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See the original image at biz.yahoo.com —

Mexico Abruptly Restricts Car Imports

biz.yahoo.com — Mexico Abruptly Bans Imports of Most Used Autos, Causing Panic Among South Texas Dealers

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  • Cryptocracy, on 08/17/2008, -27/+147they will still accept stolen vehicles, however.
    • Nitesmoke, on 03/03/2008, -35/+16Mexico doesn't need anymore cars. The population of Mexico is roughly 100 million. They should be able to get everyone into about 20 cars.
      • smacksaw, on 03/03/2008, -25/+7If you're going to make racial jokes, at least get it right. It's 20 VAN CONVERSIONS, not cars.
        • Nitesmoke, on 03/03/2008, -22/+6Mexican is not a race.
          • aliengoods, on 03/03/2008, -6/+16But is a tasty food group?
          • csw1342, on 03/03/2008, -21/+4It is if you want your yard mowed.
          • DRINKxREDxBULL, on 03/03/2008, -19/+6No, but they are all in a race for the border!
          • oldhick, on 03/03/2008, -11/+1La Raza? The Race. Might not be a race as you think of it, but...
          • TubaTechno, on 03/03/2008, -12/+2Why don't they call them "Hispanic Restaurants" instead of "Mexican Restaurants"?
          • MacEnvy, on 03/03/2008, -0/+13@Tuba
            Because the food originated in Mexico, not Spain. "Hispanic" implies that it is "of Spain" (which the Romans called Hispania), whereas Mexican food is actually from Mexico. Hence, Mexican food. Spanish restaurants serve Hispanic food.
          • scoottie, on 03/03/2008, -3/+3@MacEnvy
            then why is it not Latino food?
            you would have been better served saying that Mexico is a country and there is a difference between Mexican, Salvadorian, Ecuadorian, etc food
          • scbysnx, on 03/03/2008, -1/+2@Scoottie I'd say he was pretty well served by what he said, people do not have to defend themselves against every PC argument in the world when they are right about what they are saying
      • joemofo214, on 03/03/2008, -5/+8im mexican, and i approve that comment
    • GlenQuagmire, on 03/03/2008, -1/+12just like any other country does.

      Take a look at the Grey Market in the U.S. Illegal imports of possible stolen vehicles.

    • Schrodinger, on 03/03/2008, -9/+16The only way to fix this is to put more plastic rims, ricer bodykits, and virgin mary decals and tigerskin seat upholstery onto the cars we export.
    • CoolWind, on 03/03/2008, -8/+3Nothing to see here. Move along. No story.
    • heystoopid, on 03/03/2008, -3/+4What do you expect when your own yankees provide the bent export paperwork !
    • OwdenBowden, on 03/03/2008, -9/+2The United States of America Restricts Mexican Imports.

      It is requested that the Government of Mexico financially compensate the Law Enforcment of the United States of America for all of the time and money it takes to remove all "imported" Mexicans (i.e illegals) from its soil.
    • metric7, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3In other news 1998 model cars will be the most stolen cars in America.
    • PATSCRU, on 03/04/2008, -2/+2ITT: racism.
    • LeeSoong, on 03/04/2008, -0/+5Funny how Mexican government demands free amnesty for all the illegal border jumpers,
      but when it comes to Free Trade with the USA, or USA citizens moving to Mexico, or
      even USA citizens rights while visiting Mexico - suddenly they bust down on everything and deny USA rights, block USA trade, and treat USA citizens like a bunch of terrorists.

      Maybe they will respect the USA once the American Dollar equals the Mexican Peso...
  • cashman57, on 03/03/2008, -13/+32The Mexican Association of Automobile Distributors, which pushed for the change, said it was needed to "stop the accelerated conversion of our country into the world's biggest automotive garbage dump."
    So the only things that are not garbage are 1998 cars?
    LMAO!
    Actually this is but one sign that the economy of Mexico is still in trouble.As our economy shrinks and the dollar loses value even the peso buys more these days, but not the dollar.
    The fact is we need to make a change in direction in America or the same thing that collapsed the peso will crash the dollar as well.
    http://www.mtsu.edu/~berc/global/oldissues/summer9 ...
    • omegaredIX, on 03/03/2008, -4/+3o0o0o and guess what else mexico oil production is set to peak as well. Not good times for Mexico
      • cashman57, on 03/03/2008, -14/+8Oil peak? Are you KIDDING? they just doubled their reserves with a finding in the gulf of Mexico. People who believe in peak oil are probably the same people who believe in global warming, or is that cooling? Oh wait, they call it "climate change" now.
        If you are going to claim someone is nearing "peak oil" you should at least inform yourself.
        There is a well located near one of my houses that is pumping crude from a reserve declared pumped dry in the 1930's. Care to tell me how it filled back up?
        • Bhima, on 03/03/2008, -5/+4They've peaked. The Largest, Cantarell is already in decline. Check it yourself. You can claim all the reserves you want but that's not getting the oil out of the ground any faster.
          • norman619, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3you have a link to share with us?
          • cruzinhe, on 03/03/2008, -1/+6I do, but it's in Spanish =/
            http://blogs.eluniversal.com.mx/economia20/

            And indeed, Mexico may peak again, but it is rather unlikely, since the investment needed to extract oil off that new well we found is huge, and Mexican politicians seems to be rather amused rioting about just any other stupid issue they may find than getting down to work on a truly and effective energetic law renewal.
        • cashman57, on 03/03/2008, -9/+8Read the news. They discovered more oil. I noticed you peak oil believers can't explain why they are drawing hundreds of barrels a day from wells declared pumped dry in the 1930's.
          When you can explain that, get back to me. Until then your "peak oil" theory is as worthless as any information can get.
        • tmbrwolf19, on 03/03/2008, -1/+2I would venture a guess you don't read the news to carefully crashman57. Back in the 1930s oil was worth about a dollar per barrel. Even with inflation, thats still next to nothing. There was still tons of oil left in the fields that were abandoned 60 years ago, but the cost of removal was more than the projected profit. So now when oil is topping 103 a barrel, that left over oil is much more valuable, so the wells are re-opened. There is a reason we have turned to extremely low grades of crude. Oil taken from the expanding number of tar sands operations is called bitumen, a substance so low grade it doesn't even flow at room temperatures. It has to be mixed with oil from the middle east to even create a substance that can be refined. If that doesn't sound desperate, I don't know what does.
          Peak oil isn't a theory by any means. Its a fact. There is a limited amount of oil on this planet. Oil is what you get when you plow over an ancient ocean, bury some algae, and let it sit for a couple hundred million years. There has only been so much life on this planet, and only a limited amount of time to create oil. Once whatever is there is gone, its gone for good, and we won't be living anywhere near long enough to see the next batch created.
    • smacksaw, on 03/03/2008, -4/+2It reminds me of the Mexican Council on Food.

