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Just want to quietly and strongly and totally and (most important) briefly weigh in with BG on the new vs. used car issue. I had my transmission, front differential, and part of the clutch rebuilt two years ago at a "yonke" for 3,000 pesos.

Originally Posted by kate

Just want to quietly and strongly and totally and (most important) briefly weigh in with BG on the new vs. used car issue. I had my transmission, front differential, and part of the clutch rebuilt two years ago at a "yonke" for 3,000 pesos.

I know, isn't it fun to breath life back into an older (paid for) vehicle vs paying $30-40,000 for a new one? Maybe it's just something about being part of the Garage Sale generation. I must admit that I really do enjoy going to the Tiangis on the weekends here....

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

Now there you go taking all the fun out of the adventure...

Yeah, that may well be....but I'm certain that you've discovered that there are GOOD surprises & BAD surprises! Forewarned is forearmed! I came from sturdy pioneer stock, I'm adventurous, spontaneous & tenacious as hell, but I wouldn't run into a strange dark room at midnight! In my book, there's a difference between being adventurous & being stupid!

Originally Posted by longlegsinlapaz

Will one or both of your kids need braces?

That may be kinda hard to research. I think Soulpatch's kids still have their puppy teeth.

Was brought up with; don't ever by anything new.. never pay full price.. and fix it your self...

Can't fix it myself, but have found many down here that can, as most of that stuff is not rocket science.. especially if one gets an older car...

bought a used Cadillac 60 special in 1993, it was a 1990.. had 58,000 miles on it..

it went to 357,000 before my sons girl friend hit a "curb" doing 40-50 mph.. and took the right front wheel off and messed up the frame too..

I car had the orginal engine.. and transmission.. it used no oil, the trans worked fine and it would get 26 mpg at 70-80 with the air on.. had a huge trunk and would take the back seat out to haul lumber when I used to build things...

Always remember my Uncle in AZ.. think it was about 1953.. had a brand new Mercury ... had to move a calf out to Hardscrabble Mesa .... I helped him put it in the back seat..

The old Willy Jeep was up to Long Valley so ..... we put him in the back seat...

Cars are just cars.. a tool.. when a tool breaks.. you fix it.. you don't get a new one..

That's my story, and I sticking to it... used Crown Vic and a used Bronco, a used Honda Civic and a used 2000 Cad De Ville... all run and don't plan on buy any more cars.. hate the damn things...

Except the Bronco... it's got some class ... it's only 24 years old.. but I have for some reason formed an attachment to it.. plus I can spill my coffee and the wife doesn't get pissed... and I can go slow, cuz I don't want to use gas... people get pissed at me for going the speed limit on the old road between Rosarito and Primo Tapia.. I don't care.. getting old does have it's benefits... people are really pretty nice.. if you give a chance to show it...

Thats my story and I'm sticking to hit.. saw Bob an Oliver yesterday at JMJ Auto Body repair in Rosarito.. Bob "heard" my Bronco when I drove up ... and started jumping up and down.. poor Oliver is "changed to a wall" with a 2' change..

I of course took a bag of Dog Treats.. .... the "boys" were in heaven.. plus it made me feel pretty good to... they both really remembered me.. had been about two or three weeks since I had been up driving up to Rosarito.. I had finally gotten to where I could "get going" and used the moment to go up to the states to pick up a whole lot of stuff I had bought...

Can not believe how much they charge the Mexican people for "CRAP"..

Bought new shocks for the Bronco.. had the orginal ones on.. go new (remanufactured one from the maker KYB) for $163 dollars (delivered) ... they have a life time warranty.. one breaks just send it back.. the ones that were being offered at a couple of places in Rosarito were around 48 to 55 per shock with a 6 month warranty.. they were junk.. now why would they sell junk at high prices to people that need not "bad" shocks.. but really good ones.. they have the roads to test a cars true ability to live ... down here.. it is hard on vehicles.. the old road between Rosarito and El Pescador is just terrible.. they were working on some of the craters yesterday.. even had jackhammers cutting away large patches which are disintegrating from all heavy truck traffic that exits the total road, at El Pescador/Puerto Nuevo to be able to use road 2000 about 9 mile up in order to get to Otay crossing.. looks like they have been following Terry's recommendation on border crossing at Otay..

And would also like to make a road report... there was a very bad accident yesterday morning at the 4 way stop in El Pescador where the OXXO is.. people do not stop at the stop sign ... they just plain don't stop.. go through at 60... well it just been a matter of time.. and the odds caught up with some poor person.. who was taken away in critical condition.. was T boned when coming out of El Pescador ... drive side to the impact..

Saw the ambulances heading south while at JMJ Auto body playing with Bob....

