Import duty. Be aware!

I just received my Solo Mach XV exhaust, ordered direct from the manufacturer.
The exhaust itself was quite a good price and worked out around 760GBP. The shipping stated by Solo, who use UPS, was an additional 325USD.
I was happy enough with this, and although I expected an import charge I was hoping that maybe the shipping cost included as I have had that before, and as it did seem quite high, but regardless I was happy enough.
I have ordered bike exhausts from the States before and the import charges were reasonable, I always thought.
However, I wasn't too impressed when UPS skinned me another 325GDP to deliver the bugger!
That's almost a 50% import charge, doesn't seem right to me.
I have mailed Solo, and he is looking into it.
So, be aware! :doh:

Contact borderforce who are responsible for it, they maybe basing the tax and duty etc on the ENTIRE value of the product (Postage, Item etc), or valuing based on the insurance on the item inside (Sometimes if you value an item at say £1k and it's acutally only £500 they'll try and tax you on the £1k).

Worth speaking to BF and getting it sussed out.

I think i'm right in saying the tax and duty will include the shipping charge. Which is obviously ridiculous...

SteveS said:

I think i'm right in saying the tax and duty will include the shipping charge. Which is obviously ridiculous...

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two things I got from the states never did... Which is odd :shrug:

SteveS said:

I think i'm right in saying the tax and duty will include the shipping charge. Which is obviously ridiculous...

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Correct, Thanks to Manders, I just had an online chat with HMRC and they confirm this. He couldn't say for sure that It was the correct charges but he said it was entirely feasible.

Robbing gits.

SteveS said:

I think i'm right in saying the tax and duty will include the shipping charge. Which is obviously ridiculous...

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everything i've ordered from there so far has been taxed on total value including shipping

for example the $40 deck lid that ended up costing nearly £200 delivered due to shipping (its big but light) and tax on top.

recent xpipe and steering wheel cost $170 in shipping on top of the cost of the parts and I paid nearly another £100 tax on them uk customs just make figures up I think and do anything to rip you off. good luck getting any money back out of them.

CJPP (and probably others) do offer an end to end service duty/tax paid which is handy for knowing exactly how much you're in for. As Manders say though, some packages make it through unscathed.

SteveS said:

CJPP (and probably others) do offer an end to end service duty/tax paid which is handy for knowing exactly how much you're in for. As Manders say though, some packages make it through unscathed.

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Yeah, my US Ecoboost decklid came through untouched by the dementors breath of taxation. Paid £50 for it to be delivered to my door[1]. Billy bargain!


[1] Not quite true actually. The wife had to collect it from the Post Office in town and thought it was something else, and ended up lugging the box around town. On her birthday. Whilst I was away skiing. She was not impressed.

Ritchie said:

Correct, Thanks to Manders, I just had an online chat with HMRC and they confirm this. He couldn't say for sure that It was the correct charges but he said it was entirely feasible.

Robbing gits.

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Glad they're sorted, my decklid was valued at $250 by the sender, spoke to HMRC and informed them how much a replacement actually is and they refunded me the amount. As much as we give stick to tax collectors, they're pretty on the ball when it comes to refunds and shit...

downthepub said:

[1] Not quite true actually. The wife had to collect it from the Post Office in town and thought it was something else, and ended up lugging the box around town. On her birthday. Whilst I was away skiing. She was not impressed.

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:lol: Not like you told her it was anything else I suppose!

Manders Mustang said:

Glad they're sorted, my decklid was valued at $250 by the sender, spoke to HMRC and informed them how much a replacement actually is and they refunded me the amount. As much as we give stick to tax collectors, they're pretty on the ball when it comes to refunds and shit...

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Yeah, big up the tax collectors

SteveS said:

:lol: Not like you told her it was anything else I suppose!



Yeah, big up the tax collectors

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Lmao... Fucking hate them for being tax men, but, if i tell them the numbers wrong, they change it, so they get respect for that... Big up Claire from the Border force team ;) :lol::lol::lol:

I've always been led to believe that the duty is one top of item and postage costs. Really outrageous.

I remember seeing one of those running baby buggies for £300 in a UK shop so I contacted a place in New York which was selling them for £120.

Great, I thought until the end bill including shipping and tax came out at £299.

Still I saved a quid and it only took 6 weeks

You HAVE been skinned.

You will have to pay another 24% (yes, that is precise) on top of the combined item cost WITH the shipping.

So, with the exhaust itself costing £760 plus $325 shipping, that's roughly a grand so the duty to be paid is roughly £250.

I had an issue with my springs and rollbars from CJ. They sent two boxes but marked EACH box with the TOTAL value of the order i.e. £650-ish, which meant UPS wanted twice the duty that SHOULD have been due.

I eventually got my money back but it was from CJ themselves as I don't think they fancied the email ping pong that would have been inevitable between them, UPS and HMRC.

With more places in the U.K. now stocking parts (along with poor exchange rate / import tax) it's getting less favourable to get bits yourself from the US. I am glad I got most of my stuff from the US last year before I had the car when the exchange rate was better.

This is what's really putting me off ordering the mach xv exhaust.

Can I make it cheaper somehow if I got a relative in the states to send it over for me?