Importing a X800XT.....I Hope

[Clstrphbc_donut]

Hello. (Dunno if this is the right forum for this)

I want a X800XT really badly. im getting a lot of money very soon. Im looking at importing it, seen as i have an uncle in Canada. Over in america, its $499....works out at about £200! (half price!) So, its gonna be the same card isnt it? And software? Is there much point? (Cost of air-mail/postage) or could i just get one shipped straight from an american store to here? Also, what about air-mail, im worried about damage etc, and the key to me doing this is the keep it cheap, so i dont fancy paying insurance on it if it will cost a lot. Any help greatly appriectiated.

[Spud1]

well i want to do this aswell =) btw 499USD == about 270GBP, not 200 =) the 'normal' X800 is 399USD which is about 233GBP

I'm sure that some shops will ship to the UK, and if not there are some american members here who might be willing to do the deed for you - if you trust em with a few hundred quid ofc =p

[Clstrphbc_donut]

i'll use my uncle, he was the one who got me my first half decent pc, although it was built in the UK. He helps me out. i checked the exchange rate online, and it said £202 odd yesterday nevermind, still its cheaper (i hope)

[blockers]

Problem with getting stuff from the US, is that you may get hit with a customs bill....sometimes this can be a hell of a lot of money...

Best way to get round it is to make sure that however posts it has "Gift" written on it somewhere visable. So that is why its best to get a relative/good friend to do it, as you can normally trust them with £200+ and they can send it as a gift. Whereas companies may just post it and then you get hit with the bill.

As for insurance I suspect you would be able to pay it and i dont *think* it would be too much, as for UK postage its not really that huge.....through RM less than £1 for items up ot £100 i think...never posted anything £100+.

[TiG]

You aren't confusing USD and Canadian dollars?

as USD to GBP is ~1.6 or somethign similar, - its definitely not 1 GBP to 2.5 USD which it would have to be if you got that exchange rate right.

Sounds a good deal, just remember you will have to pay import tax if you get caught, which could be some heafty amount...

TiG

[Clstrphbc_donut]

ill take blockers advice about the "gift" written on it, and talk it over with my uncle. Gotta ring him in an hour and a half, so ill talk it over carefully. hes a businessman, owns his own company if that can help in any way?

[unrealrocks]

Don't think it'll help over there as they don't have TAX on those sort of goods IIRC.

Even if its got Gift written on it then they are still sometimes taxed if there insured for alot (more than £25) because the Gift thing only works upto £25 (or is it £18).

[Clstrphbc_donut]

well hes due over next month, i could wait for him to bring it with him?? But its the fact of knowing i OWN that card, but cant get to it! It'll destroy me! I'll have to cope with my crappy geforce fx5200 for longer!

[blockers]

http://www.hmce.gov.uk/public/faqs.htm - £18 for gifts...good job unreal...unluck crazy named dude..

[Stewart]

$499 = £277 as of about now.

As others have said, the main problem is import tax, which could be pretty hefty.

'Customs assess the amount of Import Duty to be paid based on the declared value of the goods, PLUS the transport costs to the country of destination.

Import Duty is usually percentage based. It averages at between about 5% and 9% - but with extremes in some cases between nil and 85%.

VAT (Value Added Tax) is then added. The value for VAT purposes is therefore the declared value of the goods, PLUS the transport costs to the country of destination, PLUS the Import Duty'

[blockers]

http://www.sloanefox.freeserve.co.uk/importukduty.htm

Some more information about import tax...get hit quite a bit

[Clstrphbc_donut]

hmph! so it looks like it would be better shelling out £411 for one?

[Firelord]

Why not wait for him to come over?? That way you don't have to shell the cost of the tax etc

[Clstrphbc_donut]

and theres NO way hes going to get charged ANYTHING? i can do that, its just the fact i'll be waiting......and waiting.....and waiting! Which i will do.

[Stoo]

£277+ postage... plus vat

Duty... http://www.uktradeinfo.com/classguid...April_2004.pdf

Look the commodity code up on there, in this case it's 8471 8000 00.

Then find out the duty rate here - http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_c...=1&Action=1#OK

In this case the duty rate is 0%

So the total payable would be something like:
£277 - The Card
£30 - Shipping
-----------------
£360 - total inc Vat
£10 - Courier processing and Handling Fee

Final total ~£370..

[Clstrphbc_donut]

i'll buy it from the UK then, Thanks for all your help