This is why it sucks being European with a US car hobby!

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luxstang

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My Car
1972 Mustang Convertible
Ok, I have been ranting a few times over shipping fees and taxes and the like when you order from a US supplier and need the parts shipped to Europe.

I recently ordered my new Hedmans and some other stuff like oil filters, a new set of KYBs and some gaskets and exhaust calmps, so here I have a concrete example of happens.

I will not name the company because it is not their fault at all.

The total cost for the parts was 670$.

Now it gets bad: Handling and shipping is 285$

Makes a total of 955$.

Now, if that wasn´t bad enough, they invented import tax and VAT which make another 188$ (145€ in today´s conversion).

Let´s resume: If I order parts for 670$ I end up paying a total of 1143 $!! :mad:

And you just hope everything is ok and they did not ship the wrong parts because sending them back will cost too much.

Like I said, it´s not the seller´s fault, it´s just the way it is.

Imagine what that nice set of 18 inch billet rims would cost..... :(

 
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This is why I am afraid the direction this country (USA) is headed where we do not make anything, promise great benefits to everyone and have fewer and fewer people working to pay taxes.:s

 
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I would be concerned about getting the wrong parts every time I placed an order. Heck, I am that way now, and to think I would have to pay ~$100 to ship it back. I am glad you can enjoy the hobby, but that takes a level of dedication that can be hard to swallow. Look at it this way, you could build a relationship with an American who enjoys european cars and buy a container to ship back and forth with parts for each others cars. Taxes would still be a killing. Either that or find a drug dealer with regular shipments, they can always get that stuff across borders.

 
Either that or find a drug dealer with regular shipments, they can always get that stuff across borders.
Click to expand...
THAT might actually work. :D



I am glad you can enjoy the hobby, but that takes a level of dedication that can be hard to swallow.
Click to expand...
Well, take into account that you can take your gas prices by 2,5 and you can imagine what it feels like every time I hit the throttle an the 351. :s

 
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You act as if you have to put up with Obama for another 4 years.

 
Hi Lux,

Let me say that you have my complete sympathy in every way on this matter. It's the same lousy deal here in Australia when you want to order parts from America. Yes, they are priced reasonably fairly in America, but the shipping and or postage costs really hammer you badly by the time they get to Oz.

Sadly, it makes the hobby of owning a '71-'73 an expensive concept in the long run here, and you won't get good $ returns for the forseeable future for reselling on.

Given that a lot of the aftermarket parts come from Asian countries and get shipped to America, i wonder what the markups are to the American customers? Imagine that, Asian parts on an All American vehicle. Doesn't sound quite right, does it. Anyway, i deal also with a couple of local Australian Mustang parts importers, and they deal direct with Asian countries as well, but the cost of the parts and the markups, makes it still an expensive exercise. If America made most or maybe all of these parts, again i wonder what the pricing would be in that instance.

Oh well, i guess at the end of the day, it's all about people trying to make as much money as they can from the system.They say that in some cases around the world today, the Internet buying thing is becoming so popular, that parcels are out stripping regular mail handling at post offices. So why not make a dollar from it all?

That's capitalism in action. So Lux, when you're driving down the road at home, and you get the looks, man, you know you've earned it!

Greg.:(

 
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This is why I am afraid the direction this country (USA) is headed where we do not make anything, promise great benefits to everyone and have fewer and fewer people working to pay taxes.:s
Click to expand...
I'm not religious but, a big AMEN seems appropriate. Chuck

 
most aftermarket parts are shipped from over seas so why are you buying from U.S.?
Click to expand...
Because the companies that have those parts produced all over the world are American (except for KYB but the result is the same) and the products are meant to be marketed in the US.

From a marketing point of view there are no American classics outside the US.

Even if some parts are produced by European companies, they are still meant for marketing in the US.

Take Bilstein for example. They are a German maker of coils, shocks and suspension parts. Their headquarters are 140 miles away from my home town, less than a 3 hours drive.

Can I buy the Bilstein shocks for the 1970 mustang here? Nope! I can´t!

Why? Because they are made for and marketed only on the US market. Same goes for the dutch Koni brand.

I have to order those parts in the US, as there is no other way to get them.

