Anyone know what the rules are or how much trouble a person would have pulling a trailer with body parts from Canada to the US if the parts are used? I've never done this, I've heard lots of different stories some not so good! I would have a bill of sale and it's body parts only.
When we picked up fiberglass molds in Barrie, Ont. we had more trouble getting INTO Canada with an empty truck and trailer than we did coming back with a full to "overflowing" truck and trailer.
When we crossed the border going in, they pulled us over to the side, made us all go in the building, talk (individually) to customs officials, sent agents out to inspect the truck, trailer and our belongings.
When coming back to U.S., we stopped at the booth, the guy looked back at the trailer, screwed up his eyebrows a little bit and asked what all the stuff was. We explained it was molds to make body parts for Fiero's. He commented that it looked like an awful lot of stuff for one car. We told him we were all collectors and we were going to make some for each of us. (there were three of us in the truck) We had molds (usually unidentifiable to anybody not familiar with the fiberglass process) sticking up out of the trailer (24ft.) and kind of flapping in the breeze, so to speak.
He thought for a moment....then motioned us through and said to have a good day! We told him to do the same and went on our merry way.
Not sure what the reaction would be to actual car parts, guess it will depend on what all your carrying. Our trip was a couple years ago, so after 9/11 and the new "rules" were in place.
Just relating our first hand experience, in response to your original question. Really don't have a clue what it will be like for you. Could depend on who's in the booth, what mood they're in and what kind of day they've been having.
In any case, good luck with your venture!
HAGO!
[This message has been edited by Sage (edited 10-23-2015).]
If there are any import fees, hope they're not as bad as for used parts going into Canada. I mailed 6 tail light bolts which I sold for $12 to a PFF member in Canada. $5.95 postage, $16 Customs Fees. I got my shipping costs but the buyer thought $32 was too high for 6 used bolts and never paid the $12. But that's a different matter.
If you are buying parts for wholesale you will need a customs broker, the $150 he will charge is worth every penny Don't try to BS or scam your way across because if they catch you in a lie your vehicle and items can and will be seized
They will dig through your email or ask how you came into contact with seller etc etc etc
Im actually delivering a load to Raleigh and Charlotte NC in about 2-3 weeks, if you need a load delivered let me know
Fierofool; your cost must have gone up because you either used FEDEX or UPS who have their own Customs Brokers but yet they charge an insane brokerage fee I use a warehouse in Niagara NY where I can have a car delivered and they charge me a few dollars for storage till I pick it up
If there are any import fees, hope they're not as bad as for used parts going into Canada. I mailed 6 tail light bolts which I sold for $12 to a PFF member in Canada. $5.95 postage, $16 Customs Fees.
Canada Post does not collect any taxes/duty on a declared value of less than $20, so how exactly did you send those bolts?
Canada Post does not collect any taxes/duty on a declared value of less than $20, so how exactly did you send those bolts?
That is my question too. The only thing I can think of is UPS with their stupid brokerage fees.
I have bought many items, not just car parts from the US and the only times I had to pay brokerage was when UPS was used. The odd time I will have to pay the GST (usually only on anything over $200-$300). The only time I was questioned with bring parts back into Canada was a couple years ago when I was bringing a pair of Rodney's 88 front wheel bearings home. Got the old, "why didn't you buy these in Canada" question.
I don't think they should be any problem with you taking parts back to the US as long as you have a bill of sale - maybe have to pay some sort of tax.
[This message has been edited by Mickey_Moose (edited 10-23-2015).]
I sent the bolts by USPS Priority Mail small flat rate box. The Post Office collected the fees and it was marked on the customs form I had to fill out. It could have been US Fees. I don't have the receipt any longer.
It may have been for a plane ticket because it went to Miami , then the UK then Vancouver then Toronto then to its destination closer to Calgary. Almost a month.
I mailed 6 tail light bolts which I sold for $12 to a PFF member in Canada. $5.95 postage, $16 Customs Fees.
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Originally posted by fierofool:
I sent the bolts by USPS Priority Mail small flat rate box. The Post Office collected the fees and it was marked on the customs form I had to fill out. It could have been US Fees. I don't have the receipt any longer.
When/where were the fees collected... at your end or in Canada? This doesn't make any sense on a USPS mailed package with a declared value of $12.
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Originally posted by fierofool:
It may have been for a plane ticket because it went to Miami, then the UK then Vancouver then Toronto then to its destination closer to Calgary. Almost a month.
Last time I checked, the UK was on the other side of the Atlantic. This makes even less sense. And this was USPS "Priority" Mail ???
