Anybody on here taken a converted school bus into Mexico?

[powderskier]

Have driven down several times and am living I'm out bus right now in San Agustin de Huatulco. The 40 footer is great on the toll highways other roads ok. You get a 10 year permit for $60. The conversion must be real. If your title says motor home or something similar there is no issues at all. Diesel prices are the same as Canada right now. 22 pesos a liter 14 to the Canadian dollar about 18 us. Never had problems down here been doing it for years.

[sepudo]

Baja is a great place to visit. Been over a dozen times with my sprinter van and pup in the last 3 years and once I finish the bus I plan to go in that as well.
Beautiful people, great food, easy toll roads and if you travel off the beaten path a bit, beaches all to yourself

Translation for closed minded people : it's horrible, you might die, they'll rob you, stay home.

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by wrenchtech

I don't think I would want to drive through the northern state of the main part of Mexico. The Baja Peninsula however, has always been a kind of RV Play ground for Californians and seemed to be a safer place, but I haven't had any recent information. At one time diesel was subsidized by the Mexican government and so was amazingly inexpensive at the pump. They probably don't do that anymore. Also wondering if they have gone over to low sulfur diesel. I'm pretty sure that my C7 would self-destruct if it was fueled with the old style higher sulfur fuel.

My Mexican friends from Puebla tell me that it is ok as long as you bring plenty of bribe money for the cops and stay out of Mexico City unless you have someone who is willing to pay your ransom. Never asked about the fuel. If you speak the lingo you might make a profit selling your bus...LOL.... not for me

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by sepudo

Baja is a great place to visit. Been over a dozen times with my sprinter van and pup in the last 3 years and once I finish the bus I plan to go in that as well.
Beautiful people, great food, easy toll roads and if you travel off the beaten path a bit, beaches all to yourself

Translation for closed minded people : it's horrible, you might die, they'll rob you, stay home. Attachment 40793Attachment 40794Attachment 40795Attachment 40796Attachment 40797Attachment 40798

Isn't Baja a tourist trap? I don't think that it is representative of Mexico in general. My friends in Puebla could be lying to me? I don't think so. They tell me that they try not to drive across country because the cops stop them so much looking for bribes that it is not a sensible thing to do.

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by powderskier

Have driven down several times and am living I'm out bus right now in San Agustin de Huatulco. The 40 footer is great on the toll highways other roads ok. You get a 10 year permit for $60. The conversion must be real. If your title says motor home or something similar there is no issues at all. Diesel prices are the same as Canada right now. 22 pesos a liter 14 to the Canadian dollar about 18 us. Never had problems down here been doing it for years.

I don't know if I did the math right, but would that be about $4.63 a gallon? And what about the sulfur?



Do you go thru Puebla on your way down?

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by banman

Having had Predators and Reapers as part of my responsibilities on my last deployment (killing ISIS) I take offence...


Like anywhere -- there are places to go and places to avoid...
I wouldn't randomly bumblef@ck about and park my bus in Compton or Watts and expect a warm welcome...

good point

[PNW_Steve]

There is an active section over on RV.net dedicated to travel in Mexico and Central America:

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/f...s/forum/66.cfm

[ACamper]

I traveled all over Mexico in the 90s. Their used to be lots of hippies that would drive buses down there for the winter and camp on the beaches, live cheap in the sun. In the 90s Mexico was fairly safe you might get hit up for police bribes once in a while or get robbed after dark in the wrong place.

Mexico Today 2020- Impunity is the law of the land. Mexico has the highest murder rate in the world(these are the bodies they find, an estimated 60,000 bodies have not been found). Also one of the highest kidnapping rates in the world(even though most kidnappings in Mexico do not get reported). Check your Sate Department warnings they get worse every month. 3 US citizens have been killed in the last week or so try to visit families in Mexico. Try putting in “mexico murder” or “mexico kidnapping” in a search engine you will find lots of results to read about.

*On the internet you will hear lots of gringos say thing like “You just have to be cool like me” “I have no problems”. Ask a Mexican they will tell you it is very dangerous and deadly.*

I knew of someone that was murdered in the Baja recently and know people that have been kidnapped there. There is a war in the Baja between cartels right now lots of young sicarios roaming around heavenly armed doing what ever they please. Do you want to be on a secluded beach with your wife when they roll up ? I don't

Like I said I have traveled all over Mexico in the 90s I didn't think twice about it,Today 2020 ? No Thanks ! Mexico is a Failed State.

[sepudo]

^ couldn't agree more with someone who traveled in the 90s and hadn't been back since.

It's dangerous, diesel will ruin your pretty rig, food will make your stomach hurt, those Mexicans will rob you, stay home.

*on the internet you'll hear Elvis is still alive.

[emoji1690] long live the king

[ACamper]

Originally Posted by sepudo

^ couldn't agree more with someone who traveled in the 90s and hadn't been back since.

