Recieving mail from US postal service

[funkynsx]

Hi guys,
I'm getting headers and a clutch sent over from science of speed in the states and it's being sent via the US postal service.
I've never used the USPS before with items that cost over $1000.

What is the proceedure for custom fees?

I've used UPS before and they did the brokerage and organised the custom fees which was included in the shipping price.

Do US postal service handle the brokerage and customs or do i have to do that myself?

The package that is over $1000 in value, will this be delivered to my house or will i need to pick it up from somewhere?

Any info on this matter would be appreciated
I will call USPS aswell.
Cheers
Ben

 

[s2kadrenalin]

It will come into the country via Aus Post, and you'll receive a call / mail out from customs holding your item.

It is then up to you to get a customs agent, or DIY by filling in the 2 forms (usually for car parts) found online and printed out. I have faxed / emailed them back, shown a copy + paste of my PayPal transaction for said products, and had the item mailed out and in my hands within 2 days afterwards. They will advise you by phone / fax / email of the costs incurred - it will not be as cheap as you think it will be. Once paid, your item will be sent out a few days later, usually within 2-3 days depending on your location.

Tip: Be sure to claim your postage costs. ie: The item costs $990, but cost $300 to post, so declared value is $1290... If you tell them the $1290 was including the $300 postage fees, it puts you under the $1000 limit and no fees or levies will have to be paid.

- B

 

[whrdnsx]

It will come into the country via Aus Post, and you'll receive a call / mail out from customs holding your item.

It is then up to you to get a customs agent, or DIY by filling in the 2 forms (usually for car parts) found online and printed out. I have faxed / emailed them back, shown a copy + paste of my PayPal transaction for said products, and had the item mailed out and in my hands within 2 days afterwards. They will advise you by phone / fax / email of the costs incurred - it will not be as cheap as you think it will be. Once paid, your item will be sent out a few days later, usually within 2-3 days depending on your location.

Tip: Be sure to claim your postage costs. ie: The item costs $990, but cost $300 to post, so declared value is $1290... If you tell them the $1290 was including the $300 postage fees, it puts you under the $1000 limit and no fees or levies will have to be paid.

- B

Interesting, I was under the impression that the Freight/shipping charges were included in the Customs calculation, I was even told this by a Customs officer. Maybe this has changed recently.

 

[s2kadrenalin]

In all my dealings with customs, I've been allowed to declare the postage value null and void. For example, this time last year I imported a Novi 1500 S/c from the US. Value came in at about $1200. Informed them of the ~$280 airmail postage costs (by way of email / fax details of seller online) and the item arrived 2-3 days later at my post office. Then there's been about 10 sets of wheels over the years too, but these were all airmailed / sea mailed out of Japan by EMS (if under 17" in diameter ; 18" or larger has to come by sea mail too large for Japan EMS).

 

[funkynsx]

I've read on the customs website that freight does not come into the equation when working out duty.
I had an engine imported 3 months ago and shipping was not included in the duty.
Hope it has'nt changed:frown:

 

[SweetChuck]

I've read on the customs website that freight does not come into the equation when working out duty.
I had an engine imported 3 months ago and shipping was not included in the duty.
Hope it has'nt changed:frown:

They sure as hell calculate shipping into customs duty when importing a car. Unless this has changed recently , that would be sweet .

 

[FrogNBoggle]

As a regular professional importer, I can confirm that Valuation For Duty (VFD) is never applied to freight. (It can't be applied under international trade conventions). You need to allow for Duty and GST. Duty will vary depending on the classification of the product.

 

[funkynsx]

As a regular professional importer, I can confirm that Valuation For Duty (VFD) is never applied to freight. (It can be applied under international trade conventions). You need to allow for Duty and GST. Duty will vary depending on the classification of the product.

That's my understanding, 5% duty and 10% gst.
If you can get a Declaration of origin(e.g made in USA) you can get out of paying the 5% duty cos we have a free trade agreement with the US.

 

[funkynsx]

They sure as hell calculate shipping into customs duty when importing a car. Unless this has changed recently , that would be sweet .

Not sure about cars(i've never imported one) but we are talking about importing car parts.
Maybe the same rules apply for both. not sure.

 

[s2kadrenalin]

Cars and parts are completely different entities - you should be fine.

 

[Brendan19]

Just going to add that usps has been quite shit lately, if they say it will take a week, be ready to wait 2.
I ordered a 2nd hand head unit, and had my ccu repaired in the states recently and both took double the expected time to arrive back here. You will get it eventually just be patient.

 

[s2kadrenalin]

Its not just USPS. Aus Post took 8 days to send 4 OEM Honda injectors to me from Sydney to the postal blackhole that is Brisbane..... :biggrin:

 

[funkynsx]

Got my parts delivered today.
These headers i got are the new DC sos advanced headers.
They are a new product from sos.
I will post some pics later of them, they are really beutiful stainlees steel.:smile:

 

[funkynsx]

Here are some pics.

 

[Brendan19]

looks stunning, going to get dyno'd afterwards?

 

[funkynsx]

Got a new engine and supercharger going in soon.
It will have to be run on a dyno

 

[tbnsxt]

I would replace your motor mounts with solid ones offered by sos or stmpo while you are at it. I say this because I have seen numerous accounts of the welds breaking at the flange on dc headers. Old motor mounts allow the motor and trans to move around in hard driving and puts unnecessary stress on the exhaust system.

 

[funkynsx]

I will be replacing the enginge mount with solid ones .
Cheers

 

[davidf]

Wont solid mounts rattle your teeth a bit. Pros/Cons?

 

[tbnsxt]

not really.. the only reason there would be vibrations is if there was an imbalance in the rotating assembly. if anything, the solid mounts will make shifts more positive.

keep in mind that the cores are still rubber, just solid rubber.

 

[funkynsx]

you could always use a combination of solid and oem mounts too.

 

[tbnsxt]

you could but I would run all new ones. the sos ones are great because since they are made with the stock mounts they retain the extreme light weightness on the oem units. If you have never felt one they are extremely light weight.
you also get a core charge too!

 

[whrdnsx]

I'm fighting with Customs & UPS at the moment over a $1000 shipment from USA. they want $930 in customs charges ect. & they say Freight is a part of the customs calculation.

 

[FrogNBoggle]

I repeat; "As a regular professional importer, I can confirm that Valuation For Duty (VFD) is never applied to freight. (It can't be applied under international trade conventions). You need to allow for Duty and GST. Duty will vary depending on the classification of the product." There was an error in my previous post which i have corrected. UPS are often very bad at handling shipments like this. (mis-classifying items and charging extra duty as a result is common; also over charging weight/cubic measure is a problem). Get UPS to give you a fully detailed breakdown and take them to task if they are applying a VFD to the freight component. There are often many other hidden charges; quarantine fees; terminal fees; brokerage; fuel levies, etc, etc. Good luck.

 

[funkynsx]

I'm 100% sure that they should'nt do that Wayne.
It's never happened to me.