Purchasing a used car in Colorado vs. home state

tutmom

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My ds is going to be a C2C after graduation (I think the time went by fast, he thinks it went by slow) and will be allowed to have a car. We are trying to decide if it will be cheaper to buy it in Colorado or Virginia (and then ship it to him). If we purchase in Virginia we can have our neighbor who sells used cars help us find one and have it thoroughly checked out.
When I look at the sales tax in Colorado it is twice as high as Virginia and you are supposed to pay take on a trade-in in Colorado but not Virginia. Does that mean if we purchase in Colorado, he will have to pay 10 percent
 
Why would you have to ship it. he'll be home for summer vacation. Buy it when he comes home. He can help pick it out. Then, he drives back to colorado. It isn't really that far. I drove from New Jersey to New Mexico in 2 days.

As for easier; it's easier to have his virginia license, registration and then open up a bank account with USAA. They also provide automobile insurance and are use to serving military members. Or, like us, we gave our son one of our cars to use and kept him on our insurance. When he graduates we will give him the car (Its a nice car) as part of his graduation present. Anyway, if you're going to buy one, just do it in virginia and let him drive it back to the academy. mike....
 
I agree why buy the car now, especially without him.

We live in VA, and he can easily drive it across country during the summer months. I wouldn't do what Mike says in 2 days, but 4 days, 8 hours a day should not be an issue.

Plus, I am willing to bet there are at least one or two of his buds that live in VA, they can convoy it, or he can just ask one to road trip with him back to the AFA.

A car does not appreciate, it depreciates. 3 months from now, another identical used car can be on that lot for the same or less money. Buying it now means paying insurance for it to sit in the driveway. In VA that could be a couple of hundred bucks.
 
I've already picked up an 04" Land Cruiser for the son (just in case :rolleyes:) and I'll keep it maintained for him until he can drive it in oooohhhh, I don't know..... perhaps the Colorado Rockies...? :biggrin:

Otherwise, I'll feel better about him driving around Auburn in something bigger than that upholstered roller skate he has now... :eek:

(The things we post while time t.......i......c......k......s by :yllol:)

Best :biggrin:
 
Made me smile...:smile:DS wants a 60's Dodge Challenger. I haven't told DW but I want to find one, put it in the garage and work on it for a couple years until he is ready for, and is permitted to have a vehicle. And of course the road trip from the Texas Gulf Coast to USAFA would be pretty cool, and I will drive :cool:. I want to surprise him with it at the Academy...plus, like I said that would be a pretty epic road trip. :biglaugh:
 
Made me smile...:smile:DS wants a 60's Dodge Challenger. I haven't told DW but I want to find one, put it in the garage and work on it for a couple years until he is ready for, and is permitted to have a vehicle. And of course the road trip from the Texas Gulf Coast to USAFA would be pretty cool, and I will drive :cool:. I want to surprise him with it at the Academy...plus, like I said that would be a pretty epic road trip. :biglaugh:


Instead of "Thelma and Louise" it'll be "Bud and Louie" or "Bud and Louie Meet Every State Trooper in a Five State Area" ...

:shake:
 
Won't a lot of the graduating Firsties be selling their cars? Might be some deals already at USAFA. Just a thought....
 
profsparrow,

A friend's Dad did something sim. for their DS. It was a Corvette Stingray, the yr the child was born.

The friend thought his Dad was rebuilding it for himself, never knowing he was always planning to give it as an AFA graduation present. Why should he, it made sense, classic car and the yr he was born (1st child)?

The friend worked with his Dad every break on the car. The Dad told him Mom and I are going to take a X country trip and take it to your commissioning. He just thought his folks were so cool, and enjoying life.

Commissioning came and there they were in this White Stingray, taking pictures of the family in front of it with him in his Mess Dress. The picture he had framed in his house, was the one where Dad handed the keys over to him. He didn't know Mom and Dad planned to fly home from CO to AL.

He kept that car, and everytime he did a long TDY (180 days) he drove it back home for his Dad to drive while he was gone. When he was stationed in AK, his Dad kept the car for 3 yrs. When he came back the 1st place he went was to get his "baby".

I would do that in a heartbeat seeing first hand how it meant so much to our friend, not because of the car, but the bonding experience between a father and a son.
 
My son keeps telling me he wants my '66 Mustang. I keep telling him that I raised him, fed him, kept clothes and a roof over him, kept on him about his grades so he could get to a nice school...... WHAT MORE DOES HE WANT??? LOL!!!

