Alfaholics, Classic Alfa group purchase

[maxludo]

Gday fellow aussie alfabbers,

Iam looking to purchase a large package of goodies from our faithful friends in merry old England including:

Rear floor pan
Rear valance
Springs
Bushings
Headlining
and Various other smaller bits of interior trim

I havnt yet decided if i'll get the parts from alfaholics or classic alfa, whoever is cheaper and has what i want i think.

Iam looking to get these some time before the end of the year and would prefer to ship by boat to save some coin but am happy to do air freight also.

Is anyone else interested in getting any parts in the near future who'd like to share the costs of shipping?

Iam probably looking to do it sooner rather than later as i have a feeling the AUD has some more to weaken yet.

I'll probably wait until the end of this month to place my order so if anyone else is interested, make yourselves known!

Regards

Max

p.s This will probably only be worthwhile to any alfisti in the eastern states.

[maxludo]

On second thoughts.... we want to keep the total value <1k to avoid paying those bureaucratic bunglers so I'll have to retract that offer fellas.

Any advice on splitting the packages...
How much below 1k it needs to be so as to not attract attention?
Any use in asking max or richard to fudge the invoice?

Any advice from those of you who've done it before would be appreciated.

Regards

[GT105]

Hi Max,

Im in the process of doing the same thing, looking at ordering GTA replica wheels and suspension kit from alfaholics, and the 1k customs limit is a big issue. Im trying to work out how to split the shipment without getting the royal screwjob from customs.

I was quoted a while ago from alfaholics 255 pounds to ship wheels and suspension together and 145 & 155 pounds to ship them separately respectively. Thats only an extra 45 pounds ($100 AUD) in the scheme of things compared to the duty which would be heaps, I suppose on the combined package. Other issue is that 4 15inch GTA wheels equate to $1188 AUD on their own so need to speak to Max Banks on how it can be done.

Ive been told that if the value of invoice is fudged or if the parts are sent as 'warranty return' is a way to get around it, however not sure if those guys would be willing to do so, but I guess you can only ask.

This issue has been discussed in previous threads I think by Damo105

Im still in the process of working it all out and when I do so will let you know. Cant wait to order these parts and put them on my GT JNR, im like a kid in a candy shop!

Cheers
Pep

[maxludo]

Gday pep,

Yeah these rules just become obstacles for the clever to circumvent i think! I too would like to get a set of GTA wheels after i've sorted the body and trim but will run into the same issues as you.

Returned warranty is a good option as you could then keep the invoice for the same amount and avoid insurance problems should they fall out of the plane. But customs could have a record of whether it entered the country or not in the first place and whether you paid duty on it then.

Are the quotes you got for air freight? It would be a whole lot easier to order from the states and utilise the FTA but centerline hasn't got what i need.

So far I need to order about 2100AUD worth of parts (minus the wheels) so i'll have to stagger the shipments unfortunately. Proving to be a real PITA!!

Iam spluttering at the prospect of having to pay this much for parts, let alone the 500 odd for shipping and THEn the bloody government wants to hit me for more.

Anyway.... Please do let me know what you come up with and whether Max is forthcoming with fudging the receipts or whether he has any other solutions. By the sounds of things he must have dealt with the same problem with plenty of other Aussie customers.

I too drive a 74 GTJ (AR 2206699). Though she was manufactured on the 8th October 1973. I saw your intro post, flash some photos and iam sure you'll get some more interest!

I for one would love to see some photos and by the sounds of things our cars are in fairly well the same condition... sort of drivable, a bit of rust but evoke a lot of love and emotion!

Cheers for the reply

Max

[GT105]

Hey Max,

Yes seen your bella - very nice looks like a clean solid straight junior, and a melbourne car with original rego.

Mine is AR 2206797 - 98 cars after yours built on April 24th 1974 and delivered to Alfa Aus on 30th April 1974.(seems rather quick doesnt it ?)

Heres some photos sorry to stray off topic, will post some in intro as well didnt post any earlier as it was outside looking rather sad and now has a spot in my garage, Ive hit it hard with meguires to get some of the gloss back in the paint to offset the defects!

Anyways saw your reply to the rather interesting and colourfully langauged customs post, lets see what we can do to order these f**kin parts
Cheers
Pep

[italiansedanman]

YOu guys would want to speak to Damo105, he's done what you're doing and got stung... He'll offer some advice, but there's also a thread in the Aussie section regarding bringing things in.

