I am compiling a RockAuto order: $160 order and $72 shipping to Canada. I'm HOPING duty, brokerage et al is covered in that cost. If you are Canadian who has used RockAuto recently, have you encountered any mystery charges once the package arrived?
Canadians using RockAuto - please chime in.
- Thread starter NJC
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So much for free trade.
The other shipping option is International priority for $152! I emailed RockAuto and suggested they use UPS World Ease, which FCP Groton uses. They cover the brokerage, taxes etc and it's a reasonable cost. I did a mock shipment of $80, and the shipping was $22 to ship to Canada.
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/shipping/time/service/value_added/worldease.html
The other shipping option is International priority for $152! I emailed RockAuto and suggested they use UPS World Ease, which FCP Groton uses. They cover the brokerage, taxes etc and it's a reasonable cost. I did a mock shipment of $80, and the shipping was $22 to ship to Canada.
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/shipping/time/service/value_added/worldease.html
The UPS brokerage fee for a $160 order will be probably another $50, which you will have to pay on delivery. FedEx is even more. USPS / Canada Post will only be about a $10 fee. Your best bet is to set up an account in Blaine at a package receiving service. Security Mail is one, but there are several. It only costs I think five bucks to set it up. Shipping will then be 1/4 of shipping to Canada, and you can fill up with cheap gas when you go get the items 
Anything made in North America comes across duty free.
Anything made in North America comes across duty free.This what RockAuto says on their website:
Quote:
If a tax line (identified as GST in Canada, VAT in the UK, etc.) appears on your order, we will pre-pay tax (and any import duties which may apply) for that shipment. The carrier will deliver with no additional charges due, offering you the same convenience our U.S. customers enjoy. Our tax registration number will appear on your order confirmation so you may reclaim input tax if you resell the product.
A tax line DOES appear on my order, but should I still be skeptical?
Quote:
If a tax line (identified as GST in Canada, VAT in the UK, etc.) appears on your order, we will pre-pay tax (and any import duties which may apply) for that shipment. The carrier will deliver with no additional charges due, offering you the same convenience our U.S. customers enjoy. Our tax registration number will appear on your order confirmation so you may reclaim input tax if you resell the product.
Have you tried Autopartsway.ca? Probably not as cheap as Rock Auto for some parts, but there is free shipping in Canada for orders $75 and up. I've ordered from them before with no problems (and no brokerage fees).
Have your order shipped UPS to a customer counter in Bellingham, WA and drive over and get it when it arrives.
I live in border town so I have all my Rock Auto stuff shipped to my mailbox in WA state.
shipping is waay cheeper that way and so are the taxes.
Q.
shipping is waay cheeper that way and so are the taxes.
Q.
I have had 6 orders come from rockauto to my house in Richmond, BC. I have never had any brokerage / duty charges. The GST comes up when you pay, and it gets fastracked through customs.
Last time I ordered it was always FedEx. Now I see that they use UPS as well.
I have had UPS charge $200 on delivery on a $400 part from Rough Country of which I had paid $100 for delivery already. I never one that battle, it got sent to collections without a final notice and just about screwed my credit rating. But I didn't pay the GST from Rough Country. UPS decided the part was valued at $1000 and didn't even look at the invoice.
Going to try another small order from rockauto soon, and see if the GST being prepaid still comes to my door free. It always used to from Rockauto. Maybe leave a comment on the order to ship Fedex only. You're the next city to mine, and Fedex gives me no problems.
My advice, do it now before the HST comes in. That might screw some stuff up.
Last time I ordered it was always FedEx. Now I see that they use UPS as well.
I have had UPS charge $200 on delivery on a $400 part from Rough Country of which I had paid $100 for delivery already. I never one that battle, it got sent to collections without a final notice and just about screwed my credit rating. But I didn't pay the GST from Rough Country. UPS decided the part was valued at $1000 and didn't even look at the invoice.
Going to try another small order from rockauto soon, and see if the GST being prepaid still comes to my door free. It always used to from Rockauto. Maybe leave a comment on the order to ship Fedex only. You're the next city to mine, and Fedex gives me no problems.
My advice, do it now before the HST comes in. That might screw some stuff up.
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I order quite a few parts from autopartsonlinecanada.com. Also free shipping over $75 and the parts are pretty cheap compared to the auto parts stores.
James, thanks ... that's exactly the info I was looking for. I hope I can expect the same as you - IE no hidden fees.
Originally Posted By: NJC
James, thanks ... that's exactly the info I was looking for. I hope I can expect the same as you - IE no hidden fees.
There shouldn't be. Anything I've bought off the internet from an american seller that charges GST at check out, comes to my door, I sign, and the driver is on his way.
Only when a big part comes from the states that I didn't pay GST for is when the couriers take it in their own hands.
IIRC Rockauto puts a sticker on the box that says GST paid or something to that effect.
James, thanks ... that's exactly the info I was looking for. I hope I can expect the same as you - IE no hidden fees.
There shouldn't be. Anything I've bought off the internet from an american seller that charges GST at check out, comes to my door, I sign, and the driver is on his way.
Only when a big part comes from the states that I didn't pay GST for is when the couriers take it in their own hands.
IIRC Rockauto puts a sticker on the box that says GST paid or something to that effect.
