Tijuana body shop recommendations

[ejs]

I have put off getting my 1973 body work and the rust is getting to a point where I can no longer wait.  A few years ago someone from Newport Beach brought their car to one of the two Los Panchos, the shops are a couple of blocks from each other and close the border.  I looked at a Vanagon that was done in Ensenada and was impressed.  I have Sentri and going back and forth is not a problem.  Will post some photos and get some feedback on what else I should do to restore the car.  Needs rust cut out and welding.  Had it painted 10 years ago down there, Verona Red, and will not take it back to that place   They were cheap but want a more professional paint job.

[Vicleonardo1]

Like Jrhone? 

 

https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/topic/181646-los-panchos-tj-paint-job-update/?tab=comments#comment-1117523

[ejs]

I will take a drive down and get a quote from them and the Los Panchos two blocks away.  They are both on google maps.  I put my 1973 on the Sentri list so I can use the short line across the border.  Looked at a Land Cruiser restored at Los Hermanos, great job for $3,500 including interior.  They are deeper in TJ from the border, but I think the owner lives in US so speaks English.  My Spanish is poor, almost worthless.

[iinca]

tell us more about this Sentri list

[arminyack]

I took mine to Garage Los Ponchos. That was 3 years ago. I paid $2500 for rear end repairs after being rear ended, and getting tho whole car painted. Im still very happy with the results. I'm heading back down there in one of my Alfa's very soon

 

The garage Los Ponchos Experience

 

 

[FunkyLaneO]

SENTRI = Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection

essentially you have a background check, an interview with CBP, and register your car with the program. This allows you to use the SENTRI lanes at the border which take about 10-15 minutes as opposed to 1-5 hours at San Ysidro.

 

SENTRI is included with Global Entry which I have found to be worth every penny the first time you return from an international flight to a crowded airport, just last week I avoided a 3 hour line at customs coming into Dulles, there was one other person in line ahead of me in the Global Entry line.

[chargin]

15 hours ago, arminyack said:

I'm heading back down there in one of my Alfa's very soon

 

Hope it makes it ??

[ejs]

You are supposed to list your car so when you cross the border in the special SENTRI line it is on file, added it via wesite, took two months for them to process it so I can bring either of my cars across.  No  longer require a visual inspection prior to adding to list.  For new applicants, the interview process is delayed as they took agents and put them on border security.

 

[ejs]

Looked at the work from Los Hermanos, not all rust cut out like I need, will not take my car there.  Also asked them if they ever did a BMW 2002 and they have not.

[ejs]

[jrhone]

My car was the one from Newport Beach....

 

Los Panchos is the place...Ramiro is the guy I spoke to.  He speaks English.  about $2k did my car with a new headliner....

011-52(664)685-8859

 

3 years later I am very pleased with the work...still shiny.  I plan on taking it back down in a year or so and have some touchup work done.  I would do it again in a heartbeat.  Here are a few updates from my blog....

 

http://project2002.com/my-tijuana-paintjob-1-year-paint-update/

http://project2002.com/ride-height-solved-maybe/

http://project2002.com/happy-42nd-birthday-greta/

http://project2002.com/in-tj-for-a-little-upkeep/

http://project2002.com/new-galleryalameda-naval-air-station-photo-shoot/

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2019 by jrhone

[rstclark]

Sorry to be a dissenter here but I used Los Panchos and got a half ass job on an Alfa. They didn't follow instructions and I took the car there with a friend is is very fluent in Spanish, so there was no misunderstanding. I could have done as well or better in San Diego.

I would not bother getting paint work done in TJ  It just not worth the trouble of getting your car back and forth   There is no consistency as workers turn over quite a bit Some are very talented , others not so much. Who knows you might get lucky.  Jrhone will say he got a good value and "Chito " will stand his work---  but  not in my case 

Cuidado mi Amigos.

BTW  I have Sentri too and you can take your car into Mexico easily but you have to use the regular border crossing lanes to return and you should ask for a receipt that understates the price to avoid any customs issues

 

[ejs]

I need a new headliner, have a sunroof.  Did you buy the material and bring it down?  

[ejs]

As to Sentri, if you add your car to the list you can use the Sentri line.  I have two cars listed.  The first was inspected as part of the interview.  The second was added after they stopped vehicle inspections, but the first time thru sentri they put me into secondary and did a quick vehicle inspection,  No more problem.  Which Los Panchos did you use?  There is another the next block.  I will look at cars they are doing when I go down.  Cutting out rust is real important to me.  

[jrhone]

Nope. He showed me a bunch of swatches of headliner material and i picked.  Now caveat on the headliner.  This is the only part of the job i wasnt 100% satisfied with.  One area around the sunroof started to come apart almost immediately. I called him and he said bring it back.  I waited maybe a year to decide what to do and then took it back.  He fixed it no questions asked.  The total headliner was maybe $200 and my original headliner looked awful so for $200 its a huge upgrade.  Quotes in Orange County were $1000 and up.