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importing rideon lawnmower advice please


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I am considering bringing in a rideon lawnmower from Australia, mainly because they are a mere fraction of the price of Thailand.

I expect I would have to pay tax, has anyone any information on this that might be useful.

Many thanks in advance

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Buy a reconditioned one with a rebuilt engine, then ship it in in parts to different addresses. Ship some extra parts, like blades and pulleys and belts, and claim it all as spare parts.

That dont seem to work anymore....well, from what I experienced, last couple of times...You get hit hard...and i mean HARD.

The biggest problem is being hit with Tax on the freight and insurances involved....

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Historically, importing used parts is cheaper than importing a spanking new whole one.

But everything changes.

They used to, but now i find that everything is being calculated on NEW PRICE....parts or whole.

I have been importing parts from USA to here for years, and the costs this end are outrageous....I can get and have got stuff from USA and Aus at the right price, but this end puts it beyond a reasonable financial transaction....

Consequently...I design and build what i need for these conditions here...

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Seriously though...The ones you are looking at "Made in Thailand", have horizontal shaft engines...So have a look at the right angle Gearbox that comes with them....wont last long and you can go up to a new one on display, and rattle the drive shaft in the housing of these gearboxes...more play than a broomstick through a Tyre....careful ok?

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I bought a new model Motorola Moto E mobile phone in May 2014 when I was in California. In July when I was in Thailand the phone had a repair issue. Since I did not buy the phone in Thailand and since that phone was never imported into Thailand the distributor of Motorola phones would not help in any way. I shipped the Moto E at my expense to the Motorola importer service center and they did not even open the box. They just sent it back to Buriram. They had no parts for that phone since it had never been officially imported to Thailand.

So if the OP wishes to import a ride on lawn mower it might serve them well to import a model already on sale in Thailand for the sake of parts. I see repairs in Buriram of power tools that were brought from Australia or Europe of mainstream brands where the same model or very similar model Makita, Maktec, DeWALT, Hitachi, Bosch are currently sold in Thailand. Those power tools arrived in ordinary luggage to Thailand and not via a freight shipping service. Homepro in Surin sells the made in the USA Troy Bilt Pony ride on lawn mower with a 17.5 hp Briggs & Stratton engine that was fully made in Michigan, USA. Some stores might sell this riding grass mower for significantly less baht and have an actual repair department to do preventative maintenance and warranty repairs and after the warranty period repairs.

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I,ve found quite a few different rideon mowers here, ranging from 300,000 up to 800,000 THB. In Australia they start at 1,000 AUD about 26,000 THB, the average for a quality one would be about 3,600 AUD, so less than100,000THB.

Even if one paid 100% tax it would still be reasonable although I haven't yet checked the shipping costs.

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I bought a new model Motorola Moto E mobile phone in May 2014 when I was in California. In July when I was in Thailand the phone had a repair issue. Since I did not buy the phone in Thailand and since that phone was never imported into Thailand the distributor of Motorola phones would not help in any way. I shipped the Moto E at my expense to the Motorola importer service center and they did not even open the box. They just sent it back to Buriram. They had no parts for that phone since it had never been officially imported to Thailand.

So if the OP wishes to import a ride on lawn mower it might serve them well to import a model already on sale in Thailand for the sake of parts. I see repairs in Buriram of power tools that were brought from Australia or Europe of mainstream brands where the same model or very similar model Makita, Maktec, DeWALT, Hitachi, Bosch are currently sold in Thailand. Those power tools arrived in ordinary luggage to Thailand and not via a freight shipping service. Homepro in Surin sells the made in the USA Troy Bilt Pony ride on lawn mower with a 17.5 hp Briggs & Stratton engine that was fully made in Michigan, USA. Some stores might sell this riding grass mower for significantly less baht and have an actual repair department to do preventative maintenance and warranty repairs and after the warranty period repairs.

I think you will find if you check, this particular ride on mower is made in CHINA.....The company that builds them is "Guangzhou Winner Machinery Technology co. ltd"...They are a big firm and make many different types and just put the name stickers on for the company that purchases...You can buy one from china for around $1700USD ($2125AUD) minimum order is 2 machines...but then you have to pay freight, taxes this end etc....works out pretty expensive.

