The best ever 4-stroke vertical twin?
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From: The Older Gentleman on 24 Jul 2010 15:25 BryanUT <nestle12(a)comcast.net> wrote: > The Japanese certainly have lost the price > advantage they once had. As I pointed out recently, this is partly (mainly) because in 25 years or so the dollar has gone down from 220 yen to 90-odd. -- BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Triumph Street Triple Honda CB400F Suzuki TS250 Suzuki GN250 chateaudotmurrayatidnetdotcom Nothing damages a machine more than an ignoramus with a manual, a can-do attitude and a set of cheap tools
From: don (Calgary) on 24 Jul 2010 15:37 On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:49:02 +0100, totallydeadmailbox(a)yahoo.co.uk (The Older Gentleman) wrote: >don (Calgary) <hd.flhr(a)telus.net> wrote: > >> On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 15:38:14 +0100, totallydeadmailbox(a)yahoo.co.uk >> (The Older Gentleman) wrote: >> >> > >> >I've often thought of combining a trip to the US with the purchase of a >> >really nice used Yank musclecar and/or one of the few Harleys I'd like >> >to own, and bringing it/them back as a personal import. If you opt for >> >used vehicles, it's way cheaper than buying them here, and I have >> >friends who've done it. >> >> Are you talking about vehicles that are not available over there, or >> is it cheaper to buy them in the US and ship them across the pond? > >Both, really. But mainly it's US models that aren't sold here, which is >most of them, as US builders don't deem it worth their while to build to >UK spec because the sales would be too small to justify it (theyre >right). Popular imports are Camaros, 'Vettes, Mustangs, any muscle car, >plus big US pick-ups like the Ford F150. > >US people carriers aren't wanted at all. Nor the sport/utes. > >> >> What does it cost to ship a car across the ocean? I would have thought >> shipping would be quite expensive. > >Not really. There are several ways of doing it. Air freight (expensive). >Sea freight in a crate (not so expensive: best done through a vehicle >shipper). Or drive it onto one of those giant car ferries that transport >new cars across the Atlantic and drive it off at the other end (very >simple). That last one costs about �1000, from memory. > >Freigh costs vary widely according to the volume of international trade >and (crucially) the oil price. Currently about US$100/tonne on the US-UK >route, so $2200 for a standard container, into which one can probably >squeeze two cars. > >> >> What kind of gymnastics do you have to go through to get a US car >> registered in the UK? Inspections, modifications, emissions, etc? > >Surprisingy easy, as the law is much more lenient with SVA (Single >Vehicle Approval). Chief sticking points are having headlights that dip >the 'correct' way (can be expensive) and the need to have separate >indicators rather than those US style rear ones that wink the tail >lights instead. Oh, and you must have a red rear fog light - easily >retro fitted if the original car hasn't got one. > >Things like emissions and seat belts are pretty much the same as the US. >Few problems there. Speedos have to have kilometre markings as well as >miles. > >There's 10% duty from the US, which is added to the entire cost of the >car plus shipping and any other costs (this is standard international >procedure, by the way), Maybe in your corner of the world, but not here. You really should be more careful with these broad general statements you often make. Is there a similar duty if the car is Canadian? >and then there is 17.5% VAT on top of that. Ouch! You folks like your taxes. >There is a VAT exemption for old vehicles - cba to Google, but I think >it's things over 20 years old. That helps. 60s, 70's muscle cars would be exempt. > >Registration is pretty simple. Take all the paperwork, plus insurance >and MOT test certificate to your local licensing office, hand it over, >take tax disc. > >> >> I would have thought if the savings were significant and there is a >> demand say for US muscle cars, some entrepreneur would be importing >> these cars into the UK market. > >They are indeed. A lot depends on the $/� exchange rate. Currently it's >about �1 = $1.50. When the pound was worth 2 bucks, the savings were >much greater. > >Also, buying from an importer means you have to pay his/her mark-up, but >quite a few people reckon it's worth it to avoid the hassle. > >There used to be a massive trade in importing old Jap classics from the >US, by the containerload. But the US has cottoned onto the fact that old >GT750s and Kawasaki triples, found with negligible miles in barns in >Iowa, are worth a lot of money and the trade has shrunk. > >The importers here have also discovered that there's more money in parts >than complete bikes, so they bring over semi-dismantled or crash damaged >ones, which restorers seize for parts. As one who's broken a few old >1970s Jap classics, I can vouch for the fact that a bike worth (say) >�2000 in one piece is worth *at least* 50% more as spares. > >There's a sizeable trade in importing used cars from Japan because (a) >they're very cheap to buy there and (b) the steering wheel is on the >same side, which is a big issue for many people. There is a strong market for importing Asian cars into Canada to. >The Mazda MX5 (aka the >Miata in the US) is a popular grey import from Japan: they call it the >Eunos there. Also Jap musclecars such as various Subaru Impreza and >Mitsubishi Evo models which, for various reasons, aren't officially >imported here. > >Generally, the grey Jap imports need little more than a convertor so the >speedo shows miles per hour: quite simple. Do you guys use MPH or KPH? Considering all the BS to go through, and the multitude of taxes and duties, shipping collector cars to the UK looks to be a marginal enterprise at best. You'd have to buy them very cheap, which is not easy if you want something that doesn't require complete restoration, and sell them for top dollar. It's a different story if you are just looking for a new toy for the garage. What kind of money would a frame off restored late 60s Camaro fetch?
