Want to buy a car in Texas while being a California resident

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manatee2005
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Want to buy a car in Texas while being a California resident

Post by manatee2005 »

I will be in Texas for about 2 months. It just happens that I also need a new car, and rental will cost a ridiculous amount for 2 months.
Since I already have a plane ticket to get to Texas but I don’t have a return ticket yet, I’d like to buy a new car in Texas, drive it for 2 months there and drive it back to California.

I am not sure if I can register a car I buy from a dealer in Texas without being a Texas resident, does anyone know if it’s possible to do this?

California cars usually have extra emission things, would a car I buy in Texas be California compliant? It would have to be registered in California once I return.
Last edited by manatee2005 on Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
exodusNH
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by exodusNH »

manatee2005 wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:54 pm I will be in Texas for about 2 months. It just happens that I also need a new car, and rental will cost a ridiculous amount for 2 months.
Since I already have a plane ticket to get to Texas but I don’t have a return ticket yet, I’d like to buy a new car in Texas, drive it for 2 months there and drive it back to California.

I am not sure if I can register a car I buy from a dealer in Texas without being a Texas resident, does anyone know if it’s possible to do this?

California cars usually have extra emission things, would a car I buy in Texas be California compliant? It would have to be registered in California once I return.
Many cars nowadays are "50 state cars" since it's easier to simply build one car for the entire country.

As for registering, you'd normally have to do so your home state. If you got a Texas license and updated your auto insurance, you could do it, but when you moved back to CA you'd have to change it all over and possibly pay the CA sales tax.
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quantAndHold
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by quantAndHold »

Most cars have “California emissions,” but you’ll want to verify. When you bring the car back to California and take it to the DMV, they will look for the sticker that says it’s CARB compliant, and won’t register the car until they find it.

Basically you drive it around until you get it back to California, get it smogged, then take it to the DMV and register it. You’ll pay the sales tax when you register it, and they’ll backdate the registration to the purchase date. Get insurance from your normal company back home.

I assume they have temporary tags in Texas. We did that when we bought in Oregon. The temporary tag expired long before we got home, but nobody in California cared.
TropikThunder
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by TropikThunder »

manatee2005 wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:54 pm I will be in Texas for about 2 months. It just happens that I also need a new car, and rental will cost a ridiculous amount for 2 months.
Since I already have a plane ticket to get to Texas but I don’t have a return ticket yet, I’d like to buy a new car in Texas, drive it for 2 months there and drive it back to California.

I am not sure if I can register a car I buy from a dealer in Texas without being a Texas resident, does anyone know if it’s possible to do this?

California cars usually have extra emission things, would a car I buy in Texas be California compliant? It would have to be registered in California once I return.
My 2 cents: for my most recent car purchase, I bought from a dealer in SoCal and drove it home to Washington. Prestige DMV did all the leg work and in my case at least the dealer paid their fee (<$200) since the BMW dealer I bought from sells a ton out of state. Prestige processed the registration and title, mailed me temp plates within a couple days, and also had the WA DMV mail me my real plates. They say they work in all 50 states (and Prestige themselves is located in TX) so hopefully a dealer in Texas will know about their service.


https://prestigedmv.com/
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quantAndHold
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by quantAndHold »

TropikThunder wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:29 am
manatee2005 wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:54 pm I will be in Texas for about 2 months. It just happens that I also need a new car, and rental will cost a ridiculous amount for 2 months.
Since I already have a plane ticket to get to Texas but I don’t have a return ticket yet, I’d like to buy a new car in Texas, drive it for 2 months there and drive it back to California.

I am not sure if I can register a car I buy from a dealer in Texas without being a Texas resident, does anyone know if it’s possible to do this?

