Postage from the US?

[milkandoj]

Just looking for suggestions for shipping from the US for heavy items like turbo's/ manifold's.
There quite a large variation, some will charge $250 for a turbo where as other will charge $150.

Any to stay away from, take to long, too much stuff gets lost?

 

[CLuTZ]

UPS are rubbish. Biggest bunch of monkeys I have ever delt with.

FedEX are good but charge for it.

USPS i've found are the cheapest, and provide a fairly reliable service

 

[JETGSR]

Ok I have just done this!
forget the freight! that isn't going to be your issue.
Customs are going to hurt you more!

if the item is over $1000 dollars aussie then you are going to be raped!
on a $1000 dollar US and say $160 freight
you are going to pay! $1118.67 aussie and $178 aussie for your freight.
this is how it works - 5% on you purchase $55.93 --- $1174.60 then add the freight $178
= $1352.60 now add the GST 10% $135.26 = $1487.86

now this is the best bit!!! add $55 bloody dollars for an admin fee from customs

So your total is now $1542 - thankyou very much!

and you dont get it - if you dont pay it!

And "sending as a gift" they are checking up on! and more and more stores are refusing to
call it one as it comes under "fraud" as you are trying to cheat the gonvernments out of their
hard earned money!

And this is fact! because I just got raped buy them!
I can understand the 5% duty but 10% GST on freight is a bloody crime! specially when it is all paid in another country!

 

[JETGSR]

FedEX were very good! you can track it with out any problems!
mine you I have had UPS deliver perfectly too!

 

[bazeng]

Fedex are good - but most costly
USPS are ok - cheapest option but slowest
UPS - similar to fedex but slightly cheaper

Just make sure whatever you purchase, if made in the US get it in writing from the seller that the products are U.S made. This should cover you with the free trade act.

Or make sure the value is below $1000.00 otherwise you'll end up spending hundreds in customs/duty.

 

[milkandoj]

So, if they declare it just under 1000 AUD, say work it out around 900-950aud to make sure if the exchange rate changes.
The amount they work off doesn't include the postage does it?

Edit: How does the free trade act work if its not made in the US baz?

 

[bazeng]

You will have to pay taxes / fees on it if over $1000.00
They will go by the invoice so if you buy $800.00 of parts and $250.00 freight and it is listed on the invoice, you'll get stung with that over $1000.00 rule.

Some shops will not do shifties because there is a chance they'd get busted also.
I sometimes get it stuff freighted to friends and then get them to send to me just so they can send it as a gift.

I believe the free trade thing works if you can prove that it is made in the U.S, you don't have to pay customs / fees on the parts. If made in Japan and sent from the U.S to Oz, then you will still have to pay.

That was my understanding from the FEDEX woman who wanted to charge me $250.00 for $1009.00 worth of parts. I had it sent to a business so luckily they were able to claim it back as an expense and I eventually got that money back.

 

[milkandoj]

I was totally unaware the postage came into it!
Thank for that!

 

[EVO-00X]

Yep, make sure you total the amount of the item including postage. You want it to work out less than $980AU. I say $980AU because of the frikken exchange rate ($950AU to be safe).
Some companies would be happy to 'fix' the invoice up for you to show a lower price lol... dont be afraid to ask.
Fedex and USPS have never given me any problems.
I got raped by a purchase over $1000AU a few years back on my virgin purchase, learned from my mistake since!

 

[jase]

How about importing US made goods that are over $1000? Any taxes at all?

 

[EVO-00X]

Unfortunately it doesnt matter Jase. The taxes are imposed upon us from our own Australian Govt once it hits our shores, regardless where the item is made.
It goes by its $$ value then a % tariff on the type of goods it is.
I remember when I did it I also had to pay admin fees and register myself as an importer - its fkn rediculous.
e.g. for a $1001AU total including shipping, expect to pay about another $300AU on top of it in fees and charges.
Always keep your purchases, or the invoice attached to it (nudge nudge wink wink) under $1000AU including postage.
To put it simply, work out 10% fees is GST, 10% fees is tariffs, thats $200 extra already plus other admin charges and fees. God help you if you also get hit with fumigation and/or storage charges too!

 

[brisvr4]

Hmmm, I just got my new turbo and a couple of other things through with no duties etc at all
Total cost of purchase was approx $1240AU and it slipped thorugh the net! Woohoo!
You can get lucky sometimes

 

[milkandoj]

Hmmm, I just got my new turbo and a couple of other things through with no duties etc at all
Total cost of purchase was approx $1240AU and it slipped thorugh the net! Woohoo!
You can get lucky sometimes

Awesome. Whats replacing the 50 trim in the quest for powaa? Or you keeping it under wraps till its setup? You had that thing running pretty sweet i had a look through you logs on dsmlink forums.

 

[brisvr4]

Awesome. Whats replacing the 50 trim in the quest for powaa? Or you keeping it under wraps till its setup? You had that thing running pretty sweet i had a look through you logs on dsmlink forums.

I'm waiting for my new PTE6262 Gerard. That should give the old girl a nice kick in the guts!

 

[banned]

Customs are jerks!

Ordered some supplement's from the U.S, took over 4 weeks to arrive.

They're bloody Nazi's.