live in CA, want to buy in OR, possible ?

[lemonade]

Hi folks,

I am settled on buying a new car. California has
an 8% sales tax rate which makes me wonder if
I can buy the car in neighboring Oregon which has
no auto sales tax.

I wonder if the OR dealer will ask me for an address
and place of residence and determine that I am
a CA resident and charge me an 8% sales tax.

Just need to figure out the modalities to avoid paying
the sales tax since I will buy it in OR.

thanks,
lemonade

[YogsVR4]

It matters where you register the car. You'll pay the California sales tax when you go in to get the car registered. Unless you are a resident of OR for six months (I think thats how long it takes to get residency) you will not avoid that sales tax.

As a side note - the sky high tax rates in California are just about unbelievable. How can you stand to give so much of your income to the state?

[90EX]

If you live in California you can not buy a new car in another state unless it was made for California. You will not be able to register it. I copied the following from the DMV web site:

"California residents are prohibited from importing, purchasing, or leasing a new vehicle from another state, unless the vehicle was manufactured for sale in California and the Environmental Protection Agency label certifies the vehicle has California smog equipment. California considers a new vehicle to be any vehicle with less than 7,500 miles on the odometer at the time it is purchased or aquired."