Hello:
I just got my car taken to the police because the police officer thought that it was a car brought illegally to the country, this is because they are not used to see a mini coopers on the streets.
It took me 3 hours to take it out of the impound because I had to show the invoice of where I bought the car.
Here everyday is not a happy Motor Day.

:???: :???:

 

At least everything got straightened out....

 

Would you be willing to bet they just wanted to drive it? Next they'll try to confiscate it for causing rubbernecking accidents!

 

Yes I got my Mini back, but I need to fix the paint, because they put some king of security sticker on every door, trunk and bonnet, to ensure that no one opens the car.
I don’t like people touching my car; I don’t even use valet parking.

 

Are you Mexican, or an ex-patriot living in Mexico? I'm not sure I've heard of the Mexican Police harassing nationals before. I'm sorry!!!!

R

 

Where do you live? Is there somewhere we can e-mail these cop-shop dolts? we can suggest to them that instead of reading Donut Daily, they should try Road & Track!

 

You're in Mexico, right? Just wanted to make sure that the US cops hadn't sunk to a new level of weirdness...

Maybe your dealer will do you a favor and help get the sticky stuff off the paint...it would be a good story for them to tell to new purchasers (at least a cautionary tale to carry a copy of your bill of sale!).

 

Davbret
I was born in Spain; lived 8 years in San Diego CA, and now I’m living in México City, that is the main reason that I don’t look too Mexican
I have blond hair and blue eyes so you can imagine they think I’m a tourist, and they go after the dollars.

 

Wow! thats a new one!

>>Are you Mexican, or an ex-patriot living in Mexico?

I have heard that there are alot of MINIs in Mexico!?

 

The dealer said that they would take the stickers off, and that they had sold 173 Mini Coopers in the entire country.

 

I kinda thought it might have hadsomething to do with the way you look. Sorry bud. You didn't have to pay them anything did you?!?!

R

 

I had to pay $890 pesos this is like $89 Dollars for the impound, But they gave me that we are Sorry smile.
Can´t wait to get back to San Diego, this summer.

 

How depressing! SO Sorry!

I would be fuming about the $89 just in principle! I guess Mexico is not US. You're options are probably non-existent.

That does indeed make the motorin' a lot less happy! (Forever the optimist - with a twist of realist!)

 

Hey Chobe! I know what you're talking about, I live in Mexico City too and I've been Hassled by the Cops countless times before! A word of advice: Read the traffic rulebook and have a general knowledge of it, as it will help get you out of a lot of trouble the next time they stop you. The police love to take advantage of you if they realize that you dont know your rights, and remember, theyre just looking to scare you out of a couple of Pesos.
Just for future reference, there are only four situations in which your car can be impounded in Mexico City: 1: Your car's registration papers don't match your license plates, 2: You haven't done your smog check(verificacion), 3: You are obstructing traffic, 4: Your car is abandoned on the street. That's IT! They have no legal right whatsoever to impound your car for any other reason. (It's in the new rulebook)
Also, the first thing the Police MUST do after they pull you over is show you their badge number and oficial Identification including their full name. If they do not do this,(and the vast majority do not) you're in luck, as they legally cannot proceed without having done this. Simply remind them of their mistake and threaten to report them to their precinct, and they usually let yo go pretty quickly as they like to avoid legal hassles at all costs and it's easier for them to let you go and just wait for the next "sucker" to drive by and offer them an easy bribe. I've been stopped several times for having tinted windows (which IS ilegal, by the way) and have gotten away with it EVERY time thanks to this little "loophole"!
Anyway, Good luck motoring and I hope to see you on the streets in Mexico City as soon as my MCS arrives in a couple of weeks!
Good luck!