import duties...funny stuff going on

[mikeyr]

Ok, so we all know I purchased a new ash framed, alloy skinned body from the UK and had it shipped to So. Calif. That thing was EXPENSIVE, quite a bit of money and of course I had to pay import duties/taxes in order to get it.

But make sense of this please, the body was declared full value/cost, it was insured for full value and import duties were $28.50 (20.41 GBP), I had expected in the range of $500+/-.

I ordered 1,092 GBP ($1,510.19 US) worth of stuff from Hardwick had to pay $41.04 (29.68 GBP)

How does that make any sense at all ? a many thousand dollar body and I pay far less import tax on it than the parts from Hardwick, who makes up these rules ? Parts arrive Friday, just in time for the weekend, maybe will get to work on car but its a firewood splitting weekend to get ready for our super cold winters.

And no I did not call them to notify them of their mistake on the body

[jeans_old_man]

Did you make it clear that the parts were for an old car? This can affect the duty when importing to UK. When I sent parts to Canada recently I was asked to clearly mark the package as 'parts for historic vehicle'.

[mikeyr]

Yes, the parts were marked as such, or at least I told them to do it, package arrives tomorrow so I will know for sure. To be fair, the import duties on the parts is about right amount for value, its about what i have paid in the past for car parts. Its the body that was hundreds of dollars off in the right direction for me.

Although, I don't really understand the process, sometimes i get parts with no duties and other times I have to pay. I was not complaining, just laughing at what I paid for the body compared to parts.

Same with Canada, I sent a brake drum to Canada when I had the finned drums made for the 1.5, when I got them back, I had to pay the value for 5 drums, one of them was MINE that I had sent for the pattern. I tried arguing but lost. But when I did the same for the finned drums on the LM, I did not have to pay duties at all. I really think its all up to the customs agent and if he/she is in a good mood that day.

[Peter McKercher]

It is entirely up to the agent to interpret the law.

[jeans_old_man]

Perhaps he felt sorry for you after he saw what you paid to have the body air freighted

[Masi]

Hi I'm Masi, first of all, I would like to introduce myself I'm very often here in the forum, to find out more about my lovely 1934 9Hp Le Mans.
On the subjekt of import duties, I ordered a very expensive spare part from England in November 2020 that finally arrived in June 2021 (Covid and other problems). I had to pay €868.20 import duty, there $41,04 penuts. Then it was a wrong spare part, so I had a lot off trouble with customs to send the engine parts back to the UK, wich we managed to do last week. Now I'm trying to get the taxes back wich is not so easy. Keep your fingers crossed that everything will go well. Your are wondering whats going on!
Companies already have big problems, private peoples have almost no chance to send a package or return that is over €1000 to the UK and none very large forwarding companies do that for private customer's. It was a decision made by the British that I accept, but unfortunately without a specific trade agreement which was associated with far too much paperwork and to the detriment of the cammon people and families, about companies I don't speak at all. I just have to find a solution for shipping my right spare parts from UK, because otherwise I will invest €10.000 in this repair, restoration very quickly. I read here that should definitely be on the package "for old vehicle or historical car", I still have a little time until my crank and con-rods is manufactured then it will work out. Believe me the past weeks have not be fun, nobody feels sorry for me.
Greetings and please keep it up.