Expert: JRA - 5/12/2007

Question
JRA,

I am going to be teaching for two years in Tegucigalpa and want to drive from Maine to Honduras as a summer adventure.  I don't plan on returning the vehicle to the states.  Is this going to be a major headache?  How can I be most prepared for it?  What can I expect from crossing the Mexico and Honduras borders?

Any info you have would be very helpful

Thanks
Matt

Answer
I couldn't tell you about crossing the Mexican border but once you cross into Guatemala it can be a very dangerous journey.  Find out what the safest route into Guatemala City is and then take the Puerto Barrios route into Honduras since this is the safest.

Have all the vehicle documents ready, you will probably have to pay some fees at the borders.  Try not to show too much cash when you pay the authorities.  

Once you are in Honduras you will probably need to get a permit to drive the vehicle around and it shouldn't be a problem to sell it.  There is a law that prohibits importing of cars older than 2000 for sale purposes so take that into consideration.