How much is this car I was gifted going to cost me here in Seattle?

December 3, 2015 10:26 AM

I was just given a 2004 Ford Focus. I have a clean driving record, am 39, and haven't been insured for 12 years. Any estimates on what tabs, registration, and insurance is going to cost?
posted by letstrythis to Travel & Transportation (8 answers total)

http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/moving.html

Your emissions test is gonna be around $15. There is a whole list of fees to see which ones might apply, they do suggest calling:

http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/fees.html

My tab renewal for my 2004 Matrix is around $110 plus $30 for a Discover Pass because I like our state parks even though I don't drag myself out there. There are fees you can opt out of ($5 donation to keep state parks running) and a fee you can opt in to ($30 Discover Pass that gives you access to parks without a fee there).
posted by foxfirefey at 10:39 AM on December 3, 2015

Sorry if this is not the place, but: what is a tab in this context? I have never heard of this, and Google is unhelpful. The best I can determine is it has something to do with public transit?
posted by Automocar at 10:41 AM on December 3, 2015

I think "tabs" was a misspelling of "tags."
posted by jabes at 10:48 AM on December 3, 2015 [1 favorite]

Washington calls "tabs" what other states might call "tags". The term is repeatedly used in the links that foxfirefey posted.
posted by brainmouse at 10:57 AM on December 3, 2015 [2 favorites]

Bare-bones insurance $150-200 per six months.

Initial registration with plates around $200.
posted by flimflam at 12:30 PM on December 3, 2015

I have a similar age/size car in Seattle. Registration this year was around $150. Emissions test costs $15 (every 2 years I think?). My insurance is around $740 annually (I could probably get cheaper, but I'm lazy). Don't forget about regular maintenance like oil changes, new tires, new windshield wipers, etc. as well as parking costs (mostly a factor if you're going places downtown, Capitol Hill, and the like, more outlying neighborhoods usually have free parking).
posted by wsquared at 12:30 PM on December 3, 2015

You can enter the info into Geico's website (or any of the other guys) and get a reasonably accurate quote pretty quickly. Even if you don't actually buy the insurance from them. They might call you to try to close the deal though. If you already have some insurance from someone, like, say, State Farm, then adding the auto policy may be cheaper with them because you get those multi-policy discounts and such.

But basically the numbers quoted up-thread seem about right to me.
posted by jeffamaphone at 12:58 PM on December 3, 2015

Note that, in addition to the other licensing fees, you may need to pay sales tax on the fair market value of the vehicle, which is just under 9%. I believe there is an exemption if you are an immediate family member of the person who gave it to you, however.

PS -- The "tab" is the sticker that goes on your license plate that indicates that you have paid your fees for the current year.
posted by kindall at 5:09 PM on December 3, 2015