Seeking advice on driving from Nogales to Ixtapa

Private message on it's way this afternoon.

Below are some unbiased facts to help plan your transportation budget.





Tolls 2 axle motorhome

2 axle motorhome. Mex 15, but avoiding Michoacan coast including Morelia

3,817 Pesos $210.09 dlls one-way Nogales / Zihuatanejo
Towing a car ADD $2,379 pesos $119.50 dlls ($329.64 total both vehicles one way)




Entering Eagle Pass Texas - Morelia Zihuatanejo

1,543 Pesos $81.64 one way Eagle Pass Texas / Zihuatanejo
Towing car ADD $754 $39.89 (total both vehicles $121.53 dlls one way)




Gasoline price AZ average $2.45
Gasoline price TX average $1.99

Regular MAGNA price Mexico $3.73

I can't speak for Mazatlán to Ixtapa, but Nogales to Mazatlán was passable all along the 15D and security was not an issue.

Just what newbies need to hear. Thanks!

Many Mexicans in HMO do not drive past Guaymas. Even Guaymas has murders every day including police. The entire police force in Guaymas was laid off due to collusion with the narcos. Obregon is especially bad. Truckers have been caravanning due to trailer thefts. Car jacking is also prevalent. Those from Sonora that like Mazatlan don't drive. They fly. Have RV'rs had any problems? NO, not yet. But we should not paint a rosy picture. Give travelers the facts and let them decide. Sonora and Sinaloa are both on the do not travel list for both the USA and Canada. That is a high level warning. I don't ever remember Sonora being on the Canadian list. We are experienced Mexico travelers and have had some fantastic times RVing in Mexico. But unless something changes we have decided to NOT travel further south. Looking at the lack of RV'rs in Mexico there must be a lot of People who agree with our assessment. There are very few newbies that come to this forum for advice. There are also a lot of experienced travelers who have just disappeared from this or any other Mexico related forum. I have a brand new Denali that is sitting in Canada as I am afraid it would be carjacking bait. RV ing in Mexico can be a wonderful experience. Lots to see. Lots to enjoy. Totally unlike traveling in the USA or Canada but we feel it is just too dangerous right now. We drive to HMO almost every week and even that is taking chances. Lots of daylight shootings. Sometimes right in the police station. There is no need for anyone to respond with comparisons to some dangerous US city or to quote statistics. The newspapers here as well as the TV tell the real story. I don't quote those stories in the forum as I would be spending hours doing this every day ! Everyone has to make their own decision. We have never had a serious incident in almost 30 years but times have changed.

Moisheh

This is the official U.S. government travel website. You can read it state by state but these are the five states that the U.S. considers as no travel.

I have separated the remarks for Sinaloa and Sonora is not in a no travel category.

Mexico Travel Advisory

Do not travel to:

Colima state due to crime.
Guerrero state due to crime.
Michoacán state due to crime.
Sinaloa state due to crime.
Tamaulipas state due to crime.

Sonora is a key location used by the international drug trade and human trafficking networks. However, northern Sonora experiences much lower levels of crime than cities closer to Sinaloa and other parts of Mexico.

Sinaloa state – Level 4: Do Not Travel
Do not travel due to crime.
Violent crime is widespread. Criminal organizations are based and operating in Sinaloa state.

Thanks Chris: I have not looked at the US site for a month or so. I am pretty sure Sonora was on the list in September here is the Canadian listing:


MEXICO - Exercise a high degree of caution

Exercise a high degree of caution in Mexico due to high levels of criminal activity, as well as demonstrations, protests and occasional illegal roadblocks throughout the country.


Northern states - Avoid non-essential travel

Avoid non-essential travel to the following northern states due to high levels of violence, linked mainly to organized crime:
•Chihuahua
•Coahuila (except the city of Saltillo)
•Durango
•Nuevo León (except the city of Monterrey)
•Sinaloa (except the city of Mazatlán)
•Sonora (except the cities of Hermosillo and Guaymas/San Carlos)
•Tamaulipas
That warning is enough to void many of the travel health insurance policies. Normally Canadians do not travel with that insurance. Some companies simply void the whole policy. Others will not cover anything that was caused by crime in those areas. When I found a company that would do the latter the rates were about 30% higher! Not good

Moisheh

Hello everyone, thank you all for your helpful replies. Here are answers to questions:
Our rig is a 37 ft. 2005 Winnebago Adventurer class A. It has a Chev Vortek engine w/Allison tranny so it has pretty good towing power. The only Mexican driving experience we have is in the city if zihuatanejo so far. We do have a toad. It's a 2016 2dr.Jeep Wrangler. We will have an ex-pat friend and his Mexican wife riding down with us to kind of show us the way, but we were just checking to see if there have been any issues on the main roads lately.

Without creating hysterics...

• Check with your local Jeep dealer and see if it would be possible to disable your Jeep by simply pulling a fuse
• A no-start disable is better than a no-crank disable
• You'll only need to disable while it's being towed on the highway
• This will eliminate any chance of it being taken
• Do not listen to scare stories about disabling a vehicle to prevent theft. About how it won't work and the appearance of bogeymen (BAH!)
• And for gosh sakes take spare fuses in case you lose one. If you wish to enter Mexico and travel down the West Coast via Nogales, I recommend staying strictly on Mex 15-D and not taking any "toll free" free highway diversions in order to save toll fares
• You will need to get current advice about the capitol of Sonora, and the Capitol of Michoacan (the state where I have lived for 25 years)
• Some cities demand that "heavy" vehicles use marked bypasses (Hermosillo Sonora) and use frontage lanes (Morelia Michoacan)
• Take Mex 15-D toward Guadalajara. It's multi lane for most of the way
• Exit at the spur highway to MORELIA. Make a right onto the crowded ring road around the city
• On the opposite side of the city exit onto Mex 14 and thirty five or so miles later the highway becomes toll
• This is a notably steep descent. It's two lane and the custom is to crab over onto the smooth paved shoulder (halfway) and let following traffic pass
• At the bottom near the ocean, when you turn left toward Zihuatanejo on Mex 200 cross across the entire highway and make a left onto the frontage access, turn left and this is like an on-ramp to get onto Mex 200 southbound
• Talleyho will have the latest scoop on current conditions in Zihuatanejo
• 7x35 binoculars are vigorously recommended for the co pilot to spot upcoming highway signage
• Ignore anyone anywhere that points back at your rig frantically which would encourage you to stop
• Police and Americans and Canadians excepted
• Incidents are getting as rare as a blue eyed iguana but a minimum of caution is urged
• Get a copy of the Church & Church RV'ers guide to Mexico
• I try and pace myself to 300 miles a day, 6 hours when it looks like RV parks are widely spaced
• This is no place to try night driving
• Road signs reflect poorly
• Pavement striping is poor
• And the police and military patrols turn in for the night.

In fact timing your stops will be the biggest bulk of trip planning. Use the Church RV Guide and allow daylight to set up. If I feel pooped out I hole up for a day maybe two. Excitement at the foreigness of it all can be a real adrenaline drain.

Bring some fans if you are not heat tolerant. And some adapters that allow you to plug into a household type receptacle.

A couple of days after you reach Zihuatanejo you will have blown off nervous energy and then it's time to enjoy one of the few tropical resorts that is 100% authentic Mexican (despite the occasional Frappuccinos, and Prime Rib restaurants :)