My son is graduating from college next month, and hopefully will get a job. We live in Colorado, and he may be moving to California - Los Angeles region. Should we buy a car here, or there?

I conclude he will get the same car job or not. I see three issues 1. If you buy the car in Colorado then he has transportation to CA. 2. Most likely larger market to select from in CA. 3. Sales tax issue for cars bought out of state. There is no complicating emissions equipment or emissions testing…

Check prices on line at dealers in CO and CA. If it’s a new car, there might not be much difference. If it’s a used car, there can be significant price differences due to regional preferences. Again, check on line to see what the dealer’s asking prices are. If you decide to buy in CO, contact th…

Need to also check with California DMV. If you purchase and register the car in Colorado, no doubt you will pay sales taxes. If you purchase in CO and take the car out of state on a temporary registration, you may be able to avoid Colorado taxes. California has a reputation for having some strict…

Unless the law has changed, you can’t take a new car into California and register it. When I moved there (back in the 90’s), I think the requirement was that the vehicle had to have 7500 miles on it. Goofy law, but that’s California for ya. Also, if you take a vehicle from another state into Califo…

Actually this is not correct. You can bring a car into California at any mileage if it is compliant with the California air quality standards. The 7,500 mile rule applies to used cars coming in that are not California compliant. The smog fee was found illegal years ago and no longer exists. If y…

I wouldn’t worry much about the sales tax issue. It is unlikely that you would end up paying the same tax twice. You may have to pay the difference between CO and CA taxes when you register in CA, but you’d probably get a credit for whatever sales tax you had already paid.

Colorado vs California to buy a car

Maintenance/Repairs

oldschool April 12, 2009, 11:27pm 7

When my sister brought 3 cars from AZ to CA in 1996 they had to pay this “smog fee” after the ruling you speak of the money was returned. We get these CA smog questions about every 2 weeks and it prompted me to do “some googling” about 4 months ago. You can use the search feature to see all that the Forum has written about this percieved CA. smog problem.

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Colorado vs California to buy a car

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