UK parts prices are a rip-off

[Mikeybikey57]

I recently bit the bullet and will soon (hopefully) be getting my hands on a 2014 spec clutch basket for my S10. I decided to buy the relevant parts over in the US, as even after paying for shipping, UK import duty and taxes, the costs were significantly less in comparison. Then, just to check for consistency, I looked at the costs of another currently popular modification.

Over here in the U.K. the cost of the 2014 Cam Chain Tensioner is £193.10 (US $315.50). The very same item in the US is a mere £65.52 ($107.04). That's a staggering £127.58 ($208.46) difference. ???

I don't see why Yamaha (or anyone else for that matter) should get away with charging us Brits like a wounded rhino. Perhaps we should just stop buying our parts and spares from UK dealers entirely and shop online in the USA instead. Given our collective predilection for spending a good portion of our hard earned cash on our bikes, we'd be quite likely to save ourselves a small fortune.

Rant over! And slowly breathe out, and in, and out and………………………...

 

[bigbob]

Glad I live in the US. Just curious are there no EU suppliers on the continent? How do their prices compare between US and UK? And what about shipping time?

 

[stutrump]

Absolutely agree MikeyBikey. Its staggering how much we get ripped off and frankly it p****s me off. Im lucky that I lived in Hong Kong for 10 years and have some good mates there that post bits too me. Even after taxes etc its sometimes half the price of stuff in the uk. Aaaarrggghh you've got me started now! Bikes are just the start of it. My water bill alone is 4 nearly 5 times more expensive than it was in Hong Kong. Goodness know why I came back to UK. Must have been completely bonkers!!!

 

[Andylaser]

I think a Triumph Scrambler would be ideal for cruising Hong Kong though.

 

[longride]

"Over here in the U.K. the cost of the 2014 Cam Chain Tensioner is £193.10 (US $315.50). The very same item in the US is a mere £65.52 ($107.04). That's a staggering £127.58 ($208.46) difference. ??? "

I guess that is the price you pay for 'free' healthcare. Check your petrol prices and see the same difference! Don't worry though. The US will be in the same boat soon!

 

[Don in Lodi]

I honestly don't believe it's Yamaha charging extra, I think it's what Yamaha is being charged to import into the UK.

 

[Dogdaze]

The dealers are making the same profit margins, but the UK import tax and duties levied against imported goods are what whacks the price up, that's not the normal 10% import duty and 20% VAT that ordinary folk pay, there's manufacturing quota levies aswell, that the US do not yet enjoy........but it will come soon.
I live in Switzerland, trying buying stuff here!!
I buy stuff in the US, have it shipped to the outlaws there and then collect when we are there, but buying from ebay, some of the US companyie feel it their obligated duty to charge us in the UK for import duty on behalf of HMRC!! When 80% of the time you can get it in without or not even the threshold of your personal limit. So I don't do business with them....

 

[AVGeek]

I moved this topic over to the Debate Room, to give more leeway on whats posted here in the thread...

 

[Mikeybikey57]

Glad I live in the US. Just curious are there no EU suppliers on the continent? How do their prices compare between US and UK? And what about shipping time?

EU prices are a little cheaper than in the UK and there are no extra duty or taxes levied. However, costs still appear to average out much dearer than if buying in the US. Delivery times and charges vary across Europe, as they probably do in the US but I don't think there's much difference in actually getting the item to my door, as this seems to depend on whether the part is in stock or on back order.

 

[Rasher]

There was me thinking the clutch basket was a too expensive upgrade.....

.... Going to be hitting 24k next summer, now really thinking about clutch and CCT if the parts can be had from the states for much less.


The Yamaha dealers and Yamaha UK are not the ones ripping us off, it is Yamaha HQ in Japan, they rip Britain off as much as they can by overcharging the UK operation, there are two points here

1. It saves them tax if they take most of the profit back home where taxes are lower.

2. They can get away with ripping us off....

Point two is the one that annoys most, this is nothing to do with the free healthcare, for years we have been ripped off and people here put up with it, which is why a Triumph built up the road from me is so much cheaper in the US, I could fly there, buy one, ship it home and still save money after paying UK taxes on it :exclaim:


Now can anyone recommend a good US Yamaha supplier that ships to the UK :question:

 

[Dogdaze]

Now can anyone recommend a good US Yamaha supplier that ships to the UK :question:

Would it be worth while for a US dealer to view the UK S10 members as a group buyer and be a supporting supplyer, they would get all the business for a very small amount of extra work (changing to UK address')................

