Help! I'll be in the USA next week and want to bring back a Specialized Epic.

[jameswh]

I'll be in North Carolina next week and want to bering back a Specialized Epic. Preferably new but a 2008 or 2009 model to save some money. Any help in locating the right dealer would be much appreciated?

[Flowta]

I'll be in North Carolina next week and want to bering back a Specialized Epic. Preferably new but a 2008 or 2009 model to save some money. Any help in locating the right dealer would be much appreciated?

 

I think it would be best to go to the forum section of www.mtbr.com and ask there.

 

Ask the Specialized section and the Carolina section, there are also reviews on some of the dealers/bike shops

[mark ellis]

dude check what it is going to cost to bring back first, i had a mate who did the same but the money he would have saved by buying there was swolled up by the cost of bringing it back

[Lance Notstrong]

Brought a bike and equipment from Europe many moons ago. Was worth it over and over. At that time I paid between a half and a third of what it cost locally. The secret may have been that I took a bicycleout of the country and brought one back in...dunno if that is always possible though...

[MariusL]

Brought a bike and equipment from Europe many moons ago. Was worth it over and over. At that time I paid between a half and a third of what it cost locally. The secret may have been that I took a bicycleout of the country and brought one back in...dunno if that is always possible though...

 

As for bringing it back into SA, I've heard of guys just wheeling it through customs and saying it's a bike they took out of the country to train on while out of SA - maybe make it look a bit "used", get the tyres a little dusty??? Or hope that the custom guys are a little "vaak"...

[DirtyFrank]

Go to Makro, buy the cheapest mtb you can find . wrap it up nicely. Declare it at customs on the way out as a Specialized Epic.....Tell them you are doing a race in USA. Give it to a needy Yank and bring your new bike in. Dirty it up a bit first though. Worth a try.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Go to Makro, buy the cheapest mtb you can find . wrap it up nicely. Declare it at customs on the way out as a Specialized Epic.....Tell them you are doing a race in USA. Give it to a needy Yank and bring your new bike in. Dirty it up a bit first though. Worth a try.

 

Naa, not gonna work, customs are not that stupid, they will want to see brand names, serial numbers invoices etc.

 

Work on the principle that anything you can think of to avoid taxes etc now, has been tried THOUSANDS of times already, customs probably knew about it 10 years ago, and they have closed the loophole 9 years ago.

 

Usually its true.!

 

I dont know where you can buy it, but bringing it back on the same flight as you are on will probably incur extra baggage costs, which is expensive, but if you decide to do so, make sure you get an invoice from the supplier, walk through the "Items to declare" lane with your bicycle, show the customs officer your invoice, and pay your applicable duty and taxes. Walk out and feel good about yourself.

 

They only accept cash at customs in the airport, so make sure you have sufficient cash on hand.

 

Another alternative is to send it back via an international courier, chat to a few in the USA and get a quote - the local agent will customs clear it for you, but you will still pay the relevant taxes and duty if any.

[Pusher]

I agree with Dirty Frank. Did it yonks ago with a set of golf clubs before the duty was reduced to zero. Bought an old second hand set for a couple of hundred bucks, declared them as Taylor Made on the way out to the States and returned with a brand new set. Even though I played a few games overthere I made sure the heads were rather dirty just in case.No questions asked on the way in.