by David Eidell (07/05)
Hi Tom,
Is it worth a long drive in Mexico to visit a COSTCO or SamsClub? After prowling a number of these clubs in the last few years I have come to some conclusions that may help readers:
First off, the membership clubs advertise that they honor membership worldwide. You may renew your Costco or Sam's Club membership in Mexico. The fee will be in Pesos and may or may not be different "dollar wise" than what you would pay at home.
Probably the most important components inventory-wise to clarify are the availability of RV tires, and I am sorry to have to report that the size 235R85-16LT is not available at all. There are some seventy series eight ply tires but they cannot be interchanged with heavier load rated and taller USA RV tire sizes.
Secondly, deep-cycle RV batteries are absent at both clubs. Deep cycle batteries in general are impossible to find anywhere in Mexico. Some Costco warehouses are selling the same brand auto battery as US warehouses (manufactured by Johnson Controls), but Mexican batteries have a different approach to warranty and not even the manager of the Acapulco Costco could answer my questions regarding warrantying a USA battery in Mexico. So I therefore came to the conclusion of "no warranty". Sam's Clubs had LTH brand Mexican made batteries which are of excellent quality (I used to sell them in the nineties in the US with zero warranties), but size and cranking amps may be different than what your automobile requires. A year ago I paid one hundred dollars for a dual-terminal Bosch 34-78 battery which had a one-year warranty, but the battery was found at an independent distributor.
Costco beef comes from Canada rather than from the USA. It is expensive like Costco USA beef, but Mexico Costco may be the only source of tender steak and roasts within a thousand miles of your location.
Costco fruits and vegetables like in the USA are of prime quality. Last January I found a box of beautiful nectarines that are unavailable at that time of year in the USA. I carefully examined the shipping crate and found that they were imported from Chile.
Cheeses are going to disappoint. If you find something halfway familiar it is going to be a large block of mild yellow cheddar. No feta, no bleu cheese, no aged cheddar, but perhaps an occasional shrink wrap tray of Parmesan cheese in the refrigerated section.
Mexico is slowly but surely expanding and improving the supply of cut frozen vegetables, but the supply remains limited. Frozen cut corn is imported from the USA and Canada.
I have found apple sauce, but no exotic mustard's nor horseradish preparations. Mexico is the land of soda pop but it is definitely not the land of diet soda --- there are some but not a great variety of sugar free drinks. Crystal Lite however is common and available ready to drink and in powder concentrate.
Spices are another disappointment. I have yet to find a good brand of Montreal Steak Seasoning, and Dill (eneldo) remains elusive as is Celery Salt. Real Maple Syrup is unknown, and Balsamic Vinegar if available will be pricey. Whole peppercorns are available in bulk for a reasonable price, as are fundamentals such as powdered garlic, onion salt, paprika, and (gasp!) red chili powder.
If your diet includes canned soup, then wait until Mexico to stock up because it's all here in Campbell's brand. Some soups taste a bit different but are tolerable. Italian pasta has made great inroads into Mexico and you can find kilos and kilos of made-in-Italy carbohydrates. Familar jar pasta sauces are common.
Reading material is a real disaster unless you espeak español, and will settle for expensive coffee table books. The same for computer software. I could not find a single pair of reading glasses anywhere in Mexico in a membership club.
Surprisingly, those pricey enormous stainless steel barbecue centers are also sold in Costco stores in Mexico. But then when you run around looking for your favorite basting sauce, you're not going to find it. You'll find Carrier brand window air conditioners in Mexico (and Daewoo brand window air conditioners in the USA --- go figure!). No Direct TV or Dish Network sales, which are not approved for Mexico. Disposible bottle propane is very hard to find anywhere. DO NOT GIVE IN TO THE TEMPTATION TO PURCHASE A 5-GALLON PROPANE POT IN MEXICO! They do not have the required overfill protection device needed in the USA. Domestic stations will refuse to fill them when you get home.
Car accessories tend to run to lower priced add on material. There is usually a good supply of motor oil, but Delo 400 for diesels is hit-or-miss just like in the USA.
Case beer is available as are wines from Chile. Sam's Club's loss leader beer is a Guatemalan canned cerveza called "Gallo" (rooster), and is every bit as good as the more expensive domestic beer. Mexico produces good brandy (try Castillo if you can find it), and vodka. Don't expect to save a fortune on Tequila. 750ml of the premium quality Herradura Añejo is going to set you back by some thirty-five dollars.
In the pharmacy, herbal medicines are missing, as is the Kirkland brand of acetaminophen (known as paracetamol everywhere in the world except in the USA). You may find Latin versions of Centrum Vitamins, for example, but again, if you rely on Kirkland herbs or medicines, stock up before you leave home.
Whole bean French Roast coffees cannot be found at Costco nor Sam's throughout Mexico. As a matter of fact I recommend that you stretch my rule of loading your rig lightly and add several pounds of favorite coffee, coffee filters, non-herbal tea. The last time I priced no. 2 Melita cone coffee filters in Mexico, they were priced at just under ten cents each. When you do encounter really good French Roast coffee in Mexico it tends to be superb and about five dollars a pound when converted from pesos and kilograms. This is about a third again more expensive than whole bean French Roast Costco coffee.
But on a whole, there are enough salad dressings, familiar paper towels (Mexican paper products are slightly less than dismal), and toilet paper, goodies and what-nots, to act as an attraction. If nothing else, go in, buy something and then keep the register receipt as a souvenir.
Saludos!
David