Tips on Buying Cars: taking a car across the border, federal law states, mexico thanks

Question
QUESTION: I am currently down in Mexico for awhile but my U.S. address is in New York. I would like to go up to Texas, or some southern state, to buy a car and drive it back across the border. My question are 1- Do I get a temporary registration I can drive with? 2- Do I have to wait for the permanent registration to cross the border? 3- Do I have to go to NY physically to apply for the registration? 4-Can I get temporary insurance and then buy insurance down here in Mexico? Thanks.

ANSWER: Mira,

Thanks for your question.  To answer your question.  First if you are paying cash for the vehicle, you can take the car across the border with no problem, you will just have to have proof of ownership and yes you will get a temporary registration.  Now, if you are financing the vehicle you will have to have permission from the lender to take the car across the border.  This will take several weeks to get.  You can get insurance in the United States, and will be required to for you to drive the vehicle off the dealerships lot.  If you are planning on registering the vehicle in NY, then yes you will have to go to NY to get permanent registration.

Hope this helps.

Thanks - JB

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: If I buy a car in Mexico with Mexican plates what are the laws if I ever want to bring that car into the U.S.?

Answer
Mira,

The laws are different for every state, but the Federal law states that the vehicle must go thru US customs and must be inspected.  If it is for temporary entry purposes, all you have to do is get a letter from your lienholder that it is okay that you bring the vehicle into another country for a specified number of days.  If you have no lien on it, then you don't need anything.  The car will just have to go thru customs and be inspected, but other than that you don't need anything else.  

If you are bring the car in permanently then all the above applies, but you will also have to have the vehicle inspected and brought up to US inspection standards and register the vehicle in whatever state you are residing in.  

Hope this helps.

Thanks -JB