America’s Road To Wealth

  Chapter 6 Sturdy folk customs in Texas

  In the United States, you have to pay taxes when you buy a car.

  Take Texas as an example, there is a state tax of 6.25%, a city/regional tax of 4.85%, and a county/county tax of 0.9%, for a total sales tax of 12%.

   Plus a title (certificate of ownership) fee of about $10, and a registration and license fee of about $75.

  Before registration, an emissions test is also required, which costs $25.

  The latest Ford F350 in 2000 has a maximum allocation price of $96,300.

   That is to say, in Texas, buying a Ford F350 with top configuration, tax plus various expenses, is about 108,000 US dollars.

  108,000 US dollars, according to the exchange rate in 2000, it is about 900,000 RMB.

   At this price, even in the United States, it is a relatively expensive car.

   Not counting second-hand cars, the best-selling models in the United States are actually economical models.

  That is, the price is generally between 30,000 and 40,000, with a cap of 50,000 US dollars.

   In the United States, the Ford F-series has been selling well for cars of this price.

  The F150, which is priced at about 50,000 US dollars, has always been the champion of the sales list of new cars at this price.

  Two F350s for less than $220,000.

  It is different from domestic ones.

  All domestic new car license plates must be applied to the local traffic management bureau.

   And pay fees and taxes. After completing the formalities, it takes one week to half a month to get the official license.

   Before the official license plate arrives, you will be given a temporary license plate.

  It hasn’t been so long in the United States. As long as the procedures are completed, the cards can be placed on the same day.

  The reason is that in the United States, there are larger car dealers, even second-hand car dealers.

  These merchants can give you cards themselves.

  After getting the license, they will go to the local authorities to report and register.

   That is to say, first get the card, and then go through the formalities.

  So after the payment was completed, the two F350s were registered on the same day.

  10.2-liter V-type 8-cylinder diesel engine, 6-speed automatic transmission, 6 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 2 meters high.

   These are two huge gas tigers, and the fuel consumption per 100 kilometers is estimated to be more than 20 liters or even more.

   Fortunately, Texas is one of the most famous oil producing areas in the United States, and it is also one of the cheapest places in the federal territory.

   In 2000, a gallon of gas cost $1.90 in most of Texas.

  1 US gallon is about 3.78 liters.

  At this time, $1.9 in Texas can buy 3.78 liters of gasoline.

  Diesel is cheaper at less than $1.60, or $1.55 a gallon to be exact.

   This is one of the reasons why Texans especially like diesel cars and large-displacement pickups.

  Compared to New York and Los Angeles, the price of fuel here is almost half of them.

   After getting the vehicle certificates and filling up the two brand new F350s.

   It was already around two thirty in the afternoon.

  Abel told Edward the address of his farm directly, and Edward, a local, knew this place.

   So let him drive and lead the way.

   After driving on the avenue for about ten minutes, I started to enter the trail.

   At this time, there is no wide and good road to go.

   Only some small roads, even some unpaved roads.

  In addition to several interstate highways, there are also several major intrastate thoroughfares.

  In other parts of Texas, the road conditions are poor.

   This is why Texans love pickups and SUVs.

  Because of this road condition, the chance of a car breaking down is obviously much higher than these two cars.

   It was slightly bumpy, but before 3:30, two F350s drove into the boundary of Smith Farm.

   Having said that, because the surname Smith is very popular.

  If you look for it on the map of the United States, there are not a thousand farms with this name in the entire Federation, but at least a few hundred.

  There may be dozens or even hundreds of farms with this name in Texas.

   Fortunately, Abel's Smith Farm is the largest Smith Farm in Tarrant County.

  Alexander Smith is quite famous in the local area, so this farm is also called "First Smith" by the locals.

  The bodyguard and driver Edward, the local, can know the address of this farm.

   Otherwise, an outsider came to Tarrant County and said he was going to Smith Farm.

  Then this person may be taken to one of the several Smith Farms in Tarrant County.

   After driving for another ten minutes, Abel in the passenger cab saw his home through the windshield.

  It was built on the wilderness, standing in the green grassland.

  The overall building is red, because the main material of the construction is red brick, and it is matched with a beautiful building complex with wooden white roofs.

  The reason for using the measure word "a piece" is because behind his house is the workplace of the farm.

  A large building including warehouses, workshops, machine repair rooms, farmer's dormitories, garages, kennels, cowsheds, sheepfolds, etc.

   are all built together, it looks like a small village.

  The appearance of two strange and beautiful Ford f350s also aroused the attention and vigilance of the people here.

  In addition to Abel's parents, there are about 50 full-time farmers working here.

   Of these professional farmers, more than 20 live on the farm most of the time.

  Others commute by car.

  When there were about 500 meters away from my home, there were two people riding horses in front of the left side of the house, followed by a dozen dogs.

   "Slow down." Abel said.

   The two F350s immediately slowed down.

  With a distance of 500 meters, charge on horseback, and you will arrive in no time.

   "Hey! Dude, this is private property. No visits without permission, do you have an appointment?"

  The two people riding horses are both dressed in cowboys.

   Both of them carried rifles on their backs, and pistols stuck in their bulging waists.

  The one in front was about forty years old, wearing a cowboy hat and a denim outfit that is very common in Texas, shouting loudly from more than 30 meters away.

  A younger one behind has already taken off the long gun behind his back, but he didn't aim it, just holding it in his hand.

  Everyone holds a gun, the beautiful scenery is still Texas.

   This is normal.

  The United States has a castle law, and Texas has a tough folk style.

  Edward, the local bodyguard and driver, knows what to do in this situation.

  So he turned to look at the boss next to the passenger seat.

  Abel nodded, then opened the car window, and stretched out one hand empty.

   This is the guy who drives in Texas, when he's out in the wild or on stranger territory.

   When I met a man on a horse with a gun, he signaled that my hands were empty and I didn’t have a gun.

  伱ya don't shoot indiscriminately either.

   After a few seconds, he stuck out his head and shouted loudly to the two riding cowboys who stopped about 20 meters away from them:

   "Hey, little John, take it easy, it's me, I'm back."

  Hearing his voice and seeing his appearance, the two cowboys on horseback were stunned.

  Then the cowboy named Little John burst into a big smile on his face.

   "Oh, it's Abel who's back. Oh, you're finally back. Alexander and Emily have been talking about it all day, and you're finally willing to come back! Hahahaha~"

   While laughing, the cowboy who was still vigilant just now said to another young cowboy next to him:

   "Go tell our bosses. Their son is back."

  The latter should be, riding a horse with most of the dogs, and galloping away.

   Little John, with a smile on his face, rode happily to Abel's car window.

   "Oh, F350? The newest model? What a beautiful car!"

  After coming over, this guy's first reaction was not to say hello, but to observe two brand new F350s.

  (end of this chapter)