Travelling in places where bling and a high profile are not wanted

[ExploringNH]

A lifted truck with a rack and lights on the roof and a ton of accessories must surely stand out in places in Mexico and Central America where you least want to draw attention to yourself.

Has this been a problem for anyone traveling in places like this?

I am planning a trip to Brazil from the USA and one thing that worries me is that my truck looks a bit "bling". Its a 2002 4Runner with a few mods, and more will be done to it by the time of the trip.

Pics of truck in sig.

 

[cruiser guy]

A 4Runner is a theft magnet anyways! Add to it and you'll only make it worse.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

.......... eepwall:








.

 

[4RunAmok]

Exactly why I never plan to be south of the border... Ever... At least until after we invade and make it the 51st state.

One key reason is that I'm not allowed to bring in firearms to protect myself, yet the natives are heavily armed. No thanks. You can keep that place.

 

[efuentes]

Exactly why I never plan to be south of the border... Ever... At least until after we invade and make it the 51st state.

Hurry up !!!, We are doing the invading thing much faster and cheaper :sombrero: :sombrero: :sombrero:

On another note, Its becoming a problem more and more, we used to be a ragged group of explorers and now some of my friends are buying brand new JKs and shiny ARB bumpers, I guess I could run away in my beat up 84 Toyo while the banditos go for the shiny cars.

(I'm counting on them ignoring the fact that a beat up Toyo is much more reliable in the outback than the shiny stuff)

 

[cruiser guy]

(I'm counting on them ignoring the fact that a beat up Toyo is much more reliable in the outback than the shiny stuff)

That makes two of us!! (OK maybe mine isn't "beat up" but it's of the age that those who might have thoughts of swiping it would look for something newer).

Frankly, I do not find it nearly as bad as many folks up north portray it and I have made a dozen trips the length of Mexico. Keep the bling and show down and you are likely going to be just fine!

 

[ntsqd]

"Oh, Shiny!!!"

Friends of mine owned a house in La Paz. Her DD was a 2nd gen 4Runner. No flash, no expedition bling, just a garden variety 4Runner. One day one of construction or maintenance guys had to move the truck. Apparently that's a no-no. He got arrested for being a Mexican national driving a U.S. plated truck and the truck got impounded. He was freed the following day, but the truck disappeared. She hired a local attorney to look into it. After a couple days he told her that she wasn't going to get that truck back. Someone in a position of power decided they wanted it.
Maybe things run looser on the peninsula, but that was the start of the turning point for me. Since I can't expect to have my values respected across the border I've elected not to take them there.

 

[Lynn]

... At least until after we invade and make it the 51st state.

Hurry up !!!, We are doing the invading thing much faster and cheaper :sombrero: :sombrero: :sombrero:

Thrust and Parry. The match goes to efuentes.

Well played!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[articulate]

Well played!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agreed.

Never make assuming and uneducated comments about Mexico when efuentes is online.

Vaya con dios.

 

[JIMBO]

:archaeolo I spent 3 years in a row (1968.69.70) traveling in BAJA and Guymas, Mazatlan the west coast of the mainland

I have no reason or desire to go back

:safari-rig: :safari-rig: JIMBO

 

[James86004]

One of my coworkers takes a trip with his buddies every now and again. They always go to the junkyard, buy a car for $500, fix the bare minimum on it, and take it on a trip from fishing shack to fishing shack along Baja. Then, when they get home, they sell the car back to the junkyard for $400. The last one they took was an eighty-something Audi Quattro.

 

[Rallyroo]

Friends of mine owned a house in La Paz. Her DD was a 2nd gen 4Runner. No flash, no expedition bling, just a garden variety 4Runner. One day one of construction or maintenance guys had to move the truck. Apparently that's a no-no. He got arrested for being a Mexican national driving a U.S. plated truck and the truck got impounded. He was freed the following day, but the truck disappeared. She hired a local attorney to look into it. After a couple days he told her that she wasn't going to get that truck back. Someone in a position of power decided they wanted it.

What a scam by those corrupt political officials!!!

 

[Co-opski]

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A lifted truck with a rack and lights on the roof and a ton of accessories must surely stand out in places in Mexico and Central America where you least want to draw attention to yourself.

Has this been a problem for anyone traveling in places like this?

This one time in Wisconsin my truck was broken into. All they took were my Wu Tang Cd's.

I spent 3 years in a row (1968.69.70) traveling in BAJA and Guymas, Mazatlan the west coast of the mainland

I have no reason or desire to go back

I feel the same way about the lower 48 sometimes.

 

[madizell]

This one time in Wisconsin my truck was broken into. All they took were my Wu Tang Cd's.

Probably the neighbors.

 

[Christian P.]

A lifted truck with a rack and lights on the roof and a ton of accessories must surely stand out in places in Mexico and Central America where you least want to draw attention to yourself.

Has this been a problem for anyone traveling in places like this?

I am planning a trip to Brazil from the USA and one thing that worries me is that my truck looks a bit "bling". Its a 2002 4Runner with a few mods, and more will be done to it by the time of the trip.

Pics of truck in sig.

Let's try to formulate an educated answer without any prejudice.

There are more and more nice shinny trucks in Central America and South America. Some locals (and foreigners) have been doing very well in the last 10 years and everyone wants a nice SUV. Have any of you been to Panama city lately? It starting to ressemble Miami.

It's much more a question of attitude, interaction and drawing attention. I have travelled a lot and I have yet to see a bunch of "bandidos" by the side of the road just waiting to steal a nice 2002 4Runner.

Your truck is much more likely to dissappear if you stay somewhere for a while, start acting innappropriatly and get too much bad attention - just like here in the U.S. Things rarely happen just randomly. Furthermore, it's usually quite easy to spot the bad guys - just stay away.

You could also put it that way - would you rather have a good reliable truck that will get you to your destination, or break down along the way in the middle of nowhere? Which situation is more likely to put you in a bad position?

Of course if your goal is to go down to South America, don't put too much extra stuff on the truck - they are much more likely to dissappear in the container while it gets shipped than anywhere else.

Just don't look like you are an easy target - act like you know where you are going and what you are here for.

Just to put a perspective, Scott is going over there with a $120K truck.

Also, as I said several time before, speaking at least some Spanish is probably the best asset you can possess on such a journey - no matter what you are driving.

I hope you go.