With everything you've mentioned, I've got to suspect that there was either something wrong with the mailing address, or there was some misunderstanding by USPS in regards to the destination. There is no way there should've been any taxes or fees collected for a $12 item going to Canada from the States, and obviously the package should not have taken a side trip across the Atlantic.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 10-23-2015).]
I still don't understand why there's a big issue at the border if your buying parts or better rust free parts for a project or replacement. I guess they just don't want people bringing in or out stolen parts. But how can you prove that?? If it doesn't have a serial or vin number, you can't do anything. This is a completely different issue if you importing a car. They need to check if the car is stolen or there is a lean on the car.
Buying new or used parts and having them shipped by mail....another problem that I don't understand. I've bought brand new parts from The Fiero Store and shipped via USPS and didn't pay customs or anything. The surprise that I got was I bought used parts from the US and shipped via USPS and had to pay customs. What the hell?? My opinion is if you paid for the parts, and taxes, that's it...it ends there. How come we don't pay customs when its a gift? It was still purchased the same way, shipped the same way...?
I guess Fed-Ex and UPS can charge the brokerage fee because if going through the border quicker...no problem with that. You want something quick, you gotta pay for that.
Some parts you can't get in Canada, and vice-versa. So why are we penalized? Its it because they want Canadian people to buy local, or in the same country? Its not fair. I don't know if the US people pay customs the other way if US people buy things from Canada? Many things come from the US, so we have no choice. We should not have to pay customs on used parts, period.
Thanks for all the info!! I've got an opportunity to get a used 308 Body kit that was posted by one of our Canadian members who has been very helpful in helping me with what he can on this body kit, which isn't his. It's listed by another gentleman in his town! It's a dream I've had for some time and I'm 59, this is probably a last chance sort of deal I've been disabled since 2009 and my abilities have diminished to say the least! I thought about me along with my son in law go up and pick up the body and also see a place I've always wanted to see, Canada! I'm still considering it, even though it will be difficult for me. But I can;t take a chance on my son in law loosing his truck and trailer!
I thank every one that has chinned in with info! I guess I've got a huge decision to make!
When we picked up fiberglass molds in Barrie, Ont. we had more trouble getting INTO Canada with an empty truck and trailer than we did coming back with a full to "overflowing" truck and trailer.
That's pretty normal. If you are not Canadian then you do not enter by right into Canada therefore you may be aloud entry into Canada by the border guard. They probably pulled you aside to make sure your story made sense and ran a background check at the same time while you guys were waiting. Was it your first time here or first time in a little while? Are you from a southern state?
Going back home into the USA if you are an American Citizen you enter by right and therefore immigration is not a factor and the only factor is what you are you brining home with you. If you declared everything, the officer believes the value he makes the determination to send you in for taxes or not.
It's pretty simple really. It's the same way for Canadian's going into the USA and then coming back home.
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Originally posted by Quad GT:
If its over $2K you must have a broker do your paper work These border guys all want to be heros, if you get the wrong one watch out
Please tell me at what point doing your job becomes being a Hero? You'd be surprised by the amount of officers who absolutely hate dealing with taxes and duties.
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Originally posted by fierogt28:
Buying new or used parts and having them shipped by mail....another problem that I don't understand. I've bought brand new parts from The Fiero Store and shipped via USPS and didn't pay customs or anything. The surprise that I got was I bought used parts from the US and shipped via USPS and had to pay customs. What the hell?? My opinion is if you paid for the parts, and taxes, that's it...it ends there. How come we don't pay customs when its a gift? It was still purchased the same way, shipped the same way...?
I guess Fed-Ex and UPS can charge the brokerage fee because if going through the border quicker...no problem with that. You want something quick, you gotta pay for that.
Some parts you can't get in Canada, and vice-versa. So why are we penalized? Its it because they want Canadian people to buy local, or in the same country? Its not fair. I don't know if the US people pay customs the other way if US people buy things from Canada? Many things come from the US, so we have no choice. We should not have to pay customs on used parts, period.
Any other comments?
I can explain this for you.
Canada Post uses CBSA to clear the packages. CBSA is located at every major mail triage center however, being a government agency, it is heavily understaffed and the way they work for Duties and Taxes is that it is luck of the draw. If they have 50 carts of mail CBSA will pull 5-6 carts and tax all the packages that are taxable in those carts, all other packaged get through without having taxes assessed. Drugs and other contraband are the main focus and other techniques are used for those.
UPS, FedEx etc all use a different system. They have their own employees acting as brokers. They use these brokers to make more money off of you for themselves. They make sure that every single package is handled by their broker and taxed before release so that they can get their "brokerage fee". So technically you could say that it is the proper way of doing it but it ends up costing you a lot more than it should because their brokerage fees are astronomical.
