Sales Tax calculation
09-01-2012, 11:30 PM
#1
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
Sales Tax calculation
Looks like I'll be moving to the LA area. After I get settled in, I plan to buy a 2012/13 Grand Sport or a 2009/10 Z06. Can someone tell me how sales tax is calculated?
When I lived in St. Louis, MO it was as follows:
Price of Car being purchased: $50,000
Less down payment (or trade-in) ($20,000)
Remainder that sales tax is paid on: $30,000
In Seattle, WA it's:
Price of Car being purchased: $50,000
Less down payment (or trade-in): ($20,000)no benefit
Sales tax is paid on full purchase price: $50,000
Obviously, with a near 10% sales tax rate, knocking $20k off the sales tax calculation would be nice. I'll guess that CA is like WA and not MO, but figured I'd ask
....and yes I know a new GS or 2010 Z06 is more than $50k
When I lived in St. Louis, MO it was as follows:
Price of Car being purchased: $50,000
Less down payment (or trade-in) ($20,000)
Remainder that sales tax is paid on: $30,000
In Seattle, WA it's:
Price of Car being purchased: $50,000
Less down payment (or trade-in): ($20,000)no benefit
Sales tax is paid on full purchase price: $50,000
Obviously, with a near 10% sales tax rate, knocking $20k off the sales tax calculation would be nice. I'll guess that CA is like WA and not MO, but figured I'd ask
....and yes I know a new GS or 2010 Z06 is more than $50k
Last edited by 96GS#007; 09-01-2012 at 11:33 PM.
09-02-2012, 12:14 AM
#2
You get NO benefit for car trade-ins.
Heck, now in CA you have to pay sales tax on any pre-instant rebates (I don't think it applies to vehicles). Say if you purchase a cell phone and retail price is $600, but you get an instant rebate of $400 making the purchase price of $200 + tax. You still have to pay the tax on the $600.
Heck, now in CA you have to pay sales tax on any pre-instant rebates (I don't think it applies to vehicles). Say if you purchase a cell phone and retail price is $600, but you get an instant rebate of $400 making the purchase price of $200 + tax. You still have to pay the tax on the $600.
09-02-2012, 12:25 AM
#4
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
That's what I figured, but it never hurts to ask.
Thanks for the responses!
Thanks for the responses!
09-02-2012, 09:38 AM
#5
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LA County as I recall is 8.25% sales tax, plus the registration fees. Although you hear horror stories, our dmv fees are alot cheaper than some states and of course alot more than others.
Also beware that if you buy a vette out of state (to avoid the sales tax) and then move the car here you could still be liable for sales tax. Ca has a few stupid rules such as buying the new car out of state, bring it to ca with less then 7500 miles on it and less than 1 year old you could be hit with the sales tax. PM if you want some helpful hints on this issue. If you do buy out of state and want to bring it to ca in less than a years time, be sure the new car has the ca emissions sticker on it to avoid other issuse.
Also beware that if you buy a vette out of state (to avoid the sales tax) and then move the car here you could still be liable for sales tax. Ca has a few stupid rules such as buying the new car out of state, bring it to ca with less then 7500 miles on it and less than 1 year old you could be hit with the sales tax. PM if you want some helpful hints on this issue. If you do buy out of state and want to bring it to ca in less than a years time, be sure the new car has the ca emissions sticker on it to avoid other issuse.
09-02-2012, 01:21 PM
#6
Safety Car
If you have had the car a year and a day and it was registered out of state in your name, then you pay no sales tax when you bring it into CA.
If you bought it a month before you moved here, kept it garaged out of state, then brought it in a year and a day, you'd be ok then too. What really happens is people roll around on their out-of-state plates being careful to not get pulled over, and then claim that they just went home to get their car after 366 days. You will also have to maintain a separate insurance policy out of another state. p.o. boxes won't be cutting it either.
I'd imagine the Oregon/Washington car hustles are going to sound pretty similar to the Oregon/Cali ones as everybody is aware of the low costs due to no Sales tax and a really cheap car reg cost in that state.
If you bought it a month before you moved here, kept it garaged out of state, then brought it in a year and a day, you'd be ok then too. What really happens is people roll around on their out-of-state plates being careful to not get pulled over, and then claim that they just went home to get their car after 366 days. You will also have to maintain a separate insurance policy out of another state. p.o. boxes won't be cutting it either.
I'd imagine the Oregon/Washington car hustles are going to sound pretty similar to the Oregon/Cali ones as everybody is aware of the low costs due to no Sales tax and a really cheap car reg cost in that state.
Last edited by mike100; 09-02-2012 at 01:26 PM.
09-02-2012, 01:25 PM
#7
Safety Car
I do not know if you can bring in one with less mileage after one year, my experience was with a car with 8000+ miles if I recall.
09-02-2012, 07:05 PM
#8
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
As much as I'd like to avoid the sales tax, I also know how my luck works 
Now if I had a relative in OR (which I don't) ....
Now if I had a relative in OR (which I don't) ....