      All cars are banned due to Red Tide Poisoning
    • huertanix, on 03/03/2008, -1/+1Actually, the peso's buying power has been declining with the dollar; the American and Mexican economies are closely tied due to the amount of trade and the fact that the Peso is backed by a reserve of American dollars. If the Mexican government had any cojones, it would dump the dollar and back the peso with gold.
      • cruzinhe, on 03/03/2008, -0/+0Or silver, since China is buying it more lately
      • MiDri, on 03/03/2008, -0/+5Aztec GOLD!
      • nbrntrt, on 03/03/2008, -0/+2I am glad someone said this.. I just looked and 1 dollar is worth 10.7 mexican peso's... When I was vacationing in Cancun last summer the best you could get was somewhere aroung 9 - 9.5... so it looks as though the peso has weakened more than the dollar.
    • dracostimpy, on 03/03/2008, -0/+2All this will do is ensure that every POS from '98 finds its way into Mexico. It'll probably make things worse in the long run when people are forced to buy a '98 from a scrapyard rather than a '96 that's still in decent condition.
      • LeeSoong, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2Forcing more USA citizens to buy new or newer cars - driving up the auto industry in the US?

        Social Engineering - pass a bunch of outlandish restrictive laws until many
        citizens and corporations come crying for a 'North American Union' -
        "Save the economy, the Amero and Super Highways are the answer to our problems!"
    • LeeSoong, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2Well, that makes sense - deny Mexican's access to purchase used cars,
      forcing them to buy brand new cars.

      Not exactly the best way to boost their economy?
  • starbabe, on 03/03/2008, -4/+85My only thought was, so much for the free trade agreements we have in place!
    • chemdiva, on 03/03/2008, -3/+17My response to that is good riddance. There are so many subsidies and protectionist lobby groups still in place that there's nothing "free" about free trade at all.
    • RogerStrong, on 03/03/2008, -6/+16The US overrides NAFTA all the time too. Just ask anyone in the softwood lumber, durham wheat or high tech industries.
      • pintomp3, on 03/03/2008, -8/+22nafta isn't about trade, it's about protecting US corporations from being sued for their actions in foreign countries.
      • smacksaw, on 03/03/2008, -6/+9Wait what?

        Softwood: Timber in BC is mostly on Crown-owned lands. Because of that, the lumber is a subsidised commodity of the taxpayer. Whereas in Quebec, it is not. There's no problem with lumber that isn't subsidised because it has a REAL price and isn't prone to dumping, which would collapse the US softwood industry.

        Durum: Bull Durham? While US farmers get help from the gov't, Canada was subsidising the price of wheat with transport subsidies...and that challenge wasn't even adjudicated on the merits of the case itself. It was the right result (against the US) for the wrong reasons.

        High-Tech: I have no clue what you're alluding to there, but we're outsourcing to Canada like mad and Canadians can work in IT very easily in the US. Same goes for Mexico. I finished all of my certifications in Mexico and everyone at the training centre was going to work in the US after they were done since it was allowed under NAFTA.

        I'm racking my brain on the high-tech one. I have no idea where you're going with that.
        • Elliuotatar, on 03/03/2008, -4/+3What do you do for a living that you know all this crap about how imports and exports of wildly different commodities work?
          • Chompy, on 03/03/2008, -1/+5He works for Vandalay Industries.
          • metalclay, on 03/03/2008, -2/+1Dug for Seinfeld reference
          • Elliuotatar, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1Why the hell am I being dugg down for wanting to know what I'd have to be doing to know this stuff?
        • RogerStrong, on 03/03/2008, -0/+4>> Timber in BC is mostly on Crown-owned lands.

          Like in the US North-West.

          >> Because of that, the lumber is a subsidised commodity of the taxpayer

          That doesn't make it subsidized. The NAFTA panel even ruled more than once that Canadian softwood lumber exports are not subsidized.

          At issue are the stumpage fees - the Americans insist that Canadian stumpage fees are too low. By American standards they probably are, but then the Canadian company is paying much higher taxes than the American one.

          >> Canada was subsidising the price of wheat with transport subsidies

          *WAS*. And those subsidies offset the cost of shipping the wheat to western ports - *away* from the US.

          In 2000, American wheat producers received 49 per cent of their income from subsidies, and 43 per cent of European Union wheat farmers' income was as a result of subsidies. Meanwhile, Canadian wheat farmers only received 17 per cent of their income from subsidies.

          >> I'm racking my brain on the high-tech one

          A good example is the sale of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates - maker of the Canadarm, RadarSat and much of the rest of the Canadian space industry to an American company. The reason: Much of MDA's market was in the US, and American ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) rules made it VERY difficult to do high technology cross-border projects. ITAR rules are widely seen as being ridiculously strict (ask SpaceX about the simpe aluminum table that had to be guarded 24/7 while in Russia) and wielded as a trade barrier.
      • chris1012, on 03/03/2008, -6/+4US government and corporations can go ***** themselves.
    • WarSaw27, on 03/03/2008, -9/+1Good to hell with them! They hamstring the ***** out of us!
      • norman619, on 03/03/2008, -1/+6care to share some facts to support your claim?
      • LeeSoong, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1wait, I thought it was BLAME CANADA ?
    • ElAssoWipo, on 03/03/2008, -1/+2Tell that to the natives
    • bromac, on 03/03/2008, -14/+24As a Canadian, I find it laughable that an American would complain about contempt for treaties.