 

[Mikeybikey57]

Would it be worth while for a US dealer to view the UK S10 members as a group buyer and be a supporting supplyer, they would get all the business for a very small amount of extra work (changing to UK address')................

Sounds like an excellent idea. Anyone have contacts with a friendly dealer or vendor that may be interested? ::017::

 

[Rasher]

A group buy on Clutch Basket and CCT (set of everything required) would get my attention.

I am going to price up the lot in the UK this week, I suspect US prices after post and taxes (anything coming into the UK would attract an extra 20% or so import duty)

Not sure if US dealers could claim taxes back from shipping parts overseas to help keep the costs down :question:

Either way I am pretty sure their would be a worthwhile saving for UK folk ordering from over the pond, my main concern would be knowing the vendor knows what they are doing and will not ship the wrong parts, or use a naff courier.

If I could save a good amount and know I will get the right parts turn up in a timely manner I would go for it.

 

[xylo66]

Just for the record, I built a entire spare set of off road rims ( spokes, discs etc ) - front and back, complete except for triangular rubber cush's, shod with off-road K-60 knobblies to swap out when I want to switch from road to off-road riding and in total cost me over £3000 !!! go figure those prices !!

 

[Mikeybikey57]

I ordered my clutch basket from Stadium Yamaha in Irvine, Texas and received agreat service there. They use UPS for their shipping and although they are pricey, UPS do have a very good reputation for delivering on time and of not quibbling, if things do go tits up. Could have saved as much as £80 shipping with someone else but after some awful experiences with some lesser known companies, I decided to pay the extra and know that my parts are going to get to me on time and in good condition. I still managed to save a shed load of cash over buying over the counter from my local dealer and he's less than three miles away. All of which, in my befuddled and ageing brain, continues to make no sense at all. ::010::

 

[Rasher]

How much is the basket from the US including shipping - and how much did you get quoted by your local dealer :question:

I am thinking of ordering a clutch basket and CCT, but £80 DIFFERENCE in shipping, wow, I would have thought shipping would have been less than £80.

 

[Don in Lodi]

LOL, I priced out shipping a basket to SA, $306 w/$500 insurance. UPS. The dealer he wound up ordering from shipped cheaper. Unknown shipper.

 

[Mikeybikey57]

How much is the basket from the US including shipping - and how much did you get quoted by your local dealer :question:

I am thinking of ordering a clutch basket and CCT, but £80 DIFFERENCE in shipping, wow, I would have thought shipping would have been less than £80.

The clutch basket was quoted as $274.75 (=£172.04) in the US, as opposed to £512.50 (=$818.43) here in Blighty. Shipping (for the clutch basket, retaining nut and gasket) was $193.00 (=£120.00) via UPS, which is steep I know but, as stated earlier, their guarantees and remunerations package are second to none, if things do let lost, damaged or are otherwise cocked up.

Realshelby did state that it could have been shipped over for as little as $67.00 but my past experiences tell me that you get what you pay for and, even with the pricey shipping costs, a total saving of over £222.00 over going to my local Yamaha dealer and buying the same parts over the counter is well worth it.

I didn't order a CCT as mine seems sound (so far) but the cost here is £193.10 (US $315.50). The very same item in the US is £65.52 ($107.04). That's £127.58 ($208.46) difference. Makes no sense to buy any of our parts over here really.

 

[Rasher]

Thanks,

1/3rd of the cost :exclaim: what an utter rip off.

My maths is that the saving on the CCT which I definitely want covers postage, and the clutch basket will therefore only cost me £175, will look to order after Xmas and get it booked into my local indie for a valve service and clutch swap.

Even if customs want an extra 20% I am still saving 50% ::008::

 

[xylo66]

At this rate, its soon going to be cheaper to import a S-10 than buy it locally !!! typical rip-off UK !.....doesn't surprise me anymore. Even Apple and Microsoft products are 20% cheaper in USA / CA !