Southeastern Toyota hindrances

[BarkingGhostar]

So, I was wondering why I could not find any Toyota dealerships in GA, SC and AL or even FL that would sell the A91 spec Supra. Worse yet, if you go onto the toyota.com website and use the build tool to create a build to order for the A91 the tool removes the A91 option if you plug in a zip code from FL, GA, Al, SC and NC. These are the states controlled by the SouthEastern Toyota (SET) holdings and distributor that provides inventory to dealerships in these states. As soon as I use a zip code outside of the SET territory I can use the online build and order tool for the A91 Supra.

I've known about the SET and how it can be of someone consequences as it effected what options I could get long ago when I bought my now 20 year old Tundra, but I was surprised that SET would literally discriminate against trim-level offering that is offered everywhere else. Being that I am in the Atlanta market, all I had to do i the end was type in the zip code for Chattanooga (TN) and the tool worked perfectly. Seems senseless. OK, so I can build and order but do I now want the hassle of buying out of state and if I do will TN expect me to pay property tax on it upfront in addition to GA doing this?

BTW, GA made a move back in 2012-13 regarding the excise taxation on a vehicle's worth. The state is multi-dipping on this taxation front. How this got to be is crazy considering the bulk of the population is driven by a commute-culture which typically invokes a more rapid turnover of vehicles. But that's another story.

 

[zinfamous]

This sounds strange. What does one suppose this cartel is gaining from restricting models and trim levels from distribution within their influence zone?

 

[herm0016]

tell the dealer you are from out of state and they should just let you pay the sales tax when you register. that's how i bought my first truck in Michigan when i lived in wyoming. called the tag office in wyoming and they sent a temp tag for the drive back. easy peasy.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

This sounds strange. What does one suppose this cartel is gaining from restricting models and trim levels from distribution within their influence zone?

I know, right? I sent them an email yesterday asking about this and have not yet gotten anything but an automated response.

 

[NutBucket]

Obviously the simple solution is to just go to the BMW dealer

 

[Meghan54]

BTW, GA made a move back in 2012-13 regarding the excise taxation on a vehicle's worth. The state is multi-dipping on this taxation front. How this got to be is crazy considering the bulk of the population is driven by a commute-culture which typically invokes a more rapid turnover of vehicles. But that's another story.

What double dipping? GA got rid of yearly excise tax because it felt that too many private used car purchases were not declaring the actual price paid, thereby reducing the state's sales tax collection when the new owner went to title/register the vehicle.

So, GA went to a title fee based system, whereby the state charges a fixed fee to a new owner of a vehicle when titling/registering said vehicle in the state. After that, the yearly charge is a flat $20 tag fee.

Unfortunately, that fixed valuation on the vehicle is a flawed system because it doesn't take into account the vehicle's actual condition at all. So the actual sales price can be well below what the state puts and uses as a value on the vehicle when determining the title fee.

Of course, if one buys a vehicle from a dealer and does pay sales tax, the title fee is waived.

Not saying I agree with this system, but it is what it is. And I don't see how the state is double dipping.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I posed to the the following scenario. I buy a brand new, never owned before car. I have to pay the state the lifetime's worth of the vehicle's excise tax. The entire lifetime. Then I sell it or trade it in and the next owner has to also pay the shortened lifetime of the vehicle's excise tax, which I already paid. Get's sold again, and then a triple dipping comes into play. I literally went into the DMV to ask this this and she smiled and said, "Yes, you got it right!" And her smile was an evil smile.

If the person pays the lifetime of the vehicle's excise tax then it shouldn't be applied ever again on the vehicle regardless of how many owners owned it.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Obviously the simple solution is to just go to the BMW dealer

Funny.

 

[Meghan54]

I posed to the the following scenario. I buy a brand new, never owned before car. I have to pay the state the lifetime's worth of the vehicle's excise tax. The entire lifetime. Then I sell it or trade it in and the next owner has to also pay the shortened lifetime of the vehicle's excise tax, which I already paid. Get's sold again, and then a triple dipping comes into play. I literally went into the DMV to ask this this and she smiled and said, "Yes, you got it right!" And her smile was an evil smile.

If the person pays the lifetime of the vehicle's excise tax then it shouldn't be applied ever again on the vehicle regardless of how many owners owned it.

Uhhhh.....no, if you bought a new car, you paid sales tax, not lifetime ad valorem tax, which is what it really is called, not an excise tax. So you're incorrect on that point.

Then, the rest of the sales....you're right. GA collects a title tax/fee because GA was convinced no one was declaring the "real" amount paid for the privately purchased used vehicle but woefully under-declaring the actual price paid, so there ended up being lower amounts of sales tax collected on the sales price when registering the vehicle. So GA instituted the one-time title fee/tax. But you don't pay yearly ad valorem tax any longer to the county you live in, so it's probably a wash.

You may say it's double/triple dipping, but if it was sales tax being paid each time instead of the title tax/fee, would you be crying about double/triple dipping?

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Whatever it is called, it was nearly $3K at the DMV when registering it for a permanent tag. This was in addition to what the dealership collected to allow us to drive the new car off the lot with a temp tag. I guess since it has been seven years since I asked this of the DMV I can make the effort to go back again for clarification.

 

[Leymenaide]

More likely SET sold out it's allocation or is controlling it's allocation for retail mark up at selected dealers. I noticed they seem to put the 2k markup on almost everything around here like it was is the 70's when all Toyotas were sold above list. A limited edition sports car will bring a big premium to them in Florida.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I browsed individual inventory for over twenty SET dealerships and none of them had the A91 spec. At the same time I can find the A91 available with relative ease outside of SET. I'm thinking SET probably figured no one in their right mind would pay close to $60K for the car. What is annoying is that I can't get an effective answer back from any of the local dealers on inventory swap. Just to get into the dealerships here in Atlanta they want appointments. But it isn't the front door sales people I want or need to speak with, but the dealership's inventory person or anyone that can answer questions about product swap between a SET dealership and a non-SET dealership.