Advice - Buying in the US
19 February 2006, 07:36 PM
#1
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Kent
Posts: 3,905
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Advice - Buying in the US
I want to buy some tuning parts for my bike. Ive done my research and in the UK the parts come to a total of over £650
Ive done the same search in the US and the parts are just under the £300.
Now, how do i stand getting the parts back in the country, the dealer will ship to the UK.
Will I be nabbed by the VAT bastids
Am i missing something in thinking its too easy ?
The parts are a Full System Exhaust, Jet kit and a air filter, so not that big at all, well maybe the exhaust ?
Ive done the same search in the US and the parts are just under the £300.
Now, how do i stand getting the parts back in the country, the dealer will ship to the UK.
Will I be nabbed by the VAT bastids
Am i missing something in thinking its too easy ?
The parts are a Full System Exhaust, Jet kit and a air filter, so not that big at all, well maybe the exhaust ?
19 February 2006, 07:52 PM
#2
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Texas - It's BIG!
Posts: 2,105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hmmm, sounds like you need someone like me to buy them, use them, and ship them seperately to you as a gift for a nominal fee! 
Anything worth more than thirty eight pounds is liable to VAT. By the sounds of it, you're saving enough to risk the import duty anyway. There are penalties such as confiscation if you try to get around it, I believe.......
Anything worth more than thirty eight pounds is liable to VAT. By the sounds of it, you're saving enough to risk the import duty anyway. There are penalties such as confiscation if you try to get around it, I believe.......
20 February 2006, 08:26 AM
#4
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Swilling coffee at my lab bench
Posts: 9,096
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The courier will most likely pay import duty and VAT (on the total cost inc shipping) on your behalf, then claim it back from you before releasing the parcel. They often charge a small amount for clearing it through customs on your bahelf too.
If it still works out cheaper then go for it, that's what international trade and competition is all about. Try telling the UK dealer what you're going to do and see if they'll bring the price down - and if they don't, you can turn round and walk away from them with absolute confidence.
(That does sometimes work BTW; I've done this with professional equipment for work before: get a quote in the UK, end up buying from the US, then when the UK supplier sees that you're able to buy elsewhere they promise to match the US price in future).
If it still works out cheaper then go for it, that's what international trade and competition is all about. Try telling the UK dealer what you're going to do and see if they'll bring the price down - and if they don't, you can turn round and walk away from them with absolute confidence.
(That does sometimes work BTW; I've done this with professional equipment for work before: get a quote in the UK, end up buying from the US, then when the UK supplier sees that you're able to buy elsewhere they promise to match the US price in future).
20 February 2006, 09:10 AM
#5
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 2,266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The one problem you may find is getting the exhaust shipped because of the size - its prob going to be too big and heavy to send airmail so will need to go surface - this can take anywhere up to 2 months to arrive.
Check the shipping cost as well as oversize items ( long or very heavy ) often have extra charges on them - could be the shipping will come to the best part of £100, so with the VAT and customs charges you'd be up to around £470 - £500
So, still a saving, but it depends if you dont mind waiting the extra time.
Plus, if they send the wrong one, or it develops a fault or gets damaged in the post its a ton more hassle to sort out than if you have bought it in the UK.
Check the shipping cost as well as oversize items ( long or very heavy ) often have extra charges on them - could be the shipping will come to the best part of £100, so with the VAT and customs charges you'd be up to around £470 - £500
So, still a saving, but it depends if you dont mind waiting the extra time.
Plus, if they send the wrong one, or it develops a fault or gets damaged in the post its a ton more hassle to sort out than if you have bought it in the UK.
20 February 2006, 12:01 PM
#7
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 598
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I used to buy nearly all my porsche parts from the US - big stuff too - all used to come via airmail in about 7-14 days.
Each and everytime though I got stung for VAT & Duty - still worked out about 25-35% cheaper and for £2K of parts that adds up! Another thing most US shippers charge by weight so break them up if you can to get below the £36.00 thing.
However, have you thought about asking your UK based place for a discount that equates to the 'saving' - tell them what your doing and what your saving - just be open about it - if they've got the margin and some more to spare and they are a competitive outfit they'll do the deal. Depends what the part is sometimes it can be 10% sometimes 50%!!!
Each and everytime though I got stung for VAT & Duty - still worked out about 25-35% cheaper and for £2K of parts that adds up! Another thing most US shippers charge by weight so break them up if you can to get below the £36.00 thing.
However, have you thought about asking your UK based place for a discount that equates to the 'saving' - tell them what your doing and what your saving - just be open about it - if they've got the margin and some more to spare and they are a competitive outfit they'll do the deal. Depends what the part is sometimes it can be 10% sometimes 50%!!!
Trending Topics
20 February 2006, 01:08 PM
#8
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 2,266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Even for a bike it may still be too long for air mail depending on the exhaust model - if its one that has the downpipes joined to the centre section ( like a couple of my Hondas had ) then it could be too long - probably best to check with the people selling it to make sure before buying.
20 February 2006, 07:43 PM
#9
I've just imported a short block from that states. Even factoring in the vat, duty and shipping costs the savings far outweighed the inconvenience.
Word of warning though, if you're improrting a bike exhaust chances are it won't be stamped as approved for european use and therefore would fail an MOT. Of course if its a highly illegal race can you won't care about that.
Word of warning though, if you're improrting a bike exhaust chances are it won't be stamped as approved for european use and therefore would fail an MOT. Of course if its a highly illegal race can you won't care about that.
20 February 2006, 07:59 PM
#10
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: isle of wight
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Sam Witwicky
Engine Management and ECU Remapping
17
13 November 2015 10:49 AM