      Would you like to hand back the 5 billion in softwood tariffs? How about the Canadian passport requirements?

      If you Americans hate NAFTA so much, I think most Canadians would be happy to keep the 50% of energy exports it guarantees the US. We have no clue why gas is more expensive here than in the states, when we're your biggest oil supplier.

      To put it bluntly: ***** WHINERS.
      • TheG2, on 03/03/2008, -6/+15Your gas is more expensive due to taxes levied by your government.
        Canadian Passport requirements? New laws to ensure tighter border protection, I live in NY and its kind of a pain in the ass, but I understand why we do it.
        • bromac, on 03/03/2008, -3/+5You have no clue how porous the border is. And let me remind you that anyone with malintent would most likely cross the border with a passport, valid or fake. All the 9/11 terrorists had valid IDs. And I know there's a ton of taxes on our gas, but you have to realize that Canadian producers don't increase production because if they did, they still have to give half of it to the states. They'd rather keep it in the ground until it's worth more than gold. NAFTA is still an AWESOME deal for the states, no matter how you slice it.
        • MrSteamTank, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3It's also more expensive because of energy demands from the US. If NAFTA was disbanded Canada could give preferential treatment to Canadians. American gas prices would go up and Canadian gas prices would go down. It would be just peachy for Canada.
      • digalphabeta, on 03/03/2008, -6/+2It's more expensive because of your socialist moronic government.
        • bromac, on 03/03/2008, -2/+4Hint: You're getting health care too. Socialists.
          • digalphabeta, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1Not free. I pay for my healthcare, but I don't ever need to see a doctor because I'm not a fat lazy slob.
        • Chandon, on 03/03/2008, -1/+3bromac - We're going to get healthcare the cronyist corrupt way where some favored campaign contributors get a monopoly on selling health insurance - not the socialist way where everyone gets decent healthcare.
    • heystoopid, on 03/03/2008, -0/+2Go ask one Jeffrey White a Federal Judge in San Francisco with his current series of mindless crazy idiotic decisions of the past two weeks as to why it is so !
    • crosquillas, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3I just want to echo other's comments about the hypocrisy about US citizens whining about trade protectionism. What about Mexican tomato, tuna or avocado being levied unfair tariffs?
  • InRussetShadows, on 03/03/2008, -13/+53I agree that the Mexican economy is in trouble, and that it can have a ripple effect on the U.S. economy, because we have outsourced so many of our industrial manufacturing and textile business to Mexico and overseas. NAFTA was a one-way ticket for job exodus.
    • starbabe, on 03/03/2008, -2/+11NAFTA sure didn't help the manufacturing industry.
      • Chompy, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3Sure it did, the manufacturing industry in Mexico and the Pacific Rim is loving it.
        • Buelldozer, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1For now, but the higher oil goes the less they will love it in the future. :)
        • Alpione, on 03/03/2008, -0/+5Funny - 2006 was a record year for US manufacturing. Stop listening to Hillary and Obama.. They're 100% wrong on this one. We're losing manufacturing jobs not because Mexico and others are "stealing" them. They're being reduced because we're becoming more efficient. Manufacturing labor is a dying career as technology and efficiency improves. NAFTA has helped us by every legitimate measure.
        • mrswirl, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1source please?
    • minoss, on 03/03/2008, -7/+10Yea, and in exchange we get much better, higher paying jobs in return. Now I'm no fan of NAFTA since it really isn't free trade, but stop pretending that all these jobs we "lose" aren't replaced with other jobs. Most of which are much better than working on an assembly line. Please, go learn just a little about economics and how in order to help one economy it isn't necessary to steal from another. Please, go ahead and explain why the US has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world (MUCH lower than Mexico) with all these jobs we're losing?
      • FaithclubDotNet, on 03/03/2008, -6/+12The reason we have a low unemployment rate is that we stop counting people as unemployed 6 months after they file for unemployment.
        • gerbco, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3That has always been the case only active job seekers are counted otherwise you would not have been able to compare unemployment rates from previous years and cycles.
      • DRINKxREDxBULL, on 03/03/2008, -6/+3minoss - you're not going to get anywhere arguing economics with these people. Most of them probably still the sixth-grade mindset that there is a finite amount of wealth in the world, and that in order for one person to be rich it means that 100 people have to be poor.

        Here is good analysis of jobs lost/jobs gained from real economist.
      • oldhick, on 03/03/2008, -3/+8Can you list what you think some of these better jobs people are getting are. I find this intriguing. One of the biggest myths perpetuated by the greedy corporate assholes is that while we move your job somewhere else for a cheaper wage and a bigger return, don't worry, there'll be better jobs for you. We'll train you up and have you right back in business.
        That is simply factually inaccurate. Most areas that have seen large manufacturing exoduses have seen large economic depressions. I for one am anxious to see these new positions.
        • DRINKxREDxBULL, on 03/03/2008, -2/+2Why don't take a look at the statistics from the Bureau of Labor at the link I posted right above yours, and you will get your answer.

