Car Property Tax went up for a 10-yr old car! (Fairfax: vehicle registration, buying)

[kutra11]

Can someone explain to me how my car property tax went up for a 10 yr-old Toyota Camry from last year? I am sure my car depreciated in value like every year, so did the county tax rate go up?

Please advise if I should call the county.

Thanks,
K

[VA Yankee]

I would call the county and see if they upped the tax rate, my guess is they did. THey probably have the figures available online.

[Annie53]

Are you sure you are talking about car property tax? I never heard of such a thing.

Perhaps you are talking about license fees, the county can raise them anytime they want........and it applies to all vehicles equally.

[kutra11]

I am talking about the tax that's due this Oct 5. This is what I found on the Web site: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta/cartax_carvalues.htm. But I can't believe a 10-yr old car would appreciate!!!!

2010 Car Values

Vehicle depreciation from one year to the next is the norm, and this remains true for the majority of vehicles assessed in Fairfax County for 2010. However, NADA’s valuation guide as of January 1, 2010 does in fact show some value appreciation in certain vehicle segments. This is not unique to Fairfax County. It is a phenomenon that occurred throughout Virginia and nationally.

The NADA analysis found “upward value adjustments” in select vehicle segments, and indicated that it viewed these adjustments as “long-term repositioning of wholesale and retail market prices.” As further context to the market value of this segment of vehicles, the NADA cited the following in December, 2009:

• “Due to various market drivers, the values in January 2010 for some vehicle segments—light duty trucks, CUV’s and SUV’s—may actually be higher than in January 2009.”

Where value has risen, the NADA indicates this is generally due to increased demand and diminished supply caused by a number of factors, such as:

• Stabilization of volatile gas prices compared to spikes in mid to late 2008;
• Strong demand on the wholesale level due to things such as the federal “Cash for Clunkers” program and curtailed new vehicle production.

[jbakerman]

The actual tax assessment likely went down. What caused the total to go up is the $30 vehicle registration fee (used to be called the decal tax) - the fee/tax is back, there's no longer a decal to go with it.

[Annie53]

Wow.............I never heard of a car tax before.

Glad they don't have it where I live.

[kutra11]

Originally Posted by Annie53

Wow.............I never heard of a car tax before.

Glad they don't have it where I live.

Where do you live? I'm just asking 'cause you are in the NoVA forum.

[the2bobs]

Originally Posted by Annie53

Wow.............I never heard of a car tax before.

Glad they don't have it where I live.

It's the personal property tax

[ChristineVA]

Due to the cash for clunkers program, the slowing economy, and less people buying cars, the used car inventory has shrunk considerably. This makes the value of used cars stay the same or even increase in some cases. Your Camry might be a victim.

I did notice that my 2002 Toyota Camry's tax bill wasn't much cheaper than my 2005 Toyota Highlander.

[kutra11]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

Due to the cash for clunkers program, the slowing economy, and less people buying cars, the used car inventory has shrunk considerably. This makes the value of used cars stay the same or even increase in some cases. Your Camry might be a victim.

I did notice that my 2002 Toyota Camry's tax bill wasn't much cheaper than my 2005 Toyota Highlander.

But the tax on my MB E-350 decreased which led me to think were more people buying luxury cars than old or low-end cars?