Where but the USA.....

[castaway]

.....could this have worked out.

Mrs Castaway and my 2 daughters went to New York to do the Christmas shopping at $2 to the pound!, leaving me to continue browsing for a wind generator. Now I've been looking for a bargain for the best part of the year so I was already semi prepared for this and had seen a company advertising on Ebay, Solar Path Energy Systems, selling Air-X Marine 400w units for GBP385, trouble was that by the time you added on the carriage and VAT and poss import duty (not sure about that), the benifits started to look less attractive, although still good.

Price by the way in the UK is around 850 quid although I just noticed the a company is doing a super special offer at 650quids.

Anyway with Jane in NY until friday pm, I called the company on their toll free number in Miami and asked Ben Gindy if it would be possible to get one to delivered up the Jane's hotel.

This was tuesday so he had about 3 and 1/2 days to sort it...'No prob' he says, give me yr card and delivery addr and it'll be there on thursday!...Just cost you an extra 20 quid for UPS.

Sure enough I get several emails through the day from Ben and UPS keeping me posted on progress and the package is actually signed for at the hotel in Manhatton at 1300 thursday pm.

Just picked up the girls' from the airport complete with my nice new windmachine.

Where else in the world could this be done?

Not bad is it ...New Air-X for total 405 quid.

Now all I've got to do is find a place to mount it.

God bless America!

Nick

 

[Blueboatman]

Yup.
I loved rebuilding and fitting out a saily boat in the US-the 'can do' attitude,the UPS deliveries(to the boat in the middle of a small town!),the plethora of discount stores,6% sales tax if you didn't want to order from out of state,the free coffee in West Marine chandleries and their excellent catalogues..and above all the fact that all oil based stuff like epoxies,grp,sails,polyurethane paints,energy intensive products like alloys...were CHEAP..

 

[Bejasus]

I must have spent the best part of $750 in West Marine in the past month, so have no qualms about drinking their coffee and munching away on their donuts. Guy on the berth opposite is the manager of the West Marine Express store on Dog River, Mobile, Alabama. Handy just to call him up and he brings me what I need when he returns to his boat in the evenings. West give good membership discounts too.

 

[Cornishman]

Did she (you) have to pay duty, VAT etc., when bringing it into the UK (EU)?

 

[castaway]

Let me say that I guess you should always factor that is as well.

Nick