Buying Car in California; Need to license in Phx
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Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
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2009 C63 AMG
Buying Car in California; Need to license in Phx
So here is my question. I'm buying a C63 from Cali dealer and another Cali dealer is telling me that I won't be able to drive the car in Cali. I need to have it shipped to Phx. Say what!?!
Can someone tell me a little bit about my options? Can't I buy the car in Cali and then drive it home and license it in Phx? I'm financing the car, this is not a lease. I'm not sure if this other dealer is just trying to scare me because his dealership is further away from my house in Phx or what.
I've neve bought a car from another state and tried to license it in Phx. If I'm forced to license it in Cali won't I lose my license/registration fees on my taxes? Help!?! This car is making me crazy. So much so that my eating pattern has changed dramatically!
Can someone tell me a little bit about my options? Can't I buy the car in Cali and then drive it home and license it in Phx? I'm financing the car, this is not a lease. I'm not sure if this other dealer is just trying to scare me because his dealership is further away from my house in Phx or what.
I've neve bought a car from another state and tried to license it in Phx. If I'm forced to license it in Cali won't I lose my license/registration fees on my taxes? Help!?! This car is making me crazy. So much so that my eating pattern has changed dramatically!
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Joined: Aug 2007
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From: newport beach
2008 m5
So here is my question. I'm buying a C63 from Cali dealer and another Cali dealer is telling me that I won't be able to drive the car in Cali. I need to have it shipped to Phx. Say what!?!
Can someone tell me a little bit about my options? Can't I buy the car in Cali and then drive it home and license it in Phx? I'm financing the car, this is not a lease. I'm not sure if this other dealer is just trying to scare me because his dealership is further away from my house in Phx or what.
I've neve bought a car from another state and tried to license it in Phx. If I'm forced to license it in Cali won't I lose my license/registration fees on my taxes? Help!?! This car is making me crazy. So much so that my eating pattern has changed dramatically!
Can someone tell me a little bit about my options? Can't I buy the car in Cali and then drive it home and license it in Phx? I'm financing the car, this is not a lease. I'm not sure if this other dealer is just trying to scare me because his dealership is further away from my house in Phx or what.
I've neve bought a car from another state and tried to license it in Phx. If I'm forced to license it in Cali won't I lose my license/registration fees on my taxes? Help!?! This car is making me crazy. So much so that my eating pattern has changed dramatically!
i know in CA if you bring a car in, you get 100% credit for any use (sales) tax you pay in another state. i'm not sure what would happen if another state's use tax was higher (probably rare if nonexistent).
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Mercedes Benz
So here is my question. I'm buying a C63 from Cali dealer and another Cali dealer is telling me that I won't be able to drive the car in Cali. I need to have it shipped to Phx. Say what!?!
Can someone tell me a little bit about my options? Can't I buy the car in Cali and then drive it home and license it in Phx? I'm financing the car, this is not a lease. I'm not sure if this other dealer is just trying to scare me because his dealership is further away from my house in Phx or what.
I've neve bought a car from another state and tried to license it in Phx. If I'm forced to license it in Cali won't I lose my license/registration fees on my taxes? Help!?! This car is making me crazy. So much so that my eating pattern has changed dramatically!
Can someone tell me a little bit about my options? Can't I buy the car in Cali and then drive it home and license it in Phx? I'm financing the car, this is not a lease. I'm not sure if this other dealer is just trying to scare me because his dealership is further away from my house in Phx or what.
I've neve bought a car from another state and tried to license it in Phx. If I'm forced to license it in Cali won't I lose my license/registration fees on my taxes? Help!?! This car is making me crazy. So much so that my eating pattern has changed dramatically!
They fear you will register it in AZ and leave it here there by skipping on taxes and road use fees.
It will have to be shipped.
Thread Starter
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2009 C63 AMG
100% accurate. The dmv will not permit the car to be released in the state. It needs to be shipped past the boarder then you can do whatever you want with it.
They fear you will register it in AZ and leave it here there by skipping on taxes and road use fees.
It will have to be shipped.
They fear you will register it in AZ and leave it here there by skipping on taxes and road use fees.
It will have to be shipped.
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Philly
N/A
That's not fair. What if I was in Cali on vacation and I bought a car and decided to drive it home? There must be someway for me to fly to cali, buy the car and drive it home. I will contact the DMV and see what my options are. Thank you all for your feedback. I hope this doesn't get difficult. I don't want to ship it. I want to drive it in the desert and really enjoy it, get to know the vehicle. If I have it shipped who is going to introduce me to the vehicle?
The guy I bought it from was nice enough to let me use his plate while I drove back and keep his insurance in effect for the extra day. Otherwise I would have have to ship the car--or drive without tags--or stick some PA tags on the car for the trip home and risk it.
