GEN 2 Is it me or are prices crazy

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Mike O

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2020
Posts
182
Reaction score
181
Location
San Diego
Oh, we understand. What we don't understand is why Cali Raptor buyers buy in state when it's sofa king easy to buy elsewhere. Stupidity? Laziness? Fear? Or maybe saving $20k on a $80k purchase isn't worth it when you have more money than sense.

Those numbers are off... A $75,000 2020 Raptor invoices for a bit over $69,000, unless the GM is blowing somebody at the Ford Mothership. IF you can get a 2020 Raptor out of state with an MSRP of $75,000 for $67,000, then it would be marginally beneficial, but I probably wouldn't do it.

I got my 2020 for a grand or so over invoice, not the 5-15K over MSRP that is being advertised here as to what you pay in CA. Frankly, I have only seen those mark-ups in the autotrader adds, to get suckers.

So, with the numbers above (MSRP=75K, invoice=69K, out of state purchase=67K), it would save a bit over $3000 to purchase out of state. The transport to CA would cost around $2000. Flying out to the purchase-state and driving it back obviously has costs and risks with Covid. You would save under $2000 with flight, gas, time, and other costs, but not significantly less.

So, it isn't crazy/lazy/stupid to not get a truck, sight unseen, out of state. I will likely save more than the out-of-state expenses with the relationship that I built with the dealership after purchasing such a high dollar vehicle from them.

2019's and used 2020's are a different ballgame. But that is the same for all makes and models. Dealers are motivated to get them off of the lot in all states.

CA prices suck. That is indisputable. But, going out of state thinking that you are getting a massive deal, without doing the math, is ignorant (not stupid). Especially if you think that the savings will hold in the long run.
 
Last edited:

GordoJay

FRF Addict
Joined
Feb 8, 2020
Posts
6,119
Reaction score
11,839
Location
Colorado
I looked into buying out of state, but in order to register it in CA, they hit you with the sales tax.

I suspect that you pay sales tax either way, it's just that you can finance it if you buy in state because the dealer collects it and passes it on to the state. Sales tax here is 8.25%. If you buy in state, it gets added to the invoice, the T in TTL. If you buy out of state, you pay TTL cash when you register. Same same. I don't believe in financing a depreciating asset, much less sales tax, so it's moot, although I did finance once to get an additional 2% discount on a vehicle. That was out of state, so I had to pony up at DMV. Then I made one rather large loan payment and I was done.
 

GordoJay

FRF Addict
Joined
Feb 8, 2020
Posts
6,119
Reaction score
11,839
Location
Colorado
I will likely save more than the out-of-state expenses with the relationship that I built with the dealership after purchasing such a high dollar vehicle from them.

Nice to have a dealer like that. Most view customers as marks. I almost always buy out of town. The local service guys are always act happy to see me to the point of being annoying, no matter what car and what make. The sales guys are always thrilled to have a shot at a sale and oddly enough I've had better luck with them if my vehicle was a different brand. Well, except for Toyota. They act like their butts are dipped in chocolate.

CA prices suck. That is indisputable. But, going out of state thinking that you are getting a massive deal, without doing the math, is ignorant (not stupid). Especially if you think that the savings will hold in the long run.

If I still lived in Cali, I might well buy there, since I understand that buying a car is more like buying a camel in a Middle Eastern bazaar than pretty much any other purchase you can make in the US. People who don't realize that get taken.
 

Mike O

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2020
Posts
182
Reaction score
181
Location
San Diego
Nice to have a dealer like that. Most view customers as marks. I almost always buy out of town. The local service guys are always act happy to see me to the point of being annoying, no matter what car and what make. The sales guys are always thrilled to have a shot at a sale and oddly enough I've had better luck with them if my vehicle was a different brand. Well, except for Toyota. They act like their butts are dipped in chocolate.

Good point.
 

nikhsub1

FRF Addict
Joined
Mar 5, 2017
Posts
4,106
Reaction score
4,693
Location
Los Angeles
I looked into buying out of state, but in order to register it in CA, they hit you with the sales tax. After transportation costs, it really didn't make much sense to do it.
Uhh, you will pay CA tax no matter where you buy the vehicle. You won't pay taxes twice though - not sure how having to pay tax didn't make sense for you to buy out of state? That is just odd.
 

Mike O

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2020
Posts
182
Reaction score
181
Location
San Diego
Uhh, I knew that and it does make sense to me. When I was looking to see if there was a big financial difference to purchase out of state, savings on tax turned out to be the only factor that would make it feasible. which is why "tax" and "register" are in the same sentence. The Department of Motor Vehicles is the one who collects the tax when you register it, which is why "tax" and "register are in the same sentence in my post.

My response was to counter a claim that you can save $20 grand by purchasing out of state and that Californians are either too stupid or lazy to do it. The intent was to dispel misperceptions.
 
Last edited:

nikhsub1

FRF Addict
Joined
Mar 5, 2017
Posts
4,106
Reaction score
4,693
Location
Los Angeles
Thanks but I bought mine out of state and I live in CA. What dealer did you buy from and what price did you get? If you didn't get invoice, or close to it, you would have done better out of state.
 

GordoJay

FRF Addict
Joined
Feb 8, 2020
Posts
6,119
Reaction score
11,839
Location
Colorado
My response was to counter a claim that you can save $20 grand by purchasing out of state and that Californians are either too stupid or lazy to do it. The intent was to dispel misperceptions.

Too funny. My post was in response to the implication that the advertisement posted reflected reality in Cali. Cheers. :cheers:
 

Turbogoat324

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Posts
731
Reaction score
431
Location
SoCal
Uhh, you will pay CA tax no matter where you buy the vehicle. You won't pay taxes twice though - not sure how having to pay tax didn't make sense for you to buy out of state? That is just odd.

Yup! I bought mine used out of state and I payed the Iowa sales tax...and then when I registered it I had to pay the difference from what I already paid and the CA tax rate. CA will get its money, no way around it. So Definitley comes down to actual purchase price because you’re not saving any money on taxes buying out of state.
 

Mike O

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2020
Posts
182
Reaction score
181
Location
San Diego
Thanks but I bought mine out of state and I live in CA. What dealer did you buy from and what price did you get? If you didn't get invoice, or close to it, you would have done better out of state.

I got it from Penske Ford in La Mesa, Ca. I got it for a bit over a grand over invoice (75k MSRP, 69+K invoice and I got it for 71k. I got mine for about 4k under MSRP.

So, my point to the group was that Gordo's comment that going out of state to purchase would save "$20,000 on an $80,000 vehicle". That is what was stated.

I was just trying to get the facts out there so people who haven't gone through this process in California weren't misinformed. It's crazy the response to that post. I guess it is more credible to say that you can save 25% by purchasing out-of-state if you live in California. ???

The only savings is how much lower the price out-of-state relative to the invoice, minus shipping expenses.

Crazy911, my friend, since you "liked" the confused post about Nick thinking that I didn't know about California taxes, I can draw you a picture if you need it. Haha! BTW, I am disappointed that you are not going to Raptor Assault on the 22nd. I only did it this month because I am off of work for 5 weeks. I would have waited for you to get your vin, had I known you would be getting it soon, because I know we would have laughed the entire time. I am sure you would put your tour guide hat on. :)
 
Last edited:
Top