Found at later in the evening, when I stopped for food at Cantiles, wet chili verde burrito with rice and beans.. plus two tacos..

If I repeat my self... that's another thing your allowed to do when your old..

You all have a great day, I'm down for the day .... too much in one day for me yesterday... but, would trade it for the world ... just a super day.. super..

Soulpatch.. the transition with the children would to me be the most difficult.. as you seem to be one that can "take" care of your self and your family... but, the kids.. it just makes it a bit different.. I do know..

I'm sure your going to make out just fine no matter where you go..

If one "cuts all that other crap loose".. while keeping a steady hand on the wheel.. it will work..

There are too many examples of folks living down here for around $1000 a month.. and that's not even grown their own food.. like some of us try.. as what the hell.. all you need is some soil, water, seeds, fertilizer and some loving care.. and nature gives one a tremendous reward "food" to get ... you just go out side and pick a couple of tomatoes, grow some garlic.. have not tried wheat yet.. still want to see if one can grow wheat in square foot gardening .. did the math and it appeared you could.. but ..

With a few ingredients like about .. one can make Bruschetta.. you need a few other things.... but can make it..

I used to just go out and pick a few peppers, cilantro fresh, had grown garlic (still working on potatoes) but would have potatoes... few eggs.. (chickens) and I had a breakfast

The only "thing" that is in short supply in Baja.. water.. the limiting factor for all live as we know it...

But, as FF... think you know about water...

Think you're going to do fine.. as your head is in the "proactive" mode.. there are many that do not think anything is wrong.. go figure...

just read what I wrote.. wow.. should do this in word.. please excuse.. did not want to go back and correct it all... think you get the idea...

Uhhhhhh......that was a rhetorical question!!

"Puppy teeth"??

Sorry Soulpatch, this is clearly an older group....well past the child-rearing phase & moved on into pets crowd!!

Thought about weighing in on this....been reluctant to do so. My first thought would be about the twins; the places you raise them, the education you give them will have a major impact on their adult lives, as it has in some way or another for all of us.
Economically I agree with not having assets in California. If I still lived there I would liquidate them as quickly as possible. In your case I would think long and hard before leaving the states because of all the advantages for children up there. If I were in your situation I would look at small towns, away from big cities, populated with people with whom you feel conmfortable; share your values. Personally I believe this will be very doable economically as the US (and most of the rest of the world) continues what many many believe is an arithmetically essential and prolonged deflationary period.

On the dark side, I read non-political material that is grim, some would consider downright scary. The potential for social and political unrest exists everywhere. Where it would not have been a consideration five years ago, no one really knows where we are in this economic transition and if it is true that the worst is yet to come, how bad that will be and how the masses of people , not just in the US but in every country will deal with it, is a big and potentially very important question.

Until this "shakes out", I'd rent unless there was a compelling reason to do otherwise. Building or buying ties up capital; for a lot of people, a big percentage of their capital. Capital can earn money for you which then pays the rent. Your monthly cash flow could be just the same, maybe better, and you have control and flexibility, which during your transition years and that of the global economy is a really great thing to have.

On a personal level, I'm in my 27th domicile (house, apartment), maybe a couple more than that. By high school graduation I had gone to 8 different schools. Can't say I have a sense of what "roots" are, but change is my norm and living with different peoples, different climates, different enviornments is easy for me. A friend says I'm like a fish and just adjust to the size of my bowl. I thank my parents for that and for ,as much as possible, ensuring that we lived in safe enviornments , had access to good health care and participated and demanded that we study and learn. The rest is gravy.

Thanks for weighing in on this Dusty.
The education aspect is nothing we are taking lightly. My wife, a CA certificated teacher with 12 years experience teaching in San Diego, is fervently schooling our kids through an independent learning program. Still publicly funded and meets all GE requirements and then some, but without all the BS inherent in the traditional educational settings.
One of my Mexican friends, who I respect mightily, is very successful and home-schooled for many years.
Long story short, as long as my kids are enrolled in this program and complete the steps they will do well. As kindergartners they have learned reading and math and some science. I did finger-painting.....and I am relatively successful.
As far as mainland and Belize.......they might make excellent vacation destinations but exploring is the key. We research like MAD! We KNOW we would be happy in baja......and that will likely be our place. However, we owe it to ourselves to figure a few things out by a living experience.
Truthfully, when we retire it feels like our first stop will be our casita in BOLA where we will refine it a bit for a few months since we won't be paying anybody any rent, etc, and just chill and let the feeling of no time schedule envelop us.
We will probably keep fixing that place up and bounce between La Paz and BOLA for what we presume will be less and less frequent trips NOB.
My wife and I have had more than a few life changing events occur to us over the years to KNOW that things often work out in a fashion we had never seen coming.....which is fine and exciting. Best laid plans and all........sometimes they work out....often they don't.

