UK Owners - Ever Purchased from PP?

rob justice · rob justice's Garage

Before ordering from PP - any idea what extra costs are involved when ordering from UK?
Obvious postage but what about import taxes etc?
How much do they usually add to cost?

Joeaksa · 06-10-2002, 01:20 PM

One thing to think about is finding a friend who is going to the colonies for a vacation or business. Contact Pelican and have the parts shipped to their hotel.

Carrying parts in a carryon bag or in a checked bag or box is lots easier than shipping them and a lot cheaper as well. Do it all the time for friends on the continent... not going to mention customs either!

Joe

Bill Douglas · 06-10-2002, 01:59 PM

Hi Rob, I'm a kiwi and buy all my 911 parts from Pelican Parts. The only thing that frightens me is the frieght. Make sure you get it sent by US mail, not UPS or DHL. When you do the online purchasing the field requires an entry and the options are only the UPS, DhL. Select one of these but put in the comments field you want US Mail surface (may be called 3rd class - not sure) or US Mail air mail, and you can have a tracking number put on it for a little extra $$$.

Sad story - a friend bought a little Karmann sticker for about $5 from Automotion, they sent it by UPS because he didn't say not to, and it cost him about $150 by the time it was air frieghted half way across the globe two days latter.

I buy my parts three months in advance to give it time to be shipped down here on the banana boat

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

NOT TRUE, NOT TRUE!!!

We have a complete International Rate Calculator on the site that will allow you to estimate shipping using any of the following methods:

USPS Air Mail
(All Countries)
USPS Global Priority Mail
(Limited Countries)
USPS Express Mail
(All Countries)
UPS Expedited Worldwide
(All Countries)
UPS Express Worldwide
(Most Countries)
FedEx Standard International
(All Countries)
FedEx Priority International
(Most Countries)
DHL Priority Express
(All Countries)

Please look more carefully, there are 7 choices for you...

-Wayne

Bill Douglas · 02:27 PM

Ummm, they are all courier compainies arn't they? (as expensive as the others when you are talking about non US territories). An option for US mail or "other" would be nice

Joeaksa · 06-10-2002, 02:26 PM

Wayne,

There are ways to ship parts that do make it not so expensive, but the other way to save some money is to have someone hand carry them over and marked as a gift. Thats what I do and saves a bundle.

When you as a business ships something then the valuation is a given, but if anything is listed as a gift then the tax and customs usually drops a lot. If someone knows a person coming and going its worth trading them dinner or the like for some help in this area.

Not trying to avoid taxes and such, just lessen it as is legally allowed.

Joe

Pferg · 06-10-2002, 09:58 PM

Bill, USPS is United Staes Postal Service which offers several types of service. It is not a private courier.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

All of our shipping options are clearly explained in our Shipping FAQ page, which is clearly available in multiple spots on our checkout page:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/pelican_parts_shipping_FAQ.htm

Also, here is a table of shipping options:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/pelican_parts_shipping_options.htm

USPS is the United States Postal Service (detailed in the pages above) and is not a courier company. This indeed is the most popular method for international shipping.

Please read the above pages carefully, they contain a lot of information and suggestions for shipping internationally (and domestically)...

-Wayne

dickster · 12:35 AM

rob

i have purchased a few things, but not for a while now.

the duties are prohibitive. at first i seemed to get away with it, but then soon found up to 50% being added to the bill.

there is a wait for the items (can be quick sometimes) and the customs duties means i'm more careful now.

its great using pelican's project list (dream on!) but i tend to stick to small items.

i have found that some US suppliers will give you a lower invoice value to reduce duties - i have enquired about turbo's etc.

rob justice · rob justice's Garage

Just booked a return flight to San Diego in October - now to find out what the baggage allowance is!

Joeaksa · 06-11-2002, 01:04 PM

Rob,

You can carry almost anything in the belly of the bird on the way home. Each package is normally limited to 70 pounds and believe you can carry two before they start charging you extra. Its still way cheaper to pay for one or two extra boxes than ship as long as you are coming anyway.

Pls email me off the forum (joeaksa@yahoo.com) for more information.

Joe

paulhagedorn · 06-11-2002, 03:53 PM

Just because I got a little curious...
If you mail your 10 pound Economy (Surface) Parcel Post to New Zealand, we estimate arrival in 4 - 6 Weeks*

Itemized Service Summary
Service Item Price
Economy (Surface) Parcel Post $28.10
Insured for $200.00 $3.60
TOTAL CHARGES $31.70

* This is an estimate based on the postal operations plan and projected delivery time in the destinating country. Your results may vary.

pwd72s · 06-11-2002, 04:14 PM

Now that my dear friend Tony Standen is racing a 356 Roadster "up there", I can tell this tale from the 1970's on how he beat Brit customs. Tony was going to Lemans...he,acquainted with one of the USA teams entered (who shall remain nameless) Tony took his 356 to Lemans, barely running, with a beater VW engine installed. He returned to London with a freshly rebuilt to his specs, bought in the USA Porsche powerplant under the rear lid. You see, to European customs men, an engine is just an engine..."spare parts" for the USA team.

Joeaksa · 04:25 PM

When I was living in Germany I knew many people who would nurse a sick or ailing car to the ferry and head over to the UK.

There the labor is half price compared to the continent prices and the car would return weeks (or months) later from its vacation, with the same license plate and chassis number and be allowed in with no duty. Of course it had a new or overhauled motor, paint and interior, but the customs gents had no idea and let it pass.

One friend had a Bentley Continental there for almost a year being totally restored. Could not have afforded to have the work done in Germany...

Also know of several people who came to America, purchased a very nice car. Took it to a garage and removed motor, tranny and other various parts. Shipped it in two shipments as "used car parts" back to Europe. Paid tax based on contents, which was substancially lower than what anyone would have paid for a running car. Once home they reassembled the parts and drove off very happy... all legal and the result of using your head and knowing the tax and customs laws!

Joe