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Just Got Back From Driving to Saltillo Mexico - Report



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 26th, 2003, 07:54 PM
George
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Just Got Back From Driving to Saltillo Mexico - Report

I had posted several questions about driving to Mexico, crossing the
border, insurance, etc.

I was enquiring about the Colombia Solidarity Bridge and how the road
connected to the cuota M85 on the Mexican side. No one could respond.
While I did not take it, it seems that there is a loop on the Mex side
from the bridge that hooks into M85 so it should be fast. While we
did not encounter many delays on either side crossing at Laredo on
Bridge #2 if it was a really busy time, or if there was a US terrorist
alert, Colombia Bridge would definitely be my 1st choice. Plus you
bypass completely Laredo and Neuvo Laredo which are both ********s in
my opinion.

We (my wife and I) left Ottawa Ontario, Canada at 7:00am on Wednesday
December 3 and drove on the 401 through Kingston (about 15 semis in
the ditch from a storm the day before) Toronto, London (about another
15 semis in the ditch), Windsor (no snow at all at the time), Detroit
around rush hour (we missed most of it) then I75 down through Toledo
Ohio, Dayton, Cinncinati, Lousville Kentucky, Nashville Tenn, Memphis,
Little Rock Ark, Texarkana Tx, Dallas, Austin (horrible traffic jams
each way both times on I35 and no way around it) to San Antonio. This
was driving straight through only stopping for gas. Spent the night
in San Antonio and had dinner on the Riverwalk at an outdoor cafe.
Shirtsleaves were all that were required in terms of outerwear (it was
75F).

Driving all night avoided most of the rush hour traffic in the large
cities, plus the traffic is so much lighter. On the return we left
Mexico Friday and drove all night, Saturday and Sunday to get home.
Spent Sat night in a motel in Canada). Weekend travel for a cross US
Trip on Interstates is definitley the preferred method. You miss all
the rush hours.

Next day border was no biggie, crossed at Bridge #2 in Laredo. You
pay $27 USD plus 10%IVA for the car permit on your credit card. I was
told that on the way back you can return the permit as a partial
return (which we did) and then when you come back in you can get
another piece of paper that will allow you to keep the car in Mexico
until the original expiration date (180 days from original entry).
There is no charge in theory to extend the partial return. You keep
the sticker on your windshield when doing the partial return. And if
you don't return back since it was partially returned it is considered
cancelled with no hassle to cancel.

Tolls were as advertised before. Free divided M85 for about 40 KMS.
Then cuota of $167MX to before Monterrey, $92 for the Monterrey
bypass to Saltillo, then you hit the free divided road to Saltillo
with about 40kms. That road can be trouble in fog or very cold
conditions. Lots of trucks, and a poor slippery surface, with curves
not meant for the speeds most locals drive them at.

Saltillo was great. Perfect weather, and the city has grown up alot.
Nice Desert Museum. Lots fo good shopping US style (big box stores).

Many things are alot cheaper than in the US, others are lot more. If
you know your prices there are some good bargains now in Mexico.

I bought liability insurance for 1 year from Lewis and Lewis. If you
deal with them beware that they are open only from 9-5 PST Monday to
Friday and closed for lunch. No evenings, weekends, holidays, etc.
They were closed from Wednesday to Monday on Thanksgiving with no
message on their phone machine or web page stating that. I thought
they were bankrupt. Once I got through they were good to deal with
and cheaper. At the border the same policy with the same Mexican
company (Qualitas) was more than double the price. I checked for the
hell of it.

It turns out I didn't need insurance. Once in Saltillo I didn't drive
at all and if it was just for the trip there and back I would not buy
insurance since you have liability insurance on the toll roads
anyways.

24 Moosehead cans of beer at the big box City Club were $5USD
including taxes and deposit. Moosehead is Canadian and a premium beer
not a discount brand like Old Milwalkee, etc. Remy Martin Cognac VSOP
was almost half what it cost herei n Canada and about 30% cheaper than
the duty free store at the US border into Canada. Imported wine is
still double the price in Mexico. The prices are all over the map. I
got a roll of 24 film developed and printed at City Club for about
$2.50USD including taxes and the quality was better than here at
Costco. 50 Verbatim 52x CDR were about 40% cheaper than here in
Canada.

