Can I buy a car in Mexican pesos in Mexico and bring it back to the United States?

Question

1 dollar= 100 Pesos

I also want to know what problems I might face... Can I drive the car back to the United States? What taxes might be included?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Below are just a few of the challenges that you may face.  

Imported motor vehicles are subject to U.S. safety standards, bumper standards, and air pollution control (emission) standards. Most vehicles manufactured abroad that conform with U.S. safety, bumper, and emission standards are exported expressly for sale in the United States; therefore, it is unlikely that a vehicle obtained abroad meets all relevant standards. Be skeptical of claims by a foreign dealer or other seller that a vehicle meets these standards or can readily be brought into compliance. Nonconforming vehicles entering the United States must be brought into compliance, exported, or destroyed.

Both the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advise that although a nonconforming car may be conditionally admitted, the modifications required to bring it into compliance may be so extensive and costly that it may be impractical and even impossible to achieve such compliance. Moreover, some vehicle models are prohibited from importation. It is highly recommended that these prohibitions and modifications be investigated before a vehicle is purchased for importation.

Dutiable Entry

Foreign-made vehicles imported into the U.S., whether new or used, either for personal use or for sale, are generally dutiable at the following rates:

Autos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5%

Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25%

Motorcycles. . . . . . . . . . 3% or 3.4%

Duty rates are based on price paid or payable. Most Canadian-made vehicles are duty-free.

As a returning U.S. resident, you may apply your $400 Customs exemption and those of accompanying family members toward the value of the vehicle if it:

    * Accompanies you on your return;

    * Is imported for personal use; and

    * Was acquired during the journey from which you are returning.

For Customs purposes, a returning U.S. resident is one who is returning from travel, work, or study abroad. After the exemption has been applied, a flat duty rate of 10% is applied toward the next $ 1,000 of the vehicle's value. The remaining amount is dutiable at the regular duty rate.

Certain imported automobiles may be subject to the "gas-guzzler" tax. The amount of the tax is based on a combined urban/highway fuel-economy (miles per gallon) rating assigned by the EPA for gas-guzzler tax purposes. This EPA rating may be different from fuel-economy ratings indicated by the manufacturer.

If the EPA has not assigned a gas-guzzler fuel-economy rating for the model automobile you import, a rating must be independently determined. No tax is imposed on automobiles that have a combined fuel-economy rating of at least 22.5 miles per gallon.

Answer 2

Many of the cars bought OUTSIDE of USA do not meet DOT requirements (like safety and emission).  Getting that modified to meet USA requirements are often very expensive (if not impossible)

Good Luck...