Not sure who the supplier was, but it isn't important.  $8.75 for postal
service is pretty good.  EVERYTHING in Canada is subject to the 7% GST tax -
you are lucky you didn't have to pay provincial sales tax.  The packages
that I get from the post office all have a $5 CAD brokerage fee from Canada
Customs.  So, basically you got charged a price to get it shipped, paid some
GST and a small brokerage service.   Just count your lucky stars that it
didn't go UPS or else you would be getting a second mortgage to afford their
fees.  Fed-Ex has recently changed their UPS like policies to be more like
the post office - brokerage fees are about $5 at this point for me!

Just another point about NAFTA - if you are buying a GERMAN made car part
from the USA it is subject to duty (6.5%).  It is only parts MADE in Canada
/ USA / Mexico that are exempt from import tariffs.

David Marshall

Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada  V2J 6Z3

http://www.fastforward.ca    mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775        FAX: (250) 992 1160

- Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions
- Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation
- European Lighting for most Volkswagen models

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Lawrence Johnson
Sent: August 11, 2002 5:32 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: NAFTA SHAFTA

A minor RANT and a warning to fellow Canadians about the pitfalls of buying
from
our southern brothers and sisters. Or how I learned to love the NAFTA
AGREEMENT.

I bought Vanagon parts from a famous Vanagon parts supplier in the U.S. of
A.
for a total of $16.90.
The famous supplier charged me $8.75 for S&H (packed in a box with
"DANGEROUS
SUBSTANCE" label still on the side). Canada Customs charged me $2.23 in
sales
taxes. Canada Post charged me $3.15 for the favor of shipping it to Customs.
All
$ is US Bucks. For a grand total of $31.03. That is a 83� % markup over cost
thanks to our fearless leaders who carved out NAFTA - Free Trade my ASS.

But I'd pay anything to keep Fritz happily rolling down the road.
Larry