Printers were about double the cost compared to here as is factory
ink.


Thats it for now.

  #2  
Old December 29th, 2003, 03:26 AM
Pike
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Just Got Back From Driving to Saltillo Mexico - Report

Dude, you are truly a warrior!

"George" wrote in message
...
I had posted several questions about driving to Mexico, crossing the
border, insurance, etc.

I was enquiring about the Colombia Solidarity Bridge and how the road
connected to the cuota M85 on the Mexican side. No one could respond.
While I did not take it, it seems that there is a loop on the Mex side
from the bridge that hooks into M85 so it should be fast. While we
did not encounter many delays on either side crossing at Laredo on
Bridge #2 if it was a really busy time, or if there was a US terrorist
alert, Colombia Bridge would definitely be my 1st choice. Plus you
bypass completely Laredo and Neuvo Laredo which are both ********s in
my opinion.

We (my wife and I) left Ottawa Ontario, Canada at 7:00am on Wednesday
December 3 and drove on the 401 through Kingston (about 15 semis in
the ditch from a storm the day before) Toronto, London (about another
15 semis in the ditch), Windsor (no snow at all at the time), Detroit
around rush hour (we missed most of it) then I75 down through Toledo
Ohio, Dayton, Cinncinati, Lousville Kentucky, Nashville Tenn, Memphis,
Little Rock Ark, Texarkana Tx, Dallas, Austin (horrible traffic jams
each way both times on I35 and no way around it) to San Antonio. This
was driving straight through only stopping for gas. Spent the night
in San Antonio and had dinner on the Riverwalk at an outdoor cafe.
Shirtsleaves were all that were required in terms of outerwear (it was
75F).

Driving all night avoided most of the rush hour traffic in the large
cities, plus the traffic is so much lighter. On the return we left
Mexico Friday and drove all night, Saturday and Sunday to get home.
Spent Sat night in a motel in Canada). Weekend travel for a cross US
Trip on Interstates is definitley the preferred method. You miss all
the rush hours.

Next day border was no biggie, crossed at Bridge #2 in Laredo. You
pay $27 USD plus 10%IVA for the car permit on your credit card. I was
told that on the way back you can return the permit as a partial
return (which we did) and then when you come back in you can get
another piece of paper that will allow you to keep the car in Mexico
until the original expiration date (180 days from original entry).
There is no charge in theory to extend the partial return. You keep
the sticker on your windshield when doing the partial return. And if
you don't return back since it was partially returned it is considered
cancelled with no hassle to cancel.

Tolls were as advertised before. Free divided M85 for about 40 KMS.
Then cuota of $167MX to before Monterrey, $92 for the Monterrey
bypass to Saltillo, then you hit the free divided road to Saltillo
with about 40kms. That road can be trouble in fog or very cold
conditions. Lots of trucks, and a poor slippery surface, with curves
not meant for the speeds most locals drive them at.

Saltillo was great. Perfect weather, and the city has grown up alot.
Nice Desert Museum. Lots fo good shopping US style (big box stores).

Many things are alot cheaper than in the US, others are lot more. If
you know your prices there are some good bargains now in Mexico.

I bought liability insurance for 1 year from Lewis and Lewis. If you
deal with them beware that they are open only from 9-5 PST Monday to
Friday and closed for lunch. No evenings, weekends, holidays, etc.
They were closed from Wednesday to Monday on Thanksgiving with no
message on their phone machine or web page stating that. I thought
they were bankrupt. Once I got through they were good to deal with
and cheaper. At the border the same policy with the same Mexican
company (Qualitas) was more than double the price. I checked for the
hell of it.

It turns out I didn't need insurance. Once in Saltillo I didn't drive
at all and if it was just for the trip there and back I would not buy
insurance since you have liability insurance on the toll roads
anyways.

24 Moosehead cans of beer at the big box City Club were $5USD
including taxes and deposit. Moosehead is Canadian and a premium beer
not a discount brand like Old Milwalkee, etc. Remy Martin Cognac VSOP
was almost half what it cost herei n Canada and about 30% cheaper than
the duty free store at the US border into Canada. Imported wine is
still double the price in Mexico. The prices are all over the map. I
got a roll of 24 film developed and printed at City Club for about
$2.50USD including taxes and the quality was better than here at
Costco. 50 Verbatim 52x CDR were about 40% cheaper than here in
Canada.