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To the OP: I must be shopping at different stores in Buriram and Surin province. I had not seen 300,000 baht as the starting price point of a ride on lawn mower. For 10,500 baht you can buy a self propelled lawn mower where the Briggs & Stratton engine is made in the USA. For 119,900 you can buy a Troy Bilt lawn mower in Thailand where the entire mower was made in Michigan, USA and imported by the official Briggs & Stratton exclusive importer and has full support of Briggs & Stratton. HomePro is not the only store selling made in the USA lawn mowers and certainly other stores have the option to price it for less every day of the week. I've taken a few factory tours in Thailand and I know which Japanese owned plant actually makes the Husqvarna petrol brush cutter on a contract basis in Thailand. That Husqvarna brush cutter sells for significantly more than the genuine Honda Brush cutters made in the same Honda Power Products plant in Thailand. My Motorola Moto E which can not be repaired in Thailand, was less than $119 USD, but I would not invest significant money on a ride on lawn mower if the parts were not available in a timely basis from an authorized Thailand dealer with a repair department I trusted.

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Weegee: I had the opportunity to examine the wooden box and check all the labels on the Troy Bilt made in Michigan USA lawn mower that is sold in Buriram by Ruangsangthai. No part of that lawn mower indicates China. Everything indicated USA built. Maybe other retailers have a similar model, but the Troy Bilt riding garden tractor is 100% built in the USA that Mr. Pichai sells and services in Buriram. He told me he is offered less expensive, and more expensive ride on lawn mowers that are made in China on a regular basis. I'm picking up a UPVC bathroom door today in Buriram for my wife's ongoing village building project and I'll snap a photo of the made in the USA ride on lawn mower name plate in Buriram. Some genuine Honda self propelled lawn mowers are made in China, the Talon self propelled lawn mower is made in China but the Raptor brand self propelled lawn mower in some stores has a made in China engine, while at Ruangsangthai in Buriram the Briggs & Stratton engine is only made in the USA. I'll wager the body of that 10,500 self propelled lawn mower is not made in the USA. There are many knock off petrol brush cutters that use similar model numbers to the genuine Honda UMK435 four stroke brush cutter. The Honda brush cutter sold at Global House in Buriram and at Ruangsangthai in Buriram are both from the same Honda Power products manufacturing plant in Thailand. One store sells it for less every day and only one store has an actual repair department. There are no genuine Honda power products sold at Thaiwatsadu in Buriram nor at IQ House in Buriram.

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HomePro in Chiang Mai has some very basic ride on mowers on sale that look to be a fine solution versus trying to ship one over from overseas. Spare parts are not really an issue as machine shops in Thailand are extremely competent. Had a shaft done locally and it was hollow, 7 different diameters, two groves, and two tapers and it was 300 baht cut in stainless steel. The OEM replacement part from the UK was just over 3500 baht, and would have been aluminum.

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HomePro in Chiang Mai has some very basic ride on mowers on sale that look to be a fine solution versus trying to ship one over from overseas. Spare parts are not really an issue as machine shops in Thailand are extremely competent. Had a shaft done locally and it was hollow, 7 different diameters, two groves, and two tapers and it was 300 baht cut in stainless steel. The OEM replacement part from the UK was just over 3500 baht, and would have been aluminum.

Yes...thats the secret. If you have found a good machining shop with competent operators, anything can be produced for spares...i was lucky to find one of these shops, and produced a complete deck from parts got locally....

Edited by weegee
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Mr. Pichai looked at the photos of the "Guangzhou Winner Machinery Technology co. ltd" factory and the ride on tractor. He said it looks very much like the "Kanto" brand of ride on lawn mower that is sold in Thailand. The kanto ride on lawn mower is made in China, and has a made in the USA Briggs 7 Stratton engine. But make no mistake, it is NOT made in Jackson Michigan.

http://www.ratthanin-tools.com/product/10/%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%96%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%8D%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B1%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%9A-kanto-%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B8%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%99-kt-xct102

http://www.ratthanin-tools.com/ seems to sell the made in China Kanto ride on lawn mower for 136,850 baht.

