Importing a Stitch

Dribblers Dad · Oct 16, 2007

I am considering buying an aerostitch suit and as I am not aware of any UK importers I assume this will have to come direct from the US.

The Very Rough approximate cost including some alterations and delivery etc would be in the region of £500.00

If the nice people at the customs intercept my package and demand VAT/Import taxes and any other charges that I am not aware of, how much extra is it going to cost me?

Cheers DD :beer:

Deleted account W · Oct 16, 2007

This is what mine cost..........

Top invoice is in dollars and the bottom one in sterling.

Hope this helps :thumb2

jondan · Oct 16, 2007

Hi DD, Try this site to calculate the charges.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/

For your info, when I got some electrical stuff from the USA I had to pay 3.2% import duty plus VAT plus a charge from the Post Office! Nice earner for Gordon and his mob!
Hope this helps.
John

bladerunner · Oct 16, 2007

That sounds about the same as it cost me.

I think it very likely that customs will identify and stop it.

On the positive side, they were very quick to let the suit on once I had given them VISA number.

Alternative may be to have a Christmas trip to New York and Aerostich will deliver to a hotel?

Dribblers Dad · Oct 16, 2007

Thanks for the quick replies fellas, so another £116.00 on top of the cost of the suit eh Whatton, I`ll have to think about this..........or I could just risk it and hope it sneaks through.................. :augie

Not much chance of that though.

Thanks again guys.

Cheers DD :beer:

Thunder · Oct 16, 2007

Very little chance of it slipping through owing to the UK system were the Revenue "sub contract" out the assessment and collection of vat and import duty to the UK delivery companies (hence the clearence fee).

ChasMill · Oct 16, 2007

Do you know anyone who lives in the States? If so, get the suit delivered to them and then get them to post it to you as a "gift" with a tag giving the value as $100. Use snail mail as it attract less attention and Bob's your Dad's brother?

Dreamer · Oct 16, 2007

Thunder said:
Very little chance of it slipping through owing to the UK system were the Revenue "sub contract" out the assessment and collection of vat and import duty to the UK delivery companies (hence the clearence fee).

FWIW, I agonised for ages a couple of years back before deciding to get one from the US... and they never charged me for customs duty. Just lucky, I guess!

I've also got a story about best ever customer service from Aerostitch - top quality kit, top quality company. :thumb2

Thunder · Oct 16, 2007

ChasMill said:
Do you know anyone who lives in the States? If so, get the suit delivered to them and then get them to post it to you as a "gift" with a tag giving the value as $100. Use snail mail as it attract less attention and Bob's your Dad's brother?

If using the "gift" method the value needs to be below £36 ...... :augie

Uncle Rob · Oct 16, 2007

you also have to take into account how good the exchange rate is at the moment

V2 TRV · Oct 16, 2007

They definitely don't give them away do they?

I've an old fieldsheer mid 80s oversuit that would do the same job if I wanted to be so retro :augie

Thank goodness for the Rallye2 - this is the 21stC after all

STUBBS · Oct 16, 2007

money well spent imho :thumb2

you wont regret it

Deleted account 210214001 · Oct 17, 2007

ChasMill said:
Do you know anyone who lives in the States? If so, get the suit delivered to them and then get them to post it to you as a "gift" with a tag giving the value as $100. Use snail mail as it attract less attention and Bob's your Dad's brother?

DD -- I can help you out on this if you'd like. I might even be able to make a trip up there to pick it up; I live less than two hours away from them.

PM me or e-mail me off-list.

Bohdan

PS If anyone knows how to get hold of DribblersDad, please let him know I can help. He doesn't have PM turned on, so I can't get in touch with him that way. Cheers.

Dribblers Dad · Oct 17, 2007

ChasMill said:
Do you know anyone who lives in the States? If so, get the suit delivered to them and then get them to post it to you as a "gift" with a tag giving the value as $100. Use snail mail as it attract less attention and Bob's your Dad's brother?

Thanks for the offer of the help Bohdan its very much appreciated

and also to ChasMill for the above suggestion. I have to admit that having it posted to an address in the States first and then having it posted on is not something that I had considered ( I`m new to this Tax Evasion business! )

The wife has some family in Apopka so should I decide to go for the Stitch I would probably have it sent there.

Whilst I`m on I may as well hijack my own thread, another piece of kit on my shortlist is the Revit Cayenne jacket and matching pants, has anyone any experience of this and how does it compare to the Aerostitch? I`m looking for an all year round hot/cold weather solution that is waterproof and offers decent protection in the event of a spill.

Cheers DD :beer:

Vern · Oct 17, 2007

Mine was delivered to my girlfriends aunties house in NC,she unwrapped it,sent the invoice and paper work on seperatly,and then posted it as a gift valued at $40.Straight through customs this side

Deleted account 210214001 · Oct 17, 2007

Dribblers Dad said:
another piece of kit on my shortlist is the Revit Cayenne jacket and matching pants

No worries, DD. If I can help out just let me know.

As it turns out, I have been wearing not the Rev'It Cayenne, but the Off-track jacket and Dakar pants for my daily commute (50 miles each way) more or less rain or shine since early June. Let me see if I can find the review I wrote earlier...

...hmmm...no luck right now. Let me poke around my files at home and see if I can find it. If I can, I'll post it here. For now, here's my basic take on the kit: vented quite nicely so long as you're moving (I've ridden in temps up to 35C with very high humidity); seems to wear well (that is, good durability); the cold weather liner works quite nicely on its own, better if one wears the waterproof/breathable liner as well; the waterproof/breathable liner leaves a bit to be desired. For small rains or misting weather, they're fine. For heavier rain or longer rides in the rain, I find them lacking. I consistently get wet in the arse and legs as well as my forearms. The wet weather performance is the only place I'm really disappointed in the kit. Otherwise, it's very comortable, seems quite durable, and the armour placement and sizing are nearly perfect for me.

Bohdan

cookie · Oct 21, 2007

Vern said:
Mine was delivered to my girlfriends aunties house in NC,she unwrapped it,sent the invoice and paper work on seperatly,and then posted it as a gift valued at $40.Straight through customs this side

not so lucky. i just found out my new gps is being held to ransom by arsehole force until i pay the VAT

ROLLINSDAN · Oct 21, 2007

It's bad that you have to pay VAT and import duty on the bloody postage too......

Somebody should ask Civil how much duty & VAT he paid on his antique ebay Aerostich suits........... :augie

Thunder · Oct 21, 2007

cookie said:
not so lucky. i just found out my new gps is being held to ransom by arsehole force until i pay the VAT

The problem is even with the declaration of value recieving couriers in the UK have the power to open and check any package and apply what they feel is a realistic value. :spitfire

Dribblers Dad · Oct 21, 2007

Hey Thunder, what is the situation with the folks south of the border from you? Are the people in the Republic subject to the same rules as the rest of the UK? Or are they exempt?

Cheers DD :beer:

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