Buying a Rav4 outside of CA

[doug401]

So there clearly are other places that have EV certified technicians outside CA...just don't advertise.

Yes... I agree. Do you know if it is a "Rav4 EV certification" or a more general "Plug-in EV certification"?

 

[AvLegends]

Yes, great idea. I have a verbal from Rodland Toyota that they will service them. But when I attempted to get it in writing via email, no reply. I then attempted to get it in writing from Magic Toyota... No reply. But I'm optimistic that it won't be a problem. From a technicians stand point, I'm sure they would love to get Tesla experience. The only thing I see needed short term would be the software update to fix the charge timer issues. Let's keep in touch so we can keep score of which dealers are Rav4 EV friendly , and which are not :evil:

I understand that there is some sort of coolant suction machine that is needed for the 50k motor/battery coolant change or service.
http://www.myrav4ev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=263
I do my own maintenance on my vehicles and have a lift to get them up in the air. Not sure if this is something that can be done outside of the dealership though without the special tools needed.
I have a friend who is a long time Toyota service tech but unfortunately he works at a local dealership that is not EV certified. They do sell Plug-in's. Going to ask him what he knows about the EV...

 

[shikataganai]

I did NOT have mine titled in CA, but they did insist I pay CA sales tax (would have been 2% cheaper in PA)...prob. for CARB credit.

That'd be a deal killer for me and other Washingtonians. One of the EV draws in Washington is that new alt-fuel vehicles are exempt from the nearly 10% sales tax (bit lower outside of Seattle).

 

[SeattleRav4]

I wonder how they "insisted" on the CA sales tax? or if they didn't somehow pocket it.
I didn't and have not heard of anyone else out of state paying CA sales tax. As shikataganai said, it would have been a deal killer for me.
I would have had to buy a Tesla!

 

[AvLegends]

I'd check with CA Board of Equalization. My understanding is that if you take possession personally like driving it off the lot then tax is collected. If you have it shipped by commercial transport then no tax is collected.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I'd check with CA Board of Equalization. My understanding is that if you take possession personally like driving it off the lot then tax is collected. If you have it shipped by commercial transport then no tax is collected.

Somehow, my hunch is some slimy dealer pocketed the "sales tax" money that they insisted on. I would just find another dealer... There are dozens to choose from.

 

[Kohler Controller]

I too was told I had to pay sales CA tax. SeattleRav4 and shikataganai, can you confirm that you did not have to pay CA sales tax and which dealerships you purchased the vehicles from (and contacts). If this is true, I'm going to inquire about my options. CA tax is 3% more than in TX (on full MSRP before cash back). Ouch.

 

[pchilds]

In CA the sales tax is paid to the DMV when you register the car.

 

[Richard C.]

I too was told I had to pay sales CA tax. SeattleRav4 and shikataganai, can you confirm that you did not have to pay CA sales tax and which dealerships you purchased the vehicles from (and contacts). If this is true, I'm going to inquire about my options. CA tax is 3% more than in TX (on full MSRP before cash back). Ouch.

I bought my Rav from Dianne at Carson Toyota (in January), and I didn't pay CA sales tax. As AVLegends mentioned, you only pay CA sales tax if you personally take possession off the lot. I had a transport company pick up and ship it up to Washington state. No CA tax, and no WA tax either.

 

[Spiffster]

I too was told I had to pay sales CA tax. SeattleRav4 and shikataganai, can you confirm that you did not have to pay CA sales tax and which dealerships you purchased the vehicles from (and contacts). If this is true, I'm going to inquire about my options. CA tax is 3% more than in TX (on full MSRP before cash back). Ouch.

I bought my Rav from Dianne at Carson Toyota (in January), and I didn't pay CA sales tax. As AVLegends mentioned, you only pay CA sales tax if you personally take possession off the lot. I had a transport company pick up and ship it up to Washington state. No CA tax, and no WA tax either.

You have to pay sales tax somewhere... certainly not CA sales tax if you are having it shipped out of state.

 

[cwerdna]

^^^
AFAIK, in WA state, EVs are exempt from sales tax.

 

[jspearman]

We did not pay CA sales tax. We haven't even paid our AZ tax yet because of the hassle of getting necessary paperwork from dealer for our tags.

 

[doug401]

***A quick guide for Washington State residents sales tax (use tax) exemption***

Maybe this should be its own thread.
Thanks to SeattleRAV4 and RichardC for their help

DOL........... Dept. of Licensing
DOR........... Dept. of Revenue
RCW 82.12.809.......... Revised code of Washington, 100% electric vehicle is exempt from 6.5% use tax and .3% motor vehicle tax.
Declaration of use tax..... A signed form from the DOR. Looks like this. http://www.pbase.com/doug401/image... hard to read those dates on the temp tab. ;)

 

[reeler]

I didn't pay CA sales tax. Tustin Toyota needed a Bill of Lading from the shipping company.

 

[shikataganai]

***A quick guide for Washington State residents sales tax (use tax) exemption***

Thanks for writing this up! I haven't pulled the trigger on a RAV4 EV–yet–but if I do so will definitely make use of this method. No way am I going to pay CA use tax as, as noted above, WA state exempts alt-fuel vehicles, BEVs included, from the state use tax.

 

[doug401]

***A quick guide for Washington State residents sales tax (use tax) exemption***

Thanks for writing this up! I haven't pulled the trigger on a RAV4 EV–yet–but if I do so will definitely make use of this method. No way am I going to pay CA use tax as, as noted above, WA state exempts alt-fuel vehicles, BEVs included, from the state use tax.

Sure... no problem.
One of the many documents that were signed during the purchase was a California DMV release form. I believe this is what allows the transfer out of state without California taxation.

 

[Kohler Controller]

Just talked to my dealer about the Mfr. Cert. of Origin and my having to pay CA sales tax (form Texas). They originally said they couldn't send me the MCO/MSO, but with info from this list, they called to some more adept dealerships to learn how and got it sent to me quickly. They also said they will refund the CA sales tax I paid. So if you purchased a RAV4EV from out of state and paid CA sales tax, please call your dealer and get a refund.

Thanks guys, you saved me ~$1500!

 

[Pennsylvania RAV]

Glad they got this fixed for you , Kohler.
Toyota WILL grant MCO/MSO's at dealer request. Any Toyota dealer that thinks
otherwise does not know.

If you're buying out of state, you'll need the MCO/MSO...may be a good thing to
get the dealer to acknowledge that they'll get you one up front.

 

[doug401]

Thanks guys, you saved me ~$1500!

Excellent...

 

[bocastephen]

For the folks in the Seattle area who bought and took delivery of RAV4 EVs, what local Toyota dealership are you working with for scheduled/un-scheduled maintenance issues? I understand from Dianne that a dealership with a tech who is certified to work on the Prius Plugin can do almost all the service needed on the RAV4EV (and Toyota will send over Tesla techs to the Toyota dealership for anything significant) - but we'd rather work with a dealer who has seen this car before and won't panic when we drive up.

I called a couple dealers in the Tacoma area who have Prius Plugin certified techs, and they said the RAV4 is not a problem for them, but I'd rather work with a dealer who has already seen one.