How to avoid import tax?

[Dobby84]

Hi,
I was looking at buying some stuff from 034 recently as the exchange rate isnt too bad at the moment. Everything was okay untill I went to pay for the items and saw that the shipping costs were massive!

I was just wandering if anyone knew how to get around the import tax which I assume is added onto the shipping costs etc. I have posted things to the states befor and it never cost me loads.

I was thinking that if the items were sent by 034 to someone in america first, they could then post them here as a personal package/gift. Would this then reduce the shipping costs

Has anyone had any experience with this kind of thing before? Like I said I have sent things to america of various weights and never paid anything close to £100+ that 034 want to charge.

Cheers
Simon

[spink]

import tax is not included in their shipping prices.i always thought its just a damn ripoff,eg i wanted to buy something that weighed about 300-400 grams and the shipping price was something like £30+(it wasnt a high value item by the way),a mate recently bought a coil,postage cost was £45!!!plus £7 duty to be payed on delivery

If sent from UK it would cost about £12 with insurance included for up to £46

[Colesy]

It's quite often the luck of the draw really, I had a parcel from Vietnam with some things we bought out there included and we were hit with duty on the full value of the contents. We filled in the form and explained what was included - ie they were all "personal items" and they dropped the charges. The trouble with personal items is that you are supposed to have owned them for more than 3 months which is a bit hard to argue with new car parts.

My dad's theory is that they often don't even open the parcel and just charge duty on the declared value on the packing list. So if you then claim that no duty is payable after they have tried to charge you then they will usually drop the charges without actually checking your claims. No guarantee of this though.

Hopefully someone can be more helpful but that is my experience!



Edit: Axis motorsport could be woth a look I used them once and the shipping charge was quite reasonable.

[Dobby84]

Fair enough, Quattro corner it is then. lol

[Jamo]

Depends who is shipping and the weight, I bought my wastegate was shipped via fedex for about £20 and arrived in 1 1/2 days

Axis no longer do the shipping for 034 infact Joe stopped dealing with them and when he did it was drop shipped i.e shipped from 034 to the customer.

[mrt105]

I got some 7a injectors from 034 a few years back, my dad was in the states on holiday so they sent them to his hotel for me for $10 postage.
They did say that postage to the UK was $35, but as my old man was over there anyway they were happy to send to him.
He used his trips over there to bring back parts for his chevy day van and he advised always have the invoices posted back so they cant prove the value of items you're bringing back.
I guess the issue with buying directly from the states is they put the value of the item on the shipping document along with an invoice attached. You could get round that by perhaps knowing someone over there who can forward an item on as a private parcel and post the invoice seperately.

[Dobby84]

Thanks for the info guys. Seems as if it may be more hassel than its worth so will probably stick with UK suppliers until I win the lottery or something? I only really ask as 034 have a great range of stuff of interest to me and for some reason I struggle to find stuff over here.

[DarrenM]

Just request them to "value" the goods a lot less (say 50% for example) on the shipping Doc. That way you will only get taxed on what the goods are "valued "at. The goods will only be insured for that amount should they go missing mind..

If you are just trying to save a few quid by buying from the States (instead of a "slightly" more expensive UK supplier) its just not worth it tho.

[Dobby84]

I am coming to that conclusion now. I am on a very tight budget to try and get my s2 back up and running as she should hense I was looking into buying from the states.

[Jamo]

question is what were you buying from 034 in the 1st place?

[Dobby84]

a few things really.
my current shopping cart consists of:
Headgasket set (although I am about to reserve one with Pete at Quattro Corner)
Timing belt kit
Hardware kit for the manifolds
top mounts
ARB bushes (front)

maybe few other bits depending on the bank balance at the time.

[Jamo]

Really? all of those stuff you can get in the uk DO NOT BUY THE 034 TOP MOUNTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dobby84]

Im going to buy from the UK now anyway, was just seeing if I could save some pennies in any way thats all etc. I know I shouldnt skimp on parts for the s2 but I really cant afford to buy top notch stuff at the moment and it is doing my head in that my car isnt healthy at the moment so just trying to get it sorted asap.

[Ross]

My experience... try and tie it into a USA holiday, get it shipped where you're staying in advance, and hide it in your suitcase on the way home. Tha saving in price and duty will pay for the flight on a big order

I've had success asking for the declared value to be reduced to minimise the cost, or buy it for someone in the US and kindly ask they then 'gift' it to you...

I've always had to argue, their calculations are often incorrect or based on the wrong duty %, and shippers impose a fee for payment as well. They quickly refund the difference when confronted.

[Ross]

No harm in trying to save pennies on the same items, it's commen sense to me. I've spent a fair amount outside of the UK recently, I really do like to support local business and will pay a bit extra for good service, but this only goes so far when trying to get best value out of my £'s!