My Rockauto order arrived and it was a BLAZING success! It took 24hrs from order placement to arrival ... and NO EXTRA BROKERAGE when the packages were delivered. It went via Fedex ground and apparently they even helped pack the boxes into my garage.
$67US to ship $163US in parts. $67 is a good deal for Fedex, considering it came from Auburn WA (~140 miles away) but it's still WAY cheaper than buying in Canada. Assuming all parts are actually included in my order when I arrive home tonight, I'll be very impressed.
$67US to ship $163US in parts. $67 is a good deal for Fedex, considering it came from Auburn WA (~140 miles away) but it's still WAY cheaper than buying in Canada. Assuming all parts are actually included in my order when I arrive home tonight, I'll be very impressed.
Cool, so they're still shipping fedex to Canada! Great to know. I'll probably be ordering stuff soon.
I'm placing a 2nd Rockauto order for brake pads ... $5 plus shipping! The first batch of parts placed in June shipped from Auburn WA - about 250km away. This batch is coming from HOUSTON TEXAS - a mere 4,000km away.
But something is wrong where I can order brake pads cheaper from Houston, TX than from 3km down the road. Decent pads locally were about $50 with taxes.
But something is wrong where I can order brake pads cheaper from Houston, TX than from 3km down the road. Decent pads locally were about $50 with taxes.
I agree that things seem crazy when its cheaper for me to order lift struts for the hood and talgate of my explorer, have them shipped in from Ohio in two days, for 1/3rd the price (including shipping) for the exact same parts I would have gotten by driving 1 mile to the auto parts store. Its nuts. The brake job I did on my pickup, I paid 1/2 what I would have locally. Same parts...
Seems to work well for parts I can wait to get them anways... If I've got to have them now, then a well stocked parts store is important (like the Carquest store attached to the regional distribution warehouse - usually wait about 15 minutes for non regular stock items...)
Seems to work well for parts I can wait to get them anways... If I've got to have them now, then a well stocked parts store is important (like the Carquest store attached to the regional distribution warehouse - usually wait about 15 minutes for non regular stock items...)
I just received my first order from RockAuto. It arrived two days after I placed the order and no further charges were tacked on. To avoid UPS, I specified 'International Priority' for about $3 more than UPS/Fedex ground, expecting it to be USPS. Strangely, Fedex delivered it to my door. No problem.
I ordered a '99 Sunfire window switch that was unavailable at all the parts stores here except the dealer, who wanted $140 plus tax for it at wholesale cost through a connection I have. I got a Dorman unit for $47 plus shipping and taxes for a total of under cdn$80.
I really like their site. I often look up part numbers, pictures, and warranty info on their catalog.
I ordered a '99 Sunfire window switch that was unavailable at all the parts stores here except the dealer, who wanted $140 plus tax for it at wholesale cost through a connection I have. I got a Dorman unit for $47 plus shipping and taxes for a total of under cdn$80.
I really like their site. I often look up part numbers, pictures, and warranty info on their catalog.
I stopped using RockAuto almost 18 months ago. Shipping is now cost prohibitive since they tend to ship each part from different places. This adds up fast!
Instead I take note of part numbers I need, and buy from JCWithney. Part cost is about 15% more, but shipping to Canada only adds 12$ per order. This take care of tax and duty, even if its shipped from multiple places. If you look around, you can find promotions codes to remove the standard shipping charge and get billed only the 12$ option.
Instead I take note of part numbers I need, and buy from JCWithney. Part cost is about 15% more, but shipping to Canada only adds 12$ per order. This take care of tax and duty, even if its shipped from multiple places. If you look around, you can find promotions codes to remove the standard shipping charge and get billed only the 12$ option.
I considered autopartsway reasonable until they asked $170 for a 2 lb part available on e-bay for $36. That has me slightly [censored] off with them, and going forward I will look at them last rather than first (if at all).
Rock Auto doesn't sell just the sub-assembly I needed, so they weren't an option. I agree on the multiple shipment points problem. When I looked at ordering the entire assembly from them, shipping costs doubled as soon as I added a belt to the order (cost more to ship the serpentine belt than what the belt itself cost). And same thing last time: shipping went through the roof when I added gaskets to an oilpan order (canceled the order).
Its still a nice option to have with domestic prices being completely ridiculous.
-Spyder
Rock Auto doesn't sell just the sub-assembly I needed, so they weren't an option. I agree on the multiple shipment points problem. When I looked at ordering the entire assembly from them, shipping costs doubled as soon as I added a belt to the order (cost more to ship the serpentine belt than what the belt itself cost). And same thing last time: shipping went through the roof when I added gaskets to an oilpan order (canceled the order).
Its still a nice option to have with domestic prices being completely ridiculous.
-Spyder
As others mentioned, International Priority is Fedex, not USPS. I was expecting the Brokerage fee that UPS charges, but nothing on my last order. My Bosch O2 sensor was $88 + $22 shipping, and Rockauto collects the GST which is nice as the Post Office charges $5 to process that fee on an importation. I received it less than 24 hours after placing my order. I would use them again anytime, my first order was above my expectations
UPS once told me no brokerage fees o, anything under $25, gifts, or anything shipped high than Standard.
UPS once told me no brokerage fees o, anything under $25, gifts, or anything shipped high than Standard.
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