safey concerns of getting a 2015 rubicon stolen in baja?
- Thread starter isignay
- Start date
The Swiss
Expedition Leader
I have not been to Baja but spent a lot of time on mainland Mexico with our 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I consider the risk of the vehicle being stolen or getting broken into about the same as in Atlanta, or LA, or NY. Do yourself a favor and get a good insurance for Mexico with full coverage and you will have peace of mind that if something should happen you are covered. I am using Bajabound for the last 5 years because they are (or were at one time) a sponsor here at the ExpeditionPortal. I know that their rates are OK but I can't say if they are any good or not as so far I luckily never had to use them 
. The insurances they are representing are quite common in Mexico and have a dense agency network.
I'd love to go to Baja one day and would not hesitate to take my own vehicle there: the only reason I have not been yet is that it is that darn far from Georgia and I can't take off more than one week at a time from my job.
.
So, I would not have more safety concerns than in San Diego!
. The insurances they are representing are quite common in Mexico and have a dense agency network.I'd love to go to Baja one day and would not hesitate to take my own vehicle there: the only reason I have not been yet is that it is that darn far from Georgia and I can't take off more than one week at a time from my job.
.
So, I would not have more safety concerns than in San Diego!
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
When I was in Mexico locals told me the last thing in the world a Mexican wants to do is to steal my Jeep.
If they were seen driving a US-plated vehicle in Mexico, they would immediately be pulled over and arrested with questions later.
Even if they did manage to steal it - what are they going to do with it?
They can't just go and register it, it's not even in the Mexican DMV computers, and as soon as they show up with it they're arrested anyway.
That advice was actually true for all of Central/South America.
Baja is stunning and the people are very friendly. You'll have an amazing time. I can't wait to go back.
-Dan
If they were seen driving a US-plated vehicle in Mexico, they would immediately be pulled over and arrested with questions later.
Even if they did manage to steal it - what are they going to do with it?
They can't just go and register it, it's not even in the Mexican DMV computers, and as soon as they show up with it they're arrested anyway.
That advice was actually true for all of Central/South America.
Baja is stunning and the people are very friendly. You'll have an amazing time. I can't wait to go back.
-Dan
iRagedoYou
Member
Thanks for sharing the info here. I can't wait to go to Baja!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The Swiss
Expedition Leader
And when we are at it, all the horror stories you hear about the "Federales", not true. After many, many, many check-points, the Federales always treated me very friendly and super correctly. Most of the time it's just a "de donde viene, a donde va?" sometimes they check the permit on the windshield to make sure it has not expired. (Mainland Mexico, if you go further than about 12 miles into the country, you need to temporarily import your vehicle and they give you a sticker for your windshield that proves that you did so, I assume the rules for Baja are the same.) And if you have your paperwork in order - which you really should - no problems at all with the Federales.
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
All of Baja is in the "border" - so you don't need to import your vehicle if you're just driving own baja.
Details here http://wikioverland.org/Mexico
If you get to the bottom and decide to ship to the mainland, you can do the paperwork there before shipping (That's what I did)
-Dan
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
Ask Frenchie.
He and a few others got broken into and lost quite a bit of property on their last trip, from what I recall. But nobody hurt and no vehicles taken.
Tennmogger and the Unimog club did a trek most of the way down Baja with no problems. But, then again, you gunna mess with a bunch of 'Mogs? They looked like extras from a Mad Max movie.
He and a few others got broken into and lost quite a bit of property on their last trip, from what I recall. But nobody hurt and no vehicles taken.
Tennmogger and the Unimog club did a trek most of the way down Baja with no problems. But, then again, you gunna mess with a bunch of 'Mogs? They looked like extras from a Mad Max movie.
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
It's probably worth noting that it only works going from Baja to the mainland, not the other way around.
A couple years ago we drove down the mainland side (of the Sea of Cortez) & picked up the ferry over to La Paz. Had to do the temporary vehicle import to get that far south. When we got to La Paz, they were "unable" to cancel the import permit, saying I had to do it at the border (apparently they can only issue permits at the ferry terminal, not cancel them).
Naturally, when I got back to the border a couple weeks later (still in Baja), no one knew how to cancel the permit - and a few didn't even know what it was!
I ended up making a 2nd trip to Mexico (Nogalas) just to cancel the permit.
SDDiver5
Expedition Leader
General rule in Baja, don't act like an idiotic american tourist. If you go down there and party and do drugs and act like you're with your frat brother on spring break, you're gonna get in trouble. I highly doubt that is you and since you're on EP I am pretty sure you will be respectful so you should be fine. If you're really that concerned then you might want to look into a fuel kill switch and a few extra safety things for state of mind.
Don't travel at night through the cartel border towns and be respectful. Yes, there is a chance of your stuff getting stolen but that could happen anywhere like you said above. If you search baja you should be able to find threads of people that go often and you will be able to get some more good info from there.
Good luck and have a blast.
Don't travel at night through the cartel border towns and be respectful. Yes, there is a chance of your stuff getting stolen but that could happen anywhere like you said above. If you search baja you should be able to find threads of people that go often and you will be able to get some more good info from there.
Good luck and have a blast.
NOMADIC_LJ
Explorer
bajanomad.com is a great resource for anything baja.
enjoy the fresh fish tacos con cervesa
enjoy the fresh fish tacos con cervesa
The Swiss
Expedition Leader
calicamper
Expedition Leader
Agreed
Though I will say the vehicles that get stolen at high rates are older vehicles and for parts. Couple of my buddies spent years and years hitting favorite surf spots down south. The only vehicles they had stolen were older Ford Pickups a couple of local friends warned them of the risk with the pickup given they get stolen for the parts. Over 12yrs of trips they lost one Ford Ranger 4x4 with 200,000 miles on the clock they were more pissed about the lost gear that was in the back of the truck. The other truck was an old F150 more or less the same story. Most of the trips they stuck with old beater minivans and never had any issues. Today they do the trip with pretty new vehicles F150 and a Jeep. They say the risk is pretty low especially with the new chipped keys and security systems on the new cars that and their isn't a big demand for parts for those vehicles so its a pretty low risk. Insurance is a good idea though! US policies don't cover you once you cross the border.
GR8ADV
Explorer
I would not worry about it any more than here in the US. But FYI, just before our moto trip last year a guy had it bike 'taken' from a convenience store parking lot while he was shopping. It was miraculously found after a tidy (somewhat pre arranged) 'reward' was offered. So I agree they are not going to steal it to ride around town, but they can clearly jeepnap it if they wanted. So take normal precautions and you will be fine. Baja is 10 notches down on the scale from the mainland. No shortage of gringos living everywhere in Baja.
I have not been but do know someone close which stays there year round and has a raptor; you are at risk cause its a wrangler (soft top i'm guessing) so easily to be broken into. Just get security boxes that are lockable etc and you will be fine. or just take valuables with you all the time. like the previous post said your is is the same as as if in LA or vegas etc