I am looking at buying a yamaha 2400 from a supplier in the States. My question is for anyone who has done this in the recent past. Price is quite good and I want to know what other 'charges' and their amounts I can expect to pay, to see if it is still a good deal.
So there will be the shipping cost, the duties ( I believe about 10%, can anyone confirm/). And the brokerage fee ( how much can this run?)
Am I missing anything, and any help on the above cost is great.
FYI - retail in US about $1099, plus about $120 shipping.
Cost here $1700 CDN, is this still a good deal when all costs factored in?
Thanks for your help!
Stefan
2003 Chevy Silverado 1500HD, 3.73, 4x4, Crew Cab, 6.0L (loving it!)
2003 Layton lite 232 BH
If you are planning on a trip to the US have it shipped to an agent in the northern US, that's what I did when I bought a Honda EU2000. No shipping or brokerage charges and used our personal exemption against any duty and taxes when we came back a few weeks later. Many US border towns have shipping agents that cater to Canadian customers who do this. Because I live close to the border I rarely have anything shipped across. The agent I use is two blocks from the border so I just walk across and pick it up. No border line up hassles.
I don't have any personal experience but brokerage fees can be high. UPS in particular is often bad mouthed because of this.
"Never trust a man who has not a single redeeming vice" WSC
I bought a Honda eu2000 in Michigan a couple years ago and I believe I only paid the applicable taxes at the border. I was also refunded the 6% Michigan sales tax when I returned with proof that I had cleared customs (I live close to the border).
Timber, did you go down for any length of time or just to buy the genny? I could possibly go across to buy one, but don't have the option of staying 7 days to max out my exemption... Let me know!
I researched this myself when planning to buy the same genny as you (we ultimately decided to postpone the purchase because we just bought a new house).
One of the biggest drawbacks to buying in the US is that it is NOT warranteed in Canada. If you have any service issues, you have to travel to the closest service center in the US to have it serviced (or pay in Canada).
Your personal exemption is only $750., so you'd still have to pay duty & taxes on the remainder - even if you did stay for 7 days. I think they reduce the duty rate, though, when you stay in the US for a week. Duties change all the time - I do have a list kicking around somewhere and I remember thinking I'd have to pay around 6-8% (if charged). It all depends on how they classify the thing you bring back. We bought a tonneau cover in WA state once, and there was no category for it, so the guy just charged us PST & GST.
In my research, I found that most people were only charged taxes when bringing the genny back up to Canada (but this was info I got from people in BC coming through the Peach Arch Border - we may get more cross-border shopping here - and therefore may have more lenient border patrol personnel - just a thought).
DO NOT get it shipped to you in Canada - you will be ripped off not only on the shipping charges, but you'll get charged brokerage fees up the wazoo. I agree to have it shipped to a UPS Store in the US (or some type of store that allows parcel pick-ups - a lot of these places do this for a small fee) and pick it up. If you live too far away, though, your gas cost may exceed the the brokerage fees and extra shipping to Canada. You have to do the math.
Even if you're saving just a few hundred dollars to go through this exercise, I think it's worth it because, if I recall correctly, some of the Yamahas (and Hondas) in the US are set-up to be coupled/connected (with special kits) to another genny whereas the once made in Canada are not built this way (they are manufactured as stand alones). However, if you only ever plan to use it as a stand-alone and factor in the inability to have it serviced under warranty in Canada - it can be a wash. We felt we'd save enough money to buy it in the US and then cross our fingers that the border patrol would only charge us GST on the way back.
Good luck - either way, you've picked what I think is one of the best gennys out there!
Paula
Larry, Paula and Two Kids (ages 5 & 3)
2006 Dodge Ram Power Wagon
2007 Jayco Jay Flight 20BH
When I brought my Yamaha generator into Canada, I paid only the pst and gst- no duty. I declared the amount paid and was directed into the office to complete the paperwork- quite easy - they even take credit cards
Just ordered a Honda eu2000 from Camping World; experience from Camping World was great - UPS on the other hand was a headache; they lost first generator shipped and then delayed second one because of air-shipping concerns.
(Camping World was great on the other hand - shipped second one no problem and when it arrived with a crack in one cover, immediately shipped replacement part)
Paid only GST on shipment. Cost savings was more than enough to justify the UPS issues/delays. Generator ended up being under $1,100 w/shipping from CW whereas buying it locally would have been $1,900
If you get it shipped by a courier (UPS or Fed Ex) you will pay a high "bokerage fee". US Postal Service is MUCH more reasonable for broker fees. I bought a ~120# (shipping wt) generator from Buffalo, NY a few years back. UPS shipping was $170, and duty/broker fees/taxes was about another $100. Then I had the exchange rate when our dollar was lower. By the time it was all said and done, my $249 gen was over $500 to my door.
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