From: The Older Gentleman on 24 Jul 2010 16:03 don (Calgary) <hd.flhr(a)telus.net> wrote: > >There's 10% duty from the US, which is added to the entire cost of the > >car plus shipping and any other costs (this is standard international > >procedure, by the way), > Maybe in your corner of the world, but not here. Import duty (where applicable) is payable not only on the goods but also on the shipping costs into the EU. That means into every single one of the 27 countries that make up the EU. I don't know whether this applies to imports into non-EU countries or regions, which is why I said 'international' and not 'global'. And we're talking imports into the EU here. This is absolutely standard procedure, which you can easily check. It catches out a helluva lot of people who think they only pay duty on the goods, and that just isn't so. I think it applies to goods imported into the US as well - duty (if it has to be paid) is generally levied on the goods+shipping costs, because the shipping is an integral part of the cost of the goods into the coiuntry. No shipping = no goods. >You really should be > more careful with these broad general statements you often make. See above. You're reading it wrongly. Again. > > Is there a similar duty if the car is Canadian? > > >and then there is 17.5% VAT on top of that. > Ouch! > > You folks like your taxes. Pays for our healthcare and a lot more besides. We've done this to death. > > >There is a VAT exemption for old vehicles - cba to Google, but I think > >it's things over 20 years old. > > That helps. 60s, 70's muscle cars would be exempt. Yes, they are. <snip> > > > >Generally, the grey Jap imports need little more than a convertor so the > >speedo shows miles per hour: quite simple. > > Do you guys use MPH or KPH? I'm amazed you don't know! Anyway, see above. > > Considering all the BS to go through, and the multitude of taxes and > duties, shipping collector cars to the UK looks to be a marginal > enterprise at best. You'd have to buy them very cheap, which is not > easy if you want something that doesn't require complete restoration, > and sell them for top dollar. This is probably true. I think there's a huge loophole which says that if you've owned the car for six months or more, then some/most/all of the taxes are waived. > > It's a different story if you are just looking for a new toy for the > garage. As is this. > > What kind of money would a frame off restored late 60s Camaro fetch? No idea. Not my field. "Lots"? -- BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Triumph Street Triple Honda CB400F Suzuki TS250 Suzuki GN250 chateaudotmurrayatidnetdotcom Nothing damages a machine more than an ignoramus with a manual, a can-do attitude and a set of cheap tools
From: don (Calgary) on 24 Jul 2010 16:19 On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:03:33 +0100, totallydeadmailbox(a)yahoo.co.uk (The Older Gentleman) wrote: >don (Calgary) <hd.flhr(a)telus.net> wrote: > > >> >There's 10% duty from the US, which is added to the entire cost of the >> >car plus shipping and any other costs (this is standard international >> >procedure, by the way), > >> Maybe in your corner of the world, but not here. > >Import duty (where applicable) is payable not only on the goods but also >on the shipping costs into the EU. That means into every single one of >the 27 countries that make up the EU. > >I don't know whether this applies to imports into non-EU countries or >regions, which is why I said 'international' and not 'global'. And we're >talking imports into the EU here. International means the UK, the EU? Interesting limited interpretation of the word. > >This is absolutely standard procedure, which you can easily check. It >catches out a helluva lot of people who think they only pay duty on the >goods, and that just isn't so. > >I think it applies to goods imported into the US as well - duty (if it >has to be paid) is generally levied on the goods+shipping costs, because >the shipping is an integral part of the cost of the goods into the >coiuntry. No shipping = no goods. > > >>You really should be >> more careful with these broad general statements you often make. > >See above. You're reading it wrongly. Again. Whatever > >> >> Is there a similar duty if the car is Canadian? >> >> >and then there is 17.5% VAT on top of that. >> Ouch! >> >> You folks like your taxes. > >Pays for our healthcare and a lot more besides. We've done this to >death. Just an observation. We have health care and a lot more too and manage without a 17.5% VAT. As I said, you like your taxes. > >> >> >There is a VAT exemption for old vehicles - cba to Google, but I think >> >it's things over 20 years old. >> >> That helps. 60s, 70's muscle cars would be exempt. > >Yes, they are. > ><snip> > >> > >> >Generally, the grey Jap imports need little more than a convertor so the >> >speedo shows miles per hour: quite simple. >> >> Do you guys use MPH or KPH? > >I'm amazed you don't know! Anyway, see above. *sigh* Why do I even bother. > >> >> Considering all the BS to go through, and the multitude of taxes and >> duties, shipping collector cars to the UK looks to be a marginal >> enterprise at best. You'd have to buy them very cheap, which is not >> easy if you want something that doesn't require complete restoration, >> and sell them for top dollar. > >This is probably true. I think there's a huge loophole which says that >if you've owned the car for six months or more, then some/most/all of >the taxes are waived. > >> >> It's a different story if you are just looking for a new toy for the >> garage. > >As is this. > >> >> What kind of money would a frame off restored late 60s Camaro fetch? > >No idea. Not my field. "Lots"?
From: The Older Gentleman on 25 Jul 2010 07:52
don (Calgary) <hd.flhr(a)telus.net> wrote: > Now that was a rattle toss! Indeed, Because you have just shown yourself to be irremediably stupid. Your ridiculous statements and then your attempots to justify them by interpreting the English language in a unique and imbecilic way. And, as ever, when your stupidity is pointed out, you change tack. -- BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Triumph Street Triple Honda CB400F Suzuki TS250 Suzuki GN250 chateaudotmurrayatidnetdotcom Nothing damages a machine more than an ignoramus with a manual, a can-do attitude and a set of cheap tools |