[Varaman]

Hi. I need a set of Michelin Pilot Sport tyres for my Mercedes SL500... rear 285/35 ZR18 and front 255/40 ZR18. My second choice is Continental Extreme Contact DW. Unfortunately, these are not available locally; and the prices asked by local grey-market importers is exorbitant :(

Does anyone know how I can order these directly off the web... and whether they can be imported without hassle?

[Nikhilb2008]

It will be too much of a hassle unless you have contacts. And when you calculate shipping for tyres, it will still be very expensive.

Give me a day or so. Let me find out if these tyres are available with any other company here in India.

[pranavt]

You are better off contacting distributors in India and pestering them for a favour. Getting them imported yourself isn't worth the hassle IMO.

[pramodkumar]

Importing tyres will attract a lot of customs duty, especially after the recent budget.one way is to get the tyres shipped(by sea) and show your vehicles docs and get them cleared so that the customs officials will be convinced its for personal use and not for sale, Second and best option is to talk to a tyre importer(shops) and and ask him if he can get it to you after charging his commission.

Pramod

[aargee]

Yes tires can very well be imported & there're several websites offering their services though personally I don't have any experience. I just know two of them - 20North & ICC World; however I second Pramod's opinion on custom duty.

[Varaman]

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

It will be too much of a hassle unless you have contacts. And when you calculate shipping for tyres, it will still be very expensive.

Give me a day or so. Let me find out if these tyres are available with any other company here in India.

Originally Posted by pranavt

You are better off contacting distributors in India and pestering them for a favour. Getting them imported yourself isn't worth the hassle IMO.

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

Importing tyres will attract a lot of customs duty, especially after the recent budget.one way is to get the tyres shipped(by sea) and show your vehicles docs and get them cleared so that the customs officials will be convinced its for personal use and not for sale, Second and best option is to talk to a tyre importer(shops) and and ask him if he can get it to you after charging his commission.

Pramod

Originally Posted by aargee

Yes tires can very well be imported & there're several websites offering their services though personally I don't have any experience. I just know two of them - 20North & ICC World; however I second Pramod's opinion on custom duty.

Hi guys, thanks a ton for your inputs. I think I have found an elegant solution. I needed a set of new rims too (since the rear right rim has developed a hairline crack and is leaking air) along with the tyres. So, on the advice of my good pal Narendra Pai, I visited this website last night and placed the online order for the full set of wheels, i.e. all 4 alloys and tyres. Mercedes alloys | Alloy Wheels Direct Ltd - They DHL the stuff right to your doorstep. And the prices are very reasonable, too. Finally, they are genuine Mercedes parts and not duplicates; and the tyres are the ones recommended by Mercedes, too, for the specific model of car you own.

[GTO]

I'd be very curious to know if the customs slap any duty on the wheels, and how much. Please do share details when your set arrives. It'll help a lot of us who simply don't like the designs available in the local market.

[pranavt]

They try to slap duty on everything. There is no way you can get wheels through customs without paying duties and tax unless you have some solid connections.

[khoj]

Customs duty on goods bought in by courier or as regular sea/air freight tops out at 20% for 90% of the goods. Add the CVD, other charges and levies and you are looking at a total of 34% on the value declared on the commercial invoice.

Do ensure that you order for Door delivery and let the courier charges be prepaid by the exporter, with the rider that the import duty will be paid by you directly to the courier upon delivery.

The benefit is that the courier company will simply call you once the consignment reaches customs, take a verbal (sometimes written) confirmation that you would bear the customs duty (+ octroi if applicable) and will then proceed to clear the goods. They bring it to your doorstep and handover the material against full payment of customs duty. Sometimes you get lucky and the goods just get through without any duties at all. I do not know how that happens but at times it does happen for goods up to $6K price range.

In case you opt to pay the courier charges locally, there are 99% chances that the courier company will additionally bill you for custom clearance charges which could vary from min. of INR 10K to 3% of invoice value (general limit, could be higher). If you opt to appoint your own clearing agent it would still be more time consuming and expensive.

