Doug, I assume you are in the US, the big plus is usually price and
sometimes parts availability. From what I can tell most of what you can get
over there you can get over here as well.
Obviously shipping and time are issues, it will take longer and cost more to
get stuff from there, if there are problems with the order (esp. wrong parts
delivered) I would rather be dealing with someone over here than over there.
Exchange rates are bad (for us) right now, or at least when I checked last,
a few years ago you could get a lot of things at about half the price you
pay in the states (without shipping included). Not so much anymore.
I have don it a few times and all experiences have been good. Compare
costs, get a shipping quote, I have had some places charge double that of
others on shipping, then figure out how much of a hurry you are in and if
you want to take the chance of having to monkey around for a few weeks with
stuff back and forth if the order is wrong.
In addition to additional shipping time I did have an issue with one dealer
who took about 10 days after my order was placed to ship it. I guess we are
spoiled and pretty much used to same or next day shipping here, as with any
transaction, ask questions and if you don't like the answers or aren't
getting answers, back off.
Lastly, makes more sense to do one big order than several small because of
shipping charges.
Lastly Lastly, customs charges, this is a big mystery to me, and to most I
have talked to, I have nver had a customs charge in about half a dozen
overseas transactions, others say sometimes they do and sometimes don't but
the amount of the transaction doesn't necessarily trigger it. Picture me
throwing my hands up in the air, no clue on this one.
Greg Lemon
54 BN1
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