[paul palmer]

Yet again I have bought some gear from Japan, and have been stung heavily by Import duty, Those Bastards certianly know how to fleece you. It was suggested to get 'gift' put on the label, but the buggars still charged me afortune...so beware. I have had this happen to many times now, thats it's not really cost effective.

Any suggestions to get around this(legal or illegal).

PaulP.

 

[stormuk]

Im getting somthing sent in from Australia - So Ill tell you how FOC and SAMPLES do!

 

[paul palmer]

customs

Stormuk,
I have gone through that channel also, as I have a sister living in Sydney, but they caught up with my folks when they came back from visiting here at the airport. They bought back a n Air filter and brake pads, and stung me for £60. Its a pity they don't get these scum bags that bring in illegal substances.

PaulP.

 

[Durzel]

Hmmm.

When I imported my PowerFC etc from Japan recently, I got the other party to put "Gift" on it, and it went straight through Customs. Perhaps I was just lucky I guess. I hate to have known how much Customs would've stung me for on that, being £1000+ worth of equipment.

What was it you bought? I guess a lot of it depends on size (and luck).

 

[paul palmer]

customs

durzel,
I ordered a new Blitz Air filter, only cost $60au and they stung me £22,75 import duty and Adim charges!!!£9.00. I think I must have 'MUG' written on my head!.

PaulP.

 

[Japracer]

just for the record!

Customs dont charge admin charges!
There are value limits on gifts/samples......

 

[paul palmer]

customs

japracer,
You obviously seem to know alot about this, but it doesn't really alter the fact that any way you try to get around it, you end up paying somewhere down the line.

PaulP.

 

[Scott J Davies]

If you get them to put on the package that it is second hand products purchased then they cannot charge you duty.

SJD

 

[stormuk]

Hmm thats good for the handbrake boot coz it is second hand

I got a few small bits and bobs but to be honest if they doubled the value it's still cheaper than here

 

[Durzel]

If you get them to put on the package that it is second hand products purchased then they cannot charge you duty.

SJD

Or...

Another thing a friend recommended was to say that the items were being returned to you after you had previously sent them away to be repaired (so in essence, you weren't buying anything in the first place).

 

[stormuk]

Hmm - no Mr Customs officer its not a new Skyline at all it just went back for a new bulb

 

[Scott J Davies]

he he

No I made the nice shiny Apexi branded packing myself for it to be returned in

 

[Draxx]

Face it Guts you Live in Britain, and part of living in britain is being Violated by the Government everytime you want to do anything....


Si

 

[Guy]

Importing parts

Maybe I'm going to sound boring, but VAT and Import Duty is the law, everyone should expect to pay it. If you don't by chance then good luck, but if you bring in items of any serious value and try not to declare it that is illegal and you can be fined and even jailed if doing it in volume. Anyone who runs a business will know that Customs & Excise have more powers than the Taxman and are even more single minded about getting people. You risk VAT avoidance at your peril.

As for buying parts from abroad, not the UK importers, once you have paid VAT and Import Duty, you will find you have saved little if anything. You also run the risk of non-arrival of goods or late arrival (7 months for wheels quoted elsewhere!). Also what happens if its the wrong bit or the part goes wrong. Most Japanese direct suppliers eg Taka Kaira/CheckerFlag have a policy that when it leaves them they have no more responsibility.

I have had a major piece of kit that cost £2000 supplied to my car that was faulty from manufacture. Since this was supplied by the UK importer through my tuner, I was able to hand it back as faulty and have an alternative piece of equipment fitted by the garage for no extra charge. This is the quality of service you will get from using a reputable UK tuner who sources their parts from a UK supplier. If I had bought that part direct, I would have no recourse, would have lost £2000 and would probably have had to pay my garage to remove it and fit a new one.

Be aware of this when deciding to import parts direct. You might be OK for an air filter or some cosmetic parts, but think carefully and weigh up the advantages and disadvantages before buying any expensive or mechanical/electrical parts yourself.

