Where oh where to purchase a vehicle? (St. George, Cedar City: sales, home)

[Townie33]

My wife and I will be moving into our St. George home next month. We both are soon to be retired high school teachers and are more than ready for a much needed change. The weather here is as bad as you have heard. And yes it SNOWED here on MAY 16th!!!

My question is simple: Am I better off purchasing a much needed vehicle here and driving or shipping a vehicle when we move, or would I be better off waiting and finding a vehicle once we have relocated.

I know there are pros and cons. Pro: I know where to shop around here, and know pretty much what to expect on my trade in. Con: I am gonna get HAMMERED on the Cook County sales tax!!!! Pro: There is a huge selection here. Con: If I do purchase here we will have to ship one car to St. George, and that can and will be expensive ( $$$$$ ). Pro: It might give me just one more excuse to go to Vega$.

[tylerhaynes3]

Hello, Chi-town Burbanite

First off I did hear it snowed out there...in MID MAY!! I lived about 2 hours away from there as a young kid and did not know Chicago got snow this late in the season!
Mind you, it was sunny and 93 here in the northern Mojave today

There's a plethora of private owned new/used car lots in the area and several big name dealerships as well. If you're up for bigger selection with more competitive pricing, your best bet around here would obviously be Vegas, and is in fact a great excuse to go down there and play.

[Townie33]

Originally Posted by tylerhaynes3

Hello, Chi-town Burbanite

First off I did hear it snowed out there...in MID MAY!! I lived about 2 hours away from there as a young kid and did not know Chicago got snow this late in the season!
Mind you, it was sunny and 93 here in the northern Mojave today

There's a plethora of private owned new/used car lots in the area and several big name dealerships as well. If you're up for bigger selection with more competitive pricing, your best bet around here would obviously be Vegas, and is in fact a great excuse to go down there and play.

Thanks for the proverbial weather jab/stab.........OUCH! I have lived here since 1981 and have never seen snow this late in the season. It was BRUTAL to say the least! But, mind you, it was much easier to stomach knowing my snow shoveling days are well behind me.

I greatly appreciate the input. I have noticed the numerous "corner" type lots in and around town. And there are some bigger dealerships. But your point is very well taken about more choices and competitive pricing to the south.

I am curious. When purchasing in LV, with no state income tax, will they charge you a tax on the state where you reside when purchasing your car?

[GoOutsideAndPlay]

Townie,

St. George has all the major manufacturers represented. If you're looking for exotics, or perhaps some high end (I don't recall a Lexus dealer), you'll have to go to Vegas. Otherwise, you'll find most of what you're looking for. I think most dealerships know Vegas is so close, they have to be somewhat competitive. You might also be able to find what you want in Cedar City or Mesquite.

I know that when you register a new vehicle in UT, you have to pay sales and use tax at that time (if you just bought the vehicle - e.g. not transferring registration from one state to another). So, if you buy in Vegas, make sure you don't get charged tax since you'll pay that when you register in UT (6.25% for the St. George area). Registration fees are based on the year of your vehicle (the newer, the higher). I believe that's how it all works. My vote would be to wait and buy here to avoid higher IL taxes, double registration, shipping/driving costs. Just buy when you get here and do it all once.

[Townie33]

Thanks so much for the info.

All is new to me and will be learning on the fly. I did get new UTAH plates on a car last summer. I think they only cost me about $75 since car was so old.

I probably will hold off on getting my ride until towards the end of the year. The thought of shipping a car across country isn't too appealing ($$$) anyway. There are plenty of choices here, but none haven't really gotten me too excited.

But I am extremely excited about moving!

[pnwmdk]

Buy your car out west. NEVER ship used vehicle from Chicagoland to Utah.

Cars out there are not rust prone, and just one winter in Chicago and the car has been doomed to be a rust bucket.

[Townie33]

Originally Posted by pnwmdk

Buy your car out west. NEVER ship used vehicle from Chicagoland to Utah.

Cars out there are not rust prone, and just one winter in Chicago and the car has been doomed to be a rust bucket.

Point well taken!

Am I better off shopping in town or in LV?