California cars usually have extra emission things, would a car I buy in Texas be California compliant? It would have to be registered in California once I return.
My 2 cents: for my most recent car purchase, I bought from a dealer in SoCal and drove it home to Washington. Prestige DMV did all the leg work and in my case at least the dealer paid their fee (<$200) since the BMW dealer I bought from sells a ton out of state. Prestige processed the registration and title, mailed me temp plates within a couple days, and also had the WA DMV mail me my real plates. They say they work in all 50 states (and Prestige themselves is located in TX) so hopefully a dealer in Texas will know about their service.


https://prestigedmv.com/
To register a car in CA that’s purchased out of state, the car needs to be inspected in person at a California DMV office, and get a smog check in the county that it’s gonna be registered in.
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manatee2005
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by manatee2005 »

TropikThunder wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:29 am
manatee2005 wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:54 pm I will be in Texas for about 2 months. It just happens that I also need a new car, and rental will cost a ridiculous amount for 2 months.
Since I already have a plane ticket to get to Texas but I don’t have a return ticket yet, I’d like to buy a new car in Texas, drive it for 2 months there and drive it back to California.

I am not sure if I can register a car I buy from a dealer in Texas without being a Texas resident, does anyone know if it’s possible to do this?

California cars usually have extra emission things, would a car I buy in Texas be California compliant? It would have to be registered in California once I return.
My 2 cents: for my most recent car purchase, I bought from a dealer in SoCal and drove it home to Washington. Prestige DMV did all the leg work and in my case at least the dealer paid their fee (<$200) since the BMW dealer I bought from sells a ton out of state. Prestige processed the registration and title, mailed me temp plates within a couple days, and also had the WA DMV mail me my real plates. They say they work in all 50 states (and Prestige themselves is located in TX) so hopefully a dealer in Texas will know about their service.


https://prestigedmv.com/
Thanks for letting me know about prestigedmv, that is pretty cool.
It would be a lot easier DMV wise if I would just buy the car in California but since I already have the one way plane ticket and don’t want to make the 20 hr drive, it would be nice if I could buy it in Texas.
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manatee2005
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by manatee2005 »

quantAndHold wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 1:42 am
TropikThunder wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:29 am
manatee2005 wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:54 pm I will be in Texas for about 2 months. It just happens that I also need a new car, and rental will cost a ridiculous amount for 2 months.
Since I already have a plane ticket to get to Texas but I don’t have a return ticket yet, I’d like to buy a new car in Texas, drive it for 2 months there and drive it back to California.

I am not sure if I can register a car I buy from a dealer in Texas without being a Texas resident, does anyone know if it’s possible to do this?

California cars usually have extra emission things, would a car I buy in Texas be California compliant? It would have to be registered in California once I return.
My 2 cents: for my most recent car purchase, I bought from a dealer in SoCal and drove it home to Washington. Prestige DMV did all the leg work and in my case at least the dealer paid their fee (<$200) since the BMW dealer I bought from sells a ton out of state. Prestige processed the registration and title, mailed me temp plates within a couple days, and also had the WA DMV mail me my real plates. They say they work in all 50 states (and Prestige themselves is located in TX) so hopefully a dealer in Texas will know about their service.


https://prestigedmv.com/
To register a car in CA that’s purchased out of state, the car needs to be inspected in person at a California DMV office, and get a smog check in the county that it’s gonna be registered in.
I would probably have to pay california state tax on it too, if I bring it back less than 6 months after purchase. I think that was the rule 10 years ago.
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quantAndHold
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by quantAndHold »

manatee2005 wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 3:31 pm
quantAndHold wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 1:42 am
TropikThunder wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:29 am
manatee2005 wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:54 pm I will be in Texas for about 2 months. It just happens that I also need a new car, and rental will cost a ridiculous amount for 2 months.
Since I already have a plane ticket to get to Texas but I don’t have a return ticket yet, I’d like to buy a new car in Texas, drive it for 2 months there and drive it back to California.

I am not sure if I can register a car I buy from a dealer in Texas without being a Texas resident, does anyone know if it’s possible to do this?

California cars usually have extra emission things, would a car I buy in Texas be California compliant? It would have to be registered in California once I return.
My 2 cents: for my most recent car purchase, I bought from a dealer in SoCal and drove it home to Washington. Prestige DMV did all the leg work and in my case at least the dealer paid their fee (<$200) since the BMW dealer I bought from sells a ton out of state. Prestige processed the registration and title, mailed me temp plates within a couple days, and also had the WA DMV mail me my real plates. They say they work in all 50 states (and Prestige themselves is located in TX) so hopefully a dealer in Texas will know about their service.