          I would much rather be a programmer than spend the rest of my like working in a meat packing plant like Dad is. I already spent 2 years there, and thats enough.
      • YojimboJango, on 03/03/2008, -1/+4Also you have to consider that a lot of these assembly line jobs have been manned by people that have been doing nothing but for their entire lives. I have an uncle that came out of the 70's a few nuggets short of a happy meal, but he can still take on a job like this. He's not mentally handicapped or anything, he just really has problems with jobs that require creativity. Now these jobs are being moved to Mexico (or at least the last 3 jobs he's tried to hold over the last 10 years). He's not cut out for management, and he has no computer skills. You may just laugh it off and say that he needs to get some skills, but for a lot of people in their 40's and 50's it's just not an option.
        • tao52nyc, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1The biggest issue overall is that the Boomer generation had to manage a huge economic transition from the Industrial Age to the Digital Age. Older boomers gravitated toward Industrial Age jobs (as their fathers/grandfathers before them). Younger boomers embraced the Digital age and pioneered PCs and the internet. Guess who's going to retire with a better nest egg? (If they get to "retire" at all?)
  • Jade456, on 03/03/2008, -6/+3Yeah, it was a really bad idea.
    • heystoopid, on 03/03/2008, -1/+1why most of those worn out , clapped out polluting clunkers were only fit for the metal recycling scrap metal yards and were mobile death traps on wheels !
  • LordMalok, on 03/03/2008, -9/+7Its free trade, as long as their receiving the benefits. Nice....not.
    • heystoopid, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1Read the agreement lately the reverse countries benefits do not cut in for a minimum of twenty years until then it is all one way , guess who uses the whip hand to rape and pillage in the local cross border markets !
  • billtorpey, on 03/03/2008, -25/+13Mexicans need jobs, too. If we're dumping our old cars there instead of the in the junkyard that's not right. We wouldn't allow another country to dump their junk here. NAFTA was basically a good idea that went wrong because we failed to include provisions insuring decent standards for workers.
    • p0s3r, on 03/03/2008, -4/+12RTFA.
    • cashman57, on 03/03/2008, -2/+13It is a good idea to read the article BEFORE you comment so your comment will be relevant.
    • insomniac8400, on 03/03/2008, -1/+7Mexican citizens are the ones dumping the cars. US dealers are selling them in the US. So this import ban is extremely odd since US companies really have nothing to do with the importation.
  • Railz, on 03/03/2008, -1/+8Uh, logically thought would just imply that Mexican dealers couldn't deal with ''USED'' car dealers along the border.
  • i70CuDa, on 03/03/2008, -13/+7With only two exceptions: Ford fiesta and Pinto
    • EwMo, on 03/03/2008, -12/+4Ford tried to market the Nova in Mexico awhile back. "No va" in Spanish literally means "It doesn't go." The Ford comment on the Mexican Car article just made me think of that.
      But it's probably my delirious-ness speaking because no one probably cares.
      • pltnz64, on 03/03/2008, -0/+9http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp
        • maiku00, on 03/03/2008, -1/+3thanks, i've heard that story told thousands of time in school by teachers and students alike (graphic design.. marketing classes, etc). I suppose the message of the lesson still holds true, but its interesting to know that the whole thing is bunk.
        • oldhick, on 03/03/2008, -0/+4Damn it, if only I had snopes around back when I was taking marketing courses! I heard that stupid story from several professors. Oh wellz.
      • shootsfired, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3It was Chevy not Ford.
      • csw1342, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1digg me down got lost
    • DarkSamus, on 03/03/2008, -4/+3don't forget subaru baja and the isuzu amigo
    • SpaceMonkeyZero, on 03/03/2008, -3/+2How could you forget the El Camino?
  • 1randomguy08, on 03/03/2008, -19/+2Mexico has a bad case of "teh sucks"
    • saisumimen, on 03/03/2008, -1/+2And it looks like you caught the fail.
  • theNazz, on 03/03/2008, -4/+8I suppose they only buy autos finished on a Wednesday in 1998 as well ...
  • smacksaw, on 03/03/2008, -6/+53This really hurts the average Mexican and severely restricts their freedom. Access to good, cheap vehicles is key in developing a middle class. Mexicans live like serfs and peasants, working for peanuts doing manufacturing for multinationals. They cannot take their labour commodity elsewhere easily if there is no easy, reliable transportation for them to do so.

    Every time something happens like this in Mexico, I always ask myself how the oligarchy is screwing the average poor Mexican citizen. All of this garbage about it protecting Mexican industry or whatever is a farce. Yeah, I'll tell you the industry it's protecting: the industrial manufacturers up at the top of a hill in their shiny buildings while the workers live together in ramshackle shacks made of siding and cardboard. Not the auto industry, the industry that relies on a workforce with no alternative.

    We cannot look at Mexico with American logic. Everything there is about corruption.
    • cashman57, on 03/03/2008, -4/+22Have you looked at our government? The IRS is corrupt and has been used as a political tool for decades. What was the first thing Mrs Clinton did to get rid of Billy Dale?
      IRS investigation!
    • bromac, on 03/03/2008, -2/+2Yes, developing more oil-based economies is the way to go.
    • tomarocco, on 03/03/2008, -3/+3"Mexicans live like serfs and peasants, working for peanuts doing manufacturing for multinationals."

      Been to Africa lately? The people there would be very happy to live like serfs and peasants working for peanuts.
      • adrianmonk, on 03/03/2008, -1/+5So because someone somewhere else is worse off, the people in Mexico shouldn't aspire to improving their lot?
      • bxblox, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1mexicans.... africans.... There are too many generalizations here.
    • BionicPimp, on 03/03/2008, -2/+3yeah, but corruption in the USA is nothing like the corruption in Mexico, or for that matter, any former colony of Spain. Virtually every country that was under spanish colonial occupation now has an extremely wealthy and corrupt elite (i like to think of them as the new dons), a vanishingly small middle class, and a huge volume of poor. Wealth in these countries is commonly land wealth, and is passed down from generation to generation. Social Mobility is virtually impossible.

      Here is a stark example. Mexico in terms of GDP(ppp) is the 12th in the world. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_ ...

      who is the 13th? Canada. If that's the case, then why doesn't Tijuana look like a latino Vancouver instead of an open cesspool?
      • oscarello, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1Well, that could be because México has more than 3 times the population of Canada.
        Canada: 33,198,000
        México: 108,700,891
      • gerbco, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1Are you trying to imply that the protestant work ethic and love for capitalism is better than the catholic views on poverty and money?
        • DutchGuilder, on 03/04/2008, -1/+0The Spaniards came to America looking for gold, while the Pilgrams came to America looking for God.
    • citizen782, on 03/03/2008, -2/+2"We cannot look at Mexico with American logic. Everything there is about corruption."

