Is it a big hassle to buy a car in SE Wisconsin or NW Indiana and bring it into Chicago? (Oregon: sales, mobile home)

[SeriesOfTubes]

I have been looking to purchase a car from a car dealer and I was wondering if it would be a hassle or a lot of extra paperwork to buy a car in Southeast Wisconsin or Northwest Indiana and then try to bring it into Chicago. Would I incur any extra expenses or hassle versus buying the car from a dealer in Illinois?

[BOBNCHI]

Possible hassle if the dealer doesn't submit the proper paperwork. But most dealers, especially the majors, do this everyday.

[Curly Q. Bobalink]

If you're an Illinois resident, you won't save on sales tax by buying it across state lines and then bringing it over, I think they'll catch up to you when you register it. If you're an out-of-state resident, I don't see any issues at all, my guess is you have a long grace period before you have to become an Illinois resident and register it here. What's your motivation for doing so?

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by SeriesOfTubes

I have been looking to purchase a car from a car dealer and I was wondering if it would be a hassle or a lot of extra paperwork to buy a car in Southeast Wisconsin or Northwest Indiana and then try to bring it into Chicago. Would I incur any extra expenses or hassle versus buying the car from a dealer in Illinois?

If they are an experienced dealer, the transaction should be as seamless as buying in-state.

[NYEddy]

I bought my last truck from Bozak in Northwest Indiana. They see a lot of Illinois buyers and it was no big deal at all for them, as they know which state to register it based off your license/address.

It was my first time buying in Indiana, but it was seamless.

[Ditto97]

I did the opposite - bought in Chicago and brought to NW Indiana. It was a seamless, stress-free experience. I'm sure your salesperson will know what to do. I'm 99% sure I only paid Indiana sales tax, but I could be wrong...

[Drewjdeg]

Cars are cheaper in Chicago than in Wisconsin in my experience.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by Ditto97

I did the opposite - bought in Chicago and brought to NW Indiana. It was a seamless, stress-free experience. I'm sure your salesperson will know what to do. I'm 99% sure I only paid Indiana sales tax, but I could be wrong...

It depends. There used to be a table on the internet where you could see the difference in sales tax paid depending on where you live/register and where you purchase the car. The difference exists, but it is marginal. It's within 1/4 of one percent.

[lepoisson]

I guess it depends on the dealer. I think most NW IN and Wisconsin dealers know how to handle Illinois buyers. In my case, I bought a vehicle in Kansas and registered it in Illinois. Since I was out of state, I didn't pay any taxes in Kansas. Some states do charge out-of-staters tax, so be sure to read up on this.

The dealer couldn't provide any help with registering in Illinois, so I filled out all of the paperwork online (this was during COVID when offices were closed and there is a Secretary of State website that guides you through everything), mailed in the forms along with two checks (one for the title/registration and the other for taxes). I got my plates in the mail about 2 weeks later.

It was pretty much like I bought the car in Illinois. The only difference is I had to do the paperwork on my own. But under normal circumstances the SOS office does everything for you.

[Curly Q. Bobalink]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

I guess it depends on the dealer. I think most NW IN and Wisconsin dealers know how to handle Illinois buyers. In my case, I bought a vehicle in Kansas and registered it in Illinois. Since I was out of state, I didn't pay any taxes in Kansas. Some states do charge out-of-staters tax, so be sure to read up on this.

The dealer couldn't provide any help with registering in Illinois, so I filled out all of the paperwork online (this was during COVID when offices were closed and there is a Secretary of State website that guides you through everything), mailed in the forms along with two checks (one for the title/registration and the other for taxes). I got my plates in the mail about 2 weeks later.

It was pretty much like I bought the car in Illinois. The only difference is I had to do the paperwork on my own. But under normal circumstances the SOS office does everything for you.

This confirms my own belief, that the IL tax man will not be denied, LOL. Otherwise, everyone would simply purchase their (at least, new) vehicles in Oregon, Montana, or New Hampshire, since they don't have any sales tax, and bring them back home, saving almost ten percent in the process (and on a pricier vehicle, would be quite the inducement).

That's one reason it can be hard to determine which state has the best tax situation, especially for retirees. If you have a high taxable income, you want to avoid Oregon, New York, and California. If you have a lot of money (non taxable income, say you got a big inheritance), the no-sales tax states become more attractive. If you have a lot of wealth and want to live in an expensive home, Colorado, and Utah become attractive. If you have a moderate income, want to buy a large home, and want to spend a lot on taxable purchases, run like Heck from Illinois (and even Texas). On the other hand, if you have a moderate income and want to live in a mobile home downstate, having a limited amount of taxable purchases, Illinois might be your cup of tea.