Buying a car from California when you are out of state

Ask the Hackrs
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I am finally getting ready to buy my car (Jetta GLI), and found one in California. The sheet the dealer is showing me only has the price of the car and the $85 doc fee. This is probably a stupid question, but do I pay North Carolina Sales Tax on this to the dealer, or do I pay that when I register the car myself? Last car I bought out of state in Virginia, I paid the dealer the NC sales tax and plate fee since I was financing through them.

2

someone mentioned this on the wrx thread that they paid CA tax…but they registered in NV

you are in NC and you cant find a gli closer to you?

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I don’t recommend buying in CA and shipping either unless you like paying a bit extra for the car you want.

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When buying in CA and shipping, it must be shipped outside of the state using common carrier otherwise they will charge CA sales tax. Then the tax gets paid in the state where it is finally registered.

3 Likes
5

Yeah save a boatload on shipping

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Unfortunately not in the color i want, they told me $1400 for shipping. And are discounting the car with the lower doc fee iy is close to byuing in NC

1 Like
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You’ve been here for 2 years, no broker nearby who could Order or Put you on an Allocation list?

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To try and answer your actual question: ideally have them ship it with in-transit tags (no CA tax). If the dealer is setup for NC tag and title they can roll your taxes in, otherwise you take it to DMV when it arrives and pay the taxes when you register the car yourself.

I would not hesitate to buy out of state and ship across the country, if it’s the right car and the right deal.

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Unfortunately time is not on my side, financing through Armco and I need to have an order that comes in before 4/30 or find a car before 3/10. Most VW dealers wont order a GLI, and the one dealer that would said that wait times are 9-12 weeks, some people are waiting 6 months fpr their GLI. For whatever reason VW isnt making many of them

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Thank you! I wanted to make sure the dealer isn’t trying to pull anything, I have no problem going to register the car myself

1 Like
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well after all, they sold the car to someone local

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That’s a hard car to find, I only see one in Springfield IL

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yes, contacting pretty much every dealer that has one today.

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