Ok, I understand the ins and outs of buying/selling a used car, but I've always bought and sold privately. It's looking, however, like the SUV I want is going to have to come from a dealer. If that's the case, can someone exlpain how a pass through (ie. where I get tax credit on the private sale of my vehicle toward a new vehicle at the dealer)?

Were I buying and selling privately, I'd simply get the buyer for my vehicle, go to the bank, and then deposit a cashier's check into my acct. after having my bank verify the check with his bank. Then sign over the title and call it a day.

How is it different if I'm doing a pass through? Do I do the exchange of money at the dealer where I'm buying the new car? Does he give a check to them and then they give me the difference (I'm selling my car for more than I'm paying for a new one)?

 

if Texas is like Pennsylvania..........

Yes, you would (on paper) be trading in your S2000 to the dealer, then have the buyer of your S2000 actually buy it from the dealer...... that way you get the savings on the sales tax. It is usually pretty damned hard to pull one of these off, but great way to save $. I attempted this with my S2000 when buying my Evo.... i ended up just trading in the s2000.

The dealer has to be willing to do it also. They are not required to. They may want to charge you (or the buyer of the s2000) a few hundred $ to make it worth their agrevation. Now they have an additional sale on the books (your s2000) but with no profit.... that messes up their stats....

Normally you would work a deal with the S2000 buyer to split a little of the savings for their cooperation... or just mark the car price down a little...

edit - if you don't own your S2000 outright then there would be some kind of timing glitch because you won't have the title in your hand......you will have to ask the dealership how that works......

 

Thanks Scot!

Anyone else have any input? This is sounding like a PITA right now.

 

Bueller?