Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

So our ZX6 engine has now arrived from the US where we bought it on Ebay for USD985 plus 380 freight. Total Aussie ends up about $1400 so compared to $3k for a local one a pretty good deal.

Then it arrives in Australia and has to go through customs where, because it's an engine also has to go through quarrantine inspections and get customs clearances and inspections and you get GST onthe total landed cost (I kind of knew that).

End result.....you get another bill for $718 for the above services ie 50% of the original cost plus freight

Best bet is to discuss some creative invoicing from the supplier. Apparently.....many items have been allegedly shipped with values potentially varying to the agreed purchase price Some U.S. suppliers will even send it with a "No-Charge" Invoice for "Sponsorship Purposes"

I didn't get charged Duty though which was interesting. The big prob was the Quarantine inspection. Apparently all Engines have to be quarantine inspected and also customs inspected because they've got nice big holes where you could stash stuff.

So you did you end up with a big box of ZX6 engine parts after the inspection?

Nah I think it's all in one bit. It's at Glenns now

At least you've got it now pity about the extra costs tho.

How long till it's up and running again?

No major hurry. Glenn's going to have a look at the top end before it goes in then probably a day or so to whack it in.

Glen wrote:So our ZX6 engine has now arrived from the US where we bought it on Ebay for USD985 plus 380 freight. Total Aussie ends up about $1400 so compared to $3k for a local one a pretty good deal.

Then it arrives in Australia and has to go through customs where, because it's an engine also has to go through quarrantine inspections and get customs clearances and inspections and you get GST onthe total landed cost (I kind of knew that).

End result.....you get another bill for $718 for the above services ie 50% of the original cost plus freight

Filling in the form for mine now and my wallet is shaking with fear

I had a little TZ 125 engine sent from Japan , bloody cheap and there were no extra charges Even came with Japanese rainwater in the crankcases

So much for any custom inspections .

They didn't find your drugs did they?
That would have made the whole exercise a waste of time

Customs can and do screw people over with extra fees and charges whenever and wherever they can.

They wanted to sting me almost $700 for 'duty' and 'charges' and 'all sorts of bullshit tacked-on fees', when I imported the conversion kit for the LS1 into the Jag......the entire fuckin'kit was only worth $1800, and it had been shipped in 2 sections, neither of which was worth >$1000 !!!! the dickhead exporter forgot that he had put an invoice for the first package (which came through unscathed and straight to my PO Box) - and he put the *total* amount on the second package !!! So this second package got held up in Customs in Botany Bay.......for about 4 weeks.....

Of course, this pissed me off to the hilt !!! Customs in Sydney were totally unhelpful.

I ended up getting a shipping agent to do the paperwork, he charged me $100 to fill out something like 3 forms in 5 minutes, and the 'customs duty' magically melted to only $300 !!

Still, being stung $400 when you are not expecting to pay a red cent, is just fucking bollocks.

So do your homework and if in doubt, arrange the shipping through an agent. I managed to get my duty reduced because the parts I bought are unavailable in Oz, so certain large portions of duty are NOT payable..............of course, Customs overlooked this important point when I was dealing with them initially. Also, certain spare parts for historic or vintage vehicles are not subject to duty regardless of wether they are available here or not. It's worth the money to get an agent to do the legwork.

Good luck with the new motor Glenno !!

I blame the government..

Moral of the story,

Keep the invoice under 1k AUD then the amount of bullshit fee's and taxes simply dwindle.

Glen wrote:I didn't get charged Duty though which was interesting. The big prob was the Quarantine inspection. Apparently all Engines have to be quarantine inspected and also customs inspected because they've got nice big holes where you could stash stuff.

in general..import duty is only charged if an equal or like item is made/manufactured here in OZ
(and thats a tax levied and agrred by both political parties...so blame all guvmints)

a neat trick to avoid this is bring stuff in thru Unzud..there is NO duty on any trade between
Oz and Unzud (and I think NZ charge stuff all on duty for their imports) one reason why
we have all these old jap shit boxes that were never legally brought into OZ by the makers
they all come from NZ

seiko1 wrote:They didn't find your drugs did they?
That would have made the whole exercise a waste of time

I don't know yet. Maybe when I go to check the engine I'll get nabbed. Damn.... Public forum... Don't say crap like that....Doh!