      Exactly why wouldn't our executive and business logic fit perfectly?
    • heystoopid, on 03/03/2008, -1/+2Your kidding me , the vast majority of the vehicles sold across border are just mobile trash bins and full time pollution generators spewing toxic fumes everywhere they go !
      • cualcrees, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1Yeah, and they hardly ever are insured, so if you happen to have an accident with this people, they are just as likely to abandon the vehicle than to stick around and be forced to pay for your repairs (which can easily be higher than the cost of their car), and you should see how "good" they drive... must of them are doing it for the first time, yo DO NOT wanna find one while on the highway...
    • charliecharlos, on 03/03/2008, -0/+2Actually, new cars have become increasingly cheap in Mexico, and financing has only helped, along with the European car manufacturing mentality of usefulness over huge bulking SUV's, like the SMART. The cars that are imported are nothing but incredibly decrepit garbage and the reasoning over importing is because it's cheaper due to no taxes, yet the import just makes up for it... so basically, yeah. You're wrong. Spoken by a Mexican who lived in Guadalajara and Leon, btw.
      • subcomandante, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1Well expect those "increasingly cheap" cars in mexico to get increasingly more expensive. As the supply goes down, the prices go up. As the pockets of mexicans middle class go down, the pockets of the upper class will go up.

        Mexico should have voted for Lopez-Obrador.
    • jm4847, on 03/03/2008, -0/+7"Mexicans live like serfs and peasants, working for peanuts doing manufacturing for multinationals."
      "We cannot look at Mexico with American logic. Everything there is about corruption."

      Mexican here, I don't live like a serf or a peasant, I don't work for peanuts and I know very honest people here. At least when I criticize your country I clarify that not all of you are like that.
      • SoCalMario, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1I'll tell you this, I am Mexican and the majority of people in Mexico do love poorly. Go to Tijuana and visit the neighborhood of Lomas Taurinas where Colosio was killed. People there live in Cardboard boxes! Houses made out of palletes and dirt floors. Not everyone in Mexico works for peanuts but the majority do, this is why they come here illigely because they cannot make ends meet. There are many neighborhoods like this in Tijuana. Dont turn a blind eye JM4847 simply because you have it good. Mexico would not be in this situation it the government was more honest. I would love Mexico to look like a Latino Vancouver. But the government there sucks balls!
  • smacksaw, on 03/03/2008, -18/+4This really hurts the average Mexican and severely restricts their freedom. Access to good, cheap vehicles is key in developing a Mexican middle class. Mexicans live like serfs and peasants, working for peanuts doing manufacturing for multinationals. They cannot take their labour commodity elsewhere easily if there is no easy, reliable transportation for them to do so.

    Every time something happens like this in Mexico, I always ask myself how the oligarchy is screwing the average poor Mexican citizen. All of this garbage about it protecting Mexican industry or whatever is a farce. Yeah, I'll tell you the industry it's protecting: the industrial manufacturers up at the top of a hill in their shiny buildings while the workers live together in ramshackle shacks made of siding and cardboard. Not the auto industry, the industry that relies on a workforce with no alternative.

    We cannot look at Mexico with American logic. Everything there is about corruption.
  • Heavypettingzoo, on 03/03/2008, -7/+10haha ***** NAFTA
  • MeatSpinner69, on 03/03/2008, -10/+2***** mexican cars
    • GlenQuagmire, on 03/03/2008, -0/+6I bet you don't know your car was probably assembled in Mexico
      • Chompy, on 03/03/2008, -2/+2I bet he'll notice once it starts breaking down.
  • 8degrees, on 03/03/2008, -14/+3This has nothing to do with NAFTA. This has to do with crafty old used car dealers in Texas (one of the most scary things I can think of) turning a hefty profit selling crap cars to Mexicans for way more than any self-respecting American would ever pay. Some people must have forgotten that Mexico can import cars directly from Japan and China, as in NOT through the USA. Who do you people think we are? The USA, even though you loyal Bushies may think otherwise, is not ruler of the Western Hemisphere!
    Try focusing on yourselves for once, we don't even produce cars that can be sold outside our own borders, our emissions standards are too low!
    • rlh1, on 03/03/2008, -1/+1You mean that Bush now is into the used car market in Mexico ???
      Man, their stealing Iraq's oil, and now this.
    • joyousthings, on 03/03/2008, -0/+0American cars are sold all over the world, and our emissions (save for perhaps our Cadillacs and the like) aren't half bad when compared to BMW, Audi, and Mercedes automobiles. And as far as outlandish prices goes, how do you think think Mexico acquired an excess of these cars but for their remarkable cheapness? And bushies? Really?
  • mecole21, on 03/03/2008, -3/+9Sweet! I'm driving my 1998 Ford Contour to Mexico and I'm gonna live like a King...
    • gak001, on 03/03/2008, -1/+4If you stay down there for a while.
      • matu4251, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3actually he only has 1 year... next year will be 1999 cars.
    • adrianc1982, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1I will outbid you, Im already here and driving an accord '08 hehehe
    • metric7, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1You'll get robbed.
  • macwac, on 03/03/2008, -4/+7They probably figured out that buying new cars from Japan gave higher quality, higher mileage and were better environmentally even though at the expense of higher prices. ;)
    • zspeed78, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1Hey genius, America has Japanese models too.. this same rule applies to 98 Toyota and Nissan cars obviously.. no one is going to ship a used car from Japan to mexico when theyre available and in great condition in Arizona Texas California.
  • diskit, on 03/03/2008, -14/+25If Ron Paul was president this wouldn't happen.

