E320 Cdi - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

d4ever · #1 05-01-2004, 07:13 PM

hello,i would like to know if i can buy a new E320 CDI from other states and legally register in CA,thanks

Dana B. · #2 05-01-2004, 11:21 PM

All cars not approved by the California Air Resources Board for sale in CA need to be registered as used cars with 7,500 miles on the clock.

My suggestion: Buy the car out of state; register it to a close relative who lives there; insure the car for your family; take a vacation, circle the country; then buy the CDI from the relative and register it in CA once the odo hits 7,500.

Good luck.

d4ever · #3 05-02-2004, 11:55 AM

hi DANA B.
you mean if i ever do like that end up i have to pay tax twice?cause i hear if my brother in law or someone else won`t has the same last name as me then the tittle can not tranfer as a gift

Dana B. · #4 05-02-2004, 12:20 PM

dvEVER,

Good point. Not sure about the tax issue. I bought my TDI when they were banned in CA from my father, same last name. Perhaps the CA DMV Website is more clear. Perhaps the double-tax is what we have to pay to drive near-new diesels in CA.

mplafleur · #5 05-02-2004, 02:26 PM

You only have to pay the tax when you title it. If I move to CA, would I have to re-title and pay taxes on my currently titled cars?

Dana B. · #6 05-02-2004, 11:07 PM

I think d4 is worried about paying the sales tax on the new car if he buys it in a family member's name, then gettng wacked again when paying sales tax on a used car.

Holson Adi · #7 05-02-2004, 11:13 PM

I wonder what the rule is in MA. That E320 CDI sure is a nice car (not that i could afford one...)

mplafleur · #8 05-03-2004, 12:08 AM

Right, but could he buy it and title it in his name in another state?

Rick Miley · #9 05-03-2004, 02:46 PM

I'll rent you an apartment in Florida on a short term basis. You could buy one while you "live" here and then "move" to CA.

D.Blake · #10 05-03-2004, 02:57 PM

I have homes in and cars registered in two states. I have transferred car registration from one state to another. All's it has cost me has been the year or two of registration in the new state. Why couldn't you temporary "live" at your close relatives for a while? I mean after all - people do have short term job assignments don't they?

lrg · #11 05-03-2004, 03:30 PM

You don't need to "live" with the relatives, just keep the car there. You won't want to buy the car for a relative due to a gift tax due on the value over $11,000, plus the sales tax. When "regifted" back to you you'd owe another gift tax and sales tax. Yes states can charge sales tax on cars when they are gifted to you. You need to buy and keep the car in your name, you'll only pay the original purchase sales tax. Lots of people keep cars at their vacation homes out of state so this is not an unusual thing to do. You merely need to register it with the other state and make sure it is insured properly to cover the drivers who are helping you put on the first 7,500 miles. When you bring it into California you'll need to reregister it (eventually) and pay a relatively small car import fee (if they still charge it anymore). No sales tax will be due as long as you can prove you already paid it when you first bought the car.

d4ever · #12 05-04-2004, 01:17 AM

hi IRG,do you think the MB dealers in RENO will sell the CDI to me if i had only CA driver license?sometimes i just wonder what happen if i bring in and register new CDI less than 7500 miles in CA,should DMV personels really come out look and find out how many miles on it?if something go wrong then what will happen?

lrg · #13 05-04-2004, 02:00 AM

d4,
The dealer in Reno will happily sell you a new CDI. However, he won't register it for you without an NV address. I've only brought one car into the state but yes, the DMV person actually came out to look at the car. She told me they do that so they can be sure there is a real car (registering and selling phony cars is a good way to launder money) and to see if it had the proper DOT stickers. My guess is that they would just refuse to reregister your new CDI unless it had the right amount of miles on it. You can register the car out of state and drive it here (ever wonder why there are so many people from Oregon here all the time) but if you get stopped by the CHP and they see your out of state registration and in state driver's license you better have a good story or it's a big ticket.

mplafleur · #14 05-04-2004, 07:43 AM

When I bought my ML320 in Texas, I drove it back to Michigan. I drove it up here for 6 months before I registered it. I was already registered in Texas. Didn't expire for 6 months. I was driving a properly registered vehicle.

Is your company lease car registered in your name? I don't think so.

If you can somehow register it elsewhere (it will have plates of course), drive it back to CA and forget about it until it's time to re-register. Hopefully by then you'll have driven the 7500 miles.

adamb · #15 05-04-2004, 08:30 AM

D4ever,
I live in Mississippi and would gladly register the 320cdi for you. I would have to drive it for 6 months in order to accumulate the 7500 miles on it so that you could therefore take it back and register it in CA legally. I would be happy to do this for you.
Thanks, Adam