[silverspoons]

My mom recently wanted to a buy a car and got quotes from St George and LV. If you know what you want LV is cheaper. My mom even showed the quote to the St George dealer(Steven Wade) and they would not be able to beat it. Certain dealers in LV will cater to St George buyers especially if you know what you want and have cash or financing in place. From my mom's numbers as well as a few of her neighbors LV is willing to make a quick $500-750 profit over cost and sell you the car. St George dealerships are lower volume and can't cut the commissions even for a quick sale.

My mom was buying a Toyota and her friends that have done better in Vegas were buying Honda, Toyota, or Subaru.

If you move here you will find shopping for a lot of things is better in LV. We go there every 4-6 weeks to shop, better price, speciality foods, clothes, and much better variety of stores.

[tylerhaynes3]

So true, Silverspoons. You'll find that most national retail in STG is mini or smaller version compared to bigger cities, i.e. the "mall", major stores like Best Buy, Dillards, Sears, movie theaters etc. If you want the real variety and competitive prices, Vegas will always take the cake. Hence one reason why the local retail industry (particularly the mall, that was adequate for the STG area in the early '90s) struggles because we are basically in the greater Las Vegas market - close enough that people will either drive or shuttle there for (real) shopping and other services like medical and int'l airport.

I do believe, however, if a mall developer came in and offered a real shopping mall experience like you'd find in Vegas or any larger city, it would keep locals shopping local. St George and southern Utah's current population would support it without a doubt. Unfortunately it's been known that some city officials believe citizens have to shop local first in order for more variety to come in. I believe otherwise, you have to have the variety first or locals will always go to Vegas or elsewhere....same goes for car shopping, of course.

[silverspoons]

Originally Posted by tylerhaynes3

So true, Silverspoons. You'll find that most national retail in STG is mini or smaller version compared to bigger cities, i.e. the "mall", major stores like Best Buy, Dillards, Sears, movie theaters etc. If you want the real variety and competitive prices, Vegas will always take the cake. Hence one reason why the local retail industry (particularly the mall, that was adequate for the STG area in the early '90s) struggles because we are basically in the greater Las Vegas market - close enough that people will either drive or shuttle there for (real) shopping and other services like medical and int'l airport.

I do believe, however, if a mall developer came in and offered a real shopping mall experience like you'd find in Vegas or any larger city, it would keep locals shopping local. St George and southern Utah's current population would support it without a doubt. Unfortunately it's been known that some city officials believe citizens have to shop local first in order for more variety to come in. I believe otherwise, you have to have the variety first or locals will always go to Vegas or elsewhere....same goes for car shopping, of course.

I didn't believe my kids when the came home and told me that Hollister and American eagle were leaving the mall. Open any 6-9th grade yearbook and count at least 50% or more of the kids had a shirt from one of these 2 stores. They certainly didn't leave St George due to lack of sales. I have a very tall son, and I can't believe in sunny St George how hard it is to find shorts and as I dragged him from store to store it was such a common complaint. Now the worst part, watch out back to school shopping moms this summer is the lack of girls clothes for grades 3-7. Schools want bermudas or capris. Look at target, old navy, kohls, walmart, the shorts would not be acceptable at schools. Last year I sold my daughter used capris size 10 on craigslist and got 3 times as much as I paid for them new and tons of offers because moms were desperate to find school length shorts. Not everyone wants to drag kids to Vegas.

I do think the mall is headed in the wrong direction. I have no issue with VS, but the pink store they added on has the trashy VS clothes. VS has lots of cute more modest track suits and tops and they picked the trashy line for St George? then the spencers gifts, my daughter wanted a minecraft toy and the front of the store had belts and hats that said **ck the **tch and other very offense statement, LDS or not I don't think many people would want to wear those sayings.

What we need is a someone to put a water park, like the one in the parking lot of the draper mall off of 1-15 and 123rd. It was a "kit" and went up fast and uses recycled water. Then maybe a world class type mini golf, and a roller rink/Hollywood connection. Then bring some stores that everyone is begging for babiesrus/toysrus, hobby lobby, trader joes, pottery barn and some NON chain resturants and make it an area that people want to visit local or out of state.