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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. |
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