Just had another oil change. Picture this; a small normal house with a very small one car garage set back about ten feet from a busy four lane road. Well, sort of four lane as there are no lane markings. Drive up for an oil change. Give the guy my new oil and the new filter. Oil changed pronto where the truck is parked on the road. He disposes of the old filter and the old oil. Total cost; 60 pesos, which is about 6 US dollars. Beat that!!<br> In Mexico there are many businesses which in the US would be classed as a hole in the wall. Here it is a way of life. You just have to know where to go as most of these places have no signs. This guy has been changing the oil on my car and the oil on my wifes car for years. His garage is the warehouse etc for the oil. No room for a vehicle. His place is always really clean with no spilt oil. No spilt oil out in the road either. He is always clean and appears to have clean clothes daily. For six bucks why should I mess with an oil change when I can look over his shoulder and tell him exactly what I want? I don't have to worry about disposing of the old oil either. He sells his old oil to a dealer. Think it is recycled. He stocks most common types of oil and filters but knew he would not have the oil and filter for the CTD.<br> Anybody for a cheap oil change? Just bring your own oil and filter.

 

Sounds like a great guy and business! ;D<br><br><br>Tony

 

Hey Mexstan, are you an expatriate? I've always kind of had a dream about selling everything up here and moving south.

 

Yes, definitely an expat. Canadian expat but there are many American expats (gringos) here as well. Not as many tho as in the Ajijijc/Chapala area (where I used to live) which has the the highest number of retired Canadians and Americans outside of the states and Canada. Love it down here and have never regreted my decision to move. Almost perfect weather most of the time. According to National Geographic the Ajijic/Chapala area has the second nicest climate in the world. Some say the nicest.<br>Ajijic: pronounced Ah-hee-hic. I now live in Queretaro, pronounced Key-ret-aro<br>Next week I drive to Veracruz for a few days. Eat your hearts out guys. An easy days drive from where I live. Puerta Valarta is about a 7 hour drive from here. Cancun is a two hour flight from Mexico City. Mexico City airport is a 2 1/2 hour drive from my house.

 

Gary, you talking about Mexico - or the USA?

 

 

Is it really bad or do you just have to know how to act?<br>

 

No, yes. The Mexican's love to answer with &quot;yes, no&quot; or &quot;no, yes&quot;. (Si, no) You have to listen to the accented word to figure out what they are saying. Drives me crazy. OK, you asked so here goes. Mexico has been badly maligned in by the media. Yes, some parts can be dangerous but not as bad as it was years ago. Mexico is a strange mixture of first and third world's. I will go almost anywhere at any time. Mexico City is one place I am careful about, specially at night. Actually it is a horrible place to drive around at night as there are very few street signs and those are not lit. Asking for directions to a major street about 4 or 5 blocks away is a lost cause. Even the cops don't necessarily know their way around.<br> As with any place one has to be careful and somewhat wise. There are some parts of some cities in the US that nobody would want to visit, specially at night. So it is with Mexico. I figure I can live here for 50 years, never leave the country and still not run out of interesting and fascinating places to visit. The ability to talk Spanish is an advantage but without it, it is still possible to get around OK.<br> American's have a bit of a bad reputation down here (and in some other parts of the world) because they come here and expect the Mexican's to talk English and have steak and eggs for breakfast. Then when this does not happen they get loud, rude and brash. Don't want to insult you gringos, but I have seen this myself many times. Makes me ashamed whenever I see that. Remember when you come here, this is a foreign (read strange) country and you are a guest. By the way, don't ask for eggs over easy. That is a foreign concept to the cooks down here. If you do manage to get them to flip the eggs over, expect to be served hockey pucks.<br> No, this country is not not 'bad'. In fact I have said for years that if the Mexican's can find a way to stop their stupid infighting and with the resources of this country that they have the potential to become one of the greatest countries in the world. Yes, compared to the USA, this country is very different. One of the things that makes it so fascinating. The Mexican people for the most part are great and very resourceful. OK, there are a few bad eggs but don't you have some as well?<br> I could go on for pages with great enthusiasm but had better stop. If you want to find more info for yourself do a search under &quot;Chapala&quot; or &quot;Ajijic&quot; or &quot;Veracruz&quot; and others. Next week will be driving thru Mexico City (again!) and then on to state of Veracruz and will check out some of their lovely towns and cities. Will probably spend a night or two on the coast in the city of Veracruz itself.<br> Come on down and have fun. Bring money.

