Advantage buying in CA vs another state?

Any dealer "should" be willing to maintain your car regardless of where you purchased it.
Unless your dealer is a jerk.
More $$ are made by dealers in the back room long term.

 

For the battery warranty

Toyota is announcing new details on 2020 or newer Hybrids:
10 years from date of first use, or 150,000 miles whichever comes first

Not sure if they will ever add fine print to that

 

Starting 2020 model, I heard all PRIUS batteries (or all Toyota hybrid?) are warrantied 10yrs/150K, IIRC.

Toyota Extends Hybrid Battery Warranty To 10 Years Or 150,000 Miles

edit: @dig4dirt already mentioned this

 

It is 10yr/150k.
From the horses mouth:
Toyota Extends Battery Warranty for Model Year 2020 Hybrid, Plug-in, and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles - Toyota USA Newsroom
Interesting how they feature (at this time at least) the Prime in the promo photo.
Sort of taunting you to find one?
I think they should have PhotoShopped the tire marks on the pavements towards the left edge of the picture.

 

Clean Vehicle Rebate Project | Center for Sustainable Energy
"Be registered as new in California. Vehicles may not be purchased, leased, or delivered out of state."
$1500 CA rebate ends 12/3 for Primes.
You need to buy and apply by then. That should easily offset any NE price advantage, not to mention the flight cost, time to drive back, etc.

See the prices paid thread - we got a great price at Buena Park.
Make sure you use the Uber and USA Triathlon incentives too.

 

Advantage buying in CA vs another state?

Having a lighter wallet when you're done?
Getting lied to?
Not getting a pat-down by a TSA agent?

Unless you believe in the quaint notion of buying local, there should be no legal difference.
They do it in the EU that way too.
Your vehicle is essentially a new car until it's bought and registered, and generally speaking the CARB warranty eligibility is determined by which state the car is initially registered in.

IMPORTANT!
The CARB warranty covers more items than just the traction battery, so it's still important to get REAL advice from a real source rather than relying on some internet chucklehead.
If it were MY money on the line I would contact the DMV, and make SURE that they do not bum dope you with an incorrect answer.
Sometimes a local dealer will help with the labyrinthine process of getting an HOV sticker and registration, inspection, etc.
This is a non-trivial thing, but just be aware that this service may cost you several thousand $.
...your call.


There MIGHT be a hitch in state kickbacks for a Prime bought in from foreign soil
Eligibility guidelines | Clean Vehicle Rebate Project
HOWEVER (comma!) it's only a $1500 rebate.....



You can also use this question as a fecal detector at some of the local dealerships to see if you want to let them service your car after the buy, but LEGALLY there should be NO difference in buying in-state versus out-of-state except for the time and money it takes to travel to wherever it is that you want to buy the car.

The warranty is the same.
The CARB coverage is the same.
Kick-backs should be the same.
Unfortunately, the registration, insurance, and taxes are too.

Disclaimer:
We ARE talking about the California, and the dealers there are not stupid!
Just dishonest.
Lots of things are different there (just ask somebody with a bad or missing catalytic converter!!) and it might be that the local legislatures have passed some kind of mattress-tag laws concerning in-state purchases since I looked into it last.


--------------------------------------------
TL;DR
Legally there should be no difference.
Sometimes a local dealer will help with the paper work.

Often, regional demand for niche items causes regional differences in price.

Good Luck!

 

Try using your employer or insurance car buying program. Try entering your Zip code and the Zip code for some NE capitals and see what you get back. With my 2013 PiP Carson Toyota in California was way less than Richmond Virginia. Enough to also cover the $900 shipping to Memphis TN.

 

Note: check on your qualifications for a $3500 cash rebate from California. If your income is low enough, you can qualify. This is an important benefit from California, but my understanding is that the car must be purchased in California.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
AChoiredTaste.com

 

In the past there have been periods when buying in Maryland full CRAB (funny typo, I mean CARB) saved California buyers $5000.

Also you could in theory get a used out-of-state PiP that qualifies for free HOV, for example.

Interesting question if the newer warranty makes full CRAB less important, but if you kindly pass me some OldBay seasoning, I'll think on it. Sheesh we just ran a 5k over there we got Old Bay potato chips from Utz.