On the other hand, there are some stores for American classic car parts here in Europe.

Problem is, they buy from the same sources we all buy from and although they probably get a small discount, they pay shipping and import taxes too, plus they wanna earn some money when they sell to you, so it gets more expensive to buy here than to order from Summit or CJ or OMS or whomever directly.

Hell, we even got one Mustang parts supplier in Germany whose boxes still carry the Mustangs Unlimited bar code when you get them.

So you know exactly where those parts come from. They even sometimes have the exact same parts number than the Mustangs Unlimited catalog.

I have ordered from them but only when I need a certain part fast, like in the day after tomorrow, and only if they have it on stock.

Let´s talk tires for example. We have here in Luxembourg at least one official dealer for Firestone tires. Do you think they can get the Firehawk INDY 500 with white letters?

No way. Strictly impossible, as it is not meant for sale on the European market. They simply don´t have it on their line of merchandise.

All our white letter tires (except for the Cooper Cobra Radial TA) are imported from the US, either by specialized classic US parts dealers or by individuals. (The latter gets so expensive that I don´t think I personally know anybody who ever did it)

Bottom line is, wherever the parts are made, they are made for the US market and the only way to get them is to buy them on the US market.

That holds true for all kinds of other products as well all over the world. It´s a matter of distribution.



And to think you bought shoes while you were here and you could have picked up a set of headers instead!
Click to expand...
Ain´t life grand? ;)

I will be in Florida for a week in February and I will fill a suitcase with stuff and bring it over here. No shipping and import tax free up to approx 450$ per person.

 
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most aftermarket parts are shipped from over seas so why are you buying from U.S.?
Click to expand...
Because the companies that have those parts produced all over the world are American (except for KYB but the result is the same) and the products are meant to be marketed in the US.

From a marketing point of view there are no American classics outside the US.

Even if some parts are produced by European companies, they are still meant for marketing in the US.

Take Bilstein for example. They are a German maker of coils, shocks and suspension parts. Their headquarters are 140 miles away from my home town, less than a 3 hours drive.

Can I buy the Bilstein shocks for the 1970 mustang here? Nope! I can´t!

Why? Because they are made for and marketed only on the US market. Same goes for the dutch Koni brand.

I have to order those parts in the US, as there is no other way to get them.

On the other hand, there are some stores for American classic car parts here in Europe.

Problem is, they buy from the same sources we all buy from and although they probably get a small discount, they pay shipping and import taxes too, plus they wanna earn some money when they sell to you, so it gets more expensive to buy here than to order from Summit or CJ or OMS or whomever directly.

Hell, we even got one Mustang parts supplier in Germany whose boxes still carry the Mustangs Unlimited bar code when you get them.

So you know exactly where those parts come from. They even sometimes have the exact same parts number than the Mustangs Unlimited catalog.

I have ordered from them but only when I need a certain part fast, like in the day after tomorrow, and only if they have it on stock.

Let´s talk tires for example. We have here in Luxembourg at least one official dealer for Firestone tires. Do you think they can get the Firehawk INDY 500 with white letters?

No way. Strictly impossible, as it is not meant for sale on the European market. They simply don´t have it on their line of merchandise.

All our white letter tires (except for the Cooper Cobra Radial TA) are imported from the US, either by specialized classic US parts dealers or by individuals. (The latter gets so expensive that I don´t think I personally know anybody who ever did it)

Bottom line is, wherever the parts are made, they are made for the US market and the only way to get them is to buy them on the US market.

That holds true for all kinds of other products as well all over the world. It´s a matter of distribution.



And to think you bought shoes while you were here and you could have picked up a set of headers instead!
Click to expand...
Ain´t life grand? ;)

I will be in Florida for a week in February and I will fill a suitcase with stuff and bring it over here. No shipping and import tax free up to approx 450$ per person.
Click to expand...

You put your case forward very well sir, and i agree with what you say.Again, you have my full sympathy with this unfortunate situation. As i said before, i'm in a similar situation living in Australia, and you pay heavily for living in a country far away from the United States Of America.

Well, i guess there can only be one solution! Let's all pack up and move to America to live and then we could have a holiday from time to time and visit our home countries.

Greg:p PS. You could move in and live next door to Wolverine for example!

 
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