Texas to Mexicali, Baja California

[7six2]

I have a business trip coming up which takes me into Mexicali for a few daylight hours. Normally I'd fly into San Diego and take a rental car out there but this time around was thinking about driving my personal truck all the way over from Texas. Would driving my Raptor a few blocks into Mexicali be an obvious no no? Alternately I could drop it off at the rental agency on the US side (Calexico) and get me a loaner to take across for the day. But then I get to worry about my truck being parked at the rental agency. Not sure whats better or worse.

 

[BroncoAZ]

If you want your truck stolen or confiscated then you should bring it. When I used to have to work on the US side in Nogales I usually wrote off my car when I parked it overnight at the hotel. Fortunately I never had an issue with my wife’s car, but I never drove my diesel truck down there.

I’m sure several guys who go into Mexico all the time will chime in and say it’s fine, but my last experience with Mexican authorities went poorly and I will never go back.

Even at the federal mileage rate I couldn’t see driving the Raptor penciling out. If you insist I’d probably leave the truck at a rental place in Yuma rather than Calexico. Yuma is a larger town with a military base. The Raptor would be fun in the dunes west of Yuma.

 

[pastorwug]

I would not take my Raptor into any part of Mexico, no matter how many other trucks have been and returned safely. I grew up 20 miles from Tijuana and it was a hell-hole then and much worse now.

 

[Deleted member 12951]

When off-roading in Baja, I have been through Mexicali three times. Everytime I have entered through Tecate. I never had an issue going through Mexicali but then again we never stopped and drove straight through to the border to get out. We would stop on the outskirts of Mexicali to use the restroom because it can be hours to get across.

Personally, I wouldn’t want to spend the night there leaving my raptor in a parking lot unless it was secured. Baja never felt threatened but if we stayed in a larger town (like San Felipe, Loreto, La Paz), we only stayed at hotels with locked parking lots with security.

Not sure what you are doing in Mexicali but I think you would be better off with a rental if its going to be left unattended

 

[7six2]

Ok. Thanks for the replies. This tells me what I need to know. Although I'm only going a few blocks in...to an american company with gated parking lot...I think I'll just get a rental for the day.

 

[Gdog]

Question for the guys that have been down to Baja . Going to be moving to cabo and will be driving the raptor any secure hotel suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[CoronaRaptor]

Question for the guys that have been down to Baja . Going to be moving to cabo and will be driving the raptor any secure hotel suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

Damn, lucky you, love that place!

 

[Gdog]

Damn, lucky you, love that place!

Thanks corona. It's our retirement plan.

 

[Deleted member 12951]

Question for the guys that have been down to Baja . Going to be moving to cabo and will be driving the raptor any secure hotel suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

Been to Cabo only twice.
First time was here. Parking lot is paid, kinda open but had no issues

Tesoro 14
Blvd. Paseo de la Marina, Centro, Marina, 23405 Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S., Mexico
https://goo.gl/maps/gC7T9GPcUBpxR9ar8

Second time was San Jose del Cabo. It had underground parking

Hyatt Place Los Cabos
Paseo Malecon San Jose No.128, Zona Hotelera, 23406 San José del Cabo, B.C.S., Mexico
https://goo.gl/maps/a4ZbBprPcb4YUbkx9

 

[Gdog]

Been to Cabo only twice.
First time was here. Parking lot is paid, kinda open but had no issues

Tesoro 14
Blvd. Paseo de la Marina, Centro, Marina, 23405 Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S., Mexico
https://goo.gl/maps/gC7T9GPcUBpxR9ar8

Second time was San Jose del Cabo. It had underground parking

Hyatt Place Los Cabos
Paseo Malecon San Jose No.128, Zona Hotelera, 23406 San José del Cabo, B.C.S., Mexico
https://goo.gl/maps/a4ZbBprPcb4YUbkx9

Thanks Rick was looking for suggestions on where to stay on the drive down to cabo? been to cabo several times but never driven there