RickS

At which you seemingly do a very good job...

Sneaky the Ferret

I too use/have used the Sheraton 4 Points hotel in Saltillo. 2nd the recommendation. ~$60 US includes breakfast. "Secure" parking. Several hotels in the vicinity as is close to the airport. It IS a bit out of the way.... in Ramos Arizpe actually.... but there just aren't any hotels out on the cuotas around Saltillo. Matehuala is OK but just not far enough along the way for me when going north.

IF and when things are seemingly 'settled down' in that area, consider crossing not at Matamoros/Brownsville but rather at Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge. No need to go over east to Brownsville and then have to veer west when back into Texas. Unless of course one is actually going to South Padre Island then Brownsville might make sense.... just not at the moment!

...and if it were me I'd also stay away from anything around Reynosa/PharrTx at the moment. Too much traveling in Tamaulipas State for me.

Is she Permanente?

Good for you mexijims1.... I think that you are in the minority. A good number of the 'economical' lead-acid batteries in the US are still maintainable... need to check/add distilled water occasionally. But like you say most are going to sealed. All AGM ones are sealed of course. It's not your father's battery anymore.

"Life remaining" is subjective. They can check for bad cell(s) and/or stress test it. Also check your charging system's performance. But in my opinion a 6-year old battery is pushing it even in the mild Lakeside climate. "Most battery warranties are for no more than 3 years.... sometimes as much as 5. That should give you some indication of what they may think of a 6-year old one. Also most folks don't 'watch or maintain' their batteries if they are unsealed, leading to failure due to low water levels causing a cell(s) to go bad.

That statement actually does my heart good! Wasn't such a long time ago that 'young people' in Mexico did not HAVE the money to buy much, especially drinks at sunset!

Good question. As a Tourist, no, not anymore as the FMM form is not used. But I don't know the requirements for a Permanente flying in and out.

I have, in the past, used these crossings into Texas to return my TIP and get the deposit back. These have always been on a credit card, not cash. + Nuevo Laredo Bridge 2 + Colombia (outside of N. Laredo) + Piedras Negras/Eagle Pass TX (My most frequent route) + Ciudad Acuna/Del Rio TX + Ojinaga/Presidio TX + Juarez at Santa Teresa NM/ El Paso TX ( and: Agua Perita/Douglas AZ plus Nogales/Nogales AZ )

Your home bank as directed by you... you get to tell them your limit. But sometimes it is the local ATM bank that also sets a limit. "They" won't let one take out an unlimited amount of pesos in one draw.

Caveat Emptor it looks like...

As usual, the details are as important... There are two ways to get thru San Luis Potosi up to Matehuala... the old way and the newer way. Take the latter. Leaving Lakeside, and on the Chapala highway to Guad, take the Macrolibramiento 15D right, signed as to Zapotlanjo. This gets you heading north on 80D and skirts Guadalajara. Later after going through/around Lagos de Marino and when approaching Villa de Arriaga, go straight... not to the right. The sign at the intersection will say SLP 20 and Saltillo/San Luis Potosi straight. Don't go right which says 80D Queretaro. This road (straight) skirts SLP to the west/nw, becomes highway 49D and exits out north of SLP onto highway 57 north to Mathuala. For many, Mathuala is a good place to spend the night before heading to Laredo. From Mathuala stay on 57 north to the outskirts of Saltillo. Take 40D right towards Monterrey; just prior to Monterrey, and at a toll booth, be in the right lane only to take the Periferico Nuevo Laredo Cuota (40). This skirts Monterrey to the west/north. At the north side one will take highway 85 north to Nuevo Laredo. As you approach N. Laredo others have suggested taking the Colombia crossing. It is well to the west of Laredo and is signed off of 85 well. That crossing is easy but, crossing the border going north, I find the 'normal' N. Laredo crossing just fine... they separate trucks from autos. This route will dump you off right downtown Laredo Tx on I35 and not out in the boonies. Your choice of course. P.S. This route uses 57 and NOT 54. Also, there is no 54D as "D" designates a toll road/cuota. 54 us not a toll. Also, you surely do NOT want to take highway 54 out of the north side of Guadalajara to Zacatecas! Slow, slow 2-lane going through curves uphill behind trucks and buses.