Importing a supercharger kit

[Gooldie]

I know both Sinclaires and Lotus sell a supercharger kit for the 111r at around £4k. However the exact same kit can be bought in the US for $3300.00 which is about £2k. http://www.blackwatchracing.com/BWR-Lot ... p/1013.htm are there likely to be any differences to this kit from the Lotus, and is it a crazy idea to consider buying one in the US and shipping it over!

[Corranga]

If you do consider importing, remember you'd probably have to add import tax/duties/fees to the parcel unless you have someone in the US that'll send you a used one that's worth less than £18... Of course, if it was to go missing, any postage insurance claim would only be for 18quid...

Chris

[tut]

I did it for a Jackson S/C kit, but I had a friend in the RAF and he bought it back over on his C130. No Customs, no VAT, no postage, £1500.

tut

[meatball]

Is it for your 111s?
Or are you just pointing this out/asking questions?

/long day at work and confused faction

[Gooldie]

Ah sorry, should have explained, am considering selling my 111s (rather than maybe doing a honda conversion to it) and changing it for an early 111r and then chucking on a supercharger, Theroy being to get a 111r + supercharger for less than £20K, giving me all the performance i would need.

[Gooldie]

So anyone want to hazard a guess if it will physically work? or are there likely to be completely different ones for the US to the UK versions

[Shug]

Should be no difference as the US variants have very few modifications from UK. Certainly, that was the prime reason the Yota install was chosen, as it was US homologated already.

[Mikie711]

That kit will work, so with that in mind you would be $3300 for the kit $600 for the remap ( you may have to send them your ecu) plus they are based in Arizona which has a 5.9% sales tax. Running total of $4130 which works out at £2500 or there abouts. Shipping would be a couple of hundred quid at least. So coming into the country at £2700 add 3% import tax (£81) from the USA, unless it's gone up again and VAT at 15% (£417.45)on top of that gives you a total at your door step of £3198.45. Lotus kit is 4k and MMC offer 10% discount on parts and labour to SE members IIRC or B&C do the same for Seloc members, takes the lotus kit down to about £3700 fitted.

For me I would rather get it here than have to sort out any problems with a company 5000 miles away but that's me................

I remeber reading that Sinclare's was doing an offer price on there supercharger kit for about £3500 drive in drive out service IIRC so for a couple of hundred quid why bother with the hassle.

My 2p

[a4drk]

Or whats to stop you going on holiday to the USA.
get it shipped to your hotel and shove it in your suitcase?

I done that on my honeymoon with a stainless steel propellor for my speedboat ! - lol

David

[robin]

If you're exporting from Arizona you won't have to pay their sales tax. You ought to pay customs and VAT but as others have pointed out, you can work around that by dubious import techniques. Beware that if you get caught smuggling in the super charger they can (and likely will) simply impound it - you won't be offered the chance to pay the duty I think.

I think the biggest problem you will have is customer support - if you get emissions problems then it'll be really hard to get that sorted.

Cheers,
Robin