https://prestigedmv.com/
To register a car in CA that’s purchased out of state, the car needs to be inspected in person at a California DMV office, and get a smog check in the county that it’s gonna be registered in.
I would probably have to pay california state tax on it too, if I bring it back less than 6 months after purchase. I think that was the rule 10 years ago.
Yes, you have to pay sales tax, too.
stocknoob4111
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by stocknoob4111 »

quantAndHold wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 1:42 am To register a car in CA that’s purchased out of state, the car needs to be inspected in person at a California DMV office, and get a smog check in the county that it’s gonna be registered in.
What about this situation... my car was bought in CA in 2017 as I was a CA resident before, in 2020 I moved to TX and it's registered and titled in TX now. Further down the line if I move back to CA does the inspection still apply?

Here in TX I have to get the car inspected yearly!
Somethingwitty92912
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by Somethingwitty92912 »

manatee2005 wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:54 pm I will be in Texas for about 2 months. It just happens that I also need a new car, and rental will cost a ridiculous amount for 2 months.
Since I already have a plane ticket to get to Texas but I don’t have a return ticket yet, I’d like to buy a new car in Texas, drive it for 2 months there and drive it back to California.

I am not sure if I can register a car I buy from a dealer in Texas without being a Texas resident, does anyone know if it’s possible to do this?

California cars usually have extra emission things, would a car I buy in Texas be California compliant? It would have to be registered in California once I return.
How much driving do you actually need to do? I have a friend who lives near a lot of amenities, and Ubers everywhere else.

Maybe you could change where your staying?
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quantAndHold
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by quantAndHold »

stocknoob4111 wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:07 pm
quantAndHold wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 1:42 am To register a car in CA that’s purchased out of state, the car needs to be inspected in person at a California DMV office, and get a smog check in the county that it’s gonna be registered in.
What about this situation... my car was bought in CA in 2017 as I was a CA resident before, in 2020 I moved to TX and it's registered and titled in TX now. Further down the line if I move back to CA does the inspection still apply?

Here in TX I have to get the car inspected yearly!
When they “inspect” a car brought in from out of state, I believe all they’re doing is checking the VIN number and verifying it has the California emissions sticker somewhere on the engine block. When we moved back from out of state with the same car we’d had before, they actually treated it like a renewal. We didn’t even have the car with us when we were at the DMV. We did have to get it smogged before we could finalize the registration, though.
bkmcd1
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by bkmcd1 »

manatee2005 wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:54 pm I will be in Texas for about 2 months. It just happens that I also need a new car, and rental will cost a ridiculous amount for 2 months.
Have you looked at Turo? For a rental from 9/1/2021 to 11/1/2021 in Fort Worth, TX, I see cars as low as $19-$20/day.
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manatee2005
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by manatee2005 »

Somethingwitty92912 wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:16 pm
manatee2005 wrote: Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:54 pm I will be in Texas for about 2 months. It just happens that I also need a new car, and rental will cost a ridiculous amount for 2 months.
Since I already have a plane ticket to get to Texas but I don’t have a return ticket yet, I’d like to buy a new car in Texas, drive it for 2 months there and drive it back to California.

I am not sure if I can register a car I buy from a dealer in Texas without being a Texas resident, does anyone know if it’s possible to do this?

California cars usually have extra emission things, would a car I buy in Texas be California compliant? It would have to be registered in California once I return.
How much driving do you actually need to do? I have a friend who lives near a lot of amenities, and Ubers everywhere else.

Maybe you could change where your staying?
I am planning to drive all over the state. In those 2 months I’ll stay in all 4 major cities to see which one I like the most.
I’m also planning on driving to NO.
The thing is I have a really old car and I was looking to buy something new anyways.
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quantAndHold
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by quantAndHold »

Google tells me that you can get up to 3 30day temporary permits in Texas. https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/registe ... ry-permits That’s probably all you need to do until you get to California. I assume the dealer can get the first one for you when you buy the car.
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manatee2005
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Re: Want to buy in Texas while being a California resident

Post by manatee2005 »

quantAndHold wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:31 pm Google tells me that you can get up to 3 30day temporary permits in Texas. https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/registe ... ry-permits That’s probably all you need to do until you get to California. I assume the dealer can get the first one for you when you buy the car.
This is great, this might be all I need. Thanks for looking it up!
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