# How to beat border fees? **URL:** \ **Category:** SON240sx Automotive\ **Created:** [May 6, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236 "2009-05-06T20:31:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dan\_tha\_man\_103](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@dan\_tha\_man\_103](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dan_tha_man_103)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/1 "2009-05-06T20:31:16Z")
Trying to find out a way to get some wheels off of [discounttire.com](http://discounttire.com) without having to pay the extra $200 for going over the border. I heard UPS allows you to rent out a mailbox in the US or something for a small fee, which could be used as a PO box address for my shipment? Or I dunno, does anyone else know any way I can get a set of rims here cheaper? (please refrain from saying “buy mine!!!”, since I found ones I really like) (but dont let that stop you from PM’ing me what you got ;)) ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Crazy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbo_crazy/32/5730_2.png) [@Turbo\_Crazy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Turbo_Crazy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/2 "2009-05-06T20:42:09Z")
try shipping them through usps. I found that shipping ups costs ALOT for border fees but usps only charges once in a blue moon, and if they do its usually cheap. ---
**Author:** ![87s15lt1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/87s15lt1/32/5706_2.png) [@87s15lt1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87s15lt1)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/3 "2009-05-06T20:51:16Z")
send as gift done and done ---
**Author:** ![dan\_tha\_man\_103](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@dan\_tha\_man\_103](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dan_tha_man_103)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/4 "2009-05-06T21:03:43Z")
> [@87s15lt1"](#): > > send as gift > > done and done Never heard of this… please explain? ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Crazy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbo_crazy/32/5730_2.png) [@Turbo\_Crazy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Turbo_Crazy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/5 "2009-05-06T21:06:09Z")
gift is an idea but I still got charged by ups for that. I baught a turbo kit off of ebay for my sunfire and the guy sent it as a gift and I still was paying for border and duty fees. it was “cheaper I think” but still fees. ---
**Author:** ![87s15lt1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/87s15lt1/32/5706_2.png) [@87s15lt1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87s15lt1)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/6 "2009-05-06T21:06:42Z")
you order your shit and tell them to send it as a gift. not 100% sure if a company can do it. Yet I know when ever I order shit from the states I ask if they can send it as a gift. If they do it comes from a person rather a company name. No duty or tax then. On your bill/receipt/shipping statement there will be a wack of boxes; Parcel, gift, goods blah blah blah. ---
**Author:** ![GTS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/82dd89/32.png) [@GTS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GTS)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/7 "2009-05-06T21:12:29Z")
CBI USA. The rest is up to you figure out. ---
**Author:** ![sidewayz240](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@sidewayz240](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sidewayz240)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/8 "2009-05-06T21:13:02Z")
They can still charge you fees on a “gift”, you must have just got lucky. It does help though. Whenever I get something I tell the seller to first, send it USPS, second, mark it as a gift and third give it a low $$ value. That will insure you no charges, but since your buying from a buisness I’m not sure what they will and wont do for you. But you’d probably want your wheels marked for their full value for insurance reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Crazy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbo_crazy/32/5730_2.png) [@Turbo\_Crazy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Turbo_Crazy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/9 "2009-05-06T21:15:57Z")
> [@FS: 1996 A4.](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fs-1996-a4/21607/52): > > They can still charge you fees on a “gift”, you must have just got lucky. It does help though. > > Whenever I get something I tell the seller to first, send it USPS, second, mark it as a gift and third give it a low $$ value. That will insure you no charges, but since your buying from a buisness I’m not sure what they will and wont do for you. But you’d probably want your wheels marked for their full value for insurance reasons. this is the way I think is best said ---
**Author:** ![AhmadG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ahmadg/32/5577_2.png) [@AhmadG](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AhmadG)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/10 "2009-05-06T21:24:05Z")
Yeah, I was planning on buying the BRM exhaust from Greg on Nico. He shipped it to some people in Canada, and decreasing the value of the contents greatly helps with the fees, if USPS can’t be used. I’d say use both. I got charged for pretty much everything I’ve ever bought from the U.S., especially on ebay. lol Canada ftl. At least we have bagged milk, fuck yeah! ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Crazy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbo_crazy/32/5730_2.png) [@Turbo\_Crazy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Turbo_Crazy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/11 "2009-05-06T21:26:39Z")