[Varaman]

Originally Posted by GTO

I'd be very curious to know if the customs slap any duty on the wheels, and how much. Please do share details when your set arrives. It'll help a lot of us who simply don't like the designs available in the local market.

Sure, will do that

Originally Posted by pranavt

They try to slap duty on everything. There is no way you can get wheels through customs without paying duties and tax unless you have some solid connections.

Originally Posted by khoj

Customs duty on goods bought in by courier or as regular sea/air freight tops out at 20% for 90% of the goods. Add the CVD, other charges and levies and you are looking at a total of 34% on the value declared on the commercial invoice.

Do ensure that you order for Door delivery and let the courier charges be prepaid by the exporter, with the rider that the import duty will be paid by you directly to the courier upon delivery.

The benefit is that the courier company will simply call you once the consignment reaches customs, take a verbal (sometimes written) confirmation that you would bear the customs duty (+ octroi if applicable) and will then proceed to clear the goods. They bring it to your doorstep and handover the material against full payment of customs duty. Sometimes you get lucky and the goods just get through without any duties at all. I do not know how that happens but at times it does happen for goods up to $6K price range.

In case you opt to pay the courier charges locally, there are 99% chances that the courier company will additionally bill you for custom clearance charges which could vary from min. of INR 10K to 3% of invoice value (general limit, could be higher). If you opt to appoint your own clearing agent it would still be more time consuming and expensive.

From what I have enquired and ascertained, the duty will be 26%... most motorcar accessories fall under this duty level. I have ordered door-to-door delivery via DHL, with the shipment charges prepaid to the online vendor. Personally, I am not losing sleep because even if the duty were higher, the stuff will still not cost me more than 65% if what I would pay in the grey market for the same stuff (without the assurance that the merchandise is genuine). I will keep you posted... for sure.

[khoj]

So how did it go? Have you got the tyres as yet, do update.

[Epic]

Hi all,

I remember purchasing my 15" OZ Racing rims online through www.performancealloys.com in 2006. They costed me GBP 100 per rim (I ordered 05) and another GBP 200 for shipping. On arriving in Mumbai, I remember paying another INR 30000/- in customs. I ended up paying almost a lakh on rims and tires. All this for my Swift :-) I believe I could have got them for way cheaper in India but was not aware of an authorised dealer at that time. I believe the same cost 40k flat for a set of 05 rims here.

[khoj]

@Epic,

Are you saying there is an OZ dealer in Mumbai, if yes do let me have their contact details.

[Epic]

Originally Posted by khoj

@Epic,

Are you saying there is an OZ dealer in Mumbai, if yes do let me have their contact details.

Well, I believe there is but not sure if they are still an authorised dealer for OZ wheels as they do not feature on the OZ Official Website anymore. Besides, I even had a bad experience myself while trying to procure a new rim from them as one of my rims got damaged in an accident. Paid an advance but never got the rim for over 06 months due to some or the other excuse!! Most of the time, my calls were never answered. Had to finally ask for my money back. And this was when they were supposedly authorised dealers. However, this is my personal experience, some didnt have any issues while dealing with them.

Contact details :

Mr. Lalit Jogani
Four Seasons Auto, Tardeo
Ph - 9820289737

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by khoj

So how did it go? Have you got the tyres as yet, do update.

From his SL500 thread :

Originally Posted by Varaman

Happiness! New 18 inch rims arrived this morning from alloywheelsdirect.net, UK. Pre-balanced, pre-fitted with Continental Contact Sport2 tyres... rear 285/35 and front 255/40. Mercedes owners, don't bother buying wheels locally, at the fancy prices charged by the dealers or from the grey market. Just order them online from this OEM Mercedes wheels supplier, and get them to your doorstep via DHL air-cargo. Even with freight, 36% Customs duty and 4% Octroi (in Mumbai) the gross landed cost is way, way lower than buying the stuff locally. Besides, you get fresh stocks (for the tyres, especially) rather than aging rubber (and you know how dangerous THIS can be )

Link : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/super-...ml#post1985605