Who said I haven't been there since ?

I really don't care if strangers from the internet go to Mexico. I do find it annoying that clueless gringos that have no real time spent, experience or clue about Mexico continue to spout of poor and dangerous advice about it.

Check your state department warnings- https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...-advisory.html

Check local News(if you can find real reporters that have not been killed)Borderland Beat

Just my 2 cents.

[BaconFarms]

"It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye"

If you want to go to Mexico, all the more power to you, just don't use my tax dollars with the USA trying to get your dumb ass back in one piece.

Just sayin,

BaconFarms

[maddmaxx]

Originally Posted by TheHubbardBus

That's a hard pass

Gotta say.... I just love all the FEAR and Disinformation ppl spread about Mexico. Last thing I want is an invasive swarm of intolerant, uninformed, entitled Americans and Canadians ruining a truly beautiful country/culture with their myoptic views while driving up the prices for those of us that appreciate all that it offers.

If you go looking for trouble in Mexico (or anywhere for that matter)... Chances are you'll find it. Americans think Mexico is lawless so they can go there and do whatever the f*"k they want with impunity. Respect their laws, respect their culture, respect the people... And most importantly don't be a typical American assh*le and you'll find an amazing place and people with a deep and varied history. Granted, if your in a border town there will be the typical graft that is present in tourist areas worldwide.

Disclosure: I'm white, live in San Diego, don't speak Spanish and cross over to Mexico on a regular basis for last 30+ years(was actually there day B4 yesterday). Have not taken my bus (yet) as it's not finished, but many trips in car and RV.

Your depiction of burning busses in Mexico is analogous to school shootings in the US! Do we have them?.. YES way too many! But everybody I know still sends their kids to school with little hesitation or worry.

For those that like to read... I recommend a great little book about an American journalists experience traveling and building a home in Baja Mexico. It is a little dated (1970'ish), but still a great read and more typical than what you hear on the fear mongering US press.

"God and Mr. Gomez" by Jack C. Smith

[peteg59]

I'd just as soon take my chances in not getting robbed by bad guys and/or the authorities, shot, killed or kidnapped by savage Mexican citizenry, and stay out of Mexico.
Too many bad reports on the news about foreigners traveling in Mexico only to have their trip unexpectedly interrupted changing their lives forever, and not in a good way.

But best of luck to anyone who goes there nowadays...

[maddmaxx]

It's my understanding that if you are converted to a motorhome (on paper as well as visually) you are ok to cross south into Mexico. However, if it appears to be a busy or commercial vehicle, you will be denied.

Busses in Mexico are a busy and thriving business, therefore you'd need import papers to take a seated bus over there I'm sure.

[FamilyCircus]

I've heard this about titled vehicle from a few different places. The title must say Motorhome or they will assume its for commercial use. When I titled my bus I made sure the clerk pushed the right buttons so my new title said Motorhome.

[maddmaxx]

Originally Posted by TheHubbardBus

All were cartel casualties.

Apparently buses make excellent rolling roadblocks, as illustrated in the 2nd pic. Especially when set aflame.

My google search of "Mexico + bus" was not a confidence-inspiring experience

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_S...nando_massacre

I just googled the exact same "Mexico + bus" and came up with endless pictures of some super nice luxury Coaches, Double Decker's, and various others. In Mexico busses are a common mode of transportation... If you've never rode a nice commercial bus in Mexico (it's not Greyhound lol), then I encourage you to. It's cheaper than flying and WAY MORE COMFORTABLE and spacious than an airplane.

They have high end busses that you rarely if ever see in US.. Volvo, Mercedes, Marcopolo SA, MAN, Doble, Serta, Neoplan, Scania, Irizar, etc. If only we could get our hands on one of these for conversion 😍😍

[Mountain Gnome]

Originally Posted by peteg59

I'd just as soon take my chances in not getting robbed by bad guys and/or the authorities, shot, killed or kidnapped by savage Mexican citizenry, and stay out of Mexico.

I was robbed, and then held hostage for ransom, and had my kids threatened to be shot in the head unless I co-operated.
That was Roland, OK, USA, 2001.
The local cop. It was sick in that cop house. Worse than a bad movie.

I signed papers. What can I do now about it?


