Prohibitve shipping costs keeping my car un-sexy.

[Poogene2001]

I want an Irmscher front bar for my AH Astra but theres no way to get it shipped to Australia!! :(
Id happily hand over the AUD$725 for the bumper, and the $400 for fitting and painting, but the online quotes from couriers and shippers are crazy. One place quoted $3300 to send it out! 4 times the cost of the item? I dont think so. Anyone know any alternative to sexify my Astra?
Heres what i'm talking about:
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/6209/irmscher2jq.jpg

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/1193/niceview7vh.jpg

[Gildo]

would be cheaper to fly there for a day and pick it up

[Ginge]

I'm about to but something through to a company in Athens. I'll ask for u. Nice bar.

[PaulyJ]

cal16v may be able to help you
speak with him

[R3N]

try asking about other shipping options... for example sea freight... that'll take a while but is mUCH MUCH cheaper

[mixmelb]

Irmscher stuff is generally expensive, been there done that!
I bought Irmscher stuff directly from them in Germany, get them to quote you with delivery price.

[EL BURITO]

the irmy airdams are very nice. wat countrys were u getting quotes from??

[Poogene2001]

The cheapest place to get Irmscher Accessories is in Germany where they are made. To deal with anyone who speaks english, though, they direct you to their UK branch, which charges substantially more for the products (extra Taxes i think). So it seems that the germans dont want to deal directly with an international buyer and are unwilling to even tell me the exact dimensions and weight of the bumber. I'm left somewhere between a rock and a hard place with no point of contact and crazy transportation quotes.
I'd be happy to have it shipped by sea, or donkey, or dolphin or what ever gets it here, but have no idea where to look. Generally you need to deal with an agent to buy cargo space on sea frieghters. But where to find such an agent is still a mystery. Someone said to direct my inquiry to customs... but I'm not sure what information they could offer!! So, i'm left feeling a bit like this :confused: and sometimes this :mad: .

[tmov81]

always ask them to exclude the VAT from the price... otherwise they will just leave it in there... its about 15% IIRC that we dont have to pay.

[Poogene2001]

Lots of helpful PM's so thank you to all those who have some experience with such matters. Any help is always appreciated.
Thanks again!

[mr corsa]

the irmy airdams are very nice. wat countrys were u getting quotes from??

they are aint they

[tmov81]

also if you wanna get some money back on it, there are people who can take moulds and recast it if you dont mind there being a couple of other astras with the same bar out there...

[RiGGs]

These are the figures for a boxed airdam which may help you in finding a shipping solution ...

Weight = 20KG
L = 177cm
W = 59cm
D = 73cm

We will look at this side of the water to see what there is ... but it will be expensive of course, it would be nice to solve this problem with the bigger parts if we can.

[JasonGilholme]

what about TCCA motorsports?? They can ship reiger stuff, so why shouldn't they be able to ship irmscher?

[mykk]

why dont u show the pic to a bodykit shop and tell them to make it ? they will quote you alot less.

and to put it in percpective i wanted to send over my rear wing to qld from nsw, it was costing 200$. so how much further germany ? :P

[Poogene2001]

why dont u show the pic to a bodykit shop and tell them to make it ? they will quote you alot less.

and to put it in percpective i wanted to send over my rear wing to qld from nsw, it was costing 200$. so how much further germany ? :P

Well thats obviously by air, which aint cheap.
The quote for this front bar by air is over $3000, which is also not cheap.
Sea freight quote was around $600 plus cutoms taxes.
Which is much better, but still pricey when u add the cost of the item and painting and fitting makes it over $1500. I dont quite have that sort of cash to splash around on a bumper bar!

[oneightoo]

it makes it look like it's a snow plough..

[Poogene2001]

it makes it look like it's a snow plough..

Very constructive comment... I'm glad you took the time to make a post.
I would be jealous too if someone was buying a bumper that was worth more than my entire car. Its only human.

[oneightoo]

are you saying i'm jealous your buying a bumper? haha good one..

just making a comment regarding the bar, deal with it.. it's a forum remember..

[Poogene2001]

I'm looking for forum members help on how to get one to Australia.
Do you think your posts were relevant?
If i were looking for opinions on how the bar looks then the post would have been called "What do you think of this Irmscher bar?" But it wasnt, so once more thanks for the helpful and insightful comments! :rolleyes:

[oneightoo]

whether you like it or not you will get posts that you dont ask for when you start a thread.. i'm sure you'd have a differnet attitude if i shared your enthusiasm for the bar.. too bad i dont hey..

[mr corsa]

there ways around the taxes as i got my bar from germany

[R3N]

one word.... GIFT :D

[ultim8DTM5]

Send it by sea, theres no other cost-effective alternative.

[Poogene2001]

Sea freight is the go for sure.
40 days from Germany to Oz for around 600. But it doesnt make it a cheap little adventure. What i need to work out is how to claim back the V.A.T (similar to G.s.t) in germany before it comes to Oz. I think its 12.5% in germany which is $80 or so which can go towards painting the damn thing. Anyone with cousins in the sea freight business? :p

[PaulyJ]

Have you thought about getting some more interest from other Astra H owners wanting parts?
If you get a few people buying parts (not necessarily your front bar), you should get a discount on the purchase price, and then shipping costs can also be shared, again making it a little cheaper.

My 2c inc GST (or VAT... whichever)

[tmov81]

they cannot charge you VAT if they are shipping it to Australia...

[Poogene2001]

if its the same as every other Euro country, then they charge VAT on all purchases, its upto you at the time you are leaving the country to claim that VAT back (like at the air port, or border).
I dont know what the G.O is if they are exporting it direct to you though?!

[nadg63]

if its the same as every other Euro country, then they charge VAT on all purchases, its upto you at the time you are leaving the country to claim that VAT back (like at the air port, or border).
I dont know what the G.O is if they are exporting it direct to you though?!

No!

If they are exporting out of the country, for instance the UK as I have imorted stuff from there, they do/should NOT charge the VAT - not meant to anyway! (if they are, they're ripping you off .......................... !!??)

[PaulyJ]

No!

If they are exporting out of the country, for instance the UK as I have imorted stuff from there, they do/should NOT charge the VAT - not meant to anyway! (if they are, they're ripping you off .......................... !!??)

This is true. You're not a citizen of that country, so you have no need in paying their taxes, and also the product it not staying in the country, its being shipped out. Double check this and get 12.5% off...

[nadg63]

This is true. You're not a citizen of that country, so you have no need in paying their taxes, and also the product it not staying in the country, its being shipped out. Double check this and get 12.5% off...

If you are getting it from the UK then VAT is around the 17.5% mark! (well was when I lived there and on the items I've had sent over!?)

[PaulyJ]

Holy crap thats a lot!

[Poogene2001]

I'll make sure to mention that when purchasing the item(s).
Thanks for the heads up!

[tmov81]

yeah courtenay were gonna charge me the 17.5% on top of the flywheel until i asked them not to... so it ended up costing the same delivered to me as it would to buy with VAT in the uk :)

[ultim8DTM5]

Go through a broker; DHL is the best in my experience out of Germany (see: hundreds of kilograms, by air no less!)

Don't use the online quote, instead of being lazy ring them up.