Tips for driving to Mexico this winter season

Thousands of RV Snowbirds drive to Mexico during the winter months to vacation. Mexpro.com, a leading provider of insurance for Mexico recently released a list of tips about driving to Mexico this winter.

Mexico insurer solvency and financial conditions
There are fewer than 20 insurance companies in all of Mexico who offer tourist auto insurance coverage. When buying your coverage from Mexico insurers, it is important to check the specific A.M. Best Rating for that insurer. Some large Mexico insurance providers have not been rated by A.M. Best Company. You should never buy your coverage from unrated insurers in the US, let alone Mexico.

At a time when even old stalwarts such as AIG have seen their stock valuations decrease dramatically and are under ratings review with negative implications, it is more important than ever that you make sure you are buying your Mexico coverage from financially stable, AM Best Rated insurers.

For a complete listing of Mexican Insurer's Financial Results, please visit mexpro.com. The company represents only carriers (or their parents) that maintain an A.M. Best A rating or better.

Gas prices less in Mexico
Although US gas prices have taken a dip, gas prices in Mexico continue to be far less. Since Mexico regulates gas through Pemex, their lone gasoline distributor, the gas is the same price whether you fill up in Cancun or Tijuana. For RVers and others traveling to the interior of Mexico this winter, the savings can add up to hundreds of dollars.

If you're crossing the border, keep in mind that you must carry auto insurance for your vehicle.

More bang for your buck
The US dollar is weak, but not in Mexico where the exchange rate is still very favorable. The US dollar has increased 30 percent over the Mexico Peso in the last two months.

With the faltering economy and devalued dollar, Mexico offers a great close-to-home alternative for Americans with Maui-like beaches for a fraction of the cost. Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes survey found that Mexico is the number one destination for Americans.

New Passport card available
The US Department of State has begun mailing out new passport cards: these smaller, less expensive passport cards fit into a wallet. The card is being used in lieu of the larger, traditional passport book, which costs $100 for a new applicant. It is a steal at $20 if you already have a passport, and $45 for first-time applicants. The card can only be used for land or sea travel - not for air travel - in North America.

The passport card features an embedded radio transmitter that allows customs agents to quickly access passport information from government databases. This speeds up the border crossing process and allows customs agents to make better judgments regarding a person's entry into a country. The processing time for the new passport card is about four weeks.

Running the Diesel in Mexico

When the United States made the switch to ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) with model year 2007, it may have caught some in the RVing community off-guard. For those of us with "older" (should we say, "venerable") diesel rigs, the "new" fuel can cause grief with fuel system leakage, and a noticeable loss of fuel economy.

But what about those with the "newer" engines that US law mandates be operated only on the ULSD? Filling up the tank here in the US is not a problem--stations across the country have made the switch to the super low sulfur diesel. But for those taking the rig into Mexico, there could be some problems.

While the Mexican government has directed that diesel produced there should meet the US standards of ULSD by now (September 2008), the reality is things aren't moving quite at that speed. Some insiders think that it could be as late as 2010 before Mexico meets the ULSD standards, because at this time, the refineries are still catching up with changes to gasoline. Still, in border towns along the frontier, it is said that most (if not all) of what is sold as diesel is ULSD, in order for Mexican trucks to be able to cross into the US legally.

But getting away from the border, the standards are not tight, and like as not, most feel you'll be buying "low sulfur" diesel--the kind we used to sell in the states. What happens if you run your ULSD designated truck or car on the "low sulfur" variety. Dire warnings have been posted by the government. One energy site in Alaska suggests engine damage could result.

But the web site, greendieseltechnology.com has this to say: "Tests indicate that filling the tank of a low-emitting diesel vehicle with regular diesel fuel on a rare occasion won't damage the filter system. However, this shouldn't be a habit. Use on a repeated or regular basis would do damage."

That leaves RVers with the newer diesel engines in a distinct quandry. When in Mexico there's really no way to know if the diesel you're pumping is really ultra-low or just "low." And you can't be reasonably assured that if you do pump the "wrong" stuff if you'll suffer damage or not. It's a troubling issue, and one that looks like it'll be with us for some time.