BTW, you are not penalized when you import stuff into Canada, you pay your taxes that you are supposed to pay in Canada. If these items were never sold in Canada then Canadian taxes were never acquitted on the items and need to be collected. It starts being a lot of money when you add brokerage, taxes and duties... However little unknown fact useful for Fiero owners declare your parts as "Antique car parts". Antique car parts enter duty free but are still taxable for sales tax.
You are penalized when you don't declare the goods or declare a false value and you are caught.
Brokerage will always be charged if you are using one of those companies like UPS because that's all gravy money for them.
BTW, the gift exemption for Canadian's is limited to $60, anything above that is taxable. If you are using USPS/CP most of the time you are not taxed because of what I mentioned above not because it says gift. Literally 90% of the packages say gift even if it's a $4000 fridge.
[This message has been edited by FieroMontreal (edited 10-24-2015).]
I may go up and look at the body and then make arrangements with Quad GT for transport. It's winter now so the body is probably covered in snow! I'll get with our Canadian member and see if he can check it out for me. But my LARGE problem is cash right now to pay for this!
I'd still love to see Canada though! I'm from the mountains and I'm used to snow, but not Canadian winters! Those Far Northern boys are tough to say the least!!
Nope no snow in northern Michigan so I would suspect the same for southern Canada. LOL
Well, we did have some snow here, but it is gone now. Too warm to stay. Snow can be expected anytime after Nov... last year we got 3 ft at the beginning of Nov.
i've been out of town for the past 4 days and haven't had a computer. Just wanted to correct a few things and answer a few questions.
The USPS Priority Maill package that traveled the world was a horn button that went to Soup. I sent it as a gift and the postage was very minimal as I recall. Something like $12 total.
The bolts were sent the same way in the small Priority Mail flat rate box. Everything was collected at my local post office. I declared them as 6 used automotive bolts with a value of $12. It only took about 2 weeks as the tracking below shows.
Looking at the receipt, it says QTY 1 PM (I believe this means Priority Mail) $20.55 International Sm Flat Rate Box International Canada Flat Rate Custom # LCxxxxxxxxxUS
From Auburn, Ga. to a city in Ontario. This is the tracking info:
June 8, 2015 , 11:39 am Delivered CANADA
June 5, 2015 , 12:53 pm Customs Clearance CANADA
June 5, 2015 , 12:53 pm Processed Through Sort Facility CANADA
June 1, 2015 , 8:22 pm Departed Toronto, CANADA
June 1, 2015 , 4:32 pm Departed Miami, UNITED STATES
June 1, 2015 , 1:43 am Arrived Miami, UNITED STATE
May 30, 2015 , 4:24 pm Processed Through Sort Facility ISC MIAMI FL (USPS)
May 30, 2015 , 10:13 am Departed USPS Facility MIAMI, FL 33112
May 30, 2015 , 10:13 am Arrived at Sort Facility ISC MIAMI FL (USPS)
May 29, 2015 , 6:36 pm Arrived at USPS Facility MIAMI, FL 33112
May 27, 2015 , 5:03 pm Departed Post Office AUBURN, GA 30011
May 27, 2015 , 4:31 pm Acceptance AUBURN, GA 30011
And the buyer's response:
what!??? that's unreasonable don't you think? 20.55 just for the shipping? that's $32 total for bolts. not good. it shows as delivered but didn't arrive today; they may still be at the post office tomorrow; i'll go there to check & hopefully pick up.
Well, we did have some snow here, but it is gone now. Too warm to stay. Snow can be expected anytime after Nov... last year we got 3 ft at the beginning of Nov.
You must be 4-8 hours north to be getting 3 feet of snow in November Im guessing near Sault Ste Marie area
[This message has been edited by Quad GT (edited 10-29-2015).]
I sent the bolts by USPS Priority Mail small flat rate box. The Post Office collected the fees and it was marked on the customs form I had to fill out. It could have been US Fees. I don't have the receipt any longer.
It may have been for a plane ticket because it went to Miami , then the UK then Vancouver then Toronto then to its destination closer to Calgary. Almost a month.
Well I can see the $20.55 to ship it depending on the size of the box and service used (I would have just used a padded envelope.
As for the plane ticket - that is nothing, last year I ordered something from CA, got to the LA post office ok, but then someone there decided it needed to go to Brazil (for the world cup??). I took forever to get there too, as it must have gone via bicycle courier or something, spent about a month there while they try to figure out what to do with it. Eventually made it to Miami, back across the US and into Canada at Vancouver and then finally to me. Took it just over 6 months to get here. Me and the vendor had a pretty good laugh over that one.
[This message has been edited by Mickey_Moose (edited 10-29-2015).]