Search

Learning About Automotive Parts

Traveling By Car To Mexico: What Spare Parts Should You Take With You?

5 August 2016

Paula Shaw

If you are heading by car to Mexico (easy, since there are 1,989 miles of shared border with your neighbor to the south), you're probably thinking about passports and which of your credit cards will work there. But you should also be thinking about taking a few extra car parts with you, even if you're not going to any remote areas. Here is a list of the most vital parts to bring along.

Synthetic Lubricants and Oils

If your car uses any special lubricants or oils, especially synthetic ones, you should bring a few extra quarts with you. Rough roads can result in punctures and leaks, and you don't want to find yourself without engine or transmission oil.

Tires

Tires are available both new and used in most areas in Mexico; in fact, you probably can't throw a stone without hitting a llantera (tire shop) there. But it can be hard to find the right size in smaller towns and rural environments. And the reason there are so many tire shops south of the border is that the roads there can be a bit rougher than those in most of the US.

Another reason to bring at least one spare tire is that tires you replace in Mexico won't have a valid warranty in the States, even if those same tires are available at home. If you have a problem just a few weeks after your trip, you won't get reimbursement or replacement.

Battery

Is your battery old or on the fritz? Are you going way off the grid on your trip to do some horseback riding or camping, for example? Better take an extra battery with you. You might not be able to find the right replacement battery where you're headed, and the same warranty issues that affect tires apply to batteries too.

Turn and Headlamp Bulbs

You don't want to get a traffic ticket in Mexico. You can wind up paying a lot of money for having a non-functioning headlight or directional signal, or worse yet, find yourself the victim of corrupt law enforcement. Do yourself a favor, and bring a few extra bulbs with you.

Belts

It's best to check your belts before you leave, but if you have one that might need replacing soon, or if you are traveling to a remote area, you would be wise to bring an extra. A broken timing belt can be a particularly disastrous breakdown, and it could ruin your trip.

Final Tips

Mexico is known for its inexpensive and abundant auto repair shops, but the mechanics there have to have the parts to work with, which can be tough to find outside the US. If you don't have a part with you and have to order it for delivery to Mexico, know that you may have to pay duty to the delivery service that brings it across the border for you. Order your parts from your dealer at home, such as 422 Auto Wrecking, and have them mark the package "parts originating in USA, not available in Mexico," so customs officials will know you are not taking business away from Mexican auto parts businesses.

Share