    THERE! I said it before any of the real RP fans could!
    • MyBookie, on 03/03/2008, -5/+8You said it cuz you knew it was true.
    • laughandsing, on 03/03/2008, -5/+5i couldnt imagine if Ron Paul became president. Our country would be completely different.
      One man with courage is a majority.
      Thomas Jefferson
      • Chompy, on 03/03/2008, -3/+3Yeah, instead of a corrupt idiot we'd just have teh CRAZY in the White House.
        • laughandsing, on 03/03/2008, -1/+0Didnt you know all politicians were crazy?
        • lvp1138, on 03/03/2008, -1/+2All great minds were called "crazies" in their time...
  • dinobot, on 03/03/2008, -0/+25The reason of the restriction is basically a measure to help the new-car sales that have been declining for years. Mexico imposes huge taxes on new car sales (up to 30% of the car value) and the dealership pushes the taxes into the buyer. As an example, a plain jane brand new Camaro (back 1998) would cost in the low 20Ks here in the US, but in Mexico, the sticker price would be over 30ks. Not only that, but the owners get hit by a yearly ownership tax based on the book value of their brand new vehicle for the next 5 years.

    The best way to get around that was to buy old cars from the US, they would not pay the new car tax nor they would be hit by the yearly tax (called Tenencia) and save 'emselves quite some money.

    Because of that, the government stepped in and closed that hole by restricting the year models from 1993 to 1998, in order to try to force its people to buy nationally and recoup some of the lost taxes. I think its a ***** deal, and I'd honestly believe their auto industry would get better if they would just lower the taxes on the new sales.

    Also, it wasnt so abrupt, this was already in the works for many months, and many people knew that this was going to go into effect on February, although they recently got a motion to postpone it till late March
    • Gustomucho, on 03/03/2008, -1/+5This will kill the Mexican automotive industry. They might think it will help them but don't forget not only "car sales" are to factor when you talk about automotive industry : mechanics, parts, oil, solvent, towing.. the list goes on, from windshield washer to bolts and nuts. What you will see is a major slow down in the industry, everyone will lose, even the new car departement because less people will be able to buy cars. Price for the 98 will go up, only a few will be able to buy em.
    • Achilles2, on 03/03/2008, -0/+5You are correct on everthing. They do impose heavy taxes on cars.

      What I don't understand is that I can drive forever with "Tourist" car insurance on my Ontario plates here in Mexico (with my FM3 VISA) and never have to renew my plates. I see people from Panama, Texas, and myself, from Ontario with plates that expired years ago and nothing to worry about. We haven't paid any taxes on the cars at all and most likely, never will.

      If they lowered taxes and came in line with the US and countries to the south the Mexican car dealers wouldn't have anything to worry about. In fact, people would be able to afford newer cars and then Mexico wouldn't be a scrap yard on wheels.

      • dinobot, on 03/03/2008, -1/+3Yeah, because the traffic cops don't really care about cars with foreign license plates, and if they stop you, they will most likely let you go if you give 'em 20 bucks (200 pesos).
        • cruzinhe, on 03/03/2008, -2/+1dude, you are too generous, I have scrapped those bastards off my back with 2 bucks (20 pesos) =P
        • Achilles2, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1What do I have to worry about? I have my car here legally so I would never pay them off.
    • elpohl, on 03/03/2008, -0/+4True that dealership cars in Mexico cost a good percentage more than in the US. The "Tratado de Libre Comercio" supposedly will allow mexicans in the frontier to buy US dealership cars in the future. That's huge, as the local industry will have to reduce taxes on new cars.The yearly tax (tenencia) is not 5 years, but 10 if I remember correctly. Funny thing, it was created as a financial aide for the 1968 Olympics hosted in Mexico City.
      • dinobot, on 03/03/2008, -0/+2They already do that, they do have to pay import taxes tho... I can't recall if the 'Tenencia' does apply to those vehicles or not tho.

        And thanks for clarifying the number of years on the Tenencia, I could't recall if it was 5 years or 10 years
    • neutralguy, on 07/09/2008, -0/+0Hi friend:
      I want to know more about these old used cars import in US, can we email in detail. bhuwan13@yahoo.com
  • knobbers, on 03/03/2008, -15/+2looks like pedro will have to go back to his donkey to get about
  • bossm4n, on 03/03/2008, -16/+60Okay Mexico, we won't illegally export our cars across the border if you won't illegally export your citizens...deal?
    • GlenQuagmire, on 03/03/2008, -13/+11It's American Companies who are importing Mexican Workers. all because you lazy ass Gringo won;t come up forward and work on the fields.

      Enjoy your Cesar salad, your strawberry ice cream and your blue berry bagels.

      See you in Hell
      • Monk22, on 03/03/2008, -8/+5we just wont do it for 2 dollars an hour like the meximelts.
        • heystoopid, on 03/03/2008, -3/+6My friend , you would not even last two hours in most Texas Cattle Ranch feed lots before the stench gags your stomach so bad even when empty it still wants to throw up !

          Perhaps a motoring trip through North Carolina , before the rainy season just might make you wish you took that cheap flight instead to avoid that mother of all bad stenches!
          • Monk22, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1meh, been there done that. i worked manual labor for a good while. i figured it would be easier to just go to school and get a well paying job. i was right.
    • bastardo, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1Ha ha ha ha. Good luck with that.
    • theprez, on 03/03/2008, -1/+8Not all illegal immigrants in the US are Mexican, you know.
      • dtilford, on 03/03/2008, -1/+3Yeah, only the overwhelming majority.
    • cruzinhe, on 03/03/2008, -0/+2Well America, here is the deal:

      Stop employing cheap illegal mexican labor and you will see how mexicans stop jumping the fence.

      Oh and btw, while you're at it, stop consuming mexican grown drugs also, that way we may stop having so many drug dealers in Mexico to keep supplying the american market with our *****.
  • petrodollar, on 03/03/2008, -4/+2Oh noes. Where am I going to sell me junked '81 Caprice Classic?
  • slashbot, on 03/03/2008, -4/+5Sounds like a bad idea to me. Way to screw over the Mexican people. Probably why many there have little faith in the Mexican government
  • HariSeldon10, on 03/03/2008, -3/+4-- The Mexican Consulate in McAllen said the change was made "to restrict the entry of vehicles that compete with the Mexican car industry." --

    The Mexican car industry:

    Made in Mexico cars: GM, Ford, Chevrolet, Volkswagen, and (soon) FAW
    Made in USA cars: Toyota, Honda, other brands
    Plus, all cars sold in the US but smuggled ilegally by "tipping" (bribing) the customs officer.

