buying from america

[60_series_united]

hey just wondering if anyone has ever bought anything from america like tyres and rims. dose it work out to be cheaper? is it worth the trouble?
cheers tyson

[zagan]

prices can be cheaper but you've got to work out the exchange rate, ATM the Australian dollar is same or higher than US dollar so now is the time to buy really.

[thehanko]

tyres and rims are big items. so do your research regarding freight costs. I think you will find freight could cost more than then items in australia. Air freight works on volume and weight which ever is greater. so tyres would cost loads!

sea freight is cheaper but takes 6 weeks and is only significantly cheaper once you get large volumes (5 cubic meters etc )

Also check with customs regarding other costs:
do you need to pay a customs agent to clear them?
do you need to pay duty on them (a % of purchase costs)
do you need to pay gst (10% of total costs inc duty etc)

by the time you pay all this stuff I dont think it will be worth while. but do the research. you never know.

[zuffen]

I import lots of smaller/lighter items and you can save heaps but you can also have warranty problems.

Wheel rims (alloy) are be OK but tyres would be too heavy.

If you know anyone who imports stuff in containers you can bring in big stuff real cheap.

[Rhett]

Ring the locktup boys and ask them. Thats what I have done bout a tube bender.

[Slunnie]

I've brought in tyres. Freight is about $350 US to a capital city for 5x 33's.

Depending on the local cost of the tyre, import may work out cheaper. I used tirerack.com and they were very good. 285/75-16 Pirellu ATRs which Pirelli wouldnt bring in for me were $150US ea to buy + freight. Check and compare though, because depening on the tyre this may also be a very expensive way to buy a tyre that is locally available.

Things like driveshafts I've brought in from the US where the all up cost for 2 shafts was the same buying 1 locally.

[matthewK]

my old man brought in shock mount towers for 60 seires for larger shock i cant rmember off hand what moneys was,

nev62 talk to him i think

[LUX90]

I bought in Autometer Gauges in for my other toy.

You need to keep it under $1000 Australian if you dont want to pay duties

If you go over $1000 you have to pay duties ( my uncles on $1200 fish finder was an extra $300)

Dont use the United States Postal Service- their tracking sucks and their anwsers to your questions are just automated responses, My gauges took 3 and a half weeks to move 2000 miles in the USA with them. They couldnt tell me where they were or why they were delayed, Just that they had them and they were somewhere in the USA.

Other than that i got my 6 gauges i wanted, including freight, for what Autobarn wanted for one gauge over here

[Slunnie]

It may be luck of the draw. I've done 3x imports from the US, all around $1300, all landed at my door within 5 working days and no additional taxs.

[chikoroll_]

depends on the vehicle

knowing how GM and everyone else root aussies bigtime when it comes to the ISUZU's, i am getting everything for my roo imported from yank land

tie rod ends- $130 each here - no heavy duty option
heavy duty tie rod ends- $100 each there,

$80 delivery, bulk buys get discounted delivery

i will also be getting 3" coils at the same time
3" coils-
$300 here for a pair (custom)
$170 there for a pair
delivery adds $15 to the above

i will be getting shocks local though

[dank]

I've brought in tyres. Freight is about $350 US to a capital city for 5x 33's.

Depending on the local cost of the tyre, import may work out cheaper. I used tirerack.com and they were very good. 285/75-16 Pirellu ATRs which Pirelli wouldnt bring in for me were $150US ea to buy + freight. Check and compare though, because depening on the tyre this may also be a very expensive way to buy a tyre that is locally available.

Things like driveshafts I've brought in from the US where the all up cost for 2 shafts was the same buying 1 locally.

I'd like to know how you accurate that quote was and from what carrier. I was quoted around 950US to import a New High Mount Winch and that was the cheapest I got from USPS and UPS. I new high mount shipping weight is 54kgs...

[bogged]

Bloke on tele today said our $$$ will OVERTAKE the US $ soon.... could be worth waiting and doing!

[jonamaphone1]

anyone imported a battery and saved money? yea i know they're heavy but im just wondering if anyones done it.
im after a 120a/h+ dry cell and at ~400 bucks it cant hurt to look into another option to see if its cheaper.

apologies for the hijack

[JohnJohn]

anyone imported a battery and saved money? yea i know they're heavy but im just wondering if anyones done it.
im after a 120a/h+ dry cell and at ~400 bucks it cant hurt to look into another option to see if its cheaper.

apologies for the hijack

I dont think they would let the battery come via AIR Freight!!!

[60_series_united]

I import lots of smaller/lighter items and you can save heaps but you can also have warranty problems.

Wheel rims (alloy) are be OK but tyres would be too heavy.

If you know anyone who imports stuff in containers you can bring in big stuff real cheap.

Yeah well thats what got me thinking because my girlfriends dad works for a car importing place and he's gettin chrome 20"s for $220 each so i thought it might be worth it and he can get them over here for nothing.

[ofr57]

i got a heavy duty clutch and crawling gears but i paid 130 tax

but if i brought here i would have paid more anyways.... i basically got the clutch for free

[BowTieGQ]

I was recently quoted between $150 and $350 to get a crate engine if I get it to California. Landed here in Melbourne. Price depended on actual size and quality of packaging. Was hoping for someone over there to open it up and put all my other goodies in it and only show the receipt for engine, if I pay for things seperately.

[ofr57]

what size motor you getting bowtiegq?

I thinking on getting a 1.6 TD golf motor soon just weighing up the costs

[Slunnie]

I've brought in tyres. Freight is about $350 US to a capital city for 5x 33's.

Depending on the local cost of the tyre, import may work out cheaper. I used tirerack.com and they were very good. 285/75-16 Pirellu ATRs which Pirelli wouldnt bring in for me were $150US ea to buy + freight. Check and compare though, because depening on the tyre this may also be a very expensive way to buy a tyre that is locally available.

Things like driveshafts I've brought in from the US where the all up cost for 2 shafts was the same buying 1 locally.

I'd like to know how you accurate that quote was and from what carrier. I was quoted around 950US to import a New High Mount Winch and that was the cheapest I got from USPS and UPS. I new high mount shipping weight is 54kgs...

Xmas quote was:

DHL EXPRESS (2-3 DAYS) - $ 857.20 SHIPPING METHOD DHE
FED EXPRESS (1-3 DAYS) - $ 972.12 SHIPPING METHOD FIP
FED ECONOMY (3-5 DAYS) - $ 348.59 SHIPPING METHOD FIE
QUOTE FOR 5 TIRES SHIPPING FROM SB TO AUSTRALIA 2151

I then moved from Sydney to Central West NSW and the requote in March and as delivered was:

Unfortunately, Fed Ex has raised their price since you last spoke with
Brock.

The new cost of shipping these will be: $447.50 for all 5 tires to be
delivered to the address that you specified.

The weight of each tyre is probably around 25kg as a guess.

[sudso]

If you know anyone who imports stuff in containers you can bring in big stuff real cheap.

Thats the way to go but it takes while to get here.
And dont buy stuff you cant fix yourself or get parts for or cant get repaired here cos warranty claims can be a problem.

[j-top paj]

Bloke on tele today said our $$$ will OVERTAKE the US $ soon.... could be worth waiting and doing!

how soon we talking?

[BowTieGQ]

what size motor you getting bowtiegq?

I thinking on getting a 1.6 TD golf motor soon just weighing up the costs

SBC. But they are made there, and the market is flooded and competitive. Not sure a VW motor is best from the US.