It also serves none of us any good, if we drive the parts suppliers and UK garages into bankruptcy by trying to be clever and save a few quid.

You pay your money and you take your choice, but think carefully about what happens if it goes wrong and you might find the little extra to buy here (for most stuff) is worth it.

Well thats my thoughts anyway.

Guy

 

[stormuk]

Guy

Im not sure I agree

Im only ordering small bits and theres a mark up and then theres a mark up - what im getting costs 100 quid here or 40 quid from Australia!!!! they must already be making a mark up there so thats the UK taking the pith.

Also why should someone who flys around have a import allowance?? and someone who dosnt erm dosnt...

Also what we save in one place we'll spend elsewhere so its all swings and roundabouts - like for instance me Ive saved a bit on a few bits and bobs which meant I could have my rear bumper cleaned up!

But I agree with the fact that what you get you pay for, but then most of us on here have imported cars so where does that leave us?

Erm one other thing is it a 70mph speed limit we have here

 

[Durzel]

Not only that, but not everybody is loaded enough to spend an extra £400+ (yes, seriously) on something that they can get for the same price importing it privately.

Fair enough when import duty/tax is applied you end up not saving enough money to make it worthwhile, and on this point I totally agree.

I for one however haven't got bottomless pockets with which to wave blank cheques at people with. Sad but true. Until that situation changes I'm personally going to source the best deal that I can - privately or otherwise.

Just my 2p.

 

[Ged]

Durzel,
There is also another consideration with your Apexi, now you have bought it you need someone to map it.
You probably find tuners more obliging if they are supplying the parts.
I know if I was a tuner I would not be amused at someone wandering in with the parts and asking me to fit them...my lack of amusement would be shown by a hike in price.
Genuine customers are probably more appreciated than cost cutters and penny pinchers.

My too pee worth.

OOO KAY open fire

 

[Durzel]

Hmmm have I done something to rub you up the wrong way or something PEGLEG? All your posts directed towards me to date seem to have been quite venomous. Maybe I'm just being paranoid....

In any case, how is this different than someone who already happens to have a PowerFC fitted to their car when they buy it? I pity the poor new Skyline owner who happens to have an F-CON V fitted that no tuner will touch because he didn't buy it from them originally.

In any case, the PowerFC I bought is a second-hand, 1st gen unit. It's not new. I haven't deprived any UK tuner of any money because I'd never have bought it brand new so soon anyway, I never intended to buy one for many months, I had my eyes on a set of R34 wheels (which I was going to buy from Abbey/Middlehurst I might add) for some time instead. Let me clarify that - if I was going to buy it brand new, I would've bought it from the most competitive UK tuner. Given the risks involved in import duty/tax, and what Guy has said re: warranty, support, etc - its very risky to buy expensive electronics and complicated mechanical equipment from non-UK dealers.

However, this deal was too good to miss. In retrospect, it's probably why I didn't get charged import duty on account of the items being 2nd hand.

For new items I have always (and will continue to do) bought from UK suppliers. Ask Tim @ SVS if you want to know exactly how much I've spent with him in the last 3 or so months (it runs into many thousands).

 

[Ged]

No Durzel you have not done somethjing to rub me up the wrong way.
Venomous? Maybe the last sentence of my previous post was not quite worded correctly.
I think tuners probably prefer to supply a package service that is all.

 

[Durzel]

Phew!

I would hope that I will be treated no differently than someone who happens to already have a PowerFC/FCON-V or whatever fitted, and is just getting it re-tuned.

At the end of the day, I could totally see your point (it has been raised with me by a tuner in private message) and Guys and I have zero problem buying new parts from UK dealers - its both convenient for me and gives me peace of mind, all of the things Guy mentioned etc. As it is, and as I said before, I'm not necessarily depriving them of any money because I would never have bought the item new this soon anyway.

To me it's no different than the unit having been in the car when I bought it. And if tuners are going to levy a "make believe" charge for that, well - that seems pretty crazy to me.