Importing spares - Chile, Bolivia or Peru?

[Will Fulford-Jones]

Hi folks

I'd like to get a few non-urgent spares and replacement parts sent over from the UK. I'm in Argentina, but various locals have persuaded me that it would be foolish to get a package shipped here due to the near-protectionist import restrictions, the probability of major delays at customs, the untrustworthiness of the Correo, etc. (I don't think this is just local paranoia. My bank card was cloned in Brazil, and my bank will send a replacement pretty much anywhere in South America except Argentina.)

I'm heading north and will be in Chile, Bolivia and Peru over the next few months. Does anybody have experience of getting stuff sent from abroad to any of those countries, and can recommend one over the others? I'm resigned to a certain level of import duties/tax - my concern is more with minimising delays and/or the likelihood of the package going missing.

Thanks,
Will

--
Will Fulford-Jones
www.contoursofacountry.com

[Dave Briggs]

Ive used sjscycles.co.uk a number of times and had stuff succesfully shipped to mexico and tanzania amongst other countried. Its probably better for peace of mind to get them to use something like dhl. Check to see where offices and depots are in argentina or chile.

--
Sent from my Android phone with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

[Paul Gareau]

Hi Will. I waited 3 weeks for a package to arrive in Chile (San Pedro). There were no import fees, but the cost of waiting added up. I'd highly recommend using a trackable service (mine only came via international mail), along with having it sent quite a bit in advance.

Paul

857-244-0644
http://www.mtbtour.org/
http://www.panamericantour.net/

--
--
| You received this message because you are subscribed to the "PanAm Riders" group.
| For group info: http://www.panamericantour.net/panam-riders
| Wikipedaler: http://wiki.panamericantour.net/
| To post: panam-...@googlegroups.com
| For options: http://groups.google.com/group/panam-riders?hl=en
| To unsubscribe: panam-riders...@googlegroups.com

[the 龙]

Note, we're in Cochabamba, Bolivia

Yes, we (www.traidingsuccess.com) have much experience shipping things in and out of countries.  And, generally speaking a bitch!

Best way, find someone traveling from your country to S.A. If person reliable, the most reliable way.  In not:

DHL from Germany works.

I've had good, but takes a long time, luck with regular post from the U.S.

If you want more help, we can try to be of service.

Hutch

Hache in S.A.

www.youbetravel.com

HANDS ACROSS THE WORLD! (12.21.12)

CHANGE THE WORLD, CHANGE YOURSELF!

MANOS A TRAVÉS DEL MUNDO! (12.21.12)

CAMBIAR EL MUNDO, CAMBIARSE A SI MISMO! 

双手遍布全球各地！ （12年12月21日）

改变世界，改变自己！

Tantric Taoism,
Penetrating every Darkness!
龙

--

[Frank Weidemann]

Hi Will, 

My bike shop sent a few spare brake pads to Coyhaique (Patagonia, Chile). UPS was quite quick to bring the stuff as far as Santiago. Then it got stuck in costumes. UPS was not very helpful and only the branch of the destination country will help you - so some knowledge of Spanish is required. You should add your mobile number (if you have one) or a telephone number to the shipment adress, so they can contact you. They will as you to pay the duty fee into an UPS account and email them the receipt from the bank. Only them the stuff will be delivered to you by a local partner of UPS.

I had to pay duties calculated on the value of the parcel including costs of shipment, which were higher then the value of the goods. It turned out really expensive. 

In bigger towns in Chile (Santiago has all the fancy stuff) and Argentina you should find the spare parts you need, an exception may be parts from brands like Magura or so. So I'd suggest you check out local dealers or even local internet dealers. 

Good luck!

Frank

Von meinem iPad gesendet

--

[Hollywouldonabike]

Will,
Bike parts are pretty abundant in Santiago in all types, sizes, and brands-an option to wait and see if you can purchase them without getting them shipped from overseas since they are non-urgent. I had one guy tell me "you could find a three-headed dog in Santiago" (pretty much anything). Whether you buy parts locally or need a safe address in which to send something in advance of your arriving so you don't have to wait for it, I have some friends in and near Santiago that might be willing to let you use their address so you could send in advance  then pick them up when you go through (if you are going through Santiago). If you are interested in me contacting them on your behalf to see if they can help then email me directly at hollywou...@gmail.com.
Good luck either way!
Holly

[sebastien.delcoigne]

I've had stuff sent over in Chile and Bolivia (maps, books and other non bike stuff). In Bolivia, locals told me it was more or less a lottery to have the package delivered, but it did arrive. We had sent it to warmshowers fellow cyclist who were hosting us later on. Time was not  too much of an issue but I think it took around 3 weeks to arrive. In Chile we retrieved it from the Central Post in Santiago (can't remember the name of the service though). It took a little over 3 weeks also.

