How does import tax work?

[magic_alex]

Quick explanation needed on how import tax is calculated, im assuming its a percentage of the value of the goods imported???

SO

If i was to have an engine shipped over from Japan which costs me for examle £2500 how much would Her Majesties finest charge me for the privilege?

[JeffD]

mulipliply amount including shipping by 1.2925 (17.5% VAT an 10% import duty) which in this case would give £3231.25 - ouch!! and thats assuming the amount inckuded shipping

[magic_alex]

JESUS!
I wasnt expecting it to be THAT bad!

Looks like ill be knocking that idea on the head then

bu88er!

[JeffD]

Thats why cars come through places like Ireland - the import duties are liable when goods come from outside the EU to inside the EU - once there in you can pull the persoanl import trick if you have 'driven it abroad' ie. got a petrol recipt, ferry ticket and a photo of you with car near a sign poiting to somewhere local (all by chance of course!)

[magic_alex]

Yeah sounds crafty but unfortunately its not a car i was looking to import just an engine and the price i quoted there didnt inlcude shipping costs!

I knew it wouldnt be cheap but i really cant justify the huge costs involved - oh well back to the drawing board!

[JeffD]

Double check to make sure but I think it will be the smae just for parts. Have you tried buying one from an engine supplier here - I was quoted £800 for 3SGTE (no ancilliaries or turbo) with no exchage unit required.

[magic_alex]

Engine suppliers here keep drawing blanks, ive found a guy on ebay.com willing to ship a complete 1998 Beams bundle over here with on 28k miles!

The price is negotiable but obviously Import Tax & Shippping (around £400) isnt.

I'm thinking of going the V6 route instead now, they're easier & cheaper to source over here & by the sounds of it offer pretty similar performance gains - only downside is it will hit my insurance a lot heavier than just dropping in a Beams block would have!

[The Morris]

Is it 10% duty on engines??

[Stuart]

I’ve recently had a few bits imported from the states and phoned to query the 'handling' charge which Royal Mail stung me for.

I spoke to a guy in their customs department and he told me this about importing engine parts.

Car parts tend to have a 3% import tax applied. If the tax is below say £10 on an item then they don’t tend to change you the tax... but they will still charge you VAT.

The total charge will work out as: Price of item(s) + 3% + Shipping costs + vat.

I found that the charge from customs was less than what Royal Mail charged me for clearing my package through customs for me.

Oh and anything imported from an EU country will be tax free.

Stuart

[magic_alex]

cool cheers for clearing that up mate - youve confirmed my own suspicions that the extra charges would make the whole process of importing a Beams engine (that is already very expensive) too costly to justify.

May well hang on for a bit and go down the V6 Camry route instead i think

[Steve Horrocks]

am i right in thinking that some Rav4's came with the beams engine fitted?
is it not possible to try & sourse one from a breakers over here or possible get a price of a new one from Mr.T?

remember enquiring about a brand new Rev3 turbo short engine not long ago & the preice was quite impressive!

[magic_alex]

No mate they only came in the last 1000 JDM G-ltd & are expensive enough as it is without Mr.T getting involved.

Im gonna sleep on it for now & maybe go the V6 route after summer if nothing crops up.

[Steve Horrocks]

No mate they only came in the last 1000 JDM G-ltd & are expensive enough as it is without Mr.T getting involved.

Im gonna sleep on it for now & maybe go the V6 route after summer if nothing crops up.

not a typo there i did say Rav4 (as in the model) not Rev4 MR2!

Try Mr.T sometimes suprisingly effective!

[magic_alex]

of course yeah i totally mis-read you post mate sorry bout that