I get a lot of questions via messages/email and online about moving to Baja. Many of them deal with bringing small children down here to live. It is a tough call and it really has more to do with the family dynamics than anything particular about Baja IMHO. Dusty made some very valid points and the decision to move abroad with small kids is one not to be taken lightly. My kids have lived with me in foreign countries under a variety of circumstances, social unrest and political change. Living in Argentina during the early to mid 80's was a very "interesting" time and I personally think it made them richer and well rounded by the experience. But my kids probably inherited some of my insanity and may not be a good yardstick for others.

Of all the people with whom I have had the pleasure to exchange thoughts and ideas with on this subject; soulpatch, you definitely come across as someone who has done their homework. Even more important, I am certain that you have the right attitude for living down here. Although we have never met, you come across as someone who would thrive better in an area with less people rather than more; but that is just my gut feeling.

I agree totally with BG's assessment of you Soulpatch....the only concern in my mind to his "you come across as someone who would thrive better in an area with less people rather than more" would be that might be great for you & your wife, but my gut tells me the kids would flourish better in a slightly more populated area for their social growth & interaction. I'm NOT talking Mexico City!! But then I doubt that BG was either!

In none of my posts have I meant to come across as though I felt you were taking any of this lightly or jumping into anything without thorough research!! Hopefully I haven't ever conveyed that impression! It sounds to me like you are taking your time & looking at several options to formulate the best plan for your family. And you're right!!! As the old saying goes....life is what happens while you were out making other plans!

Dusty....there you go talking above my head again!

Agreed Legz.

What I meant to say is that I see them doing better living outside of town rather than downtown, wherever that is. Didn't mean to infer that they should live in the middle of nowhere. Kids do change our priorities and obviously (based on the response here) soulpatch must know that we all wish he and his lovely family nothing but the very best.

We are a big bunch of metiches and chismosos you know...

Originally Posted by longlegsinlapaz

I Dusty....there you to talking above my head again!

Not possible. I don't measure up.

To anybody who thinks they may be stepping on my toes or not contributing in a meaningful fashion:
I am loving all of this.
And, yes, La Paz area offers access to a city without having to actually live in it. Thank God.
And, I will need that for the rugrats.
Plus, my wife and I are not above getting in a city mode and wanting to have access to that for all that it is.
And then, we go home and be grateful for a little space and solitude. We do like being able to stroll to a neighbors house and share a beverage or small talk, though. We are not monk-like in our sensibilities.
Keep it coming.

Originally Posted by soulpatch

Keep it coming.

Be careful what you wish for...

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

We are a big bunch of metiches and chismosos you know...

Nosy & gossipy???? Stand back Soulpatch, I don't wanna splatter any of BG's blood on you! BG, I believe the words you were looking for were kind, helpful, generous, words of wisdom.

Speak for yourself there Bucko!! I prefer to believe that I'm passing on hard-fought-for, hard-gained information, experience & knowledge & I've got battlescars to prove it!! I'll even vouch for Kate & oldladys pearls of wisdom (well, those of oldladys that I comprehend!) I wish that there had been people as willing to pass on knowledge, information, suggestions & experiences when I first crawled off the boat!

Besides....any & all the information I hand out comes with a full money back guarantee if it's found to be defective when applied according to directions! Kate & oldlady are on their own warranty-wise!

Nosy & gossipy....my asp!

Duck! Cover! Keep your hands out of the fig basket!

Originally Posted by longlegsinlapaz

Nosy & gossipy????

But I meant it only in the nicest of ways...

Too late with that lame excuse.....I already cast the hex!

Not having kids, I can't really comment on how school would be here vs. the U.S..
I did, however, witness something interesting with my neighbor. He has a boy that wants to be a firefighter. He's reaching the age where, if he wants to be successful, needs to be receiving practical experience, Explorer, Reserve, etc. The parents have a pretty successful business going here, but they'll have to make some hard decisions very soon. If they want to let him follow his dream, there is not other choice but to return to the U.S.

I'm sure there are other occupations, that if you kids want to pursue them, you'll have to consider moving back to the States.

Tough decisions.

No doubt.
I can't say that I really want my kids to follow my path.....I think you and I have seen the heyday of the firefighter in this country and I do not think the job will look remotely the same in 20 years......what a shame.
I think it will be a long time before the civil servant is no longer the devil in the public's eye.....it is a big world.....we just saw the IMAZ dolphin flick at Balboa Park yesterday and I think I would much rather have my kids doing that kind of work......they will decide because we are teaching them to follow their passions rather than submitting to external patterns about what they should be and do when it is their time.