Buying radar from USA

[ridgy]

There have been a number of posts recently about buying electrical goods from the USA with much rumour about the end costs of it re VAT and duty.

Well last week I took the plunge and bought a JRC 1500 Mk1 radar so for your interest here is how it worked out:

Radar = 416 (750 USD)
Shipping = 92 (165 USD)
VAT = 83
Duty = 17
UPS Handling = 10

Total = 618 quid, ordered Wednesday and arrived on Friday. One of these went on ebay last week for 580 excluding postage that had been on someones boat for two years!

Pleasantly surprised about it all to say the least. If anyone is tempted then:
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.boatersland.com/jrc1500.html>http://www.boatersland.com/jrc1500.html</A>

Now all I have to do is work out how to fit it on the mast without paying 120 quid for one of those Scanstrut jobs. Answers on a postcard please.


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[Sybarite]

Thanks. It's very useful to see a real live case as opposed to the conjecture that we often read. I think that this is a great price for the model concerned. I'm sure if I went into a shop in France it would be considerably more and I would probably have to wait weeks while they ordered it. (French VAT is slightly higher)

John

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[Colin_S]

Great result.

I've bought a few bits from the States and generally it has worked out cheaper too. One trick I use to keep the cost down is to ask for items to be sent USPS which is their version of our Royal Mail. The shipping works out considerably less than UPS, etc. and IMO is pretty much as quick. Most bits I've bought have been for jetskis (sorry I know it's a swear word on this forum /forums/images/icons/smile.gif) and in most cases they have arrived with a day or two. Similar parts ordered here tend to take much longer and I think in most cases it's because the dealers don't stock the stuff and order it from the States theirselves.



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[Neraida]

Excellent post.

All I have to do now is find £618.... /forums/images/icons/frown.gif

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[AndrewB]

Claiming on a warranty with US imports?

>>It's very useful to see a real live case as opposed to the conjecture that we often read.<<

I think you might be surprised by the number of yachties in the UK who have been buying kit either in or from the US. To my mind, apart from the annoying quasi-legalistic formalities around CE marking and type approval, the only real problem surrounds the warranty situation. When I bought a UK badged radar in the US at a considerable saving on the bottom UK price, I was concerned that if it needed fixing the UK manufacturer here might refuse to honour their own guarantee on the grounds it was a grey import. (In the event it has given faultless service.)

I would be particularly interested to hear from anyone who has needed to claim on a guarantee for electronics imported from the US.

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