Need Help Importing Goods!

[PaulWolffe]

Hello lovely people. Me and my wife are travelling to the UK in a few weeks time and I am thinking about buying a bicycle there.

Comparing prices, the same bike you buy in argentina for $20.000 you can get used, in optimal conditions in the uk for 600 pounds, which is roughly $4500 pesos!

However, due to the recent import policies imposed by dictator cfk and the afip being a pain, I wonder if any of you managed to smuggle a bike without hassle. I don't mind paying a few import tax, but I don't want my bike taken away by the authorities on arrival.

I have never purchased a bike overseas, how do you pack it and stuff?

If you have recently brought something like a bike from abroad please tell me how it went.

 

[PhilipDT]

Put it in a bike case and tell em youre riding through the country. Tons of people do it, you probably won't get a second look

 

[arlean]

Great response, PhilipDT. After several years watching similar situations I could write so many things here but I don't want to make them public. The answer is "creativity." PhilipDT gave us an example here of being creative. I have seen others that were incredible for their cleverness. However, I have friends who were recently held up at the airport for $1200 ransom to save their dog from an untimely death from starvation. I think it's hard to come up with any degree of "creativity" with a dog!

 

[nlaruccia]

My friend, who is a triathlete, bought a $2,000 US used Scott tria bicycle in Miami last year. He had to pay taxes when he entered Ezieza, but other than that he had no problem. He had to disarm the bicycle and take it in a box on the airplane.

 

[cbonanni]

Adventure motorcycle travel is a huge business. Do a web search , or check out the forum R1200gs . Lots of companies pack and ship bikes. Import on a temporary entry. Good for 6 months then a 6 month extension. Call a BMW dealer in the UK . It will cost some money , but you will SAVE huge on the cost of a bike here. The riding outside BA is great. Well worth it if you can do it. You would need a customs broker here. Check with Claudio at Tourtech Argentina. He speaks english and is very well informed.

 

[steveinbsas]

Hey Paul, if you are bringing in a used bicycle you won't need a temporary permit or a customs broker. If you enter with your passport on a 90 day tourist visa you shouldn't have any trouble if you follow Philip's advice.

Some airlines used to sell special boxes for bicycle transport and some used to require them, but I'm not sure about their availability or regulations today. You will probably be charged excess and/or oversize baggage fees and they could vary greatly from one airline to another.

If you have temporary or permanent residency in Argentina you might get charged an import fee of 50% of the "value" of the bicycle. The best way to keep that figure as low as possible is to have a receipt for the bike with a price on which you hope to pay the customs fee if it is charged. In spite of a receipt the aduana can and will make their own valuation of the bike. If they know the cost in Argentina is $20,000 pesos they could charge you an import fee of $10,000 pesos, regardless of the price on the receipt.

In general used goods (especially clothes) are not subject to import fees. I think they would charge anyone (including tourists) who tried to bring in a "used" flat screen TV, but a used bicycle should be exempt if you have a 90 day visa. Don't show the receipt unless it's absolutely necessary. Insist the bike is only for your personal use while in Argentina and you will take it with you when you leave. The further "back in time" the receipt is dated the better. You can say you only brought the receipt with you to prove the bike is yours if there's ever a question about ownership...or a need to make an insurance claim when it is stolen.

I would think twice about bringing a bike that cost $20,000 pesos in Argentina to Argentina. Your bike would be an instant target for goons who would not hesitate to knock you down and ride off with your bike, not caring how badly you might be injured. I've seen bikes here that cost $2,000 pesos with all of the insignia painted over to make them less desirable to thieves. That would certainly make your bike worth less money as well.

 

[citygirl]

Cbonnani - I believe the OP was talking about a bicycle not motorcycle. And really - 20.000 pesos for a bicycle here??!! That seems outrageously high or am I missing something?

Anyway, if you're a tourist and it's used (ie, take it for a ride or two before bringing it here), you won't have any problems bringing it in. If you're a resident, just be prepared to pay 50% tax on anything over $300 USD value. (So at 600 pounds, that's 960 USD maso). Worst case you'll have to pay about 330 USD in taxes. BUT, if you are traveling with your wife, that entitles you to 600 duty free which puts you 360 over the limit which would be $180 USD in taxes - not so bad...

 

[sesamosinsal]

Cbonnani - I believe the OP was talking about a bicycle not motorcycle. And really - 20.000 pesos for a bicycle here??!! That seems outrageously high or am I missing something?

I bought a bike a few weeks ago, and one of the most expensive ones I saw was at $17,000 ARS. It blew me away, too.

With that said, it's pretty easy to find one that is a bit more "affordable." I paid $2700 ARS for mine.

 

[steveinbsas]

Two years ago I paid $900 pesos on Mercado Libre for a slightly used OLMO "all terra" mountain bike exactly like this one:

http://articulo.merc...e-all-terra-_JM

Two years ago the retail price for this model was about $1600 (I don't know the current retail price).

Two days ago the price for this bike was $2,000 pesos.

Yesterday the seller accepted an "offer" of $1550.

The streets of Buenos Aires are the WRONG place to ride a bicycle that cost $20,000 pesos unless you are only riding in an area like Puerto Madero and even there I would never let it out of my sight or get more than two meters from it. I bought my bike knowing I wouldn't be riding it in CF...where I thought it would be way too flashy to be ignored by someone willing to take it by force, even in Recoleta, Palermo, Belgrano, or Nunez.

 

[RichardP]

Most airlines are now charging up to U$150.00 on international flights (at least in the US) to carry a bicycle each way as another way to gouge customers. Check your airline to find out their fee.
They will also tell you how to pack the bike. If you don't want to pack the bike yourself, some bicycle shops offer this service.

This young Brit recently began a bicycle tour of Argentina. You might pose a question or two to him via his journal:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=305287&v=1Y