r/carbuying

I placed a deposit for a 26' Model Y Performance to be delivered in December or January but in the meantime I am looking at other options.

I will be test driving a 2023 BMW i7 xDrive60. Very different cars but I am a big guy and for my budget $130k msrp 30k mile examples are available. I saw one for $55,169 with all the options I want but stupid dealer sold it even though I had gone in first and they said it was being reconditioned.

Other options: C8 Stingray, 8 Series, and many more...

Test drove GLE450, EQS SUV, i5 M60, M4, EQE AMG. Liked the M60 and AMG EQE but so far the Model Y is winning given that it's new and can drive itself, but I only drive about $4k miles a year.

I’m 23 I have a 780 score with a car almost payed off with 4 years of history and 4 credit cards with years of history I think my combined credit limit is 25k plus my Amex gold.
I’m going in to Toyota to potentially get the offer for the 2.99 Apr on the tundras am I probable to get approved?

I have a close friend that’s going to be my salesman and he said I shouldn’t have to worry about anything and that especially if I’m going to put some money down I might get 1.99 apr (if I have to I’m ok with putting down 6 or 7k

[removed]

Hello,

Looking into buying a ford Mach E here in California. Was able to haggle a select down pretty passively to 33000, could probably get it to 31000 OTD, however I’ve seen the higher trim with more bells and whistles at 44000 and think I could probably haggle down to 36000. Is it worth it? Or should I take a good deal now? Or should I wait a few months towards the end of the year? Thanks

EDIT: first time buyer so I didn’t realize how vague I’m being

Ideally would like to stay under a 625$ payment given that I’m 23 so my insurance is kind of tax as is. I’m living in California so the electric driving would be saving me money on gas. Which is kind of my reasoning.

The better trim would include 360 cameras, heated and cooled seats, motorized rear hatch and passenger seat and slightly nicer aesthetics.

Foremost also increases the drive distance to 320 miles from 260.

The comfort features and 360 cameras appeal to me most and make the select model a similar price if put into that model as opposed to going up a trim

Need help deciding all i see are mostly biased comments

Hey everyone, I am doing my best to be an informed consumer and doing a lot of research on the truck I want.

I am in New Jersey where the truck I want is listed at multiple dealers, even in Pennsylvania (which is about an hour away) anywhere between 43,000 - 44,000. Brand new

Just messing around I found the exact same truck and trim level for 36,500 in Washington. Brand new, 7 miles on it.

My goal OTD price before tax and fees in NJ would have been under $40k. Probably unrealistic because its a popular model that has been moving quick. But the truck in Washington meets that price already even factoring in an estimate of $2500 to ship it.

I am where I want to be already without even attempting to negotiate.

My biggest question is, am I overlooking anything? Any fees that would creep up with the process of buying out of state and shipping? And for the heck of it, anyone else have a similar experience? TIA

I'm currently a senior student in New Jersey, graduating in May 2027. I'm planning to move to California for a 1.5–2 year master's program.

I really need a car right now, so I'm considering buying a used Japanese SUV (probably a Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, or Mazda CX-5) in NJ. However, I'm concerned about the extra costs and paperwork involved in bringing it to California.

Here's my timeline:

• October 2026: Buy a used car in NJ, pay the 6.625% NJ sales tax, and register and insure it in NJ.
• Late May 2027: Graduate and drive the car from NJ to California.
• June–July 2027: Leave the car in a private storage facility in California while I return to China for the summer. The car won't be driven during this time.
• August 2027: Return to the US, officially move into an apartment in California, and start grad school. I'll be living there for approximately 1.5–2 years.

I currently have a valid NJ driver's license.

I have a few questions:

1. California's 20-day registration rule

I understand that new California residents generally need to register their out-of-state vehicles within 20 days.

However, I'll only be bringing my car to California in May to put it in storage. I won't actually move into an apartment or begin living in California until August.

Would I be able to wait until August to register the car, or would the 20-day requirement start when the car physically enters California in May?

2. California use tax

If I already paid 6.625% sales tax when purchasing the car in NJ, would I have to pay additional California use tax when registering it?

I've read about California's 12-month rule and the possibility of receiving credit for taxes paid to another state.

Has anyone been through this process or successfully qualified for a use tax exemption?

3. Actual registration costs

For anyone who has transferred an out-of-state vehicle to California, how much did you end up paying in total?

I'm particularly interested in registration fees, title fees, smog checks, and any other unexpected costs.

4. Insurance and storage

Has anyone driven their car from the East Coast to California when moving for school or work?

How did you handle insurance during the transition, especially if the car was going to be stored and not driven for a couple of months?

5. Is buying in NJ now worth it?

My biggest dilemma is whether I should buy a car in NJ now and bring it to California next year, or wait until I move to California and buy one there.

I'm not too concerned about the normal cost of using the car in NJ over the next several months, since I genuinely need it right now. I'm mainly trying to figure out how much extra I'll spend because of the interstate move.

I'd really appreciate any advice or personal experiences, especially from people who have dealt with California DMV or moved from another state for grad school.

Thanks in advance!

My 2025 Chevy Trax LT ends its lease this month, and I have driven roughly 20,000 km. I have already paid about $10,000 toward the lease over two years. The buyout cost is approximately $24,500 after tax, but the car is only front-wheel drive. I would prefer an all-wheel-drive vehicle—ideally a Toyota, Honda, or Mazda—that I can keep longer. When I leased the current car, it was my best option given my circumstances. Now I can commit to long-term financial obligations and have some savings for a used vehicle.

Could anyone help me decide whether to purchase my current leased vehicle, buy a used AWD model from a reliable Japanese manufacturer, or finance a new one from those same brands? What is the smarter choice for me?

2027 Hyundai Santa Fe Caliagraphy Ultimate ($62k Canadian)

Or

2026 Honda CR-V Touring Hybrid, 9,606 KM ($48k Canadian)

Or

2024 GRAND HIGHLANDER XLE AWD STANDARD PACKAGE, 30,500 KM ($51,395 Canadian)

I can reverse park just fine since I can look at the mirror to line up a car, but not so much for forward parking (head in). The car I'm looking at adds an extra 4k for a trim with 360 degree camera, so I'm wondering if the parking sensor is just enough. Obviously this is very subjective, but I would like to hear from people who have used parking sensor before - does it help a lot with parking?

I'm looking to get a new 2026 Mazda 3 select sport sedan in the dark blue with no add-ons. My dealership wants a $500 non refundable deposit while they try to obtain the exact vehicle I want. There are several that just say "in transit to dealer" on Mazda's website, salesman told me he cant say when it will arrive to the other dealers, so my trade in value could drop a bit if I rack up a ton of miles while waiting for the new car to arrive. I guess that makes sense but I don't think I'd put more than a couple thousand miles on it in the meantime. Whatever.

I will be trading in my 2025 Toyota Corolla LE sedan with 45,000 miles. They are giving me $17,000 for it.

After the trade in, they want a check for $9,110, bringing the total price of the Mazda 3 to $26,610 OTD, and of course that $500 deposit goes towards that final number.

I really want to get this over with but I'm hesitant to sign a $500 deposit and want to make sure this doesn't appear that I'm getting screwed over.