A couple of used car panels from the USA. What extra costs?

[scotshaggis]

I'm tempted to try and get a big breakers company to send me a couple of the 89-2001 Mercedes SL front wings from the US.

What would apply by way of import fees with the parts being used/old? Value of the parts might only be $300-350.

It seems worth considering when new from Mercedes are £600 each and used are almost non existent or very pricey (i.e. £400 each for good ones)

Many thanks

[Chucklehead]

you'll pay duty on the parts and VAT on the parts+shipping+duty, and i've never seen a breaker willing to help get a good deal on shipping.

If you can find any on ebay as part of the global shipping programme then i've used that plenty (twice today, actually). I had a quick check for you and don't see any in the US, but there were some from Germany that worked out a bit cheaper.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165587615443

[scotshaggis]

Chucklehead said:

you'll pay duty on the parts and VAT on the parts+shipping+duty, and i've never seen a breaker willing to help get a good deal on shipping.

If you can find any on ebay as part of the global shipping programme then i've used that plenty (twice today, actually). I had a quick check for you and don't see any in the US, but there were some from Germany that worked out a bit cheaper.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165587615443

Thanks for your reply and the link. That one looks potentially fairly rusty unfortunately, but is of course quite cheap.

[scotshaggis]

i know someone in Arizona that might be willing to send them on to me. I imagine that might be a help if it was like a friend sending you something they had?

[Chucklehead]

then (i assume) you're going to end up paying US sales tax and shipping before you then have to rely on your friend to export to the UK.

If it's $350 to buy and best case you get a shipping quote of $150 - I'm not up to date with my various duty codes because i just pay what they tell me, but assuming 3.5% and then 20% VAT, you're still going to be in the region of £480 landed.

Back in the old days you used to be able to say $1 was £1 landed, but those days are gone. If it were me, i'd probably focus on Germany, Poland etc as a good source of parts.

[scotshaggis]

If my friend is willing to help I imagine it would be best if he bought them from ebay. Maybe so long as a supplier in Arizona?

I understand what you mean though.

I’m not exactly sure how the sales tax works.