It is highly unlikely that the tax revenue generated from the sale of a vehicle will generate more revenue than it's original sale price, in fact I think it's pretty much impossible.
So it is quite possible. Simply do the math. Most people sell a vehicle in three to five years. Some people sell in 2 to 3. If a vehicle sells for $50,000 and the sales tax for that state is 7.25%, let's just go at 7 so there is $3,500 off the bat.
Then that person may only keep the vehicle for a year and it can sell again 4 35000 and I might be being generous with a low number. Remember that people that buy for convenience and buy from car lots grossly over pay for cars sometimes 20% more than they could buy from a private owner.
So at 35000 it would be another $2,500.
Now let's not forget that some states have an eight to 10% sales tax. And I'm trying to use the most common numbers. Many people get a vehicle and keep it for 3 years and trade it in or sell it like a lease. I know lots of people that buy a car in one to two years either don't like it or a tired of it. So a car could sell 4 x in its first four to five years. Or at least four times and it's for six years. It is all relative of course but if in my example it sells again in three more years which is where it starts becoming less likely. Most people sell a new car in 3 to 5 years and the second owners or third owners keep them for a long time.
I've never said it happen very often but I'm saying it quite possibly can happen and probably does occasionally.
I have seen carfax's on cars that have had 12 owners in their lifetime of 10 to 15 years.
So it sells for the third time and the taxes 2000 on it and then it sells for the fourth time and the tax is 1500 and then the next time at 1200 and the next time at 1000 and the next time at 900 and the next time at 750.
That's only about $14,000 but it's still ridiculous for the state to get that kind of money on the side of the vehicle. So while it is unlikely I said it could potentially which it is possible. Here's the real part that makes me mad. If the original owner keeps that car for 15 years and then junks it the state got $3,500. But if it sells six or seven times the state could get 12 to $15,000. That is not fair that the same two vehicles generate such a difference in tax money.