Job Discussion Forums

[Drizzt]

Hello to everyone in the Mexican forum.

I am a recent arrival in Mexico (coming over from China) and am looking to buy a high-end computer (mainly for on-line gaming) here.

I have discovered that the prices are highly inflated (as much as 50% in some cases) for not only the computers themselves, but also the individual components (such as video cards, processors, RAM, etc.) due to import costs, IVA, etc.

Recently I�ve been racking my brain trying to come up with an idea to get a new desktop without incurring these additional expenses.

Then it finally hit me:

Purchase the components online in the US and have them shipped to my father�s address. Then have my father ship them to me directly through the mail. That way I can just assemble the computer myself and I can buy the larger less expensive stuff here (such as the tower). Now, I am assuming that there is some sort allowance for gifts where you don�t have to pay taxes on personal items sent from, say, family members...am I correct in this assumption? I know some countries make you pay a tax based on the assumed value of whatever you receive. I would just like to confirm that I should have no problem doing this before I start ordering parts.

Thanks.

[Polly0607]

Unfortunately, customs will charge you a lot of duty, and you won�t know how much until it arrives and the courier company is demanding payment in order to get your computer.

They charge more duty on new items then they do on used. I have had books shipped to me and sometimes I get away without paying duty and other times it is a considerable amount, up to 50% of the worth of the shipment. Obviously a new computer is not something that is going to get through unnoticed.

You might want to check out Dell Mexico. You can order a computer with an English processor and that determines the language of the keyboard. You can pick and choose your options and it will arrive at your house by courier. So far it is the best option I have found.

I sincerely advise you against having a new computer shipped to you.

Good luck.

[gordogringo]

I agree you might be smarter to check out options in Mexico.There is an exception to save you money.If your father is not too far from the US/Mexico border he could drive the computer over the border and take it to the nearest UPS station in Mexico.Ship it from there no problem,no tax.I do all my shopping on the US side for electronics (much cheaper)
and carry them over the border in my car.Nobody looks and just follow the flow of traffic into Mexico.But may be more complicated than necessary.

[MELEE]

Okay, since Mixteco Mike hasn't been seen since just after the election, I'm going to say this, its not really my opinion, I already talked to the poster about some of his options, but for the benefit of other readers...


����TEPITO!!!!

[Drizzt]

Ok, thanks for all the suggestions!

I guess having the components mailed is out of the question then.

If my dad comes to visit me in December, what are the chances he could get through customs at the airport with a computer tower? Any problem is they inspect the luggage and find it, or are you allowed to bring such things without paying any taxes?

By the way, thanks for the tips earlier, Melee =)

[Polly0607]

I think the best solution is to buy a laptop. Beef it up with whatever memory or video card you need. Your father can bring it through customs with no problem whatsoever. You are allowed to bring one laptop with no charge. My father has done this for me, actually.

[Polly0607]

I forgot to mention that he will have a much harder time getting through with a desktop.

When my husband and I returned to Mexico after having lived in Canada for six years, we wanted to bring our desktop. We brought it with us on the plane and had a hard time getting it through. Luckily we had a copy of the paperwork we had done with the Mexican Consulate to ship our furniture. The computer was included on the list. They said they weren�t supposed to let us through, but they would make an exception. We were supposed to pay duty on the computer.

Maybe the fact that my sons were exhausted and crying played a part in us being let through.

If it had been a laptop, there would have been no discussion whatsoever.

[MELEE]

Another option I talked about with Drizzt, for others following this thread, is I suggested he get a great laptop and immediately sell it here in Mexico and use the money to buy a more powerful desktop. The laptop market, in this part of Mexico anyways, has remained stronger than the desktop market. Desktops have dropped in price more than laptops have and the laptop will have a high local market value, especially considering the community of electronic and computer engineers Drizzt has landed in.

[Drizzt]

Polly, that�s a really good suggestion about just bringing a laptop over here. It�s just that I�ve had back luck with laptops -- I often use them for high-end gaming which ends up burning out some of the hardware, such as the video card due to overheating. A problem with laptops is it�s hard to keep them cooled down especially when they are pushed to the limit.

What I might end up doing is just trying to sell my laptop I have now (after I get it fixed that is!) and order a desktop online from Dell, pay the extra fees, and just bite the bullet.

[Guy Courchesne]