Buy a new car in Connecticut or Pennsylvania?

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I am planning to buy a new car soon and also i will be moving from Connecticut to Pennsylvania soon. I have got a better deal of (600$$) for a new Honda civic LX at CT. So i need your valuable opinions regarding the trade off of buying at CT or PA. I have no idea of the amount of taxes, registration fees and insurances difference between CT and PA, and would appreciate if you could help me with this.

Will I be betteroff with that 600$$ deal or not by buying in CT and then registring at PA?

Also is it worth to buy a new Honda car, if I intend to keep it for 5 years, or shall I look for Hyundai Elantra models that cost less?



Thank you

2

PA sales tax is 6%. If your first registration is here (as opposed to transfering an already registered car), you will need to pay that tax. The dealership should be able to handle that. I don’t know what it is in CT.

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3

If I transfer my new car from CT to PA, how much do you think I have to pay?

4

Registration in PA is only like $35.00/year. Plus you have to have an inspection and emmissions test. I don’t know if transfering a tag costs more. Our government website is pretty good. Go to www.pa.state.us, click on e-government services, drivers and vehicle services and you could probably answer any questions.

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5

Check with PA law about this. I know in MA if you buy a car out of state and within a year move to MA you’ll owe MA the difference in any sales tax that you paid in the previous state and what you have to pay MA. MOST states are that way.

The BEST thing to do is buy the car in CT…Get a temporary tag and then register it in PA. You ONLY pay the sales tax when you register the car NOT when you buy the car.

6

I think you need to define “soon.” If you need a car this month, but will not move for several months, then buy a car now.

If you don’t need a car now, wait until you move and then buy a car. Transferring the car from one state to another will cost money, so if you can wait you can save those costs and simplify the procedure.

The sales tax on cars in PA is 6%. Registration is about $40, and you will have to have the car inspected and emissions tested in order to register it in PA.

Insurance costs will depend on where you live. An urban center will be more expensive than rural PA.

Either car will last five years, but the Honda will probably retain more of its value over that time, assuming it is properly maintained.