Importing APR products from the US

[Scarlet]

Has anyone ever tired to import APR products from a US retailer? The price differene between the US and here is massive. We are being well and truley ripped off!

Here is a quick price comparison;

Item USA AUS

ECU Stage 1 $499 $1350
Exhaust System $1484 $3995
Cold Air Intake $251 $525

I know the Australian distributors are not the ones setting the prices but when your paying 2-3 times as just it's not hard to understand why I would like to import the products rather than getting them locally. I just cannot work out how they can justifiy a markup of over 100%. The ECU reflash in the US is $500, it would be sent to the australian distributors in an email......

[team_v]

I don't think you can import items from APR overseas as they have australian distributors.
So basically their overseas counterparts should have an embargo on delivering items to Australia to force you to go with the Australian distributor.

Also, while economies of scale in America dictate that prices are a lot cheaper, once you add on shipping, duty and customs fees you end up pretty close to the Aus sale price.

Also, ecu reflashes are not a tangible item that you can just buy and have shipped over....


If you want a more wallet friendly tunining path there are more than enough products available in aus on the cheaper side (viezu, dubadiction, customcode etc)

[gavs]

If you really have your heart set on APR products from the US, try someone like Price USA who wil buy the product in the USA for you, then send it to australia. I did this with the KYB suspension on my Golf and it cost about half the price, including all the other fees etc.

[Lock & Load]

I used to buy all my goodies for my late Mazda RX8 from a Mazda dealer in USA not only was he ten times more helpful knowledgeable than the local guys but prices were way cheaper .

For example when needing a set of 4 coils for my late Mazda RX8 Mazda Australia wanted $600 Gold coast dealer had none so they would have to be ordered from Sydney so i got them sent over , from USA for $160 they arrived within 5 working days , unless the goods are heavy or over $1000 in value no custom duties apply .

Also the local Gold coast dealer diagnosed my engine as Dead and said i needed a total rebuild when all that was needed was a new set of coils .
I allways try and support Australian bussinesses but not when they openly rape you on price and service .

[Scarlet]

If you really have your heart set on APR products from the US, try someone like Price USA who wil buy the product in the USA for you, then send it to australia. I did this with the KYB suspension on my Golf and it cost about half the price, including all the other fees etc.

Thanks for that I will check them out. I would much prefer to support a local business and deal with someone face to face but when with the same product is so much more expensive, as a customer it makes no sence. We all want the cheapest price we can get for a product and with with the Internet today business in all sectors cannot keep charging Australian customers 100% - 200% more and expect to keep their sales locally.

The price difference in the ECU reflash alone is terrible. This is software, there is no packaging, no shipping.....nothing. It would be a file sent in an email. The $800 price increase is nothing more than the Australia Tax.

[Lock & Load]

My only concern would be that the American ECU would be flashed adjusted for their type of car / fuel , and may not be totally suitable for our cars .

If you do go ahead and get the USA APR keep us posted .

[Guy_H]

Has anyone ever tired to import APR products from a US retailer? The price differene between the US and here is massive. We are being well and truley ripped off!

Here is a quick price comparison;

Item USA AUS

ECU Stage 1 $499 $1350
Exhaust System $1484 $3995
Cold Air Intake $251 $525

I know the Australian distributors are not the ones setting the prices but when your paying 2-3 times as just it's not hard to understand why I would like to import the products rather than getting them locally. I just cannot work out how they can justifiy a markup of over 100%. The ECU reflash in the US is $500, it would be sent to the australian distributors in an email......

Scarlet,

I think you are totally on the wrong track with your prices: I assume you have a Golf R

Stage 1 remap - US Car, US software $599 (don't forget to add up to $200 labor as all US dealers charge labor for install separately.) Our Golf R software (developed in Australia by the US calibrators on a calibration trip) is $1350 - which includes 10% GST & Labor

Exhaust - APR don't have a Golf R full turbo back exhaust yet, so there is no price (and I can tell you its not going to be $1495) Our Australian Made Golf R full turbo back System is $3995 including GST & is 100% Australian Manufactured (and we export a lot of them)

Intake in the US is $279, without shipping, duties & taxes. Ours is $525 including GST.

If you are trying to make a comparison with sales prices vs non sales prices (which you seem to be doing at the moment), our sale (also currently on) has more of a discount on it than the US does (software) and the same on hardware.

If you were to buy our exhaust from the US, it would cost you around $4600, so without GST, it actually makes ours $1004 cheaper.

Please compare apples with apples. Not monkeys with watermelons.

[Tim]

Aus/Euro ECUs are generally different to the ones found in US cars so its not as simple as above.

Either way there are plenty of alternatives to APR that are available locally at affordable prices. Just shop around.

[h100vw]

There's plenty of choice here with out spending big money. In my opinion, there aren't any dodgy tuners selling tunes for VWs on the forum. So any of them would be able to give you what you want.

Gavin

My only concern would be that the American ECU would be flashed adjusted for their type of car / fuel , and may not be totally suitable for our cars .

If you do go ahead and get the USA APR keep us posted .

[TomC]

There's plenty of choice here with out spending big money. In my opinion, there aren't any dodgy tuners selling tunes for VWs on the forum. So any of them would be able to give you what you want.

I think this is very helpful advice. It's important to know that there are several local tuners that offer great products. Decide on what you are looking for in a tune (max power, driveability etc etc) and then ask lots of questions of each seller until you are satisfied with the best product for you.

[Preen59]

Everyone needs to put food on the table and I'm sure you can all understand that. At the risk of making assumptions here, I'm sure a number of customers make a larger annual salary than the guys they are buying the aftermarket equipment off.. So before you start complaining about prices, you may want to take a level headed look at what's on offer and why it costs what it does.

Just my thoughts, but I feel some people go for the throat long before doing their research.

Aus/Euro ECUs are generally different to the ones found in US cars so its not as simple as above.

Not to mention we also have different fuel and air to the USA.. Combine that with a lower sales volume and the price has to be higher.

APR USA (and others) can afford to have a lower margin, because they sell more tunes.

[VW Convert]

So before you start complaining about prices, you may want to take a level headed look at what's on offer and why it costs what it does.

Just my thoughts, but I feel some people go for the throat long before doing their research.

Have to agree Chris, whenever I read threads like this I ask myself do people have any idea of the costs involved in running a business, all of which have to be paid out of the gross profit. The answer of course is no.

I've been in the spare parts business for decades and whilst profit margins appear high, the bottom line tends to be quite thin. There are a raft of overheads, levies, taxes and other expenses that quickly erode what might appear on the surface to be huge profit margins. I'm not suggesting that there are no rip offs but one needs to look at all the factors involved.

Cheers

George

[Ideo]

I think the issue is a little bit more complex than that.

Take the VWR intake. Rennenhaus used to sell them. APR now sells them. For substantially more.

[Tim]

The risk of making assumptions here, I'm sure a number of customers make a larger annual salary than the guys they are buying the aftermarket equipment off..

You dont get rich by paying RRP!

[gecko2k]

Even though you can use mail/parcel forwarding services to post restricted items to Australia, it would be to funny to find a thread one day going:

'Engine dead after APR-US flash. HELP'

or

'How to get US-spec tune running. HELP'

or just

'HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP'