BC GTA

Does anyone have experince ordering parts from the USA? I am thinking of ordering parts from Summit Racing or Jegs. I contacted Customs Canada who advised as long as the parts were made in North America they are duty free. You are still required to pay PST & GST. Has anyone had any problems?

Grim Reaper

Yes you must pay PST & GST. Also, there will be brokerage and shipping charges which can add significantly to the purchase.

Best deal, is to find a buddy in the US that will accept the parts on your behalf. Shipping within the US is dirt cheap. Only when it crosses the border does it get expensive.

Then go down and pick them up. Depending on how long you stay down, they will qualify for your "duty free" exemption INCLUDING the PST & GST.

GTA

Glenn, is right regarding this....I have paid HEAVILY when the parts came across the border, best bet find a friend down there or prepare to pay like crazy, with the stronger canadian $$ it is better than it has been in some time...happy shopping!! GTA....

forums_suck

i get mine shipped to (ship happens) in sumas washington.Then just drive over and pik em up.I just tell em that they are made in the usa and theres no duty.

As far as taxes go there are ways to lower those

Blackroc86

Summit will ship them through the USPS and their brokerage fees are a fraction of what UPS will gouge you.

Apeiron

Yeah I was pretty happy when Summit started doing USPS, they used to be UPS only. Never, never, NEVER have something shipped here from the US by UPS. The extra couple of days you save over shipping USPS aren't worth the brokerage.

BC GTA

Well you learn something every day! I was going to buy some parts from Jegs or Summit Racing. Jegs has no shipping charges and Summit Racing has an about $8US shipping charge. I contacted Canada Customs who indicated as long as the parts are made in North America they come across the border duty free. I was not aware of brokerage fees etc. Unfortunately, I live in Victoria and a trip to Washington State involves a ferry ride. I guess I could contact the US Postal Service about charges; however, does anyone have an idea of their charges to bring auto parts across the border?

Apeiron

USPS doesn't charge anything, apart from regular shipping. Canada Post collects the GST, and there might be a miniscule fee, I don't really remember. If there is, it's trivial.. UPS will ding you up to $50 though on top of the shipping and GST.

Grim Reaper

Canada Post also collects the PST. They started doing this recently. But other than the GST, PST and any COD shipping charges from the American side; there are no other fees.

BC GTA

Very good information everyone. The lesson here is when ordering from the USA use USPS. I noticed about 1 to 2 years ago on some cloths I bought from the USA when I picked them up at the local post office I was charged GST & PST.

Brisk

iTrader: (25)

If your close to the boarder, like I am, get yourself a mailbox on the other side. I simply have orders/mail sent to my US box and I pick it up at my leisure. It costs me $15cdn year to have a box. You are allowed to take $25usd worth of products accross duty free per day, but they generally let me go with under $100usd worth without any duties or taxes. The other benefit is that in person they can see the product (if used, for example) and where it is made.. stuff made in Mexico and USA is duty free according to the NAFTA agreement and therefore only GST is payable. If things are from overseas (Korea for example) they are subject to a 17 or 19% duty, GST & PST..

...therefore they are advantages to having a box on 'the other side'.

Grim Reaper

No, PST is always payable, just like GST. Until 3 years ago, Canada Customs did not collect it (because the Feds were trying to force BC to "harmonize" with GST like the provinces back east). But as of a couple of years ago, all items where you don't qualify for your "exemption" limits, is subject to GST & PST. "Duty" is different from PST.

In fact, (most people are not aware of this) if you buy goods used, they are also subject to PST. For example, if you buy a friends used auto parts, technically you owe PST to the BC Government. But, they tend NOT to bother private citicizens (unless it is a really expensive item). But, if you are in business, they DO go after you.

Similar with buying goods in Alberta and bringing them into BC. Again, if you are a private individual and the item is not a big ticket item, they tend not to bother you. Only if it is a big ticket item or a business do they go after you.

I know a number of guys who got nailed for snowmobiles and boats.

BC GTA

Well I just obtained my first purchase (BBK 255LPH fuel pump) from Summit Racing and thought I would share my experience. It arrived a week ago. I ordered it on a Friday. I paid an extra charge for air freight delivery as the car was sitting in my mechanic's shop. I was advised it would be in Victoria in about 10 days. It ended up taking 25 days. I phone Canada Customs who indicated it would normally take about 4 days to clear customs. However, in October customs were swamped with pre Christmas parcels and that it was taking over 10 days to clear customs. I had to pay PST and GST at the post office. Then there was a $5 fee customs charged. I used USPS so there was no brokerage fee. Summit Racing gave me bunch of free stuff. Except for the delay all in all not too bad an experience.

84z28350

I have personally ordered a few things from the USA but i find by the time it gets up here theirs just so much bs, fees and long wait, i would rather spend the extra few dollars and buy it in town.

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

Thought i'd chime in and add my recent experience.

Just ordered a 10 bolt axle girdle from summit. They told me they couldn't ship USPS ground (??? WTF Apeiron?) But that it would be $18 if they could, and $22 for USPS air, so, air it was. They told me to expect it in 6 days, 4 so far, so i'm still waiting, but they did throw in a free hat, which is kinda nifty.
I'm only buying summit brand stuff from summit (made in USA, so duty free too!), as other brands I can get at high perf shops here, and it's about the same price when you add in all the fees, plus no hassle.

BC GTA

I got a cap and few other give aways too. I forgot to add that my TD VISA card takes 2.5% on the exchange rate, which is listed on the back of your VISA statement. There will have to be a significant difference in price for me to use mail order places in the USA again.

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

really? huh... Takes 2.5%? you mean they make it MORE expensive then the current exchange rate?

BC GTA

Yes, look on the back of your visa statement, if you use visa and get a monthly statement, which is the only way to pay for these parts I believe. If the exchange rate is .85 VISA takes 2.5% of that. You do not get the exchange rate on the day of the transaction occurred. Rather you get 97.5% of the exchange rate. So you have to figure this into the cost of ordering parts from the USA.

Apeiron

I've always just asked for USPS, and never cared if it was ground or air. As long as it's not UPS it's fine with me.

Apeiron

There are always service charges built into foreign exchange rates, depending on whether you're buying or selling. It all has to be figured out before you know if you're saving money or not by ordering from the US.

theirlaw

UPS

If you have no choice but use UPS ask the sender if they are willing to put in a value below $20 Canadian. Anything below is exempt from UPS brokerage. Chances are larger shops won't be willing to do this but it is worth a try.

If you buy heavily you could also signup with a US based forwarding service and have them re-ship your items to Canada.
It's great for smaller items but larger ones can get expensive to ship. They combine all the items into one box and ship for one price, you declare the contents of the shipment and their values.
www.usglobalmail.com

BC GTA

OK I had a look at this site and it looks like you can get monthly and annual rates and they will mail a parcel, delivered to them from inside the USA, to anywhere in the world. I have two questions;

1. Will they do this for a one or two time thing and what will the price be?

2. Will they ship to Canada with USPS?

I do not do a lot of orderring from the USA. Most companies will ship to Canada and use USPS. But there are a couple of companies in the USA that do not ship to Canada. So I would like a service that I could use just once in a while.

theirlaw

In order to have them receive mail on your behalf you need to mail them a notarized form and provide them with all of your identifying information. I don't think you can do one time transactions.

Here are the rates for Canada. Unfortunately, no UPS/FedEx Economy but most USPS services are available.



Service Options for Canada

Prices include all handling and invoice fees.

FedEx International Priority Typically 1-3 days $35.37 All cities served.
FedEx International Economy Typically 2-3 days $31.17 All cities served.
USPS Letter Post Air Mail 5-14 days $5.73 Letters and packages shipped by USPS Letter Post are priced in ounces, with a minimum price of $ for a 2 ounce letter
USPS Global Priority 7-10 days $13.00 This option is available for Letters, Magazines, and Catalogs only -- No Packages
USPS Global Express 7-10 days $25.41 Areas Served: All
USPS Parcel Post Air Mail 5-14 days $22.52
DHL 1 days $41.67 All cities served.
UPS Worldwide Express 1-2 days $39.52 Service is provided to every address in the country
UPS Worldwide Expedited 3-5 days $37.73

Air_Adam

Have the parts sent regular mail (USPS) and the bill won't hurt nearly as much as a bill for UPS. I've also found, that packages sent by USPS also get to my door in better shape (less beat up) and also just about as quick as with UPS sometimes. I've ordered parts many times from the states, so I have a good amount of experience to go on

roughskinjrz

oh man, i've ordered over 6000$ worth of parts from summitracing.com, and the duty charges hits you the hardest!!. i will never EVER get anything sent through UPS as long as i live. USPS is 40% of what UPS charges, honest to ***, even though it takes about 4 days long, common.

Buddy

Just to put a few words in, yes Summit and Jegs have some of the best prices on parts, and with the "beat a price" guarantee (I've had that work for me for almost every part I've bought from them), the prices pretty much ARE the best - states side.
BUT, if your willing to do some phone work, and some exchange rate figuring (including taxes/shipping)(I do for every part I buy), SOME of the parts your after may be cheaper here at home, especially for you west coast guys. Canada's own Summit/Jegs, MOPAC There are a few locations, go to the website for them. www.mopacautosupply.com But for anyone interested, I call Edmonton AB. 1-866-366-6722. Ask to speak to Fester, he'll treat you great.
I actually cancelled half an order to Summit last year because the parts were cheaper through Mopac. (I still got a few things from Summit) The shipping is whatever you want, I go Greyhound, it's dirt cheap and runs on weekends and holidays even (it's a bus, it's gotta get there). And it's nice for (heaven forbid) any possible warranty replacement, your shipping to and from here in Canada.
I always ask Fester when I talk to him, "so when are you guys opening up a store in Ontario????"

Brisk

iTrader: (25)

I 2nd MOPAC.. they're great and I've ordered many things from them.. prices are unbeatable.

Buddy

BTW Brisk, I love your sig pic.

400Z28Racer

iTrader: (4)

how about Fedex? do they charge a lot?

400Z28Racer

iTrader: (4)

Oh another question, does the custom opens every box that had been shipped from overseas? and does the custom charge TAX based on the invoice?if so, what about if there was no invoice?
Thanks, Ivan

Apeiron

Every package crossing the border has to have a value declared, or it will be returned.

Taxes are usually charged on the declared value, unless they determine that someone is cheating and the declared value is substantially less than the fair market value, in which case they'll levy taxes on the market value.