Olds_71_442

I wasn't sure where I should put this thread, so I decided to start it here. I've been planning on buying some larger parts for my Olds, like the ram air hood or some new bumpers. I just happened to be reading the fine print at the bottom of one of Tamraz's eBay posts and noticed they require a broker to ship anything across the border.

Has anyone else here had to deal with a broker when getting parts across the border? I'd like to get an idea what I am up against before I go looking for a broker to get my parts across the border.

Any stories you guys have about cross border shopping would be very much appreciated.

61reoldsman

you might try getting a post office address in the USA then have parts shipped there then go across and bring them back you'll save on shipping costs as a lot
of places offer free shipping within the USA

Allan R

Most shippers will not get involved with the brokerage fees. It's the carriers you should be looking at. Tamraz will send large parts such as hoods etc via UPS or FEDEX ground. Soon as they pick it up, you need to know what the tracking number is. With cross border shipping you WILL pay extra for either carrier because they will automatically assume brokerage duties on your behalf. Of course you won't know this until you get your shipment.

If you're tracking your shipment you will see it go from USA to Canada, back to USA, route around a few places in USA, arrive back in Canada (no crap, I've watched my shipments do this) enter Canada Customs, be released from Canada Customs and then out for delivery.

When you get your shipment? You will be REQUIRED to pay the brokerage fees on delivery. UPS and FEDEX were charging an automatic 15$ or more last time I used them over a year ago. You can 'prepay' the brokerage if you want by contacting the carrier and following their policies about this.

Your import fee and brokerage and GST (yes you pay both + the gouge and screw) is based on the declared value of the shipment. One reason why sellers say they will not change the valuation for shipping - they want nothing to do with the customs nightmare.

I thought UPS and FEDEX were faster than shipping USPS but they aren't, and they're more expensive too. For things like body panels and hoods? you're screwed. Even if you had a delivery address in the USA, you're going to have to stop at the border and explain how that hood fell off a passing airplane.... and if you don't have a bill of sale for it? You're not bringing it across the border. Either way, they will get their pound of flesh, maybe even wring some blood out too...

For small items that are easy to ship via USPS? That's the best option and Canada Customs doesn't check a lot of it unless they see a lot of stuff going to you (flag) or the valuation is higher (flag). In cases like that, the Canada Post office will give you a pickup notice or advise you on delivery that you owe brokerage fees. Yup, the CPO is Canada Customs dirty money collector.

Rickman48

Are used parts as bad for you guys?

MDchanic

BUT, if you can prove US (or Mexican) manufacture, do you still have to pay duties under NAFTA?

- Eric

Allan R

ummm, YES! Doesn't matter if they're used or new. Customs looks at the valuation. I buy new and used from US of A. But it's getting to be way more pricey (see shipping WTH https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...t=shipping+wth )

I bought a USED rallye pac gas/oil/temp gage in the US. You know how small that part is right? Came in a box that was half the size of a shoe box with all the packing. Valuation was 379.00. Customs and brokerage gave me a heart attack. The FEDEX guy sneaked up on me while i was working under my car and dropped that bombshell on me.

sammy

To add ... you can also self-declare your package or item at the border. This involves taking your purchase order/invoice along with your tracking number to a Canada customs outlet near you. Yes - you still have to pay import duties - but it's less than half of what you would have to pay the UPS driver (or any ground service) when they arrive at your door.

Take the information that you get from Canada Customs to the local UPS/Fedex depot in your area and tell them that you have self-declared the package and that you want to pick it up.

Example: $940 worth of cars seats from Year One was $440 worth of brokerage fees that I had to pay before the UPS driver would release the product. The point of entry for my goods was Fort Erie - a 3 hour drive for me. It would have been cheaper to drive myself and pickup the items at the border than being reemed by UPS.

justinj

UPS Stores in the US will rent you PO boxes over the phone / fax machine for a small amount of $. I do this every couple of years when I need to order a bunch of stuff from the US in a relatively short period of time. The UPS store in Buffalo is about 1.5 hours away from me.

USPS is the way to go for smaller items. Half the time they just let it go through without dinging you for tax. Their brokerage charge is $5 per package, which is reasonable. I've never had to pay 'duty' on anything, just sales tax.

I'll even use UPS to deliver to me here for bigger items and pay their dreaded brokerage fee. Just paid $60 on a $200 package. But at the same time, how much is your time worth? (plus gas).

Allan R

To be honest, I don't think they care. Even if you could prove US/Mex manufacture, they would likely say the raw products were imported so its eligible for duty. I bought wheels (stamped MADE IN USA) for 300.00 and had them shipped for 200.00 EACH WHEEL cost me 38.00 Duty because the seller marked each wheel package as valuation of 200.00 He should have marked total value 200.00 package 1 of 4, 2 of 4 etc like he did on the ebay invoice. (I keep all records of my purchases just in case I need them) CC ripped me off to the tune of another 114.00+tax and won't give it back. EVEN THOUGH I have PROOF and sent it to them. NAFTA = BS.

