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Dot and Bill Bell are Mexican RV experts and have taught and led seminars about camping in Mexico throughout Canada and the US. Their website, is considered the most up-to-date source about camping and RVing south of the border.
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| Mechanic and body work prices are substantially cheaper in Mexico. Here Bill and Dot are satisfied customers of mechanic who spent New Year's Eve fixing a fuel problem. |
Questions this issue:
Cost of vehicle repairs
Vegetarian Restaurants
Road signs Spanish
Dear Bill and Dot,
My neighbor says that vehicle repairs are very inexpensive in Mexico. I have some body work that I would like done on my fifth wheel and am considering having it done while I tour the country. Have you had any experience? -- Jeff Peters
Hi Jeff,
Your neighbor is right. Vehicle repairs can be very inexpensive and we have overall had great experiences with mechanics. Like everywhere there are lemons and there are geniuses. Mexicans are known for their resourcefulness. We have had parts fabricated because they were not readily available. We regularly get tune-ups, oil changes, filter changes, breaks replaced etc. We have also had bodywork done on both our rig and Westphalia. The charge for a mechanic or lead worker is approximately $10 per hour. Helpers are half that. Oil changes are usually for the cost of the materials.
The body work that we have had done is very acceptable. Often they will come to your RV park to do much of the work on site. They match the paint color by taking off a small door or gas cap and returning with a matched color.
We suggest that when you go to Mexico, go to a large RV park outside a major resort city. In smaller, non-resort communities the prices are generally lower. Ask your park manager where you can get the specific work done. In Mexico mechanics specialize. There are diesel mechanics, brake specialists, body workers, upholsterers etc. The park manager will be able to direct you to the best person in the area.
To assist with declaring the work at the border, ask for a receipt. A note with the mechanic's name, address, phone number, signature and total amount of the repair is usually acceptable. If your vehicle is under warranty do the obvious and check first with the warranty provider.
Hi there,
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| Fresh grains in Mexico Bill Bell Photograph |
We are going down the Gulf Coast and then looping around the Yucatan. We hope to then travel back visiting as many colonial cities on the return route as we can. Our question is this: We are vegetarians and keep a very strict diet. What is the availability of vegetarian restaurants? -- Crystal and Pete
Dear Crystal and Pete,
The bad news is that generally speaking vegetarian
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| Fresh Veggies are plentiful in Mexico bill Bell Photo |
restaurants are not as readily available as they are in the US or Canada. In the larger resort areas you will find a few but these are rare. In the typical restaurant you must be careful of the oil used to fry fish to ensure it's vegetable oil. Even nachos can be cooked in animal oil. You must be vigilant.
The good news is that Mexico, of course, serves beans
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| roadside fruit markets are everywhere in Mexico Bill Bell Photograph |
everywhere. Fish is plentiful. Salads are plentiful. Fruit is plentiful. And don't forget that when you travel by RV you have a mobile kitchen that can prepare foods exactly as your diet allows. The great news is that there is an abundance of fresh ingredients that you can enjoy.
Hi,
How do you deal with road signs? I know very little Spanish and I am concerned that I will run into problems. -- Fred K.
Hi Fred,
No problema!
Most signs are international. Stop signs are in the same shape as back home for example. The sign designating bridges hazards etc are all symbols that you will find similar to those in Canada or the US.
Two words that you should be ultimately familiar with are Tope and Peligroso. Tope means speed bump and you usually find these on highways before and after every town, around school zones and other areas that you are encouraged to slow down. Peligrosso mean danger. Curva Peligrosa means dangerous curve.
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| International symbols on road signs in Mexico |
We travel with a Spanish/English dictionary on the dashboard. For the signs that have words we look them up. It makes for great guessing games. It also gives you a base to learn the language. Whatever you do don’t let the language barrier stop you. It’s a snap really.
P.S. You've given us the idea to collect pictures of road signs and put them on our web….Thanks
For more information about RVing and exploring Mexico, go to The Bell's Website or to ask your question about RVing in Mexico write editor@ontheroadin.com .
For a big selection of books about RVing in Mexico visit RVbookstore.com.
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