Importing car lift from China.

dingdong1234567

Hello all, I am investigating the option of importing a mid rise car lift from China, though Alibaba. Now whatever you may think of Alibaba is irrelevant to my query here.

What is the rate of customs duty if any payable on importing garage equipment for your own personal use?

I understand that vat will be payable on the total cost of the item etc.

I have looked at http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/taric/taric_consultation.jsp?Lang=en for guidance on the rate for customs duty, but to be honest it's not the easiest system to navigate.

Perhaps someone with a bit more knowledge might confirm the rate of customs duty?

Thanks in advance.

scannerd

sorry buy why go to all that bother? loads of used ones on various sites, which if you stick to known brands can still be serviced / certified for insurance.

honda boi

Buying from China is everything over like $24 is liable for vat.
You pay about 21% of your purchase price and a handling fee to an post. Was €7 for me a couple of years ago.
With it being a heavy lift I'm unsure what the handling fee would be.

wexie

honda boi wrote: »

With it being a heavy lift I'm unsure what the handling fee would be.

I might be wrong but I think the 'handling fee' is just for the paperwork and admin around the taxes.

Not related to weight?

blackbox

dingdong1234567 wrote: »

Hello all, I am investigating the option of importing a mid rise car lift from China, though Alibaba. Now whatever you may think of Alibaba is irrelevant to my query here.

What is the rate of customs duty if any payable on importing garage equipment for your own personal use?

I understand that vat will be payable on the total cost of the item etc.

I have looked at http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/taric/taric_consultation.jsp?Lang=en for guidance on the rate for customs duty, but to be honest it's not the easiest system to navigate.

Perhaps someone with a bit more knowledge might confirm the rate of customs duty?

Thanks in advance.

A customs clearance agent will sort it all out for you for a reasonable fee.

mullingar

There are a lot of considerations to be made buying something heavy from the far east.

You have sale price, shipping fees, vat, duty, handling fees, collecting from the port too. Not forgetting the warranty.

If your looking for a mid-rise lift for a home garage, that will not need 12" of concrete, and limited ceiling height. I recommend this....

http://www.pitzone.ie/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_62&product_id=54&sort=p.price&order=ASC

I've one, it lifts 1m, I've done quite a few engine swaps with it..

CJhaughey

You can be sure that if it is made in China there is someone in Europe already importing them and selling them.

The advantage of buying one in the EU is that it will have to be safe enough to be put on the market through approval from a testing company and have a warranty.
Redmount have one for 1600+vat
I doubt you'd buy, ship and import one for that.
http://www.redmount.ie/products/medium-rise-vehicle-scissor-lift

Cee-Jay-Cee

You will be charged 21% on the value of the item and the shipping cost. If there is an undervalued price put on the shipping document and the revenue inspectors believe it to be undervalued, they will value it themselves and charge 21% of that.

Having looked at lifts on aliexpress etc etc I cant see how it could be cheaper to buy from china, theyre not that expensive to buy here, you will have warranty which you wont have buying from china and you will have after sales service from the supplier/manufacturer again which you wont have from a Chinese seller.

Esel

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

You will be charged 21% on the value of the item and the shipping cost. If there is an undervalued price put on the shipping document and the revenue inspectors believe it to be undervalued, they will value it themselves and charge 21% of that.

Having looked at lifts on aliexpress etc etc I cant see how it could be cheaper to buy from china, theyre not that expensive to buy here, you will have warranty which you wont have buying from china and you will have after sales service from the supplier/manufacturer again which you wont have from a Chinese seller.

Duty is charged first, then VAT on the new total.

dingdong1234567

Esel wrote: »

Duty is charged first, then VAT on the new total.

That's the thing, from what I can asertain, there is no duty. Maybe in using the database linked in my op wrong.

dingdong1234567

Ok, so from my research I have worked out that I I was to import a full height scissor lift myself. I would be saving in the region of €6-700 euro compared to the same product being sold here. This would included shipping costs and cleared for duty and vat. Btw there is no duty on these items as I checked with Revenue in Nenagh.

So food for thought.....I have engaged with an import company to manage the logistics and I have to say they are fantastic in terms of clearly stating the fees and charges etc.

dingdong1234567

honda boi wrote: »

Buying from China is everything over like $24 is liable for vat.
You pay about 21% of your purchase price and a handling fee to an post. Was €7 for me a couple of years ago.
With it being a heavy lift I'm unsure what the handling fee would be.

23%

JohnBoy26

dingdong1234567 wrote: »

Ok, so from my research I have worked out that I I was to import a full height scissor lift myself. I would be saving in the region of €6-700 euro compared to the same product being sold here. This would included shipping costs and cleared for duty and vat. Btw there is no duty on these items as I checked with Revenue in Nenagh.

So food for thought.....I have engaged with an import company to manage the logistics and I have to say they are fantastic in terms of clearly stating the fees and charges etc.

I'd happily pay the €600-€700 for a lift that's tested and certified as safe. After all you will be standing under it.

Bringing one in yourself there is no gaurantees of the quality of the item. €600-€700 will be small fry if the lift gives way and falls on someone.

dingdong1234567

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

I'd happily pay the €600-€700 for a lift that's tested and certified as safe. After all you will be standing under it.

Bringing one in yourself there is no gaurantees of the quality of the item. €600-€700 will be small fry if the lift gives way and falls on someone.

Couldn't agree more, it wouldn't be worth it at all.

However, it is more accessible than you would think to import something if one was happy to carry out due diligence and satisfy themselves that CE certification was present and correct etc.

Del2005

dingdong1234567 wrote: »

Couldn't agree more, it wouldn't be worth it at all.

However, it is more accessible than you would think to import something if one was happy to carry out due diligence and satisfy themselves that CE certification was present and correct etc.

But could you get CE certified for it? Will a sparks sign off the connection for a electrical system they have no idea how it's built? And then if something does go wrong they saving of €700 will soon disappear.

dingdong1234567

Del2005 wrote: »

But could you get CE certified for it? Will a sparks sign off the connection for a electrical system they have no idea how it's built? And then if something does go wrong they saving of €700 will soon disappear.

Hense one must use due diligence...

mullingar

You don't need a sparks to connect it up, all that's legally required is to install a blue 230v 16A single phase socket. Then put a 16a plug on the hoist flex cable.

Re CE. Bear in mind, this is also used as a "China Export" stamp and is near identical to a European CE.



So make sure you get a CE cert detailing the EU standards

dingdong1234567

mullingar wrote: »

You don't need a sparks to connect it up, all that's legally required is to install a blue 230v 16A single phase socket. Then put a 16a plug on the hoist flex cable.

Re CE. Bear in mind, this is also used as a "China Export" stamp and is near identical to a European CE.



So make sure you get a CE cert detailing the EU standards

Good info

dingdong1234567

So, I requested a CE cert from this supplier www.decarepair.com. Regarding a particular scissor lift I was interested in.

I checked it out with the relevant authorities in the UK that supposedly authorised it. Suprise suprise the cert was confirmed by same as counterfeit.

Conclusion, don't bother your hole chaps. To much hassle and does not warrant the potential risks outline by all the posters here. Again, this is info that hopefully will benefit someone else.