Import duties on car parts
Discussion
As per my thread on the subject, I’ve managed to break the carbon fibre splitter on my new Portofino.
Ferrari want just under £5,000 to replace it, and the first repair quotation I have is £2,000, so I’m thinking of buying a pattern part from Italy for £1,750.
The catch is that this seller asks that I’m responsible for customs charges, and have no idea how much that is; is anyone able to help?
If it’s significant I may get it delivered to family in France, and have it fitted there, although of course I’ll then need to understand the rules about whether using it in France for a while makes it used and frees me of the obligation to declare it and pay for it when I eventually come home.
Ferrari want just under £5,000 to replace it, and the first repair quotation I have is £2,000, so I’m thinking of buying a pattern part from Italy for £1,750.
The catch is that this seller asks that I’m responsible for customs charges, and have no idea how much that is; is anyone able to help?
If it’s significant I may get it delivered to family in France, and have it fitted there, although of course I’ll then need to understand the rules about whether using it in France for a while makes it used and frees me of the obligation to declare it and pay for it when I eventually come home.
It's not pretty if importing direct to UK https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-... but, as you say, they may be other ways of doing things.
Ken_Code said:
As per my thread on the subject, I’ve managed to break the carbon fibre splitter on my new Portofino.
Ferrari want just under £5,000 to replace it, and the first repair quotation I have is £2,000, so I’m thinking of buying a pattern part from Italy for £1,750.
The catch is that this seller asks that I’m responsible for customs charges, and have no idea how much that is; is anyone able to help?
If it’s significant I may get it delivered to family in France, and have it fitted there, although of course I’ll then need to understand the rules about whether using it in France for a while makes it used and frees me of the obligation to declare it and pay for it when I eventually come home.
Why would you have to declare it? And who'd ever know? You drive to France with a damaged car part and leave with a new one fittedFerrari want just under £5,000 to replace it, and the first repair quotation I have is £2,000, so I’m thinking of buying a pattern part from Italy for £1,750.
The catch is that this seller asks that I’m responsible for customs charges, and have no idea how much that is; is anyone able to help?
If it’s significant I may get it delivered to family in France, and have it fitted there, although of course I’ll then need to understand the rules about whether using it in France for a while makes it used and frees me of the obligation to declare it and pay for it when I eventually come home.
Can't imagine the customs people will be lying in wait to interrogate you about where and when your car was fixed.
kambites said:
Well smuggling is obviously illegal but in practice yes, no-one is going to notice. Just depends on how the OP feels about tax evasion personally, I guess.
I would say that I’m opposed to it, and am very much opposed to risking my career in banking to save a few hundred pounds by smuggling car parts.Ken_Code said:
kambites said:
Well smuggling is obviously illegal but in practice yes, no-one is going to notice. Just depends on how the OP feels about tax evasion personally, I guess.
I would say that I’m opposed to it, and am very much opposed to risking my career in banking to save a few hundred pounds by smuggling car parts.
Ken_Code said:
Earthdweller said:
Would you feel any different if you broke your splitter in France and had it repaired/replaced there before coming home?
I’m not sure.Anyway, I’ll stick some protective tape on the cracked area for now and see if I can get some better quotes for the repair.
It’s an older car and they had reduced rates for it over newer cars .. I also double won as charged in € and the exchange rate is very favourable at the moment
I’m driving the car back to the U.K. in two weeks and I’d given zero thought to stopping at customs and saying the oil/filters in the car and the tyres aren’t the ones on it when I drove it out the U.K. a couple of months ago
Don’t know what they’d say if I did anyway
In theory, you should only have to pay VAT once, even on imported parts.
But this does rely on the seller being registered correctly, if they are then they should be able to sell you the part ex VAT and then you pay whatever charges and VAT at the UK end.
Note 1: Not all EU companies are registered, so you may end up paying VAT twice.
Note 2: VAT is also due on 2nd hand items brought in to the UK.
But this does rely on the seller being registered correctly, if they are then they should be able to sell you the part ex VAT and then you pay whatever charges and VAT at the UK end.
Note 1: Not all EU companies are registered, so you may end up paying VAT twice.
Note 2: VAT is also due on 2nd hand items brought in to the UK.
I thought that the Brexit agreement allowed for tariff-free trade between the UK and EU (and vice-versa) so long as the products are manufactured in the countries of origin. So if Ferrari themselves actually manufacture the part you want, it should be tariff-free, if they get it made in China, tariffs would appy.
VAT you only pay once, so you should be sold the part without VAT in Italy, but pay the VAT in the UK. You'll probably have to pay this up front to the carrier who ships the part together with any administrative charges for processing the customs paperwork (can be up to £75) plus the transport cost.
I do, however, question the idea of fitting pattern parts to a Ferrari. Wouldn't it lower the sale value if spotted - possibly more than the cost you're now saving?
I collect classic Alfas and have quite a bit of experience of fitting pattern parts as new panels usually aren't available. They seldom fit without quite a bit of fettling - and I've tried several of the reputable suppliers. You might find that the cost saving iturns out to be less than you expect, unless you're doing everything yourself.
ETA: I started this post, then stopped to take a phone call. I've now seen your post over getting Ferrari to do it. I think this is what I would do.
VAT you only pay once, so you should be sold the part without VAT in Italy, but pay the VAT in the UK. You'll probably have to pay this up front to the carrier who ships the part together with any administrative charges for processing the customs paperwork (can be up to £75) plus the transport cost.
I do, however, question the idea of fitting pattern parts to a Ferrari. Wouldn't it lower the sale value if spotted - possibly more than the cost you're now saving?
I collect classic Alfas and have quite a bit of experience of fitting pattern parts as new panels usually aren't available. They seldom fit without quite a bit of fettling - and I've tried several of the reputable suppliers. You might find that the cost saving iturns out to be less than you expect, unless you're doing everything yourself.
ETA: I started this post, then stopped to take a phone call. I've now seen your post over getting Ferrari to do it. I think this is what I would do.
Edited by sunbeam alpine on Wednesday 12th June 09:48
sunbeam alpine said:
I thought that the Brexit agreement allowed for tariff-free trade between the UK and EU (and vice-versa) so long as the products are manufactured in the countries of origin. So if Ferrari themselves actually manufacture the part you want, it should be tariff-free, if they get it made in China, tariffs would apply.
Genuine question, do you have a source for this? Might help me in a totally unrelated situation I'm dealing with.Edited by sunbeam alpine on Wednesday 12th June 09:48
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