1970442

I have been travelling every couple of weeks for parts only have to pay the taxes never had to pay duty on anything made in the Usa.

Olds_71_442

That would be a lot more expensive for me since my nearest border crossing point is St Stephen New Brunswick. I'm on the far west coast of Nova Scotia. I'd either have to cross on the Digby to Saint John ferry or go the long way around. Either way, I'm looking at $400 -$500 just to go to a post office address in Maine. And that's not including the time off work I'd have to take to get there.

Olds_71_442

It is total bullshit. The Canadian government is only looking at squeezing every dollar out of us that they can. Proof of that is people who go to jail for selling home grown tobacco. The only reason it is illegal is because the gov't isn't getting tax money from it.

Canadian Customs=Thieving ********

Olds_71_442

I just sent an email to a brokerage firm in St Stephen. I'm hoping they'll be able to help me and will let me know how much trouble it will be.

If it's too much trouble, I may have to get back to Old Gold Restoration and find out how much it'll cost to buy the same parts from them.

sammy

tough spot...did the seller give you any proof other than the original eBay invoice.....like that he had made a mistake ?

justinj

Last time I drove through the Fort Erie border crossing, I declared over my allowable amount, so I had to pull over and pay about $30 in HST. Fine... whatever.

In front of me in line was an old lady who looked like she was maybe 95. She owed them $6.50. She was literally taking coins out of her purse to pay. Talk about nickel and dime-ing. Thankfully the government got their six bucks and can now proceed to waste it on employing these dipshits.

MDchanic

The EU, in spite of its current problems (which were caused by the blatant error of having established a common currency), has experienced a great deal of prosperity as a result of having dropped all of their internal trade barriers years ago.

It's amazing that the US and Canada have not had the common sense to do the same.

- Eric

Texascarnut

Even more amazing is we keep electing people with a lack of common sense!

Allan R

You mean he made a mistake?? You think a seller is going to say he made a mistake? I sent the efile pdf of the computer screen showing the transaction, along with the original yellow packing slips to the Winterpeg office for the refund. That apparently was a mistake because all I have now is the non acceptable white copies and scans of the originals.

Still pisses me off. That was over a year ago. Maybe I should start the hassle with them all over again. That much money will buy me some much needed parts, and now that I'm retired, my net income is substantially less. HEY! I also have time to hassle them now!

oldzy

One thing I really enjoy is paying tax twice on the same things. Ordering something in NY state for example and having it shipped to my Niagara Falls, NY P.O. where I drive over to pickup. I pay 8% USD sales tax at time of purchase, then pay 13% HST CAD coming back. It's fun for the whole family.

Olds_71_442

Check this out. I've been working on buying bumpers from Tamraz. The only problem is I need a broker to get them into Canada and I got a reply from the broker I emailed. It's gonna cost me about $250 for brokerage fees and taxes, plus I have to pay for shipping......again. Needless to say, this is going to put the price tag from $650 to over $1000 by the time they reach me. So I started calling some of my other contacts. Old Gold.ca has bumpers, but they're over $500 per bumper and the rear one doesn't have the cut outs. So I'm gonna pass. I haven't checked Parts Place yet.

But.........I search the local "Buy/Sell/Trade" quite a bit and there's a guy selling Olds 442 parts and I emailed him yesterday. He emailed me back this afternoon with pics of the front bumper and he's going to get me pics of the back one soon. This is the front bumper........







So now I'm waiting on pics for the back bumper. If it has the cutouts for the exhaust, they're both sold. These bumpers are off of a '72 442.

slantflat

Okay I'm being a wiseguy here, but it isn't so far fetched. Everyone near the border needs to compile a list of running cars that they have, and when a part is needed someone drives a "mule" over the border, picks up the part and installs it on the car, then drives back over the border. Or someone could drive the part over the border for whoever is buying the part. Sort of like hiding in plain sight, and no false trunk bottoms.


Mike

Olds_71_442

^^^^Good plan. Especially if you know someone with a junkyard. You could drive the car over, take the part off your car and install the new one. Leave the old part at the junkyard and drive home without paying duty.

I did this one time. I was visiting my cousin in Saint John, New Brunswick. We drove over to Calais (I think that's how it's spelled?) Maine to go shopping. So, just so I could say I did it.....I put on 4 pairs of jeans and 3 t shirts and a pair of sneakers to go back across the border without paying duty. My cousin was so upset I might get caught she went home and went right to bed to sleep it off!

roscoep41

I bought a front bumper fron tamraz and when it was all said and done I paid 500.00

cutlassjoe

I see an opportunity here....I live in Windsor Ontario and work in Detroit Michigan. For parts that will fit in my car I would be more than happy to bring items across then ship them to my Canadian friends...

sammy

Serious? If you are i might just take you up on that

cutlassjoe

PM Sent.