[maxludo]

GTJ looks great pep, will look very nice with some GTA wheels and some good suspension to bring hte ride height down.
I would say it was built in early April then sold to Alfa Aus in late April then put on the ship down here.

Gday Italiansedanman, yeah i did have a good read of this buying parts overseas, and customs thread.

I wrote damo105 a pm asking for advice on it so we'll wait on that.

I ended up reading through the pages and pages of the customs act and unless its less than 1k worth of parts we're hit with 17.5 on all parts, even if theyre >30 y.o reproductions including wheels. Ze rules are Ze rules..... much to our and everyone elses dismay!
It seems multiple packages are the only option.
regs

[GT105]

Max,

Ive bounced this topic off people from work and a friend of mines husband works as a customs broker for a freight forwarding company. She forwarded this email to me today where he quotes part of the cutoms act.

If the FOB value of the shipment is $A1000 or less no duty or GST is levied.  If the shipment is DDU the freight component is included in the invoice price and needs to be known and removed in order to evaluate if the FOB value is A$1000.
 
If over $A1000 then duty is levied as per below.  PLUS import GST of 10% of the CIF value PLUS any duty is due.  ie if the engine is A$2000 FOB then there is duty of 5% (or $A100).  TO calculate Import GST, $A2000 (value of goods) + A$100 (import duty) +$150 (shipping & insurance) = A$2250.  The 10% GST is levied on this amount - Import GST will be $225.00

Road wheels are 10% - if they fit the below criteria
8708.70
–  Road wheels and parts and accessories thereof:  
8708.70.9
8708.70.91
– – – –  Of a kind used as components in passenger motor vehicles



I know youve been fondling with the act so maybe this is not news to you and im just trying to gather as much info from people in the know ? This includes those have ordered parts from overseas before. But note how the import GST is calculated in the example above.

Also Ive been arguing/debating/slapping these people across the head because the consensus is the duty is 10% not 17.5%, however ive informed them of how guys on this forum have paid 17.5% (as discussed in Damos105 thread) and that unless they can prove otherwise then I believe its 17.5% yet they disagree and claim its 10%. Maybe the tax is broken down as 10% customs duty + 7.5% Alfa tax = 17.5% !!!!!!

Anyways buggered if I know, Im in the process of compiling an email to Alfaholics to quote shipping in smaller under $ 1000 AUD chunks
Cheers
Pep

[maxludo]

Gday pep
how're thigns panning out with your shipment? In what order are you planning to get the mods/accessories?
Iam fixing up some body work first so will start with some replacement panels and a few smaller bits and pieces. I'll do suspension in my second order some time next year.

Have you thought about getting some panasports? There is a place in the US that does them for cheaper than fullthrottle here in aus and with the fta we wouldnt have to worry about paying duty which would definitely be the case unless we got 3 wheels first and 1 later.

Did you get a rough cost of shipping for alfaholics?

Thanks for asking around re the import duties. Iam almost positive it ends up being 17.5p.c + gst. The tax is divided up a 10p.c general component then 2.5p.c for another and 5p.c for another.

I'll be damned if i contribute to keeping the bureaucrats busy and funding their christmas party! So i'll just keep them all my orders below 1k. Let's just hope the AUD doesnt tank like some economists are predicting.

Cheers
Max

[Damo105]

Hey guys, haven't been on here for ages as have been overseas for a while, and also been flatout. I've got a couple of messages from members asking the same questions, and I haven't had a chance to reply yet. In the next few days I'll dig out the info I kept and try to post some more info.

[GT105]

Hey Max,

Hows it going fellow GT JNR dude

Originally was going to buy GTA wheels and suspension however have put this on hold to concentrate on the body, and the 2 litre engine thats going in. Still tossing up between a 105 series donk or a Twinspark conversion.
So like you it will be any panels if reqiured and bits and pieces first. The other issue is the exchange rate but cant help that.

However have spoken to Max Banks and he has quoted 230 pounds to ship the wheels and suspension together as a 60kg package. He also said he could invoice to suit if you know what I mean. Although as a shipment can be checked by customs the last thing Id want is to cause him or me any dramas so i will still split it into two shipments - suspension and wheels.

Yeah i like the Panasports but really love the GTA replicas and the price from Alfaholics for the rims only is close to fullthrottles price for the panasports, what kills it is the shipping. Wheres this joint in the US ?
Lets check it out, maybe i need to buy a 1750 S2 and slap the panasports on that and GTAs on the Junior

Any news on your car please let me know?

Damo105 - thanks, hows your Berlina coming along ?