Printers were about double the cost compared to here as is factory
ink.


Thats it for now.



  #3  
Old December 29th, 2003, 06:25 PM
George
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Just Got Back From Driving to Saltillo Mexico - Report



Dude, you are truly a warrior!


Next time we go or at least one of the next times I want to drive it
straight, no motel for 1 night.

For Christmas we drove to Montreal and back for the day (about 120
miles each way) and it seemed like a trip around the block.

Oh ya the car is a 92 Toyota Corolla. Burned 1/5th of a quart each
way. Ran 5W-30 Castrol Syntec for the trip and changed oil in
Saltillo. Tried to change the filter too (I brought both the oil and
the filter with me, plus extra belts and hoses in case) but the
mechanic was scared to death of the filter. Seems its half the size
of most Mexican filters and he claimed he couldn't get it off. Rather
than screw anything up I agreed to leave the old one on and change
just the oil., Back home my mechanic got it off with his hand, no
wrench required.


  #4  
Old December 29th, 2003, 06:48 PM
Bob F.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Just Got Back From Driving to Saltillo Mexico - Report

Really, you put most of the so-called travellers here to shame. I'm just
amazed that your wife tolerated all of the driving? Did you let her driver
at all? I can't let my wife drive, she makes me too nervous and I can't
sleep because I'm too worried that I'm going to wake up as I'm flying
through the windshield because we just had a wreck.

"George" wrote in message
...


Dude, you are truly a warrior!


Next time we go or at least one of the next times I want to drive it
straight, no motel for 1 night.

For Christmas we drove to Montreal and back for the day (about 120
miles each way) and it seemed like a trip around the block.

Oh ya the car is a 92 Toyota Corolla. Burned 1/5th of a quart each
way. Ran 5W-30 Castrol Syntec for the trip and changed oil in
Saltillo. Tried to change the filter too (I brought both the oil and
the filter with me, plus extra belts and hoses in case) but the
mechanic was scared to death of the filter. Seems its half the size
of most Mexican filters and he claimed he couldn't get it off. Rather
than screw anything up I agreed to leave the old one on and change
just the oil., Back home my mechanic got it off with his hand, no
wrench required.




  #5  
Old December 30th, 2003, 12:46 AM
George
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Just Got Back From Driving to Saltillo Mexico - Report


Really, you put most of the so-called travellers here to shame. I'm just
amazed that your wife tolerated all of the driving? Did you let her driver
at all? I can't let my wife drive, she makes me too nervous and I can't
sleep because I'm too worried that I'm going to wake up as I'm flying
through the windshield because we just had a wreck.


She drove some, just enough to let me get some rest. The first day
out I drove from 7:00am until 4:00am then she took over for about 3
hours, then we hit a rest area by the side of the road and both slept
in the car for about 2 hours. I think I drove the rest of the way to
San Antonio.

On the way back we left later, about 11:00am and I drove until about
3:00am then she drove about 3 hours then I drove about 5 then she
drove 4 and I drove the rest. She's a good driver.

If we ever felt like we couldn't stay awake we would either stop in a
rest area or check into a motel. I wasn't fighting sleep at all this
trip.

One time we drove down to Mexico from Ottawa with our kids who were
about 10 and 8 at the time. We were planning on staying in motels,
but they konked out and we kept going straight to San A. Spent an
extra night there with the time and money we saved going straight
thru. Was not intentional but that sort of turned us on to long
stints.

Last summer we drove on a camping trip about 1200 miles and didn't
leave until 9:00 pm (without resting before hand just packing etc. and
I drove all night until 6 in the morning. it was deer and moose
country and no divided highway when I was the most tired. That trip
I didn't feel too good near the end of my 1st stint. Probably should
have pulled over.

This time I had virtually no coffee. Probably 1 cup in the morning,
and the 1st night on the way down, I had a cup around 2 in the
morning. I felt more alert without alot of coffee running through me.
 




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