 

Ditto what Mexstan said. I love visiting Mexico, real Mexico, not tourist Mexico. If you want to be truely taken away to a facinating place with rich culture, history and fantastic people it is a great place to go. Do not go to any towns that are in close proximity to the United States, do not go to any towns with a cruise ship pier, and do not go expecting to find the trappings of the USA and you will have a fantastic visit.

 

Nevada said it exactly. The border towns are not a true representation of what a Mexican is or Mexico. I live in the real Mexico. Actually it is called the heartland of Mexico. Sure, the big names are everywhere such as Costco, Wal-Mart, Sams, Office Depot etc but just a block or two away is still the real Mexico. That is represented by my oil change and much, much more.<br> My eating schedule is on Mexican time and in my opinion is a lot more healthier than the western way of eating. Breakfast at about 9:30 or 10. For me that consists of a big bowl of fresh fruit. Normally at least five different kinds of fruit and has been as high as 11 different kinds. Lunch, the big meal of the day is at about 2:30 or 3 PM. Supper is a snack whenever I feel like raiding the fridge. There is no sit down supper. Everybody for himself and no big meal and then go and sleep as you do in the USA.<br> Incidently, when I was having my oil changed I got really hungry. Diagonally opposite me was a bakery and the smell of fresh bread and pastries was very tantalizing. Most Mexican bread is delicious, specially when extra fresh.<br> I never wash my own vehicles any more. Just like I no longer do my own oil changes. I can go to a place and have my car hand washed with fresh water and then hand dried for around $3. It takes 10 - 15 minutes. The truck being larger costs a whopping $4. This price includes Armorall (or a cheaper version of it) on the tires and all other rubber componants. They do a great job. While they wash the car I have the option of either going into the restaurant or going shopping at Sam's or Wal-Mart as they are all part of the same parking lot.<br> We don't have a live in maid as many do. (the maids quarters is now my workshop) Our maid comes in twice a week and cleans the house. It costs us about $24 a week. The gardener comes about every two weeks or less, depending on how much it has rained. He brings his own mower etc and not only mows the grass but digs up around all the shrubs, trees etc. He takes the cut grass away. He charges around $17 a visit and could spend up to three hours here for that price. He will do anything else we want him to do for the same price.<br> Beginning to get the idea why I love it here? The weather in this city is normally around 70 - 80 degrees the year round. This winter was rough. We had two mornings at daybreak with frost and four or five mornings the temp was close to freezing. By 10 AM it is back to about 60 degrees. Humidity seldom gets above 50%. Most days are sunny with a brilliant blue sky. Life is soooo rough!!! I consider myself very blessed and do not take all these blessings for granted. Almost daily I thank the Lord for giving me this great life, and this great country.

 

Sound great!! Sign me up!!! Since the cost of living is definatly lower than here, how are the wages??

 

COL is not necessarily cheaper then the US or Canada because some things are more expensive. It also depends on where you live. Wages depends on what you do. if you work for an American or Canadian company and can get paid in US dollars you have it made. If you work for a Mexican company and get paid in pesos you may not get much unless you are in some sort of senior management position.

 

Mexstan, you must have a quick and loud horn to drive in the capital city. We go down to Cuernavaca and rent an apartment occasionally and stay for five or six months but I leave my car there and take the bus to Mexico and taxi around the city. The last apartment we rented came with maid service, an illegal from San Salvador, who worked for our landlord for 20 pesos a day and lunch. My landlord's son told me that the illegals were coming north and taking all the Mexicans jobs. Min. wage was $3 US or N$21 in pesos. Great country and people, strange government and class system. I have met some of the richest and some of the poorest people I have ever met, in Mexico. At times I like to leave the car in Cuernavaca and take the 2nd. class buses south. Real fine folks on those buses. Everyone brings something to eat and all share. Don't have a clue as to what some of the stuff was I ate and drank. One evening at a supper stop in some out of the way place in Oaxaca, I happened on a vendor selling mescal so I bought two gallons to share on the bus ride. $2 a gallon. Would have felt better if the driver hadn't joined us in passing the jug. Never knew an old Dina bus could run 145 kph on a road that narrow and dark.