Moving to Colorado: Questions re taxes and fees | FerrariChat

Moving to Colorado: Questions re taxes and fees

Discussion in 'Rocky Mountain' started by arizonaitalian, Aug 1, 2013.

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  1. arizonaitalian

    arizonaitalian F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Oct 29, 2010
    19,896
    Wyoming
    Hi,

    I'm considering a job in the Denver tech center...thus I'm considering moving some of my cars to that address and registering them in CO.

    I've been all over government websites and it seems there are fees and an ownership tax in CO. Does anyone know how much those are? Or how they are calculated?

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. Joshman0531

    Joshman0531 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 19, 2012
    839
    Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Joshua Seidenberg
    when you find out, let us know. It's some of CO's black magic math. If you are living in the Douglas, Adams and a couple of others area and your car is older they do require emissions but no dyno. So just the "banana in the tail pipe trick..."
     
  3. hardtop

    hardtop F1 World Champ

    Jan 31, 2002
    11,285
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Dave
    I'm not sure how it's calculated but the tax decreases as the car ages up to 10 years where it becomes $3/year forever. IIRC, my 2005 430 was about 4K the first year. It was about 800. last year. A couple more years and I'll be down to about $100 taxes and fees. I was wondering about AZ actually. We have a 2nd home there and I wonder where to register our next new car. AZ does have a killer sales tax though.

    Dave
     
  4. MartyMcFly88MPH

    MartyMcFly88MPH Karting

    Jan 30, 2013
    57
    Denver
    Full Name:
    Marty McFly
    I just registered my car here in Denver county and its cost around $500 and thats only for a GTI. I assume its based somewhat on car value. Crazy expensive compared to WI.
     
  5. Imola2001

    Imola2001 Formula Junior

    Jul 17, 2005
    889
    SoCO & SoCal
    Full Name:
    Mike C.
    It is based on some % of MSRP, and goes down each year until it is 10 years old, where it is <$100 per year after that.
     
  6. FourCam

    FourCam Formula Junior

    May 19, 2004
    409
    Loveland CO
    Full Name:
    Cameron MacArthur
    Just remember you are paying for "quality of life". What price can you put on that? Except for maybe a few too many people (not LA yet!) and the Peoples Republic of Boulder, Colorado is a GREAT place to live-by any measure IMHO.
     
  7. JasonMiller

    JasonMiller F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 16, 2004
    3,615
    Co Springs/ Texas
    Full Name:
    Jason Miller
    I moved south of Denver (monument/ North Co springs area) and have NO inspection. When in Denver none of my cars would pass so I kept them registered in my previous state.
     
  8. JasonMiller

    JasonMiller F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 16, 2004
    3,615
    Co Springs/ Texas
    Full Name:
    Jason Miller
    Yep true, its a great place to live
     
  9. Futureman

    Futureman Formula 3

    May 16, 2007
    2,024
    What??? You got a problem with us dirty hippies??? :D
     
  10. FourCam

    FourCam Formula Junior

    May 19, 2004
    409
    Loveland CO
    Full Name:
    Cameron MacArthur
    No issue with old hippies; been there and done that myself a few decades back!...
     
  11. Futureman

    Futureman Formula 3

    May 16, 2007
    2,024
    Hey, at least it's entertaining around here. Then of course there's the match made in Heaven: yoga pants and college girls.
     
  12. daveshowey

    daveshowey Karting

    Apr 12, 2013
    216
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    David
    +1
     
  13. arizonaitalian

    arizonaitalian F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Oct 29, 2010
    19,896
    Wyoming
    Thanks everyone, for the info and the entertainment.

    When is the "no drive" season for something like a CS and a convertible?

    (I'll be near DTC and will want to avoid weather and salt and/or dirt applied to the roads, not to mention snow - the jeep is for those days)
     
  14. chas-3

    chas-3 Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 28, 2009
    1,270
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Chuck
    So, I just received the renewal for my 1980 Corvette. The taxable value listed is $13104, the License fee is $92.97, and the Ownership tax is $3.00. Kind of pricey for a 34 year old car. Watcha gonna do? Pay it and drive! :)
     
  15. Challenge64

    Challenge64 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jul 28, 2004
    6,299
    Full Name:
    Ron
    I've been trying to move to Colorado for a number of years and have found out this -

    - Colorado requires a front license plate. Not a big deal with an SUV, but a pain with a CS. Some people ignore the law.

    - There are lots and lots of rocks on the road during the winter. Well all the time in the mountains it seems. And the advice I got from Ferrari of Denver was to put a clear shield on the windshield.

    - There is no law in Denver that requires winter tires (like say driving around Germany in the winter), but there are chain laws for the mountains.

    - Seems to be A LOT more police pulling over speeders in Denver than in Phoenix.

    - Ferrari of Denver seems like a nice bunch. They are just off I-225 in south Denver.