    The new restrictions will not hurt sales; but will only increase corruption. This is what happens when you have a big government restricting your economic freedom.
  • ICANSTANDIT, on 03/03/2008, -7/+8By gosh and by golly! Used car dealers are unhappy? What next? Whores and drug pushers demanding job security?
    • tutivlahos, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3WTF? I sell used cars and I am no whore... :(
  • scoottie, on 03/03/2008, -8/+9maybe they will stop their export of illegals next
  • orangetiki, on 03/03/2008, -0/+9Beginning Monday, only cars made for the 1998 model year -- none older and none newer -- can be legally imported into Mexico

    What manner of thinking went into that stipulation?
    • tweetsa, on 03/03/2008, -1/+4in 1998 all vehicles were made eco-friendly. Every part of them is bio-degradable.
      • zydeco, on 03/03/2008, -1/+1That doesn't answer the question. Are cars made in 1999 *not* eco-friendly?
        • StarlessKnight, on 03/03/2008, -0/+2Yes. Due to budgetary constraints car makers were forced to stop using bio-degradable parts and began using recycled plutonium waste products.
    • scoottie, on 03/03/2008, -0/+7the president of mexico has a 1998 ford on back order
  • elpohl, on 03/03/2008, -3/+8As a mexican expat, when I look at my country from here, it looks far more ***** up than from inside. This new law - which I can't seem to find in local newspapers online - is logical in part. We have a HUGE car population in the north of Mexico, as it's very easy and cheap to own a car imported from the US. Unfortunately for our environment, they are mostly junk. What I don't get is the restriction to post-1998 cars. It doesn't make sense at all and hopefully the article is incorrect.
    If only the government would give incentives to buy new cars, or if they would effectively eliminate illegally owned ones, or if they would invest in public transportation... but then the people would ***** it all up because everyone is corrupt... and now with the dollar sinking our economy is going down the drain... and our president wants to allow Dick Cheney to use our oil reserves...
    ... estamos jodidos.
    • PueSi, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3Yeah the problem is that new cars are too expensive.
      When going to another country to buy a car is cheaper than buying a car in your own country where they assembled it, you know things are ***** up.
      • campigenus, on 03/04/2008, -0/+0Yeah, tell me about it. My father is on his third car bought in the US and brought back to Canada, where they were made in the first place.
    • jm4847, on 03/03/2008, -2/+2Don't mix Spanish and English you make Mexicans look stupid by doing that.
      • elpohl, on 03/03/2008, -2/+2You look stupid by capitalizing words that shouldn't be.
        • thugok, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1Which of those capitalized words are not the first word in a sentence or a proper noun?
  • fsjenkins2000, on 03/03/2008, -5/+2Speedy Gonzalas > 1999 Ford Mustang
  • PueSi, on 03/03/2008, -2/+13New cars are extremely expensive here in Mexico which is ridiculous considering some of them are actually assembled here in Mexico.
    If they want to help the car industry they should lower the ***** taxes on cars and get rid of "Tenencia" (a tax for having a vehicle)
  • tankboy87, on 03/03/2008, -13/+2I grew up on the Texas / Mexico border (and traveled all over the Mexico) thats one ***** up country, this is the first smart thing i have ever seen them do !!!
    • reaper527, on 03/03/2008, -3/+1hurting the US economy doesn't seem like a smart idea to me (as a good number of them are going to sneak in here illegally)
    • oscarello, on 03/03/2008, -0/+6I grew up in México and travelled all over Texas, thats one ***** up state.
  • weitek, on 03/03/2008, -7/+14Ironic. They want to ban importing of cars from the USA because it hurts their economy. Yet they see nothing wrong with illegal immigration to our country where the people generally don't pay taxes, but still use services like health care and schools, etc. and then often send their earnings back to Mexico.
    • dvdcr, on 03/03/2008, -5/+6If you know nothing, STFU.
    • adrianmonk, on 03/03/2008, -1/+3Why would that be a problem for Mexico? If you ran a country, would it upset you if a bunch of people in another country started sending money to your citizens? Seems like that would help out your economy to me.
    • jm4847, on 03/03/2008, -2/+2Yeah the Mexican government can't control what their citizens abroad do, and sure as hell isn't paying for your fence.
    • scamper22, on 03/03/2008, -4/+1ah yes, the whole upset at hypocrisy bit.
      What benefits them=good. What hurts them=bad. Now since they're consistent on that, there's no hypocrisy.
    • Arcueid01, on 03/03/2008, -2/+2Yeah ***** mexico and ***** illegal immigrants. Yet, it is funny that Americans collectively seem to think that we owe something to the rest of the world. We only owe something to one country USA. Should sit with sniper rifles at the boarder and pick off all the illegals. Those who don't want to go through the legal process to get into the country then ***** them.
  • dan222555, on 03/03/2008, -10/+10And meanwhile the US is incapable of banning the illegal importing of human beings from Mexico...
    • slashbot, on 03/03/2008, -4/+4illegal human beings?

      or illegal import of human beings?
      • dan222555, on 03/03/2008, -8/+2You read it and tell me.
        • slashbot, on 03/03/2008, -1/+3Nice last minute edit. At least you fixed it.
          • dan222555, on 03/03/2008, -3/+1Shame on me for editing my words before I publish them.
    • InnerBlueAbyss, on 03/03/2008, -3/+6Yea, they failed to stop your ancestors from mating as well
    • adrianmonk, on 03/03/2008, -2/+0Huh? The US is definitely capable of banning the illegal importing of human beings, because we've already done it. Enforcing the ban that exists is another subject, but that's not what you said.
      • dan222555, on 03/03/2008, -2/+1It's really the same idea. Same result...
    • heystoopid, on 03/03/2008, -1/+2Well since most gringos are to fat and lazy to do even the basic jobs like garbage collection or even simple gardening chores who else do you call upon to do the work ?
      • o0joshua0o, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1That's the most racist comment I've read today.
  • breckinshire, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3"That vehicle was a white Chevrolet Blazer with a "Redneck" sticker on the windshield and a vanity plate of a silhouetted couple embracing in front of a tropical sunset. It was priced at $3,200."

