shipping/CDN customs

JHetfield · Post by **JHetfield** » June 28th, 2006, 4:11 pm

I didn't know where to put this so, i guess it'll fit here...

any of you canadian guys who have bought trannys/other big items form users in the states...did you get screwed over by customs?

johnnyb · Post by **johnnyb** » June 28th, 2006, 4:34 pm

depends who brings it across the border really. If you get it shipped by any of the big shipping companies (UPS, FedEx, etc.) they'll usually charge you massive brokerage fees.

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » June 28th, 2006, 4:34 pm

The key is to have that person ship it labelled/identified as a gift. Then get them to low-ball the value of it. And if at all humanly possible, have it shipped via USPS/Canada Post. The rates with the mail system are comparatively cheaper bu the key part is is that Canada Post only charges a $5.00 cdn flat rate per parcel/package for brokerage fees. If it's marked as a gift you can get by the duties issues. An individual is allowed a ceratin $$ amount annually as a gift, but I really don'y know if they actually keep records of that. If purchasing from a vender, it's going to be a bit more difficult to convince them to ship it vis the methods previously mentioned. You'd be supprised as to what limitations there are a s far as sizes, dimensions and weights go for shipping through the postal system. I'll leave that part of the search up to you. If it has to come via a courier, again, try to get the gift thing and the low-balled assessed value annotated on the package. Depending on locations, another alternative may be by using the bus system. good luck,

John

johnnyb · Post by **johnnyb** » June 28th, 2006, 4:35 pm

jschrauwen wrote:The key is to have that person ship it labelled/identified as a gift. Then get them to low-ball the value of it. And if at all humanly possible, have it shipped via USPS/Canada Post. The rates with the mail system are comparatively cheaper bu the key part is is that Canada Post only charges a $5.00 cdn flat rate per parcel/package for brokerage fees. If it's marked as a gift you can get by the duties issues. An individual is allowed a ceratin $$ amount annually as a gift, but I really don'y know if they actually keep records of that. If purchasing from a vender, it's going to be a bit more difficult to convince them to ship it vis the methods previously mentioned. You'd be supprised as to what limitations there are a s far as sizes, dimensions and weights go for shipping through the postal system. I'll leave that part of the search up to you. If it has to come via a courier, again, try to get the gift thing and the low-balled assessed value annotated on the package. Depending on locations, another alternative may be by using the bus system. good luck,

John

The only problem he might have is the size/weight of the item. I'm not so sure customs would see a transmission as a gift.

JHetfield · Post by **JHetfield** » June 28th, 2006, 5:00 pm

yea...happy birthday, heres a big ol heavy, greasy hunk of metal...

will USPS actually ship something that big? anyone know they actual weight of an ATX?

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » June 28th, 2006, 5:17 pm

Heh.. if your checking out shipping companies.. check DHL as well.. there is one local to me and I talked with one of their drivers and can take the tranny in strapped directly to a pallet and they will ship it that way. Should save some $$$ on the shipping. Also... I have cleaned my tranny up a bit.. so its not so greasy

Cheers

Tunes67

ariesdude · Post by **ariesdude** » June 28th, 2006, 6:03 pm

Check out freight shipping too - i think DHL might be part freight. Also if Greyhound or amtrak or something like that has service to anywhere near you - they ship heavy items for a flat rate - but they dont pick up or deliver ....

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » June 28th, 2006, 6:55 pm

When i got my tranny parts from Gro, i got nailed with a $300+ FedEx bill.

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » June 29th, 2006, 11:37 am

johnnyb wrote: The only problem he might have is the size/weight of the item. I'm not so sure customs would see a transmission as a gift.

Agreed, size and weight part. It's not for customs to decide whats a gift and what's not a gift. Say one person has an extra tranny or any other large engine part kicking around and just wants to get rid of it ..... period. If purchaser pays for shipping, the owner can easily identify the item as a gift and still has to give it a declared value. Of course that vakue will be rediculously low. I think the magic figure is around $40cdn or so. I've already shipped 2 sets of oem sideskirts 7' x 1' x 1' through the mail (to Taras and Gro) and identified both as gifts and neither person was dinged on the other end - the US or Canada.

JHetfield · Post by **JHetfield** » June 29th, 2006, 2:45 pm

I think we should be able to pull this off, without me getting shafted too badly...