Truth is: I told him if he didn't learn how to work on cars, I'd NEVER let him have this car. I've been working on cars for almost 40 years. Seriously. Some of these old cars are so fun, but you have to know how to keep tweaking and maintaining them. If not, it WILL break down at the most inopportune time and then you're up a creek. I prefer he have the mint condition really dependable Toyota for his vehicle. I couldn't even get my daughter use to pushing in the gas pedal on the mustang to close the choke and give it gas. She's use to fuel injection and an electric fuel pump. She almost burned out my starter. "no, she's NEVER allowed to drive the mustang again".
 
Thanks for everyone's opinions and information.
We have used USAA for his auto insurance the last 2 years and have saved a bundle :).

The reason we are thinking of shipping it is that cadets can have the car as soon as graduation occurs (as I understand). This year there is a whole transition week after graduation before 1st summer and then he will be cadre for Beast 1 before he comes home for 3rd leave. So we are thinking of picking the car out when he is home on spring break and then shipping it mid May to sponsors.
 
My son keeps telling me he wants my '66 Mustang. I keep telling him that I raised him, fed him, kept clothes and a roof over him, kept on him about his grades so he could get to a nice school...... WHAT MORE DOES HE WANT??? LOL!!!


That's what I said about my mint 03 Beemer 330 CIC vert w 46K on the clock... Guess who's driving it right now...?

:rolleyes:

Hang TOUGH CC, hang TOUGH!

:biggrin:
 
I'm not sure if this is an option but...when I was at Yokota, Japan. There was a program set up where you could order a new vehicle there, and pick it up at a dealer of your choice state-side. I'll bet you could do that through a car dealer where you're located and have the car ready at a dealership in Co. Springs. If a new car is what you're looking for. Just a thought.:idea:
 
They changed that yrs ago, trust me I know. That loop hole was closed yrs ago.
 
Based on the cost of shipping a car to colorado; and the fact that he's already gone 2 years without his own car; I'm sure he could wait a couple more weeks until he got home. Then he gets to help pick out the car he wants/likes/etc..

But hey; that is strictly a 100% opinion. When it comes to money, I never tell people how to save/spend/invest theirs. That's the one area I think people do best by doing it themselves. But he's either going to turn around a couple weeks later and drive the car home, or leave it parked there and spend money on a plane ticket. Just seems to me that you'd save a lot more money by not shipping out there. Plus, your son gets the pleasure of helping pick it out. AND.... MOST IMPORTANTLY.... No matter how well you check it out, there can be issues. Even with a new car. If he picks it out and buys it at home, he'll have 2+ weeks to make sure there's no bug in it, and have it taken care of if there are bugs.

But again, it's ya'alls money. You have to spend it as you see fit.
 
Won't a lot of the graduating Firsties be selling their cars? Might be some deals already at USAFA. Just a thought....

Actually, we saw very few Firsties selling their car when they graduated. By that time most of them have the car or truck that they want and use their vehicle to drive home after graduation to begin their leave.

Some of my thoughts on vehicles for cadets:

Remember that the Academy is in the Colorado Rockies. That Camaro/Challenger/Mustang will look really cool in the summer, but when I-25 North is snowed over on a weekend that your cadet wants to go to Denver, it will be useless.

Many of the passes in the mountains are closed to non-4wd vehicles during the winter when cadets like to head up skiing or snowboarding. Chains are required in some areas.

Our son bought our Ford Excursion from us when he could have a vehicle. I drove it out to him and he paid for my plane ticket home. He has told us many times that it was the absolute best vehicle that he could have had there. It was known as "The Snowboarding Bus" in his squadron. He often lent it out to underclassmen for weekends when he wasn't using it. Four wheel drive, lots of room, and a tow hitch for pulling a trailer full of supplies back to the dorm for 100's night. :rolleyes:

After he graduated, he kept the truck and moved himself down to Texas with it. He still drives it today.

Everyone's choice in a vehicle will be shaped by their use and tastes. I am just letting you know what worked for our son.

Stealth_81
 
I purchased a car in C-springs...largest Subaru dealer in the US is in C-springs. 4WD/AWD is useful in the winter!
 
I had an FJ Cruiser while at USAFA and it paid its way for sure. Never stuck on base during snow and never was unable to get to the mountains! I sold it last April for a Fusion hybrid. Gas here in L.A. kills! Also, I'll be in warm climates for at least 5 more years.
 
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