You would probably have to pay duty on the diffs upon entry to the States.
I believe the customs guys would pick up on that pretty quickly!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael D. Porter" <mporter@zianet.com>
To: <triumphs@autox.team.net>; <british-cars@autox.team.net>;
<spitfires@autox.team.net>; <fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2000 6:22 AM
Subject: Quaife differentials....
>
> As some of you are aware, Quaife no longer sells directly to the US, and
> expects all of us to buy through their authorized US distributor, Quaife
> America.
>
> Unfortunately, the prices of Quaife America, as compared to the catalog
> list price of Quaife parts in the UK, is horribly excessive. I have
> priced a diff from Quaife which I wanted, through their current catalog
> at the most recent exchange rate, at $652.50, plus shipping. Quaife
> America's price, for the same item, is almost double, $1195 plus
> shipping.
>
> I have tried to prevail upon Quaife to alter their policies about direct
> shipment from the UK, and have gone so far as to tell them the American
> distributor's price is excessive, that I won't buy from their American
> supplier, and they are losing sales... to no good effect.
>
> I believe that the only way to obtain the parts at a reasonable price is
> to arrange a group buy, in person, across the counter in the UK. I and
> at least one other person are intent on buying a Quaife diff in the near
> future, so, by my calculations, if we could get six more people involved
> in a group buy, $135 would cover the air fare, excess baggage charges
> and the US ground shipment (to the individual buyer) required to pick
> the parts up in the UK at catalog costs. The shipping costs, of course,
> would go down from that amount with additional participants. For a TR4,
> GT6, TR7 or Spitfire diff, that would mean a total cost, with shipping,
> of about $800, as opposed to about $1250-1275 from the US source,
> depending upon the amount of VAT refund at port of exit.
>
> If anyone has been contemplating a Quaife diff or any other Quaife parts
> for their Triumph or other Brit car, and have hesitated because of
> pricing, or because of uncertainty about the American supplier, please
> let me know, and I'll try to work it out if enough people are
> interested.
>
> Cheers, all.
>
> --
>
> Michael D. Porter
> Roswell, NM
> [mailto: mporter@zianet.com]
>
> `70 GT6+ (being refurbished, slowly)
> `71 GT6 Mk. III (organ donor)
> `72 GT6 Mk. III (daily driver)
> `64 TR4 (awaiting intensive care)
> `80 TR7 (3.8 liter Buick-powered)
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