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Importing via an agent in the USA would have cost me about $1200 US for this OTA plus a CGE mount, on top of the 10% GST on import and the customs administration fee.
In my case, CGE + C9.25 for you to use as an example:
4029 USD new
+ ~1200 USD agent/shipping fee, including UPS expedited and export documentation
+ 10% ($530 USD)
+ estimated $50 customs administration fee (that is what they wanted to process my Megrez 90 import, it may be higher depending on the value of the item)
for a total of at least $6600 at current exchange rates. Purchasing domestically would be $8000.
Direct import, assuming you could find a used scope or vendor willing to ship, would be about $6000. That is a 25% savings, more than enough to cover returning the entire OTA and mount to the USA for service should you experience catastrophic failure; you just won't be getting an over the counter exchange. Put another way, that savings is more than the cost of the OTA in the USA, and 2/3 the cost of the mount.
My personal advice is that if you want more or less hassle free and have the funds, purchase domestically, otherwise importing may be the way to go. You have to decide where it sits on your own comfort metre.
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