> [@LS1 Cam?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ls1-cam/21845/37): > > Yeah, I was planning on buying the BRM exhaust from Greg on Nico. He shipped it to some people in Canada, and decreasing the value of the contents greatly helps with the fees, if USPS can’t be used. I’d say use both. I got charged for pretty much everything I’ve ever bought from the U.S., especially on ebay. lol > > Canada ftl. At least we have bagged milk, fuck yeah! LOL ---
**Author:** ![Fobwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ea924/32.png) [@Fobwall](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fobwall)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/12 "2009-05-06T21:34:34Z")
Don’t buy any products from the US or Mexico! The air contained inside the package might have the Swine flu. ---
**Author:** ![AhmadG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ahmadg/32/5577_2.png) [@AhmadG](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AhmadG)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/13 "2009-05-06T21:42:27Z")
^LOL Why doesn’t the swine flu turn into a zombie epidemic? LEFT 4 DEAD!!! ---
**Author:** ![Fobwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ea924/32.png) [@Fobwall](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fobwall)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/14 "2009-05-06T22:16:11Z")
> [@LS1 Cam?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ls1-cam/21845/38): > > ^LOL > > Why doesn’t the swine flu turn into a zombie epidemic? LEFT 4 DEAD!!! Us Canadians would be screwed though… we don’t have guns here. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![RED\_LINE](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/red_line/32/5656_2.png) [@RED\_LINE](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RED_LINE)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/15 "2009-05-06T22:54:28Z")
Start living in the USA, honestly they have so much aftermarket support and parts there, it’s ridiculous how we have no other choice but source things from there and pay the extra fees afterward along with shipping too. but there have been a few occasions when I’ve ordered stuff from the states, where I haven’t paid anything other than the cost of the product and shipping. USPS is what I dealt with one time ordering a bunch of indie punk band shirts from Cali and I didn’t pay any extra costs. ---
**Author:** ![shrews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba8739/32.png) [@shrews](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/shrews)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 5:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/16 "2009-05-07T05:38:55Z")
Sending packages over the boarder as a gift, when they’re not really, to avoid duties is a felony in the U.S. so most companies won’t actually do that for you. ---
**Author:** ![JDMChode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@JDMChode](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JDMChode)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 5:47am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/17 "2009-05-07T05:47:49Z")
Use a parcel service like CIB, have them mail to the address right across the border in Niagara and hope they don’t pop your trunk. Its real cheap to use that kind of service, they charge a very reasonable daily rate. ---
**Author:** ![87s15lt1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/87s15lt1/32/5706_2.png) [@87s15lt1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87s15lt1)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 5:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/18 "2009-05-07T05:50:49Z")
I rarely ever…sorry, We rarely ever pay major duty fee’s at our shop. With a lot of performance stuff we order in from the states. Send as gift. The most we have paid I think is about $180 on a pro charger kit for an 01 cobra. Meh. Don’t like it, don’t buy. ---
**Author:** ![KoukiS14](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/koukis14/32/5522_2.png) [@KoukiS14](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KoukiS14)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 7:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/19 "2009-05-07T07:25:40Z")
The gift idea doesnt work, especially if its coming in from a business. Yeah its a gift from Discount Tire. UPS will not only rape you in duty but brokerage fees as well STAY AWAY. There really isnt a sure way to do it. Sometimes you get dinged sometimes you dont. If you really want to try and save the money. Drive to Detriot, buy the wheels and tires, mount them, then throw your old ones in the back. Whip up a fake receipt from someone for 100 bucks and hope the border guy buys it. Driving through a dirty neigbourhood to get rid of the new look of the wheels helps. ---
**Author:** ![japdrifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@japdrifter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/japdrifter)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 7:58am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236/20 "2009-05-07T07:58:44Z")
^^^^ that sounds like a better idea, road trip!! you can always ask them to re-evaluate the duty % charged on you. Some times it works and they’ll charge you less, or some times they’ll charge you more than the original ahaha. Oh and renting a storage facility across the boarder then picking the items up would work short term. after that the states can ban you from entering if they’re suspicious. my friend was banned ahahha [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-to-beat-border-fees/124236.md?page=2)