    - You can drive a Ferrari around all year. Just be prepared for the crap on the roads.
     
  16. hardtop

    hardtop F1 World Champ

    Jan 31, 2002
    11,285
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Dave
    I've driven Ferraris without front plates for 17 years. Never got a ticket. Some owners put the front plate and a broken frame in their trunk so that they will have an excuse.

    Cars do get rock chips---lots of them and not just in the winter. It's a price that must be paid for living here.

    When I lived on the front range, I drove Ferraris pretty much year round. Sometimes there would be snowy periods and the cars would get a few weeks off. A little known fact is that for the front range, Dec-Feb are the driest months of the year. Lots of sun and many warm days.

    Speeding enforcement is worse than AZ. If you don't already have one---get a V1.

    Dave
     
  17. furmano

    furmano Three Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 22, 2004
    31,905
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Furman
    #17 furmano, Aug 4, 2013
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2013
    +2

    As Dave mentioned, in the DTC and the surrounding area, it's possible to drive all year round. But once you go west into the hills the driving season basically ends around the end of October and doesn't start up until around April or maybe even May, depending how deep in the mountains you want to go. BTW, there will not be salt on the road, just a lot of gravel mixed with MgCl.

    Rock chips are just part of the deal. Sort of like how coastal residents have to deal with salt. Just try not to follow too close to the guy ahead of you.

    Police enforcement is also part of the Colorado roads. Speed traps are common as are agencies doing the enforcement depending on where you are (State, County, Highway Patrol). I've been on I-70 where all three where present at one time.

    And like Dave, I've driven my Ferrari over 6 years here (granted not many miles per year) but I've never had a front tag and it's never been mentioned. Even when I've been pulled over for other reasons. :)

    -F
     
  18. chas-3

    chas-3 Formula 3
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    Jan 28, 2009
    1,270
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Chuck
    I have never been cited for no front license plate on the Ferraris (308 and 348) but I have been cited a $100 fine for no front plate on my Durango. Go figure.

    Speed traps are a way of life for law enforcement out here. It is the primary source of revenue for the smaller towns, Morrison comes to mind.

    Ferrari of Denver is actually just off of C-470 on County Line, just east of Broadway.

    I grew up in Boulder and have been in this area all my life. I have thought about moving out of state a few times but just can't do it. The Colorado front range is a great place to live.

    just my 2 cents.
     
  19. Challenge64

    Challenge64 F1 Veteran
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    Jul 28, 2004
    6,299
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    Ron
    I stand corrected. I now know I've lived in Arizona too long.
     
  20. Futureman

    Futureman Formula 3

    May 16, 2007
    2,024
    Exactly.

    I learned to accept a long time ago even before moving here that paint is a consumable item. You can either accept that you'll need a respray over time, or wrap your car in clear bra (which I hate). Life's too short to worry about rock chips.
     
  21. arizonaitalian

    arizonaitalian F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Oct 29, 2010
    19,896
    Wyoming
    Thanks again everyone, appreciate the information.
     
  22. Joshman0531

    Joshman0531 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 19, 2012
    839
    Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Joshua Seidenberg
    I've never been cited for not having front plates. If you go to any cars and coffee, specifically Arapahoe and 95th, you will see hardly any exotics with a front plate and I don't think I've seen any Ferraris with front plates. The interesting thing is that many Lafayette and other cops go to these things and never write tickets.

    Perhaps on this one issue, they actually do have something better to do...

    Just paid my license fee online for $106.97, however mine is not broken down. That's on an '86 328 GTS. The DMV has no data on what the cars cost brand new so you'll have to provide that. Give them your "best" guess :)
     
  23. arizonaitalian

    arizonaitalian F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Oct 29, 2010
    19,896
    Wyoming
    I was able to confirm (as was mentioned earlier here too) that the value-based tax portion of the total fee is $3 per year after age 10. So the remaining $103.97 is for various DMV and road related fees and assessments.
     
  24. daveshowey

    daveshowey Karting

    Apr 12, 2013
    216
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    David
    I also do not have a front plate on any of my sports cars.

    I keep the plate in the car so I can throw it on the dash just in case.

    I've never been stopped or cited though because of it (knock on wood) :)

    It's kind of a ridiculous requirement if you ask me...
     
  25. blkprlz

    blkprlz Formula 3

    Mar 24, 2007
    2,169
    Tampa bay
    Full Name:
    Bruce
    I'm pretty sure you guys know about this site but I wish I did 4 yrs. ago when returning from the Breck area to fly out of DEN, went whizzing through the other side of Eisenhower Tunnel & a Trooper got me (following another car, but I was the only one pulled over). Upon my return, I found out about this site on this forum & sure enough, the tunnel exits are infamous spots for speed traps.
    You pretty much know where to be careful on your everyday routes, & a V1 certainly helps a group.

    Oh, & it also helps to register new spots on this site for everyone to benefit!
     

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