Mailing stuff from the USA

We sent a pair of (genuine) Voigt corner horns with their Lowther
drivers, well-wrapped in bubble-wrap, cardboard, more bubble-wrap, more
cardboard, palletised, with 'FRAGILE tape all over.

<tune>
"He jumped without a parachute from...."
</tune>

They were dropped from the loading hatch of an airfreighter onto the
tarmac - 20 ft or more.

Customer was unhappy to receive a pair if DIY corner horn kits...

I think the inward journey has a better prognosis thobut.

 

Since nearly two years ago. Bastards dropped it with almost no warning
and it certainly put the kybosh on buying heavy-ish items from the
States. Surface was cheap if you didn't mind waiting a bit, and the
smaller items often came by air for the lower price.

 

Because they often are.

 

Thus spake Grimly Curmudgeon () unto the assembled multitudes:

Yes indeed. Ba$tards!

 

Well it was different p/n all over the place for the same item when I
was working on a system for General Motors at the Opel site. Mind you
the master catalogue went back to 1942 iirc.

 

'Your item left the United States from ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS) at 9:48
PM on March 12, 2009. Information, if available, is updated every
evening. Please check again later.'

So assuming the plane got here safely its in the UK by now...probably...

 

String of yellowish-orange lights heading north-westwards over Norfolk
three quarters of an hour ago, at around fifteen or twenty knots.

Better put your tin hat on innit.

 

Yes. I have been warned.
How do they value a salvage part though?
I only paid £30 for them. £60 was shipping...

 

That's OK, they'll charge you import duty on the shipping as well...

 

May be of some use to someone...
This is what I've discovered so far with regards to paying charges on
second hand parts from outside the EU.

It doesnt matter that they are second hand Still applies.
The shipping costs are included in the value.
Doesnt matter that its private use or business (except you could claim
the VAT back if you are a registered for VAT business; which I am. Not
sure how I could justify a pair of manky old forks though...)
I'm still unclear on how they value the bits but I'd imagine for a
hundred quid item it'll be whatever the sender valued it as on the
forms.

VAT at same rate as here so : 15%
Duty appears to be 3.5% on anything under £290 and waived if it works
out as less than £7.

Soooo, for my own situation.
£90 attracts VAT of £13.5
£103.50 is less than £290 so £3.66 of Duty so waived.

Then parcel force charge what I hear is £12 for doing all this stuff for
you

£115.50 so still not bad as long as they get here

 

Arrived today (1) and they are as good as he said.
As near to NOS without actually being NOS.
I'm bloody chuffed!
No sign of any demands for duty, vat etc yet....

1. 8 days to get here.

 

Nice