Buying a new Viper out of state in CALIFORNIA...TAXES,etc..need help?

[LTHL VPR]

Looking to purchase a 2001 Viper outside of CA. Are all Vipers CA smog certified?
What about the taxes? Do I pay taxes on the total purchase amount, even if I do a trade in? I have heard some people mention that a trade in reduces the amount of taxes paid because you are only taxed on the difference of the new car price and the trade in. Is the true for CA?
Thanks!

 

[vipah]

You will save tax if you trade in a vehicle. If you are buying our of state and live in CA, make sure you go to a dealer that has done this before, and knows who to work with to drop ship the car locally.

I recommend Woodhouse. He did this with me and it was very smooth. I have heard some other stories that ended up sounding pretty painful.

 

[LTHL VPR]

Thanks for the info. (I tried your e-mail, but it was rejected).
Do you live in CA?
Are you positive that you save tax with a trade-in in CA???
I know this is the case for other states, but I have heard that this is not the case in CA.
Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

[BigsViper]

I just bought a 2000 GTS and under the optional equipment on the sticker was listed "Emissions-U.S. 50 State No Charge". My understanding is that the little arrow on the information display that wants you to shift from 1st to 4th between 12 and 19 mph is the extent fo the emissions equipment, beyond the Cats. BigsViper

 

[Gavin]

Your viper will fly thru Ca smog - My 96 GTs (Florida Car) did. It is crtified for CA smog - You may need a CA certificate (sticker located under hood left side of car - can oerder a Ca sticker from your dealer.
Taxes - call your local DMV - get the LAW from them.
LUCK
GAVIN

 

[Mark Young]

I just did this so I'll throw in my $.02. I bought a '99 from Woodhouse and everything went smooth as butta'. When you go to DMV to register they will ask how much you paid for the car, it will actually be on the form itself to fill in. What I have yet to have happen is for DMV to ask for any type of receipt. So, although I told them the truth, I probably could have shaved 10K off or so and they probably wouldn't have noticed. At any rate, only tell them what you paid, ie, the price minus what you got for your trade in. I'm positive nobody will even ask, you may think its a formal process but it definitely is not. You will have to get the car smog checked, but get this done after your first trip to the DMV. An out-of-state car will not go through the smog check until the CA DMV registers it. My '99 was so clean, the tech said the air we were breathing in the auto bay was more polluted than what was coming out of my tailpipes. All Vipers 98 or newer (or maybe it was 99) are 50 state legal, which amounts to a sticker under your hood by the battery post which says something to that fact.

Thats it! Email me if have any other questions, its pretty easy. Just don't try to get it smogged before you initially register it. It takes 2 trips to DMV, but it was pretty painless with an appointment.

- Mark ('99 ACR)

 

[Ulysses]

I went through this whole thing also. I had it smogged by the smog ref before I brought it into the DMV. One trip and it went smoothly. They did ask for the sales documents at my DMV. They will also ask for proof of payment of taxes in the other state if you paid. If you paid out of state taxes, you will only be responsible for the difference. There seems to be a rumor that any car with less than 7000 miles and bought out of state is not legal to be smogged by any smog station, that's why I had to go to the smog ref. He pretty much laughed when I explained why I had to go to him and said that that was a well known rumor and that the DMV employees and smog stations all believe it's true. My local DMV would not complete the registration process unless it was smogged and no one would smog it in my area because it was new and bought out of state. At any rate, all Vipers built for US consumption are 50 state legal. The window sticker is enough to suffice for proof of 50 state emissions compliability. Even if you didn't have a emissions sticker or the window sticker, taking it to the smog ref will validify (is that a word?) the fact that it is smog legal in CA. As far as reducing the cost to save on taxes by trading in a car, it's best to call the DMV directly and ask.