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OMG Don't register an RV in Arizona


hbjoe3

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Is it perhaps the difference in sales tax or some silliness like that? That's a heck of a bite out of your wallet.

Jeff & Laurie

South Texas

Hounds: Auggie (beer drinking English Cocker Spaniel)

Angus (five pounds of bad azz chihuahua)

Homebase: 2015 Heartland 365 Key West -- The "Uno Mas"

The Office: 2016 Crossroads Hill Country 26RB

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Nope, just the way AZ charges for licence tags. Your tags on a high end DP can leave you in tears.

 

I did manage to get my tags down a bit by presenting them with the sales contract showing exactly what I paid, took some fussing but it saved a couple hundred bucks then and a bit less the following years renewals.

First rule of computer consulting:

Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day.

Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime.

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Nope, just the way AZ charges for licence tags. Your tags on a high end DP can leave you in tears.

 

I did manage to get my tags down a bit by presenting them with the sales contract showing exactly what I paid, took some fussing but it saved a couple hundred bucks then and a bit less the following years renewals.

I told the agent I was dealing with that I paid MUCH less, she didn't budge on the price. Stanley, are you in AZ? if so do you think I can go back with my sales docs and get the tag price down?

 

I also wonder if MSRP is the same in CA and AZ.

2014 Forest River Legacy

 

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MSRP = Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price. That is the price the manufacturer put on ALL the vehicles it made as they shipped out of the factory. And while no one pays that, that is the price that lots of states use as the basis to determine value later on. It has nothing to do with how much people actually pay. Comes into play when vehicles are taxed as personal property instead of taxed (registration fee) based upon age, length, weight, or whatever else a state uses to determine registration fees.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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I did mine a few years back so the current rules may be a bit different but I'd take the purchase contract down to the DMV and ask for a supervisor to review it. Worst case a couple wasted hours but if you win you are going to be happier every renewal, not just the day you win.

First rule of computer consulting:

Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day.

Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime.

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Thanks Barb, Since some states, such as AZ use MSRP to determine tag fees I was thinking to enhance sales they would have a different MSRP, I can't see them raising everyone's tag fees when they don't actually get MSRP

2014 Forest River Legacy

 

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So, this is the initial registration and AZ is charging you the equivalent to a personal property tax on your MH?

 

I understand that because my county hits me with that every year but that comes as a separate bill and is not even close to that number. Jeez.

 

Our vehicle registration is the tag renewal, proof of insurance, and, as of March 1st, vehicle inspection but that is totally separate from what you guys are posting, I believe.

Jeff & Laurie

South Texas

Hounds: Auggie (beer drinking English Cocker Spaniel)

Angus (five pounds of bad azz chihuahua)

Homebase: 2015 Heartland 365 Key West -- The "Uno Mas"

The Office: 2016 Crossroads Hill Country 26RB

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The VLT portion of the tags in AZ are based on the value of the vehicle so you pay big to start and pay again at a slightly reduced rate each of the following years. I think it goes to nearly nothing after 20 years though.

First rule of computer consulting:

Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day.

Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime.

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AZ is high on tags. The only way you will come out ahead in AZ is if you live here and do all your taxes here. AZ is amongst the lower states in the Union for overall taxes. They will hit you hard on RV's, etc., but you will be way ahead on property taxes and personal tax. You always have to look at the overall picture. I learned that the hard way when we went full-time. But that's another story and another state.

2007 Arctic Fox 32.5 rls for full-timing, now sold.

2014 Sunnybrook Sunset Creek 267rl for the local campgrounds now that we are off the road
2007 Silverado 2500 diesel

Loving Green Valley, AZ (just South of Tucson)

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Is that the price per YEAR to keep it registered? I'm rethinking residing in AZ when we stop fulltiming and go part time. There is no way I would pay that a year just for the privilege of owning an RV.

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
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No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
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Is that the price per YEAR to keep it registered? I'm rethinking residing in AZ when we stop fulltiming and go part time. There is no way I would pay that a year just for the privilege of owning an RV.

It is a declining balance type of personal property tax.

 

If you had a vehicle with MSRP of $100,000 here is what it would like like over a number of years - notice that it declines 16.5% in value each year:

 

 

Year Value 60% of value Vehicle Tax

1 $100,000.00 $60,000.00 $1,734.00

2 $83,500.00 $50,100.00 $1,447.89

3 $69,722.50 $41,833.50 $1,208.99

4 $58,218.29 $34,930.97 $1,009.51

5 $48,612.27 $29,167.36 $842.94

6 $40,591.25 $24,354.75 $703.85

7 $33,893.69 $20,336.21 $587.72

8 $28,301.23 $16,980.74 $490.74

9 $23,631.53 $14,178.92 $409.77

10 $19,732.33 $11,839.40 $342.16

11 $16,476.49 $9,885.90 $285.70

12 $13,757.87 $8,254.72 $238.56

13 $11,487.82 $6,892.69 $199.20

14 $9,592.33 $5,755.40 $166.33

15 $8,009.60 $4,805.76 $138.89

16 $6,688.01 $4,012.81 $115.97

17 $5,584.49 $3,350.69 $96.84

 

We're doing the same type of calculation and thinking about AZ as a permanent location and see why everyone keeps their vehicles a long time.

