Temporary Importation Permits for cars

I am planning on spending several months a year in Zihua, and personally like having a car here. I also want to be able to fly to the States for a couple of weeks near Christmas.

So I have done my best to explore the rules on the Internet. Here is what I have found (U.S. Citizenship assumed):

If you enter on a tourist visa, you may stay for up to 180 days. If you bring a car, that's fine, but the car permit is technically valid only as long as your visa. This would probably mean that your permit is technically no longer valid if you fly home, because you surrender your visa at the airport.

There have been reports that people who fly out and temporarily leave a car have had to pay fines. The fine, to put things in perspective, was only $390 pesos. But who knows if this is a number than can be counted on ...

If you have a Temporary Resident visa, the rule seems to be clear that you *can* import a car. The car permit is good as long as your residency status is current. This would seem to mean that you *could* fly back under these circumstances without problem. You don't surrender your visa at the airport, so you don't run into the above technicality.

It also appears to be OK to start the temporary resident visa application in the States and bring in a car. You would then get a temporary visa allowing you to complete the application process in Mexico. The law (Article 106) seems to explicitly cover this situation, and you're allowed to keep the car when your visa status changes to Temporary Resident.

All bets are off if you are a Permanent Resident. Then you can't import a car temporarily.

I would appreciate any comments by people who have tried to jump through these hoops. I intend to bring in a car in December and get my Temporary Resident visa in Zihua. God knows I don't want to find myself in Zihua somehow afoul of the process.

Wish me luck!