Mexico City - Car Purchase or Sale
Car Purchase
To buy a car you can either go to a car dealer or buy from a person known to you. It is not recommend to go to one of the places which sell and buy used cars. Chances are they are going to fool you. It is your responsibility to verify that the car is not stolen and you should check it thoroughly to make sure it is in good shape and has not had have previous accidents.
If you pay cash, you will not need to produce any documents.
If you do need to apply for a loan, you will have to have:
- Passport and FM2/FM3
- Proof of address (utility bill)
- Salary slip from previous month
Please be aware that
The Mexico City government has a program named Environmental Contingency Program, to prevent and control the emission of pollutants produced by industries, services, motor vehicles, which may compromise
the health of the population as well as the balance of ecosystems.
Programs and measures to control air pollution:
Cars are required to pass a test -every six months- to state a low emission of pollutants. Cars manufactured after 1991 usually pass the test with
no problems.
Depending on the last digit of your license plate, there is an assigned month in which you need to go to your nearest Vehicle Verification Center.
License plates ending in 5 or 6, should verify their cars during the January-February bimonthly, and then during July-August
License plates ending in 7 or 8, should verify their cars during the February-March bimonthly, and then during August-September
License plates ending in 3 or 4, should verify their cars during the March-April bimonthly, and then during September-October
License plates ending in 1 or 2, should verify their cars during the April-May bimonthly, and then during October-November
License plates ending in 9 or 0, should verify their cars during the May-June bimonthly, and then during November-December
This procedure costs $228 pesos (around $30 USD), and you get a 10% discount if you take your car to verification during the first 20 days of your assigned bimester.
A special sticker is issued as proof of having passed the emissions test. You must then affix this sticker in a visible place of your vehicle.
If you fail to present this proof, you may be stopped and fined by police authorities.
Car Sale
If you want to sell your car, it again is recommended to go to a car dealer or sell to a person known to you. If you have gone to one of the places which sell and buy cars and did not receive your money, you may have to place a complaint with PROFECO (Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor) which needs to be done by a lawyer. This can be a very long process, so it's best avoided!
You have to hand over all the documentations of the car to the new owner and sign the back of the original contract, saying that you transfer all rights of this car to the new owner.