 

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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Wow, that is not a good thing. While it would not make me stay out of AZ, it CERTAINLY will cause me to maintain domicile in TX and only
"visit" AZ part of the year. I own property in AZ so I know the taxes for that are reasonable.

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

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So over those 17 years they ding you a good 10% of the purchase price just for registering your RV? Wow..... And that is after gouging you for sales tax on the purchase of it! We were thinking of purchasing property in the US but I dont think so now.

 

At home we pay a tax on the purchase price only if buying new.....one reason I buy from private parties..0 tax. Then our yearly licensing fees are low...around $70. I'm thinking we will keep to visiting as well.

<p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well.

IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR.

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FYI Alaska DMV has a provision for tax exemption for Senior Citizens (65 or older) from state vehicle taxes. Only one vehicle at a time can be registered for this exemption and requires one fill out and submit a form

Later,

J

2012 Landmark, San Antonio

2013 Silverado CC, 3500HD, Duramax, DRW, 4x4

Backup, side and hitch cameras, Tireminder TPMS

 

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We really like Tucson and seriously considered looking for a place last year after we bought our motorhome. Until, that is, we calculated that we'd pay over $1,600 just to register it in Arizona! No thanks...we'll remain residents of Washington State!

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

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So over those 17 years they ding you a good 10% of the purchase price just for registering your RV? Wow..... And that is after gouging you for sales tax on the purchase of it! We were thinking of purchasing property in the US but I dont think so now.

 

At home we pay a tax on the purchase price only if buying new.....one reason I buy from private parties..0 tax. Then our yearly licensing fees are low...around $70. I'm thinking we will keep to visiting as well.

 

How did you arrive at 10% of the purchase price for registration after 17 years? Maybe 0.1% instead?

 

States have to fund things that people want. So it is either through sales taxes, property taxes, registration fees, income taxes, or, as in most cases, an assortment of taxes and fees. You can't look at just one fee/tax and not look at the whole mix and see how that affects those that live year round in the state.

 

Actually purchasing property in Arizona is pretty good - tax wise. And it is pretty cheap to live in the winter - no heat needed for most of the winter, etc. Actually getting a winter place in Arizona isn't a bad idea if you keep your residence in another state (like Tx or Wa). As long as you stay less than 7 months (and really, who wants to be in Arizona May-September) you can remain a resident of where ever you want.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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Barb, that is exactly what I will do. Remain a TX resident and use AZ for my winter home....maybe.....

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

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How did you arrive at 10% of the purchase price for registration after 17 years? Maybe 0.1% instead?

 

If you add up all the numbers in your "vehicle tax" column the sum, at the end of 17 years, is over $10,000 which is more than 10% of the original value (which was $100,000).

WDR

1993 Foretravel U225 with Pacbrake and 5.9 Cummins with Banks

1999 Jeep Wrangler, 4" lift and 33" tires

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How did you arrive at 10% of the purchase price for registration after 17 years? Maybe 0.1% instead?

 

 

I'm not Jim, but if you add up the vehicle tax for the 17 years you will find that it totals $10,016.06, which is just a hair over 10% of the $100,000 original purchase price.

2000 Volvo 770, 500HP/1650FP Cummins N14 and 10 Speed Autoshift 3.58 Rear 202" WB, 2002 Teton Aspen Royal 43 Foot, Burgman 650 Scooter

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Good grief, do you guys sit and add up the registration yearly fee and make a determination on that of where to live? Sorry, I read the statement as saying that in the 17th year they were still paying 10% of the purchase price for the vehicle tax.

 

If you own property in this state then you get a good deal on property tax/not so good on vehicle tax. It is all a wash in the end - states have to have money to keep the lights on .

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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I'm not Jim, but if you add up the vehicle tax for the 17 years you will find that it totals $10,016.06, which is just a hair over 10% of the $100,000 original purchase price.

Exactly....and there is no way I would consider that even close to fair. Currently in Alberta my $70 / yr would add up to less than $1000 or less than 1% of any MSRP. By remaining a visitor I dont need to own or register a vehicle in any state and can keep my low prices on vehicle registration and free health care......just sayin....

<p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well.

IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR.

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But you probably pay more in income taxes and other taxes than residents of Arizona. And while I think universal health care is great and wish we had it here, it is not free. TNSTAAFL - we all pay for the services we want in different ways in different states/countries.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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