Cautionary Tale

rmaddock · Post by **rmaddock** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 10:09 am

A cautionary word to U.K. purchasers out there.

I have just discovered that my MJLJ v3 is sitting in Parcel Force's Preston depot while they hold it to ransom.

They paid Â£15.02 of VAT on it "on my behalf" and now want that back plus a "clearance" fee of Â£13.50.

So, it's all cost me Â£28.52 more than I expected.

BEWARE!

I don't know if I was unlucky or if they trap all of Brent's exports this way but I thought you should be warned.

At least I know where it is and when I'll get it now though.

Happy tunings!

Robert.

flashrs1988 · Post by **flashrs1988** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 1:56 pm

I to have had the same problem when buying from the USA, it seems to be the luck of the draw if you get stung for VAT or not.....
When a bought my MJLT about 2 years ago it arrived at my door no problem, bur I have recently bought some Bluetooth components form the USA and had the same problem.....

Cheers

Steve
<img src="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/clark.rs/p ... rs1988.jpg" />
"Surrey UK"

Magnolia · Post by **Magnolia** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 5:39 pm

Same problem going the other way. Big brother is just going to get their due. Don't have to pay VAT coming this way but if a vendor charges it, you can recover it. But import duties apply coming this way and often the declaration does not handle the fees or product category correctly and then it gets impounded and communications with US customs is necessary.
You must have bought an assembled unit for that VAT. You could buy the components and have a friend or someone assemble it for you if you can't, thereby avoiding much of the VAT. Some people look at soldering like knitting and the kit is very simple.

Post by **brentp** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 5:49 pm

It's a universal problem with all goods going into the Great Britain- packages seems to be selected at random for import duties.

Is there a legitimate way to get around this?

Brent

rmaddock · Post by **rmaddock** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 9:15 am

Next time? Hmmm. I've only got one LandRover you know.

I just wanted to say that I wasn't trying to cast any aspersions about Brent's products or prices - I think all of this is an excellent effort on his part. I was just in shock when I posted this first.

If I'd know about the possibility of paying VAT (or thought about it as I probably did know, deep down) in advance then it would have made buying from a UK intermediary more of an option. As it was, they didn't seem that much cheaper and I wanted to buy from Brent direct to support the "cause", as 'twere.

If I do do this again then I probably will try building a box myself. I did do a fair amount of soldering back in my student days but I'd have had to buy a new iron etc etc and it all adds up.

Good luck to every one else though!

Can't wait for Tuesday's delivery now. I hope they're as good as their word (ha, ha).

ivanhoew · Post by **ivanhoew** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 3:26 pm

got my mj this week ,but first got a card in the psot saying your deivery needs a payment to the post office for 19.02p ,so went down and paid it and got my parcel ,think this was duty for customs on the 150dollars value shown on the shipping label .happy to get it thuogh ,now trying to undeerstand it all ,what exactly is firmware ???lol ..i think it being bought assembled and tested ,all that firmware stuff is done already ...er...regards robert ,faringdon,oxon

MartinM · Post by **MartinM** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 3:44 pm

..yep the firmware is the software that is put inside the processor (by Brent, when he makes up the unit), which is then mounted on the board.

If it's a ready made unit, then just wire it all up and enjoy!

ivanhoew · Post by **ivanhoew** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 2:19 pm

36 tooth wheel .i was wondering if i could just use a motorbike sprocket with 36 teeth on it as my wheel ,and take one tooth out for the gap ,then mount it onto the front pulley ? what do you think ? regards robert. oh thanks martin for the support !

Kenn · Post by **Kenn** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:50 am

the teeth and gaps have to be the same size to get the right shape signal/wave for it to work properly.

Kenn · Post by **Kenn** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:51 am

the teeth and gaps have to be the same size to get the right shape signal/wave for it to work properly.

ivanhoew · Post by **ivanhoew** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:33 am

thanks kenn ,that saved me some waisted time! regards robert.

tjz450 · Post by **tjz450** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 3:19 am

Hi, I used a machinery sprocket with 36 teeth for a #50 roller chain.
In order to mount wheel to front of small block chevy balancer, I needed this larger diameter. Worked out fine, engine started at first crank. These types of sprockets are thicker than I would like. But not as thick as a stock ford wheel. My next wheel I would like to try something thin, such as a kart sprocket. I don't believe the gaps need to be proportional to the teeth, as EDIS triggers on the edge of the tooth. By the way, I did have the teeth cut down on the lathe, after mounting to the balancer, to appoximate the Ford tooth.
The sprocket cost was 20 USD and so was the lathe work.

tjz450 · Post by **tjz450** » Mon May 08, 2006 6:35 pm

Did i mention my engine starts on first crank, everytime. On the outer perimeter of a stock timing wheel, the tooth is approx. .180 wide and the gap is approx. .310". How deep the gap is doesn't matter. There is other ways to trigger a VR sensor. Look at the teeth on the V8 flywheel. Each tooth has to have enough ferrous surface and to be close enough to create the sine wave. Approaching metal and then passing by causes the AC force. Even square shapes would work and gaps can be a functional of diameter. This must be kept in reason, so no worse case examples, please.

Autosport Labs

Cautionary Tale

Cautionary Tale

unlucky

To USA

yep

Next time?

got my mj this week ,but

..yep the firmware is the

36 tooth wheel .i was

the teeth

the teeth

thanks kenn ,that saved me

sprocket

da teeth