BMW i7
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,948
Likes: 3,839
From: California
I personally think incentives are a good thing. Massive price cut on the Model Y pushed me to buy one. Had there been no price cuts, I wouldn't have bought one until my Polestar lease is up in Jan 2025
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 69,226
Likes: 4,222
From: Maryland
Thats one reason why I have stayed with a large sedan vs going to an SUV, how soft the large sedan segment is and the deals! An EQS580 or a Range Rover would certainly cost way more to lease than a $20,000 more expensive S Class or 7...
i never ever thought i'd buy a 6 figure car by the way, but did it now almost 3 years ago! shocking.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 69,226
Likes: 4,222
From: Maryland
Me neither. I never thought I would drive a $123k car or even worse, a $63,000 minivan. And to target $135-$145k for the replacement car? Crazy.
To put it into perspective that Pacifica costs more than ANY car I have ever had other than the LS460s and the S560. Cars have gotten stupid expensive.
To put it into perspective that Pacifica costs more than ANY car I have ever had other than the LS460s and the S560. Cars have gotten stupid expensive.
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,948
Likes: 3,839
From: California
Well, the most expensive car I've ever owned is the Model Y, at $57k otd. Just 3 years ago I would have never imagined spending that much on a car, and when contemplating it I always snapped out of it.
Yeah, cars have gotten stupid expensive, even with Tesla price cuts, they are still expensive, it's just we've gotten used to the increase. Kinda of like $5 a gallon gas is now normal
Yeah, cars have gotten stupid expensive, even with Tesla price cuts, they are still expensive, it's just we've gotten used to the increase. Kinda of like $5 a gallon gas is now normal
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,948
Likes: 3,839
From: California
Speaking of taxes, we don't even pay the highest taxes, that honor goes to places like NY, NJ, and DC etc. California also gives us generous tax breaks (write off's include property taxes, DMV fees, mortgage interest, homeowners insurance, EV and solar credits). I get more tax breaks from California than I do from federal taxes
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,432
Likes: 638
From: IL
California currently has the highest fuel excise tax in the nation, at 58 cents per gallon. Just edging out Pennsylvania's 57.6 cents. But importantly, CAs goes up by 4 cents/gallon every July. So having claimed the title, they will never lose it.
But it doesn't end there. There's an additional 23 cents/gallon cap-and-trade tax. Another 18 cents/gallon for low-carbon fuel programs. Then two cents "underground storage tax". Plus of course the 18.4 cents federal excise tax that everyone pays. Oh, and a 3.7% sales tax on top of all of that.
When you add it all up, you pay roughly $1.45/gallon in tax. Literally triple the national average, 2.5x what I pay in tax-happy Illinois, and SIX TIMES what it costs in Georgia.
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Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,948
Likes: 3,839
From: California
Um, no.
California currently has the highest fuel excise tax in the nation, at 58 cents per gallon. Just edging out Pennsylvania's 57.6 cents. But importantly, CAs goes up by 4 cents/gallon every July. So having claimed the title, they will never lose it.
But it doesn't end there. There's an additional 23 cents/gallon cap-and-trade tax. Another 18 cents/gallon for low-carbon fuel programs. Then two cents "underground storage tax". Plus of course the 18.4 cents federal excise tax that everyone pays. Oh, and a 3.7% sales tax on top of all of that.
When you add it all up, you pay roughly $1.45/gallon in tax. Literally triple the national average, 2.5x what I pay in tax-happy Illinois, and SIX TIMES what it costs in Georgia.
California currently has the highest fuel excise tax in the nation, at 58 cents per gallon. Just edging out Pennsylvania's 57.6 cents. But importantly, CAs goes up by 4 cents/gallon every July. So having claimed the title, they will never lose it.
But it doesn't end there. There's an additional 23 cents/gallon cap-and-trade tax. Another 18 cents/gallon for low-carbon fuel programs. Then two cents "underground storage tax". Plus of course the 18.4 cents federal excise tax that everyone pays. Oh, and a 3.7% sales tax on top of all of that.
When you add it all up, you pay roughly $1.45/gallon in tax. Literally triple the national average, 2.5x what I pay in tax-happy Illinois, and SIX TIMES what it costs in Georgia.
Anyway I don't fill up in the traditional sense, so high prices at the pump don't affect me as much, except when we shop and pay higher prices at stores
Lead Lap
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,074
Likes: 1,723
From: San Diego, CA
You are right, taxes alone do not account for the price differential. On the other hand, Prop 13 reduces our property tax bill by a significant amount. So it's swings and roundabouts, even here in "taxifornia" 
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,948
Likes: 3,839
From: California
Back to the i7. I'm just cringing at just thinking what the registration, taxes and Insurance will be....
Last edited by AMIRZA786; Nov 4, 2023 at 02:47 PM.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,059
Likes: 546
From: Maryland
I pay $11K a year in property tax, on a property valued at $1.2 Million (I didn't pay that much, thankfully!) On the other hand, my colleague in San Antonio pays over $15K on his property that he paid less than half of my property. He also pays all kinds of hidden taxes like "Energy fees". So although he doesn't pay state income tax, they figure out other ways to rob Peter to pay Paul.
but at $11k, you're still paying ~$900/mo. in property taxes there!
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,948
Likes: 3,839
From: California
It's definitely not cheap to live where I do, but when I do my state taxes, I can write off property tax. I always get a refund from the state, but Fed if I do get a refund, it's usually like $200. Fed has also limited SALT deductions, so I'm sure those living on the East Coast really feel this