Import Duties on Car Parts

Ohmess

Ohmess

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I have a question for the automotive cognoscenti amongst us with respect to import duties on the importation of car parts.

Gary Knox and I are in the process of organizing a group buy for some strut bars made by a seller in the UK.
http://www.e9coupe.com/forum/threads/strut-bar-group-buy.23627/

The seller has commented that we may owe import duty on these parts when they arrive in the US, and indeed in looking at this, it appears to me that he may be right. I downloaded from the US International Trade Commission the Harmonized Tariff Schedule associated with vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock (Chapter 87) and it appears to me our stuff is classified as an other suspension part (8708.80.65.90) that is subject to a 2.5% tarrif rate. (The value of our shipment will exceed $800.00, so the small transaction exemption will not apply).

I do not find any exemption for parts associated with older cars, nor can I find an exemption for charming, intelligent, good looking people, which of course, Gary and I would easily be able to meet. Can anyone help with this?
 
Chris,

Quote: "charming, intelligent, good looking people, which of course, Gary and I would easily be able to meet". I'm afraid you'll have to speak JUST FOR YOURSELF on that!!!! - ha.
 
I had an order earlier this year with W&N. It was close to $3000.
It was metal and glass and rubber and as I remember I had a customs duty of less than $150.
Most of the smaller orders come through without any duty due.

I see over the weekend where W&N is now providing flat rate shipping on orders that are not big metal pieces, etc.
The other thing to remember is fees for conversion from dollars to euro. My bank is doing that too me.
There are ways around this I believe.
Gary
 
The assessment of duty has been an on and off thing for me; some shipments have, some haven't. I have to believe a large order will have a higher probability of being assessed. The duty is 2.5% but I did have a shipment once being incorrectly assessed at a higher rate. I was able to get that corrected down to 2.5%
 
Thanks guys, it sounds like we will need to be prepared for a 2.5% duty (plus perhaps a fee to get a shipper to handle the filing for this). I believe it will be less than $15 per strut bar, but obviously, Gary and I want to make sure we are providing accurate information to others in the group buy with us.
 
Are the sellers amenable to breaking up an order so that it becomes separate transactions that qualify for the low-budget reduced rate? Although it doesn't seem like it may make much difference, and crating two orders may cost more than one.
 
Sounds like we could use a "mule".

8 bars packaged what would that weigh?

If anyone is a frequent traveler to the UK preferably flying business or first if weight isn't too high could likely check them for free.

Tariff may apply but shipping cost evaporate.

A thought.
 
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