Best Shipper To Get A Package & Moto Parts to Medellin, Colombia (and reduce taxes!)
 

Hi folks:

I have a whole bunch of things I want to ship to myself here in Medellin before heading south to Ecuador. It's mostly camping/electronics/etc. However I do have front/rear break pads, and adjustable risers to raise up the rear end of my V-Strom (man I didn't anticipate lack of ground clearance being the problem it has been). I also want to minimize my DIAN duty as its 28% here!

In any case, I've heard from a few sources that I cannot ship myself used motorcycle parts. I have also just gotten off the phone with GIRO Express (a shipper in Florida who will then ship to Colombia) who told me there's no problem with shipping parts; you just have to pay the tax. So I'm a little confused.

So I'm asking:
1) Can I ship motorcycle parts to myself here in Medellin?
2) I have researched shippers and found that many use Giro Express, Tampa Freight, and one other I can't remember. In addition, my friend says he can get me 75% off FedEx. Which would be the best/cheapest combo in terms of overall cost?
3) Any tips on how to minimize the value of tax I'll pay? You can see the full list of items (with full retail value) I want to send below. I've heard that marking everything used (most of the items are) will let me lower the value... but I don't know what the "minimum" value would be.

*salt & pepper shaker, $5
* headlamp $25
* led keychain light $5
* bug net for hammock $40
* brake pads for front / rear: $80
* ear plugs from amazon sent two day - $10
* gps mount - $10
* replacement SPOT device: $50
* four pack of rechargeable batteries for my water filter: $5
* paper maps of bolivia/chile/peru/ecuador: $60
* rei rain pants : $100
* waterproof winter moto gloves; $25
* soupy's raising links $50
* replacement keyboard for my lenovo laptpo $20
* symtec grip heaters - 100
* kisan taillight modulator replacement: $20

So this is $605 worth of stuff at retail... and I'd like avoid the $170 in taxes it would be if everything were claimed as retail (many items are used and I think that should dramatically lower the value).

I'd love your thoughts.

Not of direct assistance, but ...

thinking of Customs Charges generally, it is always a good idea when shipping/mailing parts to remove all original packaging, smear some dirty oil over the parts, re-wrap them in other used packaging and then sent them as "Used parts", declaring a nominal value.

You're in Medellin, ask Mike for advice: Google Casablanca Hostel and rummage around until you find him. He's currently living in Medellin.

Second, half that stuff you can get in Colombia far more easily than shipping from the USA. Why make trouble for yourself (unless that's your true goal, in which case you're on your own)? For the bike stuff I'd ask Mike again. You won't find anyplace better in South America to buy V-strom parts and accessories than Colombia.

If you fall into the trap of thinking you need highly specific stuff to make your trip work (REI branded rainpants? C'mon. A certain brand of brake pad? Nuh uh. Headlamp? Salt and pepper shaker? ROADMAPS, fer godssakes?), you're going to miss half your trip fretting about it. Make do and move on.

The above unsolicited advice worth precisely what you paid me for it.

Mark

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I've already contacted Mike who mentioned Giro Express as well as the import issue with moto parts, hence my confusion.

Rain pants because I'm 6'6" and 32 inch waist, it's pretty hard to find stuff that fits. Break pads, well I haven't seen double sintered pads down here, it's all generic cermaic stuff, and when my life's on the line, I want the best brake pads money can buy. Headlamp... well I did have one and it broke. I'm not sure how much camping (I'm doing tons) you've done; but a good headlamp is invaluable.

Not really fretting about this stuff, I'm just focused on solving this problem. I don't want to pay an arm and a leg to get items I already own to another country that already has a free trade agreement with the USA (sadly only covers container shipping till 2014). All in attempt to Be Prepared like the Boy Scout I am.

Ok, your choice. Me, I'd have someone add 6 inches to a locally-sourced rainpant, remind myself I can lock either wheel with ease using the cheapest of brake pads (this is extra true on a strom, which has functioning brakes, unlike my KLR's), rig a flashlight to a headband if that were what I lacked, etc. etc. etc.

If shipping is worth it to you, just do what Mike sez and have done. If not, find another way. What difference does it make whether you pay $80 for your sintered brake pads, or $120 with tax and shipping? In the end, it's not going to make any difference--what matters is how much dicking around you have to do to collect your brake pads, ear plugs, maps, headlamp and mosquito netting in Medellin.

All IMHO, of course.

enjoy,

Mark

Hi David,
I have broken down several times and have had parts sent to different countries in South America but not as yet to Columbia.
I'm in Quito at the moment, aranging parts and splitting the engine next week.

One thing I will say is that anything sent by courier tends to get tapped by customs. It helps to have a low value on the contents and it's better if they definitely look second hand.

Sending by post is slower (and can simply not arrive in some countries) but it is less likely to by stopped by customs.

Here in Ecuador, they have what they call the 4x4 rule. If your parcel is sent by normal post and a) it weighs under 4Kg and b) it is valued at less than USD$400 then it is likely to get through unmolested.

I am seeing a mechanic on Monday who has experience shipping by courier from the US, I'll ask him when I see him and see if he can offer any advice. There was also a Columbian biker hanging around the workshop last week, if he's there on Monday I'll see if I can get any further advice from him.

There's a good article on shipping parts by Cynthia Mitton ^ that way under the "On the Road" menu.

All the best,
Dunc.

Hi Dunch

Thanks for the advice! I really appreciate it. Shame you had to have parts shipped in 3 times, I thought that the Teneres were super reliable. That being said, doing a trip like this trends to stress the bike like no other. My V-Strom wouldn't start when I took it off the boat in Cartagena.

My plan is shipping to Colombia since I'll be here for the next month and a half... and I haven't had great luck with trying to ship to future points where I'll be (2/3 success). I considered Ecuador but I think I'll just try to declare the value of the items down to about $100 and pay about $28 in tax for the convenience of receiving the package here rather than Ecuador.

Now I just need decide between 75% off FedEx and the Colombian freight forwarders. You headed up here to Colombia? If you pass through Medellin prior to August 15th, I'd love to grab a beer.

To answer the original question, SkyBox.net is a post relay service for countries throughout the world setup in Miami, Florida, USA. They're cheap and fast. If you can ship your stuff to Miami for little money then they are a good bet. In addition they will consolidate multiple packages arriving over a month-long period for $10USD. I've used them to ship packages from China, USA and Canada through eBay and from my own place in Canada to myself in Colombia.