[Will Fulford-Jones]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments, advice and - Hutch, Holly - offers of assistance. We couldn't find what we were after in Santiago last month and we're not holding our breath that we'll be able to source stuff further north, so we're taking the opportunity to get a trackable package sent across well in advance of our arrival somewhere. I think we'll aim for La Paz, which we should be reaching in two or three months.

Happy trails,
Will

--
Will Fulford-Jones
www.contoursofacountry.com

[the 龙]

Yes, I concur with Holly, Santiago, the best for bicycle parts and maintenance (in all of S.A.).  There must me a 100 shops on south Av. San Diego.

One night I rode with 'Los Furiosos!' (the Critical Mass group there).  BUT, MIND YOU THIS WAS WITH 3,000 BICYCLE RIDERS (stretched out for 2 KM).  

Bicycle consciousness alive and well in Chile!

Hache

www.youbetravel.com

HANDS ACROSS THE WORLD! (12.21.12)

CHANGE THE WORLD, CHANGE YOURSELF!

MANOS A TRAVÉS DEL MUNDO! (12.21.12)

CAMBIAR EL MUNDO, CAMBIARSE A SI MISMO! 

双手遍布全球各地！ （12年12月21日）

改变世界，改变自己！

Tantric Taoism,
Penetrating every Darkness!
龙

--

[devin western]

Guess I'll have to be the odd person out, and say that Santiago was NOT well supplied with bike parts when I passed through.  I would have thought it to be a great place to find parts, and was looking forward to getting there before arriving, but found that it was one of the worst places for bike parts.  I found a 700 x 38c Maxxis Kevlar tire in Cusco... but then they didn't have any 700 x 38 tires in Santiago (I finally found one, and only one, without any puncture protection - solved with Mr. Tuffy's)

Sure the area of "San Diego Av" in Santiago has lots of shops, but all I saw was a lot of the same stuff.  It was crazy that I found more parts for my bike in Colombia and Peru, than in Santiago Chile.  I would not rely too much on finding those hard-to-find parts, in Santiago.  

Just my $0.02

[Frank Weidemann]

Well, there you'll only find the low budged stuff. In Las Condes ( Santiago) you'll find high end shops of Scott, Marin and others. I even found brake pads for Formula disk brakes! 

Envoyé de mon iPhone

--

[devin western]

True.  I forgot that I did check a high-end shop in a mall near Las Condes, that had a lot of good stuff (but still none of the tires I was looking for).  I checked out that KTM shop on Apoquindo that had some bike stuff, but basically nothing as far as spare parts.

Just FYI for those that don't know, Chile is expensive, Santiago is real expensive (not as much as Antofagasta = ouch), and Las Condes is the rich area of Santiago.  So you can get an idea.  But of course when you need parts, most times the price doesn't weigh as much as the necessity to get the rig riding right.

On Monday, January 6, 2014 9:55:46 AM UTC-6, Will Fulford-Jones wrote:

[Will Fulford-Jones]

A quick follow-up/FYI:

As far as I can tell, packages sent to Ecuador are no longer subject to customs/import duties if they weigh less than 4kg and have a declared value of less than US$400. (By contrast, packages sent to Peru are liable for duties, which can apparently be steep, if they're subjected to screening on entry and are worth more than US$100.)

Ecuador Aduana:
http://www.aduana.gob.ec/pro/courier.action
(Précis for non-Spanish speakers: http://www.life-in-ecuador.com/sending-mail.html)

Caveat: I haven't done this myself yet... 

--
Will Fulford-Jones
www.contoursofacountry.com

[the 龙]

Re:  Bolivia

Import duties:  Can't be worth more than $100U.S. nor weigh more than 2KG, or heavily taxed.

H.

www.youbetravel.com

HANDS ACROSS THE WORLD! (12.21.12)

CHANGE THE WORLD, CHANGE YOURSELF!

MANOS A TRAVÉS DEL MUNDO! (12.21.12)

CAMBIAR EL MUNDO, CAMBIARSE A SI MISMO! 

双手遍布全球各地！ （12年12月21日）

改变世界，改变自己！

Tantric Taoism,
Penetrating every Darkness!
龙

--

[Deanster]

ok this makes perfect sense as I was in contact with a local bike dealer in Quito, Ecuador. They quoted me prices of tires and bike parts just about $5 higher than what it is in the US/Online. I thought it was weird considering the tax/duties levied but they said only thing I needEd is pay thme in cash.

[Matthew Redmond]

Are you familiar with the casa de cyclista just outside of Quito. He might be able to help you get what you need (with free rent & wifi while you wait)!!