Anyways Gdnight need to get some sleep speak soon

Cheers
Pep

[AndrewO]

Hi,

I just got stung by customs and paid the 10% only on about $1,050 of parts. (You pay for the exchange rate on the day of shipment not the day of purchase!!!!)

On any parts for a car that is over 30 years old you do not have to pay the 5% Duty or the GST on the duty.

[Damo105]

I'm working on memory here, cause I haven't dug out all the info I had yet, but with customs there are a number of tariff concessions for old car parts.

Basically you have to trawl through the customs tariff concession lists (from their website), and identify those parts that are subject to a tariff concession (ie no duty). The rule of thumb is that all parts attract duty, except those listed in the various tariff concessions. When returning the customs forms you have to itemise the parts and the applicable concessions. It's not up to customs to advise you what you can claim, it's up to you to find out and claim it. Which is why customs agents exist!

I was pretty thorough when I bought my wheels and suspension from Max, and spent hours going through all the customs info to make sure I didn't pay more than I had to. I'm pretty sure I kept all the info, so when I get time I'll make a thread and share all the info. I meant to do it months ago and got sidetracked!

Pep - the Berlina is coming along slowly!! Just haven't had time of late. It's pretty much stripped for paint, I just need to spend a few days grinding out rust etc. Plus the engine in the GTV crapped itself a few months ago and needed a full rebuild. Then the gearbox just did the same! So money for the Berlina is scarce

[raff_gta]

If it helps, Im looking to get some door rubbers and door rubber rails over pretty soon.

[maxludo]

Gday all,
thanks for you interest Damo, i knew you'd come through with some info! I had a good look at the act and posted my findings in your original import/tariffs thread. I couldn't find any parts that were exempt of duty 100% as some people had suggested.
Sorry to hear about your alfa dilemmas, who are you getting to do the engine rebuild? You doing something a bit hotter or back to standard?

Very good to know that if you are hit with customs duty that you must find the relevant act when filling out the paper work.

Also interesting that you pay the interest rate on the day of arrival in aus not the interest rate you actually have to pay. Iam sure if the AUD > they'd try and hit you with the rate you paid if they thought they could slam you with some duties.

I think the best solution is jsut to keep the shipments well under 1k to allow for any substantial fluctuations in the ER. Out of principle i hate the idea of giving any more money to the darned paper shufflers looking to gouge their tax paying citizens.

In some circumstances i can't understand the disincentive these duties pose when there are aus made substitute products but when you're buying parts for classic italian cars it's bloody ridiculous. Just like dealing with councils, these bastards have to put up these barriers to stop you doing things in order to keep themselves occupied and in a job.

*rant over*

Pep, Paul spruell was the US supplier of Panasports i was talking about. See:

Your Store for Sports Car Performance and Racing Parts

I discovered this a while back when the AUD/USD was over .90 but now its down almost 20p.c on that number it doesn't make financial sense any longer. May aswell go with fullthrottle and have a useable warranty.

I too am hankering after a 1750 after seeing fangio8cs thread on his newly acquired and absolutely stunning 1750 S2. (see his thread in the gtv forum).
Though it would be a hard decision between an E30 M3 and a 1750 as my next appreciating classic. ( I was very close to importing one from Japan but the contact mucked me around at the last minute and i pulled out).

I like the look of GTA replicas but after seeing blacklotus's junior with panasports i've decided to go for them. (Have a search for his thread titled 'newly acquired 71 GT junior' or similar). Good reference for you too as it's in AR501. Plus it's bloody inconvenient to have to order 3 and then 1 other separately.

I originally thought about going for a T-spark once the body was sorted but alas i succumbed to the 'attack of the purists' telling me NOT to do it for a number of reasons. Most of which i didn't really take into consideration exept that you could get a 2L nord up to about 180bhp for less than getting a T-spark to around the same power.

Have you got any quotes or found anyone to build the engine for you? Iam not expecting much change from about 8k to have it in the car and running.

As i bought my car with them i take them for granted but may i suggest to you (and any other 105 owners without them) to get a set of 3 point harness seatbelts. They really make you feel a lot more secure in the car and stop you from sliding about when you're having a bit of fun (which is normally the whole time!). Mine are RPM branded but i know OMP, sparco and willans make 3 point versions too.

Raf gta: Have you looked into getting custom door rubbers made from somebody local? I know it can be done and iam sure it must be cheaper than importing them.
Though if you're dead keen on them perhaps you'd be interested in joining somebody's shipment in exchange for have a quarter of your shipping fee paid? (or some other equitable arrangement)?

Regs to all.
Max