Hi guys

i just recently purchased a sundowner seat and sissy bars etc from the states and they should be here next thursday, it cost me 600 aussy bucks, my question is,  '  WILL I HAVE TO PAY IMPORT TAX ON A SEAT AND HOW MUCH POSSIBLY '  any input would be very much appreciated, thanks

thanks a bunch Ando, i am hoping my seat and stuff dont held in customs too long also once in aus, this is the first thing ive bought out of the states so im prob just paranoid and very anxious to get my seat so then i can ride my bike for longer than an hr without getting a numb arse

I personaly have imported parts from the US, as you could emagine...saved $00,000.00 of bucks...only payed the import tax once and learnt from that to leave it under 1K.
LSHD1 (Lake Shore Harley Davidson) 20% off US retail and using USPS (United States Postal Service) usually turns up within 4 to 7 days.

http://www.lshd1.com/servlet/StoreFront

I would rather purchase from AU but the savings are to good so US it is.

yes i was bit suss on buying out of the states but its way cheaper so i thought id give it a go hey, thanks heaps everyone for the info in future ill remember to keep it below 1k thanks heaps, my expected delivery date is 4th february but im not expecting it to get to my doorstep then maybe a few days later but heres hoping

Import Dutya and GST is based on - Postal Importing, eg EMS

If the cost of the items being imported is greater than $AU1000, you pay 5% duty
ALSO
For most items you will pay GST on the cost of the goods + freight + duty.

So, depends what you are buying, sometimes its best to get a compete quote, and also split quote, to work out if its cheaper to save the GST and Duty and pay two seperate freights.

M&M will come in via Fedex, so its best to keep the goods and freight combined total cost below the $1000, ie, your invoice total.

i thought it was now free trade agreement.

i never insure goods, never had a problem normal air mail works ok for me takes 10 working days, i have a few good contacts over there, Shep RIP, needed an s&s clutch in a big hurry back when they were new, he was racing s&s 124 chalenge on his softail duece. he was trying to get one and had waited 6 months, then just b4 a round of 124 challenge he asked me if i could get him an s&s clutch compleat with the heavy springs. i got an e mail out Shep had his new clutch in under a week at a good saving. ran a high 10 second pass 800 pound bike s&s 124 hot set up just normal s&s heads not the B2 big valve, Cow build that up for him was first twin cam softail cases Cow did still had counter balancers. and Shep was heavier than i am.

sory for getting side tracked, just found they don't check uninsured goods as think not worth as much. but your call.

I have heard a number of people say "I would prefer to buy local", but I look at it like this....

If you buy local, you pay pretty much double the price. The additional profit goes into the big boys pockets, and isnt spent, or if it is, its on some imported luxury goods for them.

If you import yourself, you have basically saved half. So, if you spend $500, you have $500 still in your pocket. You will then spend that $500 "bonus" you have locally.

So the result is, by bringing it in yourself, you are actually helping local economy, as you are helping the local delivery guy who drops the parcel at your place to keep a job, and you have some extra cash to spend locally, which you are likely to spend in your local area.

Same goods being received, produced in the same factory and originating from the same warehouse. So much better all round to do your own import.

Maybe HD Head Office should rethink their spares pricing structure, and they might find by lowering the prices a little to a more reasonable level -
1 - they would make increased sales volumes, ultimately leading to higher profit in Australia
2 - they would get additional business from people not buying aftermaket, but buying genuine, as pricing would allow this.

And given that we know how much things "really" cost, as we can import ourselves, they have no excuse for doing this, as we know how much additional profit they are making, unjustified.

Last monday, my friends in Detroit, posted me parts useing US priority mail and Aussie post, i got the parts today, no tax i'm happy. us air mail & aussie post have always worked fine for me, i have used the othyers a few times, but always costs more and only a day or so quicker. but can depend on were the parts are coming from. one time a mate in NC set me an ol L series S&S carb surface mail, i gave up all hope, but three months latter it showed up

cheers

You should pay nothing Burra, below the limit that they will lift ya skirt and have a look. They can if they really want to (being Fedex), but they usually dont bother when the amount is around $100 tax and duty to be paid. It will just land in your doorstep like my box of bling did last Friday