I went to Mexico in 1993 and again after the Zapatista Uprising [pissed off that American Companies were coming into S. Mexico, kicking people off the land that their ancestors lived on for hundreds of years (before white man), clear-cutting it, and then raising cattle, which got shipped live over to Texas and slaughtered there as USA beef to be sold as Big Macs] in 1995 when there was a much greater "police" presence. The first cop we met in 1993 caught us camping directly under a sign that said "no camping", and he was only concerned that we didn't have guns, and left us alone. Never had another run-in that trip. The cops robbed me twice in 1995. We were prepared, and they didn't get much the first time, driving 100 miles from Mexico City on the west side. We played stupid, and kept him there for 5 or 10 mins looking up words that sound similar to "infraction" in our dictionary. "Oh! We broke the law!?!? Can we pay the fine right now? Here we have these small coins. We are on the way to the ATM." He never turned off his light. He had just finished with someone else when we passed him. When he left us, he pulled over the very next guy he got behind. I'm sure he lost money on us! Two others tried, but we told them we were just robbed by the first cop, and he got all our $$$. Then the last time, 5 cops with long guns caught us at camp and got a bit more paper cash that I had in pocket, for "protection", but still not much. Then they asked for the "big bills." My bro was sure we were gonna die and disappear into the ocean. "Give it to them" he said, about to poop his shorts. I told him to show them his ATM card (they were a relatively new concept, then). "OK" the cops said. Then they saw our small boom-box radio, and wanted to take it. My bro suddenly grew balls and said "hell no!" (that was our sanity on the road). They said "OK". And left.
A Canadian couple pulled up the next few days, and we warned them. The cops got to them that night before we could get back to camp, and the old man met them with a machete. They asked him what he would do, since they had guns. He said he was a German Paratrooper in WWII, and had been down behind the lines twice, and had faced death more than they would ever know, and they were not getting a penny. They said "OK" and left.


But all the people I met in Mexico were some of the kindest, nicest open-minded, un-bigoted people I have ever met.



Back in the USA, I've been intimidated by large groups of cops (7 Jersy bois in a circle around me, holding their batons in hand, and I'm a 115lb skinny short peaceful hippie looking guy) and illegally searched because of a cracked windshield; harassed for 45 mins by cops in "American Falls", ID, when I ran outta gas, who told me they were the "good guys"; pulled over in NC for ===wait for it=== driving 65 in a 65 zone while he rode my bumper for 20 miles while traffic wizzed by at 75 in the fast lane (really, he just didn't like my bumper sticker); and my favorite, when I was pulled over for ===singing=== along with the radio while looking at a cop who was passing in the other direction: "don't make faces at cops!" he said angrily, after illegally pulling me over. Then there was the time the Penn State National Guard showed up to a Dead show I went to in Hershey, complete with 3 tanks in their convoy of 30 large vehicles. Presumably because hippies in school buses are a terrorist threat to Merica. EDIT: and at that show, there were thousands of cops, staged just a few hundred feet apart, walking down every parking lot isle, so one was walking by your car every 30-60 seconds. Totally a police-state. I only got 2 BTs in.


By my experience, Gimme a Mexican cop over an American one any day.



And there are WAY too many disgusting bigots here.

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by sepudo

^ couldn't agree more with someone who traveled in the 90s and hadn't been back since.

It's dangerous, diesel will ruin your pretty rig, food will make your stomach hurt, those Mexicans will rob you, stay home.

*on the internet you'll hear Elvis is still alive.

[emoji1690] long live the king

I guess my Mexican friends in Puebla are just liars. They have lived there all of their lives and either they haven't learned a thing ...or... maybe they don't want me to come visit. I would probably be better off to believe some sarcastic, anonymous, stranger throwing around emojis on the internet.



*on the internet you'll hear Elvis is still alive. " Actually, I heard that on TV and it was one of the reasons I quit watching TV. Evidently, you will also hear, on the internet (but not on TV? or any news media?) that Mexico is the safest place in the world to visit. $%#@ing internet



BTW, just because you have not had a problem yet doesn't mean that you won't have one in the future. Maybe you should climb off of that high horse and look around. Just because you have been lucky enough not to die yet, doesn't mean that you are not going to die. Only people who use inductive logic think that way. Luck will only get you so far, hopefully, far enough. Just thinking,,,

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by maddmaxx

It's my understanding that if you are converted to a motorhome (on paper as well as visually) you are ok to cross south into Mexico. However, if it appears to be a busy or commercial vehicle, you will be denied.

Busses in Mexico are a busy and thriving business, therefore you'd need import papers to take a seated bus over there I'm sure.

Can an American legally sell a "motor home" in Mexico? Is there a market? Wonder if there is a market for bus seats?

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by maddmaxx

I just googled the exact same "Mexico + bus" and came up with endless pictures of some super nice luxury Coaches, Double Decker's, and various others. In Mexico busses are a common mode of transportation... If you've never rode a nice commercial bus in Mexico (it's not Greyhound lol), then I encourage you to. It's cheaper than flying and WAY MORE COMFORTABLE and spacious than an airplane.

They have high end busses that you rarely if ever see in US.. Volvo, Mercedes, Marcopolo SA, MAN, Doble, Serta, Neoplan, Scania, Irizar, etc. If only we could get our hands on one of these for conversion 😍😍

The Mercedes and Doble Piso Bravo look like they could tote quite a load.