CA buyers: Buying your BRZ or FR-S out-of-state

[86BRZ]

Originally Posted by PMok

Congratulations! Wow a lot of us in the Bay Area doing it this way. We should make CO>CA stickers.

There is one. Do you leave the round CO smog sticker/ cert on the front windshield? I saw a white BRZ in Cupertino the other day has that...

[PMok]

oh yeah, I've got that... the CO Emissions Exempt sticker. I moved it up to the top driver's side to make room for my phone suction cup mount. Guess I can keep it on as a badge of honor.

[PMok]

Originally Posted by 86BRZ

My last part of the registration was completed yesterday , I walk out DMV with the plates, 6XQxxxx . It is done. Dealer send my title and paper ( perhaps the sales tax they collected too) to DMV directly, smog check transmitted electronically, the gal said I over paid a little so there will be a few hundred refund to me.

Make sure go to DMV on line and make an appointment, save a lot of waiting time.

Thanks to you for your previous descriptions of the process, I was able to go to DMV today and get my registration and plates with minimal hassle! Here are my main points/tips:

1. Definitely go online and make an appointment. Check around the 3-4 DMV locations nearest you for the earliest appointment. At the Hayward DMV I was able to make an appointment last week for 9:00AM today (Tues). With my appointment I was in and out of there in less than 40 min, including having to pull up my car for VIN verification. Without an appt you will probably wait for at least an hour.

2. Smogged the car over the weekend for $45 before going in. Results were electronically sent to DMV and I had no issues with that.

3. CA sales tax was charged by Heuberger and added to my amount financed. Heuberger then cut a check back to DMV that I handed over to them along with the forms. Total fees for me was $2712. Which included the $2424 sales tax plus another $288 for 1 year of CA registration. If you need to pay some or all of that because you didn't have dealer charge that, then you can pay it at DMV with debit card, cash or check. No credit cards accepted!

4. Heuberger was nice enough to fill out and provide all the forms I needed, besides the smog cert. I did have to review it and fill out a few more things that they didn't. Almost forgot to fill in the Lienholder section for my bank that financed the loan, since I didn't finance through the dealer. Smartphone to the rescue, was able to look up and fill in that info while I waited at the DMV.

5. When the guy asked me when I brought it into CA, I said last week, within the 10-day reporting period under the law. So my registration is current and charged starting with that date.

6. Despite having a verification form filled out by Heuberger, CA DMV won't accept that, they need to verify it in-state. So I had to pull my car around the back for them to verify, they read the ODO reading off the dash display, and checked the VIN off the front, under the hood, and behind driver side door. So best get it done before you go hog wild with the CF body parts LOL.

7. That's it, done! Gave me two plates and current reg stickers. Now whether to put them on now or pull a Steve Jobs and go as long as I can without, flipping off red-light cameras as I go...

[86BRZ]

For all these steps here, I am wondering is this mean "Docs fee" when buy a car from CA dealer? They usually charge $75 for this service. Can I buy a car in CA next time and "be cheap" and ask the dealer to knock out this "docs fee" and DIY? LOL....

[Kaiji]

For those of us who did the CO route of getting a BRZ. What dealership do you plan on going to for TSBs, repairs, and general warranty work?

[PMok]

Originally Posted by Kaiji

For those of us who did the CO route of getting a BRZ. What dealership do you plan on going to for TSBs, repairs, and general warranty work?

Should be no different than if you bought it here... I plan to use either Livermore Subaru (closer to home) or Carlsen Subaru (closer to work).

[bdbx18]

I'm really ready to pull the trigger on a CO allocation but am a little unclear about the fees. I understand (if it is an option) it would be better if the dealer don't collect sales tax on your behalf thus you can settle for the exact $ at DMV). But what other fees are there, admin, doc? In the beginning of this thread, there is mention of about $700+ in wasted fees specific to CO only. Another member did not mention anything about it. Also, is destination fee already part of MSRP? Coupled with the $700+ CO fees (if true) and the shipping costs, it would be at least an additional $1.3k to partake in this CO>CA cartel. If you guys can chime in on what you guys paid just so I don't get taken for a ride or get snowed over (pun). Thanks.

[PMok]

It will depend on what dealer you choose in CO, my dealer (Heuberger) did not charge me any CO specific fees or taxes other than their $389 dealer/handling fee. Some of the other dealers apparently do; not sure if you can convince them to not do that if you will not operate the car in CO.

The example I gave before was a Premium BRZ 6MT with agreed price of $600 off of MSRP. MSRP includes destination charge. MSRP on the SWP BRZ Premium 6MT + Pop 1A + spoiler = $27255. Their internet price is $26655, + $389 dealer handling fee. So it's about $211 below MSRP before tax.

Sales Tax depends on what county you live in. For me in Alameda County it was 8.75%. You can choose to pay it up front (include it in financing) or skip it and pay it when you register in CA. If you have cash burning a hole in your pocket then pay it when you register, but when interest rates are so low why not have it financed, and keep more cash in your pocket for mods etc.? My tax amount was $2400. I told the dealer specifically what county I lived in and the tax rate, and so there was no miscalculation there.

