 1998 model year -- none older and none newer -- can be legally imported into Mexico. Car dealers were given notice only a month ago.

Until now, used cars 10 to 15 years old were scooped up at auction by South Texas used car dealers and rapidly sold to Mexicans hungry for affordable transportation and "la novedad" -- or novelty -- of unfamiliar makes and models.

Cars newer than that were banned from imports as unwelcome competition for Mexican car dealers, and anything more than 15 years old was seen as a potential environmental and safety hazard.

But now, under pressure from Mexico's new car dealers who say "vehiculos chatarra," or jalopies, undercut their sales, the Mexican government is allowing only 10-year-old used cars to be legally imported into Mexico.

The Mexican Consulate in McAllen said the change was made "to restrict the entry of vehicles that compete with the Mexican car industry."

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080302/used_cars.html

[aquart]

1. Because the US no longer has the clout to stop them.

[Indenturedebtor]

2. As a former car salesman in Tucson

There wasn't much shrift in such cars up here. Plenty of Mexican Nationals would come look but I think I saw one ever buy. Of course I didn't work for a 2k car lot with beat up old cars so :shrug:

Of course good on Mexico for doing this. Why don't they reject NAFTA while they're at it!

[HCE SuiGeneris]

17. Paul, is that you?

B-)

[peacetalksforall]

3. Their law has some logic to it. The headlines distorted it.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

4. Thank you Clinton for NAFTA!

Free trade is good for the US my left foot..

[acmavm]

5. Well, not its certainly time for truckers from Mexico to get off our

HIGHWAYS

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. I agree that one is a big safety problem

Might want to edit your not to now.

[High Plains]

10. Show me one Mexican trucker on our highways.

Paranoid crap.

[Ichingcarpenter]

12. "U.S. defends Mexico truck pilot program"- None yet but they are pushing it

February 8, 2008

WASHINGTON – In her first public statements on the Mexican trucking controversy, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters defended yesterday the pilot program that allows Mexican trucks to travel throughout the United States in defiance of a congressional order.


U.S. officials also responded to complaints that a Mexican carrier that withdrew from the program several days ago never should have qualified because of an allegedly poor safety record.

Peters got an earful of criticism from several lawmakers during a House appropriations transportation subcommittee hearing on President Bush's proposed budget.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, accused Peters of being in violation of the law for continuing the five-month-old program, which opened the U.S.-Mexico border to crossings by authorized trucks from both countries and allowed Mexican trucks to travel beyond a previous 25-mile limit. Congress later passed a law to shut off program funding.

“It's a mystery to me why, with all the other transportation needs we have in this country, you're spending money on a program that we specifically asked you not to do,” Kaptur said.

Peters reiterated the administration's view that the law enacted in December was too narrowly worded to end the program – scheduled to continue through September.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/20080208-9999-1b8mextruck.html

[PsN2Wind]

16. Come to Southern Arizona

Since that 1500 mile buffer between you and the Mexican border evidently makes you ignorant of the situation in other parts of the country.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. Looks like NAFTA is headed for the toilet - USA has abused it for years

.
.
.

So now the USA's "friendly" neighbors are fighting back.

Ya can't build a security fence between "neighbors" and still be considered "friends".

The fence between Mexico and the USA is a political boondoggle.

The requirements for Canadians to have special visas to travel back and forth is another political boondoggle.

The USA is alienating itself from it's best friends.

An Island inside a Continent.

Well done.

[PsN2Wind]

8. I wonder if this also applies

to all the vehicles stolen in Tucson and Phoenix that end up in Mexico, often used to haul drugs and illegals across the border.

[ben_meyers]

9. 1st thing I thought of too

I think I've got 2 cars down there!

[Selatius]

11. Gee, doesn't NAFTA prevent this kind of thing?

Why can Mexico protect its trade and industry, but the US can't?

[SidDithers]

15. Two words: softwood lumber...nt

Sid

[cascadiance]

13. I wonder if they'll let stolen cars in! That's been a big racket here in SoCal!

The reason being is that, according to Mexican law, you have something like two to three days to claim a stolen car there from the time its been found by Mexican authorities. Otherwise, they "take ownership" of it.

Had my car stolen a few years ago here in San Diego, and there was concern it would be taken down over the border. The insurance agent told me a story of how one day when there was a big parade in Tijuana that was broadcast up here, that the TV station suddenly had tons of calls coming in from folks complaining that they saw local government officials driving their cars in the parade! I wonder if they will now only be able to possess them if they are 1998 models! If not, I suspect that we might see a bigger rash of stolen cars being shipped over the border to the Mexican authorities that will use that as a way to get newer cars, since they can't any more through used auto dealers!

[Rex]

14. But but but, no fair!

That doesn't sound very NAFTAish!