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Originally Posted by forp
This is for suginami.
What issues did you have bringing a car into California. Does it get smogged the same as a California car? Any problems with registration/transfer of title?. Are non-California cars different in any way?
Thanks, Dan
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Before buying a car and bringing it to California, you have to make sure it is a 50 state legal car.
There is a sticker in the engine compartment that indicates such.
This is not an issue with this car, as all W210's were 50 state legal.
I did confirm that my car had this sticker, though, as I was paranoid I'd be stuck with a car that I couldn't register.
Once I received the car, I had it smogged, and it passed easily.
I took the pink slip,a copy of the registration, and the fax copy of the sales contract to the DMV. I had to bring the car to the assigned area in the parking lot, and they inspected it, i.e. to check that the sticker that indicated the car was legal in California, and they checked the VIN on the dash to see that it matched.
I then paid about $50 for a California license plate fee, another $40 or so fee for something I don't remember, California registration for the stickers, and sales tax based on the purchase price of the car.
It was very, very routine and simple. The lady at the counter, as well as the guy who inspected the car told me that they see this everyday, i.e. registering cars purchased out of state via ebay.
As an aside, it was written in an article in the Los Angeles Times recently the ebay Motors is the largest used car dealer in the world.
Oh, I just remembered. I tried to do all this at the AAA club, but I couldn't because I purchased the car from a dealer.
If the ebay seller was a private party, then the AAA club can register it. Even the inspection.