Bring bike back from San Francisco

heffsarmy

I'm headin to San Francisco next month and I'm looking to buy a cervelo p2 over there, what would be the handiest way of getting it home, send it via courier and pay the customs charges, (would anyone have an idea of the charges for a bike worth around 3000usd) or bring it back on the plane with me. Any advice would be grateful.

montac

I got stung for VAT and Excise duty last year at Dublin airport. I brought back a Cervelo RS from LA, and took a chance by bringing it throught the Green lane. They stopped me when they saw the box, and they were looking at a lot of peoples' stuff coming off the US flights. They could have also fined me for going through the wrong lane, but they chose not to...(phew).
Either way you could get stung - only ways around this could be (a) bring a bike bag over with you - one that's nicely battered, or (b) get a receipt from the nice shop with a lower amount written on it.
Not that I'm suggesting doing anything bad...
Anyway, having paid the VAT and Excise, it still was around €500 cheaper than it would have been over here..., and I still love it!

heffsarmy

Thanks montac, could you give me an idea off how much duty you paid? did you just bring it back in a carboard box? My flight goes from San Fran to London heathrow, so I would'nt neccesarly be arriving back in Dublin on a flight direct from US, not sure if that would make a difference to be honest.

Beasty

I understand the import duty is 14%, then you have to pay 21.5% VAT as well.

seamus

heffsarmy wrote: »

Thanks montac, could you give me an idea off how much duty you paid? did you just bring it back in a carboard box? My flight goes from San Fran to London heathrow, so I would'nt neccesarly be arriving back in Dublin on a flight direct from US, not sure if that would make a difference to be honest.

It doesn't make a huge difference, though EU rules allow you to defer paying duties & VAT until you reach your final destination in the EU.

However, since the UK VAT rate is a good deal lower than ours, I would stringly advise collecting the bike in Heathrow, going through customs and paying the duties there, then re-checking the bike on the flight to Dublin (you might have to do this anyway).

EU customs rules only require that duty/VAT has been paid in an EU country, not at the final destination (afaik!). You just have the option to suspend paying it until your final destination. I may be wrong though.

cosman9373

I strolled through customs with my bike from US. I brought an empty bike box over and packed it into that for the way home. also had it locked up. they prob didn't pay any attention to the tattered bike box.
My advise would be to

• bring your own bike box, there's no extra charge with most airlines for trans atlantic.
• Get a receipt for old second hand bike to bring with you for customs.(most shops will be happy to oblige)
• Post home any other receipts on your last day over there.

Only thing is coming up to crimbo is not the best time to be going through customs.

montac

Yep, the Excise was 14%, and the VAT was... em, I can't remember how much it was, but the bill was still frightening!

Raam

heffsarmy wrote: »

I'm headin to San Francisco next month and I'm looking to buy a cervelo p2 over there, what would be the handiest way of getting it home, send it via courier and pay the customs charges, (would anyone have an idea of the charges for a bike worth around 3000usd) or bring it back on the plane with me. Any advice would be grateful.

I saw some nice Cervelos in Pacific Bicycles on 4th street last week. Didn't check prices though. They had some other equally amazing machines in there.
It's labeled as D on this link: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&source=hp&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=bike+shop+san+francisco&fb=1&gl=ie&hq=bike+shop&hnear=san+francisco&ei=o5nXSpifLs7z_Abv8ZSVAQ&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQtgMwAA

treborm

Would you get away with paying duty and vat if you could get maybe a realation with an american passport to bring it back for you thats what i'd be thinking of doing.

heffsarmy

Thanks lads for the ideas. Raam thats the first shop I'll be headin too when over there, I'll see what these guys have to say about shipping the bike home, if all else fails i'd buy one off their hard cases and bring it back with me...was checking out united airlines fees, they seem to be the dearest carrier for travelling with a bike 200usd...either way I'll get one home

GearoidP

Hi, I brought a second hand bike in San Fran last year and put it in a fairly new looking bike box that the bike shop were more than happy to give me. I was amazed that Aer Lingus at San Fran airport charged me nothing to bring it on the plane. At Dublin Airport, the customs guys did asked me what I had in the box and I said that it was my own, used bike and they just let me through without opening it.

I think the key thing would be to maybe cycle it a couple of times so that it doesn't look totally brand new. As far as I know, they can't charge you for VAT, excise duty for your own used bike.

Anyway, I'd definitely recommend bringing it on your own flight home rather than a courier. Maybe I was just lucky, but you might not even end up paying to check it on board!

Gearoid.