parts from america

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popes11

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Anyone ever consider getting small merc parts shipped from America? I just priced a wheel speed sensor here in UK. They are looking for £110. Same part on an American website is $25. Emailed and asked would they ship to UK.
 
Are you sure its a genuine part? Lots of copies about.

A dealer part has a two year warranty if bought in the uk.
 
My experience is the postal costs can negate any purchase saving.
 
The shipping costs are expensive.
Then there's the import duty and the VAT.
 
Don't forget the extra 20% duty on the whole purchase not just the item but shipping costs too :-/
 
yes shipping costs are expensive. £!5 for the part and £25 for the shipping. With as you say tax on top. Still it does show what an almighty rip off parts are here when it's cost effective to buy in from America.
 
You're right there.
It is a rip-off.
Some years ago I ran an American full-size Chevy for a few years.
I was amazed at how reasonably-priced general service spares were for the vehicle.
It was explained to me that the American consumer would not tolerate the shoddy service and high costs that we take for granted in this country.

I purchase a number of American machine spares and specialist ultrasonic test instruments and test items in the course of my work.
None of this is low-cost.
However, I find the level of service and technical competence from the U.S. companies that I deal with to be top-class.
There must be some lessons here.
 
It can be a long way to go if they drop the ball too, you have little consumer protection.
 
yes shipping costs are expensive. £!5 for the part and £25 for the shipping. With as you say tax on top. Still it does show what an almighty rip off parts are here when it's cost effective to buy in from America.

It's not as simple as that.

The UK dealer's costs are much higher than the States - rent, business rate, cars, fuel, utilities, wages, etc etc...

The reason items are more expensive in one country than another is not just because traders are more greedy.
 
The UK dealer's costs are much higher than the States - rent, business rate, cars, fuel, utilities, wages, etc etc...

That sounds like a sweeping statement judging by what two members of my family would say about running businesses on the west coast, their staff seem to very well paid too.
 
I have never bought MB parts from the US, but I have over the years bought parts for the 2 Harley Davidsons I own from over there.

I find that the prices for genuine identical parts are much cheaper. Seems that, as 'johnsco' says, we over here are charged whatever they think they can get away with.

Depending on how much the parts are, you might get charged import duty plus a release fee of £8 from the Post Office, so it pays to do your sums first. I think you start paying import duty over £40, or around there(including shipping costs).

Shipping from the US is always cheaper by USPS(their post office), than DHL or UPS, who always seem to charge import duty.

Either email or ring the company and ask them if they ship to the UK, and then ask if they can ship as 'a gift' or 'replacement under guarantee'. If you don't ask.........

The last things I bought from were from New York, and cost over $250, so I rang the company and asked if they could send them as a gift. I told him I didn't want to get him into trouble and his reply was 'what are they going to do to me' if I do.

Give it a try, I have friends who have bought big things, like motorcycle frames, engines and wheels with no trouble at all.
 
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Depending on how much the parts are, you might get charged import duty plus a release fee of £8 from the Post Office, so it pays to do your sums first.

The rules & limits change fairly regularly, there's a good summary of the current ones here:

HM Revenue & Customs

See sections 2.3 and 2.4.
 
The rules & limits change fairly regularly, there's a good summary of the current ones here:

I think it depends on the time & day too.:confused: Last time I purchased parts from Autohaus AZ, Arizona, to the value of £235, there was no duties or vat charged.
 
Yes you can get lucky. Stuff from the US tends to get caught more often than from other places though.
 

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