jmcvicker

iTrader: (2)

Tc5 - you're not seeing it.

You and I live in PA. We buy from out of state. We don't pay taxes, right? But we do owe them. We both owe Harrisburg 6% on the parts & shipping.

If you had lived in CA, like the other poster, they owe their CA state sales tax of 10%. That is for Use Tax - for someone living in CA, that is the sales tax equivallent.

If you live in PA and buy from CA, you simply owe 6% to the state you live in - which is PA. You or the seller does not owe tax to CA in that case.

Use tax is simply paying your own state sales tax yourself to your state because the out-of-state company doesn't charge it at the time of the sale. This is why states are complaining that they cannot properly collect millions in sales tax on out of state purchases - because people don't pay their Use taxes. They say they can audit you - but don't. We're getting away with it...

tc5 man

oh ok i get it now. well the goverment gets a enough, taxs from us so if they complian about oh well.

Tom95YJ

I prefer going to the LHS cause the guys there are great, and I'm there every Wed with my wife running our slash's on the indoor track . And they are competitively priced with the internet.

jamescam

iTrader: (10)

My LHS doesnt have a track but I still check there 1st. They are priced very well on kits and I try to buy all my kits there but they tend to charge full ERP for parts & electronics. If the price is more than 20% higher than online I will buy online. If the item is under $15 I will buy it there regardless. It's nice to have the LHS but since they dont have a track I dont feel I owe them anything. The track I race at is 45 mins away so I only plan on buying spares or future planning parts there.

Tom95YJ

What track do you goto ? I'm new to Tx and I goto Mikes in Carrolton

jamescam

iTrader: (10)

I live in Redmond, WA now (need to update my profile). When I lived in Dallas, TX I use to race at Mike's (about 5 years ago). I would buy a lot of my parts at Mike's although he was usually higher than online. When I got into on-road I bought my Xray and all my parts from Mike.

By the way, I started about the same time as a guy named McVance and we pitted next to some grumpy old guys that were a lot of fun and helpful to new guys. If you see McVance remind him I beat him in the Rookie Race Series our 1st year (he took 2nd) and said "hi" (in that order).

Mike's has a great track that gives racer's a place to play and is an example of the kind of LHS I think you should support even if that means you have to pay a little more than online prices (within reason).

Tom95YJ

Will do ! Mikes did move to a new location which is alot bigger than the old location it has a good size store , Rock course , on road track, and offroad track inside. Everytime I go someone is always flying a heli or plane inside

francoismtbr

Here's my formula:

All new big purchases: Tower Hobbies
- Slash Platinum w/ member discount, free shipping, no tax - $324
- at local hobby shop $400 + $34 tax - $434
- save gas, time and get way more research & information online

All small parts and race/practice fees: Local Hobby shop
- my local hobby shop has 4 amazing tracks. I am there a lot spending quality time and money even though they are 45 minutes away. The hobby shops close by my house with no tracks are just stagnant.
- for out of stock items, never special order since that is just stupid. I just batch an order from Tower

Opportunistic: Ebay
- look for good products that are not listed well, end in the off hours or in the morning and use bidnapper.com
- no on craigslist since too many comedians.

there's my bag of tricks,
fc

Neu_Racer

iTrader: (211)

I honestly don't know what is more shocking, the fact you WRITE about yourself in the 3rd person (talking in the 3rd person is bad enough)
or that you write out "thunderbirdjunkie" instead of "I" that many times............

T-BirdJunkie

iTrader: (10)

Unlike most people, ThunderbirdJunkie does not see himself as somebody special that requires special pronouns like "I" and "me" to describe himself. Not a shot at you, but perhaps people should be a tad less self-centered than to use words that can only be used for themselves.

OWTKAST cpt

iTrader: (29)

I dont care who ya are.. thats funny

Neu_Racer

iTrader: (211)

I definitely agree. While I can understand how one would be able to make that argument I can't help but be reminded of the old WWF wrestlers wearing tight spandex, hugging each other sayin things like, "you pickin up what I'm puttin down?" and "you smell what The Rock is cookin?"

And on top of that, I am pretty sure you are one of a very few people who are so infatuated with the T-Bird that you would name yourself that. Its not that great of car.

Either way though, you are definitely a funny guy and the world can use more people who couldn't care less what others think!

Mental Disorder

If it wasn't for the fact that our LHS had a track I think it would have shut down by now. We average 50-60 entry's a week and 90% of them are from out of town. Some drive 2-3 hours every week just to race there. He seems pretty fare on prices. Most of the time when you check out he will look and see what A-main or stormer is selling it for and he will price match. That is a big bonus for me. The only bad thing is he doesn't seem to excited to work on any ones car. He charges 25 bucks just to look at anything and 35 dollars an hour after that. I now he has to make a living, but sometime a little guidance can go a long way. Someone new to the hobby might not know what to look for when there car will not work. 25 bucks to tell someone there motor is toast is pushing it. My theory is lets get this puppy fixed so I can take it home and break more stuff and will be back tomorrow for parts. I have learned a lot from the internet. There is tons of info in some of the online forums. If it was not for that I would not have stayed in this hobby this long. Showing a not so mechanically inclined person how to change an a arm for free might not pay the bills but selling the a arm does and it would build a good costumer relationship.

Neu_Racer

iTrader: (211)

Wow, that is ridiculous. Our LHS/track works on anything you want free as long as you buy the parts there and even then sometimes he will anyway! Unless you want the whole car gone through, soldering, fixing, even tuning sometimes is free.
I remember last year i went into a shop with my Jato to get something fixed. The guy behind the counter told me my shocks were all messed up and adjusted them all different ways. Took it out to the parking lot to test, he flipped it over once or twice and then brought me back in and charged $10 for 1/2 hour labor!!! Needless to say that shop went out of business and the guy who did that now works at our track!