Transport to CA will be roughly $650-750. Or you can fly out and drive it back. As others have noted the cost of food, hotels and gas will come out less than $600, but of course you will need 2-3 days to make the drive back.

Registration in CA is separate from sales tax. Think of it as paying for the license/tags annually. That came out to $288. There's no avoiding registration or sales tax so that is about $2700 you will have to pay regardless of whether you bought in CA or CO.

Cost of smog for an out of state car - $45-50.

That's it. For me, with the cost of transport it came out to about MSRP + $600 total cost before taxes/reg. That is still less than most Subaru dealerships are asking in the Bay Area, and I've got my car, not still waiting in line for one.

[bdbx18]

Originally Posted by PMok

It will depend on what dealer you choose in CO, my dealer (Heuberger) did not charge me any CO specific fees or taxes other than their $389 dealer/handling fee. Some of the other dealers apparently do; not sure if you can convince them to not do that if you will not operate the car in CO.

The example I gave before was a Premium BRZ 6MT with agreed price of $600 off of MSRP. MSRP includes destination charge. MSRP on the SWP BRZ Premium 6MT + Pop 1A + spoiler = $27255. Their internet price is $26655, + $389 dealer handling fee. So it's about $211 below MSRP before tax.

Sales Tax depends on what county you live in. For me in Alameda County it was 8.75%. You can choose to pay it up front (include it in financing) or skip it and pay it when you register in CA. If you have cash burning a hole in your pocket then pay it when you register, but when interest rates are so low why not have it financed, and keep more cash in your pocket for mods etc.? My tax amount was $2400. I told the dealer specifically what county I lived in and the tax rate, and so there was no miscalculation there.

Transport to CA will be roughly $650-750. Or you can fly out and drive it back. As others have noted the cost of food, hotels and gas will come out less than $600, but of course you will need 2-3 days to make the drive back.

Registration in CA is separate from sales tax. Think of it as paying for the license/tags annually. That came out to $288. There's no avoiding registration or sales tax so that is about $2700 you will have to pay regardless of whether you bought in CA or CO.

Cost of smog for an out of state car - $45-50.

That's it. For me, with the cost of transport it came out to about MSRP + $600 total cost before taxes/reg. That is still less than most Subaru dealerships are asking in the Bay Area, and I've got my car, not still waiting in line for one.

Thanks a bunch. That really helps in my 'negotiation' with the dealers. At the min, I can say Heuberger did not charge that for a fellow member.

[kludger]

Can you guys/gals who have had success with shipment from CO->CA pass on what shipping company you used and if you were satisfied?

Thanks to this helpful thread I am considering doing this for a Denver->Seattle buy/ship and it looks like some of the shipping companies either don't go this far or are giving me $1300 quote which would break the overall deal, so I am hoping for a few more options to call and get quotes. Thanks in advance.

[PMok]

Originally Posted by bdbx18

Thanks a bunch. That really helps in my 'negotiation' with the dealers. At the min, I can say Heuberger did not charge that for a fellow member.

Definitely, especially with the winter coming I am certain you will be able to negotiate even more discounts than what I got in the summer.

Originally Posted by kludger

Can you guys/gals who have had success with shipment from CO->CA pass on what shipping company you used and if you were satisfied?

Heuberger set up the trucking co. for me, they use Diamond Xpress which is based out of CO Springs. There was some delay in picking up the car in CO because their truck was not available the week my car arrived. My saleslady offered to use another faster company for $100 more, but I didn't mind the wait so I stuck with the original company who they trust and use the most often. The driver who delivered my car was a true professional, efficient and careful. I asked him where he delivers to and he said all over the Northwest, Montana, etc. I asked if he did international (Canada) and he said no but he could take it right up to the border. So check them out, I bet they will be competitive to WA, but because it may be a smaller operation you might have to wait a little longer for a truck to free up.

[kludger]

Thanks PMok and others who posted shipping info, Diamond was one of the ones recommended by this dealer too (Shortline Subaru), and I got a much better estimate from them on delivery Denver to Seattle ($850).

I'm still tempted to fly and drive it home which would be cheaper and funner, but this time of year the unpredictable winter weather and mountain passes I would need to cross in my new BRZ from CO to WA, makes shipping a smarter move I think, I don't want to tackle snow, ice and salt on the drive home...

[Jeff_DML]

shouldn't of subscribed to this thread, you guys are tempting me

http://www.shortlinesubaru.com/new-inventory/index.htm

edit: Subaru NA should force dealer to trade inventory to balance the demand out.

[bdbx18]

For those in the know, especially buying out of state: What would prevent a dealer from selling your incoming car to someone else? I mean, there is a deposit and the VIN is available. But are those sufficient? The finance paperwork doesn't really get inked until the car is at the dealer.