That same lawn mower is sold under different brand names including "Tuff Mate' according to this web site:

http://steven918123.en.made-in-china.com/product/MKNxfzdUCmWv/China-Professional-Ride-on-Mower-Riding-Mower-Tractor-with-CE-GS-Certified-Briggs-Stratton-17-5HP-.html

The Troy Bilt ride on lawn mower sold at Ruangsangthai in Buriram and at Homepro in Surin is NOT the same product as the Kanto ride on grass mower or Tuff Mate Lawn Garden Tractor.

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Ok, this is obviously the thread to ask.

The local shops in Sak Lek are selling Stihl chainsaws for 8000baht and Chinese knockoff crap for 3500. Where is the Stihl made?

I want to import 3 diesel motors from China. All 20hp stationary diesel. As well as the invoice from the factory price and freight, what import duty and tax could I expect to pay? I asked a local what duty/tax and he said 30% and 7%.

Would it be better to import using the wifes name?

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Ok, this is obviously the thread to ask.

The local shops in Sak Lek are selling Stihl chainsaws for 8000baht and Chinese knockoff crap for 3500. Where is the Stihl made?

I want to import 3 diesel motors from China. All 20hp stationary diesel. As well as the invoice from the factory price and freight, what import duty and tax could I expect to pay? I asked a local what duty/tax and he said 30% and 7%.

Would it be better to import using the wifes name?

That sounds about right...but if it's a protected product because it's already made here in Thailand, I think you will swallow twice when you actually go to get the items...could end up nearer 100%...37% is usually the starting figure.

Just about all the Stihl stuff is now made in China....That I have seen here.

Your name or the wifes name....no difference...Tax is Tax. Tried to buy yesterday, a engine for one of the ride ons, from the biggest dealer around here(Thailand). The answer later that day from them was....sorry no can do...they couldnt guarantee the final price because of Customs Tax....So they were worried about what tax they would actually be charged.AND that is a Large Thai Business.

Everything is a mine field when importing just a one off.....

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  • 5 months later...

Are there any members here familiar with the old Westwood T1200 and T1600 machines made in the UK? I have 1 of each that I am in the process of restoring and either I need to find a person who knows the mowers and decks etc or I may have to sell them.They are solid workhorses with B & S engines.

Are there any small equuipment specialists in the Phitsanilok, Phichit areas that can help. Anyone. Thanks.

I am in the lower north and planned on using them to cut the grass on our 2 rai of mango orchard.

For those unfamiliar with this kit, here's pictures of similar machines.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=westwood+t1200&biw=1000&bih=629&tbm=isch&imgil=SbTKDjWib7DYqM%253A%253BWpjeAp-FW_5B4M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.cheffins.co.uk%25252Flot%25252F-510487-machinery-0&source=iu&pf=m&fir=SbTKDjWib7DYqM%253A%252CWpjeAp-FW_5B4M%252C_&usg=__5QE1qMRUUkl5txukF1hHUEjClwk%3D&ved=0CDAQyjdqFQoTCImS5ZSW5cgCFWYdpgodNJkJ-Q&ei=UsAwVomhGOa6mAW0sqbIDw#imgrc=jgr9r1ZkqIOMQM%3A&usg=__5QE1qMRUUkl5txukF1hHUEjClwk%3D

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ratcatcher... Those look like very simple machines. About the only thing you need to do is check to make sure all the pulleys turn smooth and don't have worn out bearings. Replace the vee belts and make sure all the fasteners are proper and off you go. Not sure if those used a transaxle but those are usually sealed units.

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The brearing seat mold (item 1) may be hard to find replacement for if its been mis shaped due to running the machine with woren out bearing. The shaft that connects the V belt pulley to the cutting blade can be another spot check. Bearing of various size with OD for mold and ID for shaft, should be avaliable and a decent machine shop can cut you a shift from a example/ old one if needed. the mold that bolts onto the cutting deck (item1) may be hard to find here, if its trashed and not repairable.

good luck

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Honestly, you can make those spindles as easy as falling out of bed...

Go look in a large Hardware store anywhere in Thailand and look for a cast wheel bearing housings...They come with bearings and with a little change, they are perfect for any size machine...sorry no photo available, I have used all mine on machines here.

They cost 600 baht each to buy....takes a shaft of your choice just by changing the bearings supplied with them.

PM me if anyone on here needs more info.....If you need genuine parts, I have the contacts.

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