Spares Company..

Cyborg

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I have been amazed at service to the US, received my last order in 2days. Always when I’m not in a hurry does that happen.

When you folks south of the 49th order things from overseas, how do you go about paying any duty or taxes that the Feds might want? Can you bring things in under a certain $ amount without getting charged?
I have a U.S. mailing address and I want to try getting my next order from VOC Spares sent to that address just to see what happens.
Delivery to Canada is somewhat random. Usually it ends up in customs waiting to be irradiated and sniffed by Fido, which can take weeks. Sometimes you get a sketchy call from some obscure shipping company wanting money before they release it and on occasion comes by way of Jordan. I’m assuming you folks down there have more than one dog on duty.
 

Gene Nehring

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
When you folks south of the 49th order things from overseas, how do you go about paying any duty or taxes that the Feds might want? Can you bring things in under a certain $ amount without getting charged?
I have a U.S. mailing address and I want to try getting my next order from VOC Spares sent to that address just to see what happens.
Delivery to Canada is somewhat random. Usually it ends up in customs waiting to be irradiated and sniffed by Fido, which can take weeks. Sometimes you get a sketchy call from some obscure shipping company wanting money before they release it and on occasion comes by way of Jordan. I’m assuming you folks down there have more than one dog on duty.

Everything has been going to point roberts in the last six months. Much less hassle.
 

Cyborg

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Everything has been going to point roberts in the last six months. Much less hassle.

You should stop in on the way by. Just have to bang loudly because I have the muffs on so I don’t have to listen to the self excited vibration and regenerative chatter while I slowly learn to sharpen cutting tools and figure out feed and speed.
Unless of course you hear the oxy propane rosebud shrieking away. While using it, I’m a little skittish and worrying about setting the shop on fire. Best not to make any loud noises.
 

Bill Thomas

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
We have a lot of T.V. in UK , On Border crossing, Canada and Aus',
Hard work !, They drilled a hole in a Piston one time ! So that would be no good.
 

Bill Thomas

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Oh yes it was full of Drugs :) .
I sent something to Aus' years ago, The bloke I sent it to thought I had stuck a bit more money on it,
I thought He did me for a bit !, Turned out it was the Banks !!.
 

ClassicBiker

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
When you folks south of the 49th order things from overseas, how do you go about paying any duty or taxes that the Feds might want? Can you bring things in under a certain $ amount without getting charged?
I have a U.S. mailing address and I want to try getting my next order from VOC Spares sent to that address just to see what happens.
Delivery to Canada is somewhat random. Usually it ends up in customs waiting to be irradiated and sniffed by Fido, which can take weeks. Sometimes you get a sketchy call from some obscure shipping company wanting money before they release it and on occasion comes by way of Jordan. I’m assuming you folks down there have more than one dog on duty.
When I've ordered parts from the Spares Co. It comes labeled parts for vintage/antique motorcycle I believe. So as long as the bike the parts are for is over 25 years old duty seems to be ignored, unless the value on the customs form is just to large to ignore. As an example last year I ordered all the parts to rebuild the two heads on my Shadow. Valves, lower guides, springs, rockers, rocker bushes, rocker pins, valve guide lock rings, seals, upper guides, locking rocker feed bolts, the lot. The only thing I didn't order were the valve cover caps. I placed the order and it arrived. No duty. Years ago I ordered a tube shock conversion kit for my MG B GT to get rid of the Armstrong lever arm shocks front and rear. Very expensive at the time and a large box. The carrier sent a note that asking me to call to arrange delivery and there was I believe $200 in duty owed to them that I needed to pay before they would release it to me. I arranged time a time and had the money in hand, no problem. When I imported my Comet I paid for shipping door to door. The dealer I went through arranged for a broker who carried out the paper work with the Feds, it was over 25 years old so no duty and no hassle with the EPA. When I went after a title the State of Michigan wanted its 6% sales tax based on exchange rate given by the Feds when it arrived, which I paid when titling it. Then the state's Dept of Treasury sent me a letter wanting it again based on what they thought the exchange rate was when I purchased it. So I sent them copies of my receipts for the sales tax paid when titling the bike and said I would gladly accept the $200 they were offering in refunds. That was 18 years ago, I'm still waiting.
I have an aunt living in Steyning in W. Sussex, if I buy something on evil bay and the seller doesn't ship to the U.S. or the shipping seems excessive I have it sent to her and she forwards it on marked "Unsolicited gift, old motorcycle parts". Prior to her receiving it I tell her it will be arriving and how much I paid for it so she can mark the value on the package appropriately. It arrives on the front step, no problem.
I believe the customs people are focused on stopping the influx of illegal drugs and other contraband. As well as making sure the importers who are going to reselling what they bring in are paying their duty as appropriate. I'm sure they track all the small packages everyone receives and if you are getting loads of small packages regularly, questions would be asked. But on the whole I think they are interested in the big time crooks not a guy who brings in stuff regularly for his hobby. If you were running a business and they found out they might be a little irritated but only until they got their cut.
 

Cyborg

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Thanks for that. I’ll give the US address a try. I have only been using it for US sourced goods. It’s pretty convenient and it is sometimes easier to buy something in the States, get it shipped to the address down there rather than run the gauntlet into the city and try to find a store that actually has the product. With your fine federales having my finger prints, iris scan and lord knows what else, I can normally cross over the line with little more than a wave and a grunt. They do ask if it’s for business or personal sometimes. On a good day I can leave my house, cross the border, grab the package and be back home in well under 20 minutes. On a bad day (which is rare) the computer selects you for a secondary inspection which can be time consuming if you get called in just behind the bus load of Chinese tourists heading down for a game of golf. Usually with 1/2 an interpreter and 1/2 the visas.
The only problem I’ve had was with McMaster Carr. Although they were shipping within the lower 48, I guess they noticed the CDN billing address. A couple of Clovis rod ends just about created an international incident. One of these days I’ll have to get a US credit card using a US address, although they made it sound like bring McMaster Carr bits across the border was a felony and there was a distinct possibility I would be shot and urinated on.
 
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