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2009 C63 AMG
I think it all depends on the state. I live in PA and bought my car in MA. Massachusetts does not offer temporary tags. DMV's response to my "How am I supposed to drive this car home, then" question was "sorry--nothing we can do".
The guy I bought it from was nice enough to let me use his plate while I drove back and keep his insurance in effect for the extra day. Otherwise I would have have to ship the car--or drive without tags--or stick some PA tags on the car for the trip home and risk it.
The guy I bought it from was nice enough to let me use his plate while I drove back and keep his insurance in effect for the extra day. Otherwise I would have have to ship the car--or drive without tags--or stick some PA tags on the car for the trip home and risk it.
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From: Houston Texas
2006 SL600
Used to live in Phoenix, I bought a car a few years ago from a dealer in Palm Springs, they had to drive the car to the border of CA/AZ and get a local person to notorize the sale there, big hassle.
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Mercedes Benz
The high end dealership in Palm Springs that sells all the 200k+ marks will not release a customer the car in the states and insists they meet the truck at the boarder to take delivery. They can come right back into the state but you cant take delivery here and register it in a another state.
A friend who was moving to Kentucky just got a new CLS form a dealership in Los Angeles. He wanted to register it in KY to save on taxes as he was moving in 1 week for work. They refused and even said that they will not sell it and then ship it as thats to tricky and complicated.
If that were the case people here could just have an out of state address and buy cars all day and never pay California taxes or road use fees.
Thread Starter
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2009 C63 AMG
Exactly....
The high end dealership in Palm Springs that sells all the 200k+ marks will not release a customer the car in the states and insists they meet the truck at the boarder to take delivery. They can come right back into the state but you cant take delivery here and register it in a another state.
A friend who was moving to Kentucky just got a new CLS form a dealership in Los Angeles. He wanted to register it in KY to save on taxes as he was moving in 1 week for work. They refused and even said that they will not sell it and then ship it as thats to tricky and complicated.
If that were the case people here could just have an out of state address and buy cars all day and never pay California taxes or road use fees.
The high end dealership in Palm Springs that sells all the 200k+ marks will not release a customer the car in the states and insists they meet the truck at the boarder to take delivery. They can come right back into the state but you cant take delivery here and register it in a another state.
A friend who was moving to Kentucky just got a new CLS form a dealership in Los Angeles. He wanted to register it in KY to save on taxes as he was moving in 1 week for work. They refused and even said that they will not sell it and then ship it as thats to tricky and complicated.
If that were the case people here could just have an out of state address and buy cars all day and never pay California taxes or road use fees.
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From: Scottsdale, AZ & Bend, OR
2009 C63 AMG
I'm taking delivery in Oregon (no sales tax) and will keep my car registered in Oregon. I maintain Oregon as my primary residence, although we are going to experiment and live at our Arizona home for the school year. I'm also keeping an Oregon driver's license, although I have an Arizona identification card.
I'm going to drive the car from Oregon to Arizona and drive it there. If I get asked, my primary residence is in Oregon (as evidenced by my license), and that I am working in Arizona temporarily.
I'm going to drive the car from Oregon to Arizona and drive it there. If I get asked, my primary residence is in Oregon (as evidenced by my license), and that I am working in Arizona temporarily.
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1989 Toyota Tercel EZ - dyno'd @ 70whp/77wtq
Get a dealer in your area to do the transaction for you - meaning your local dealer buys it from CA dealer and then you buy it from them.
The car could still be w/ CA dealer while you and your local dealer finish the transaction (not sure whether AZ requires any inspection/smog check when registering a car... if so, this may be a problem).
Once registered, you could fly there... drive it back home w/ AZ plate.
Disclaimer: I'm not an expert... just an idea to toss it to you
Good luck!
The car could still be w/ CA dealer while you and your local dealer finish the transaction (not sure whether AZ requires any inspection/smog check when registering a car... if so, this may be a problem).
Once registered, you could fly there... drive it back home w/ AZ plate.
Disclaimer: I'm not an expert... just an idea to toss it to you
Good luck!
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 261
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2009 C63 AMG
Get a dealer in your area to do the transaction for you - meaning your local dealer buys it from CA dealer and then you buy it from them.
The car could still be w/ CA dealer while you and your local dealer finish the transaction (not sure whether AZ requires any inspection/smog check when registering a car... if so, this may be a problem).
Once registered, you could fly there... drive it back home w/ AZ plate.
Disclaimer: I'm not an expert... just an idea to toss it to you Good luck!
The car could still be w/ CA dealer while you and your local dealer finish the transaction (not sure whether AZ requires any inspection/smog check when registering a car... if so, this may be a problem).
Once registered, you could fly there... drive it back home w/ AZ plate.
Disclaimer: I'm not an expert... just an idea to toss it to you
Good luck!