    My day is made.
    • adrianmonk, on 03/03/2008, -0/+0If that made your day, move to Texas, and you'll have the time of your life, because there are gazillions of vehicles like that all over the place.
  • Robopath, on 03/03/2008, -0/+6Thank god. I live in Houston and it is not unusual to see a ***** truck towing a ***** truck towing a ***** car down 59 South. They are dangerous and ugly... I have always wondered if I would see the day this trade in TRASH end. Glorious!
  • dvdcr, on 03/03/2008, -12/+11You guys are pathetic.
    All of the sudden you are all pissed cuz a country won't take your garbage.
    And thats why the world hates you. Bunch of morons/douchbags.
  • make7upyours06, on 03/03/2008, -2/+6actually, this is a great law that'll benefit the modernization of Mexico. Considering I live in Ensenada and see imported cars from the 60's, 70's, and 80's that really just pollute and not much else, i totally agree with this law. Obviously, the had to choose 1998 because anything newer then that would not be competitive for new car dealerships. It's not that we don't buy new cars (which we don't, thanks to the annual tax we pay more for new cars then anyone in the world) but if you had a choice between a 2004 Honda Civic that is imported and costs (example) 1,800 dollars or a national honda civic same year that costs 3,000 the obvious choice would be to buy the imported one. So don't turn this into some stupid illegal immigration argument please, and this isnt some ***** up country, if anything the U.S. did/has done something similar, just on the dl, whereas in mexico, especially in the border cities, this is a big deal and the press jumped all over it. Thanks
    • Buelldozer, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1Maybe you should drop the 30% tenancia on new cars? Just a thought. The basis of your problem is a tax, start by fixing that and the rest will fall in line.
    • make7upyours06, on 03/03/2008, -0/+0well it's a start, but from a citizen standpoint, their is not much we can do about it... hey, being a mexican, i agree, our gov't is corrupt as all hell, and among the best paid in the world, but im far from being the person to change the laws. But yes, there is some stuff in the works to try to get rid of the tax in the future, but as far as i see it now, that tax is "necessary" to pay off our millionaire lobbyist and representatives, gobernors, etc... gay. hahaha...
  • mrswirl, on 03/03/2008, -8/+3Every Tuesday and Thursday night on my commute home I find myself having to navigate around these 'Wetback Wagon Trains' of cars being towed south toward the border.

    They come up North to the auto auctions to buy the most *****-up ***** cars imaginable and then tow them back home to Juarez in long caravans going no more than 45mph - backing up traffic the whole way and pissing everyone off in the process.
  • rowlodge, on 03/03/2008, -7/+3didn't know mexico had someone who sold cars over there.
  • erkokite, on 03/03/2008, -6/+1Wonderful! We can make an acronym out of the description!
    MABIMUACPASTD
  • SemiSarcastic, on 03/03/2008, -5/+2DUUUUDE! NAFTA'S WORLD! NAFTA'S WORLD! EXCELLEEEEEEEEEEENT!!!!!
  • WayneCA, on 03/03/2008, -0/+5They did this because used car sales are cutting into new car sales. So.. by allowing fewer used cars in the country, suddenly people are going to be able to afford new cars? Dumb. Lobbyists in Mexico are as bad as the ones in the U.S.
  • MikeFallopian, on 03/03/2008, -6/+1From the article, "the change was made to restrict the entry of vehicles that compete with the Mexican car industry."

    There must be some mistake here - Mexico doesn't HAVE a car industry.
    • make7upyours06, on 03/03/2008, -2/+3wonderful input considering you don't know *****. :) thanks, but your contribution to digg is retarded.
  • liuite, on 03/03/2008, -2/+2Viva "noventa y ocho"
  • jm4847, on 03/03/2008, -4/+1Why did this make it to the front page?
    BTW I don't drive, and I never intent to (too much of a risk IMO).
    • SirZRX, on 03/03/2008, -0/+3cuz there a some people that thinks, this is important!
  • pauldy, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1This is some of the best news I've heard in a while. Now maybe I can pickup an older vehicle for an electric conversion for less than a grand.
  • weister42, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1I own a 1998 Cadillac Deville, wonder how much is it worth down there...
  • SirZRX, on 03/03/2008, -1/+7Have a car in mexico sux balls, i live in mexico and u have to pay a lot of ***** things for one car, just a little example i own a new beetle 2006 the car cost me 20,000 usd, and every year i have to pay a thing called tenencia wich is based on the car value and type of car in my case is 800 USD every year, i need to pay some stickers and some other taxes, in resume i need to pay 980 USD every year in taxes just because i have a car, imported cars only pay like 300 usd once a year (legalization fees) and since they are 10 years old they dont pay tenencia anymore.
    • elliotys, on 03/03/2008, -1/+3The most ***** thing, is that you pay all that money and the roads still suck.
    • make7upyours06, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1he forgot to input the repair cost for the car... i own an Audi A4, a relatively low-to-the-ground vehicule and i have to get the suspension, brakes, and tires checked at least once every couple of months because our roads do suck, but only in certain areas of the country, unfortunately for me, i live in one of those areas hahahaha.
      • elliotys, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1Yeah I almost threw something in about the small towns being where the roads suck, your guys cities are comparable to ours.
  • digalphabeta, on 03/03/2008, -0/+1Haha.. what a bunch of socialist morons. Struggling economy, no problem... lets ban old car imports so that the poor can't drive. No wonder the poor people are fleeing that sh**hole to come over to the U.S. in the millions.
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