Purchased in California registered in Colorado

I can’t give advice on your specific situation, but you might find it useful to review the California publications linked in my posting from two weeks ago, and also Motor Vehicle Dealers (PDF), Publication 34 of the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, especially the section “Vehicles purchased for use outside California” on pages 3 and 4. That section says, to avoid a taxable sale, “You [the dealer] must establish that the vehicle was delivered to the purchaser outside California (for example, delivered by your employee or by common carrier), and that the purchaser did not take possession of the vehicle in California” (emphasis added).

If the amount is large enough, you may wish to ask an attorney if you have a claim against the dealer.

 

I would complain directly to the dealer.

Let us know what happens and include the name of the salesman and dealership.

 

Kill, let it go. California made it difficult to escape their tax. It would likely have cost more than the $580 to have the car delivered across the state line. I'd never expect the salesman to know these details, and I'd be surprised if the finance guy knew them in a dealership about as far from a state line as possible.

 

I don't think you will get it refunded. i did the same, bought a new Prime in CA and registered it in Nebraska. Since CA has a higher sales tax rate, the NE tax people accepted that I had fulfilled my sales tax obligations and I paid no sales tax here.

I was aware of this when I bought the car, and with the lower sales price in CA I came out well ahead even with the 1.75% sales tax difference.