Buying on Ebay

[Hahn]

Has anyone had any experience using Ebay for an exhaust or other parts?
Seems I can save lots of $$$$, buts whats the catch? GST for one I guess...

Anyway I'm looking at this nice looking piece of bling...
GSXR 600 K7 Yoshi R55

Any thoughts?

[Ixion]

I have made numerous purchases from Ebay, by and large satisfactorily.

GST is seldom a problem, though you may be obliged to pay it on very expensive purchases . I do not know about that , being only a poor impoverished old man subsisting etc etc.

The big hassles are usually (a) sellers who do not want to post to NZ , which most of them have never heard of (b) grotesquely incorrect addresses on the parcels (c) the freight or postage cost. Be VERY sure to check this first, and ensure that it is indeed the postage to NEW ZEALAND (d) the exchange rate . Do your sums carefully

[Voltaire]

Has anyone had any experience using Ebay for an exhaust or other parts?
Seems I can save lots of $$$$, buts whats the catch? GST for one I guess...

Anyway I'm looking at this nice looking piece of bling...
GSXR 600 K7 Yoshi R55

Any thoughts?

I use a Paypal account or secure Visa.
They will probably quote you Courier shipping as they don't want to be hassled with queueing at the Post Office and filling in Customs forms.
GST this end is hit and miss....
Make sure you get a shipping quote as sometimes its not worth the hassle.
Oh and check their feedback.
Good luck

[Southern man]

Brought a few things of ebay and generally very good. As previously posted check all the add ons before commiting. But I have got some bargins. Below about $500 doesn't seem a problem.

[mossy1200]

Has anyone had any experience using Ebay for an exhaust or other parts?
Seems I can save lots of $$$$, buts whats the catch? GST for one I guess...

Anyway I'm looking at this nice looking piece of bling...
GSXR 600 K7 Yoshi R55

Any thoughts?

Make sure you request USPS as post as they are cheeper by about half for larger items.takes 7-10 days.Americans love courier services which save a couple of days but international freight with courier is more expensivethan they realise.
GST will only apply if total including freight is higher than $400 NZD and they dont catch all purchaces.A big percentage slip through.
Watch buying from sellers with low sales vloumes.

[SPman]

Check postage...UK is OK, USA is variable, Europe is fucking expensive!

[wickle]

Have bought quite a bit via ebay, a while back bought two exhaust systems amounting to $1200/1300nz including freight had no problems came home from work to find large parcel on door-step

[johan]

It completely depends on what you're buying and from who.

Check out the Brembo break parts for example. The are normally $300 USD, would you buy the same part for $40 shipping from Thailand!?

I would be suspicious about stuff shipping out from HongKong for half the price etc... Use your head and check their history... Good luck.

You can ask the seller to lower the value on the shipping slip to get around customs, but watch out for the insurance if you do this.

[jaymzw]

You can ask the seller to lower the value on the shipping slip to get around customs, but watch out for the insurance if you do this.

I have found from experience most people aren't happy to do this but as others have said NZ customs are abit of hit and miss with their implementing of GST

I've bought a few things off Ebay for my K6 GSXR. Although i tend to stay on Ebay.com.au and ask them to ship here using colloquilisms like 'can you ship over the ditch mate' LMAO!

Yes you can save a shit load. I dont even bother with Paypal as i dont have a credit or debit card (too young) i use international bank deposit using Westpac. Costs me $25.

Tips for buying at the moment would be

Hong Kong currency (dollar?) is extremely high
British Pound very high

So both these places wouldnt be bad to buy from. Use the bank calculator on your banks website like this here

[boman]

I have bought stuff from e-bay in the states. I used Paypal for the transactions, as most traders prefer that form of payment. I have bought a seat, Rear hugger, carbon fibre chain guard, and some other miscellanious parts and have had no trouble with customs at all. The most expensive item, was about $300.00 US. My father in law got pulled up by customs, on a set of exhaust pipes, but he had brought quite a bit of expensive stuff in over a short period of time, so that may hve had some bearing on it.

http://www.xe.com/ucc/ is another currency calculator I use that is quite handy.

[Hailwood]

Bought heaps of stuff for my last bike from Ebay and never had any issues with postage or customs. The costs ranged from $100 to $1220 and all were well packaged, delivered promptly and were exactly what they said it was......just do your homework on the seller first

[Boob Johnson]

I use a Paypal account or secure Visa.

lol @ "secure visa", very much an oxymoron

[YellowDog]

Has anyone had any experience using Ebay for an exhaust or other parts?
Seems I can save lots of $$$$, buts whats the catch? GST for one I guess...

Anyway I'm looking at this nice looking piece of bling...
GSXR 600 K7 Yoshi R55

Any thoughts?

Bought loads of stuff on ebay.com. The US$ and GBPound are making items very cheap at the mo.

eBay isn't always the best value. Loads of firms will ship internationally.

You can get good deals in NZ too, if you ask!

[jack_hamma]

I have found from experience most people aren't happy to do this but as others have said NZ customs are abit of hit and miss with their implementing of GST

As jay said, abit of hit and miss... the rule used to be over $400.00nz you may get charged gst, over $1000nz you may get GST and a duty? or you may find it is on your back door when you get home after work. But overall.. I would buy it.

If you have worked out the saving is worth, it then do it.

[AllanB]

If you are after mufflers I'd stick with the big stores like

www.denniskirk.com
or
http://www.starcycle-usa.com

lots of brands and little chance of any problems.