Shopbot Desktop Cost in Canada

[Doug Bornyk]

Has any one in Canada purchased a Shopbot desktop lately? I'm trying to get an accurate as possible price on the Base model no router (I would get the Porter Cable one here). There is:

Cost: $4995.00
Shipping: $385.00
Duties and Broker Fees: ????
Canadian Conversion: 1.30 on the dollar
10% GST Tax

My estimation if I'm correct is about $8500.00 :-(

Any ideas if I'm close or off, and any experience?

[Marc F. Lupien]

Hi, I bought one in august 2012. The broker fees was 101$cdn and the duties (labelled B3 GST) were 277.92. It was based on a 5549$US machine value. It was a basic desktop including the porter-cable router. I am living in Montreal.

Hope it helps

[Doug Bornyk]

It does help. Thanks. So if you spent 5549 us it ended up a fair bit more I assume. I don't remember the dollar back in 2012. How do you like it?

[rb99]

This is a good site for currency exchange values: http://www.xe.com/#

Right now it is $1.3305

You will also pay about 3% to Visa, PayPal, your bank or anyone else that does the exchange from CAD to USD. That is on top of other fees usually. HST is 14% where I am.

[Marc F. Lupien]

The machine is fantastic, as is the support from Shopbot Tools and the guys in this forum. I congratulate myself for buying a ShopBot everytime I use it.

As for the price, well, what can I say... after a couple months I just didn't think about it anymore.

Good luck.

[rb99]

The way the dollar is now, I have basically stopped buying anything out of the USA. It costs almost double the USD price in CAD by the time it gets here. Many Canadian suppliers that have stock are selling things way cheaper than they are selling in the US, I guess until the inventory is gone.

[shilala]

The only thing I can add is that a lot of used desktops come across the forum.
If the seller is motivated and still has the crate, it might be easy enough to talk him into shipping to Canada?
The savings should make the final price something realistic.

That said, the used desktops never last for long at all.
This stuff is built to last forever, and taken care of, it will. Without fail.

Even if you end up paying $8500, it'll be the most satisfying $8500 you ever spent, my brother.
Know that I feel for you. I wish there was some way around this beating, it ain't right.

To be honest, you'll see bigger savings on much bigger machines. Many that have set for a couple years and never come out of their shipping crates, for whatever reason.
If you could swing something like that, and resell it up there, that should leave you plenty of extra coin to get yourself a desktop.

[Simops]

The way the dollar is now, I have basically stopped buying anything out of the USA. It costs almost double the USD price in CAD by the time it gets here

Ditto here in AUS.....stopped buying from States unless absolutely essential. Thank goodness I bought my Bot when it was almost parity!!
A lot of my business relies on importing components from Switzerland and that is worse exchange......only last year was near parity.....then over a year bang it drops like a hot potato and business is down 50%.
Motto.....when it gets good again stock up!! I think it will get worse before good though!

Good luck with your purchase......at some stage you got to draw the line and do it!

[scottp55]

Make sure to get 5.5" Z and VCP8 ----MAJOR POINTS!
Sweet Machine!!!
scott

[James M]

I bought a bot off another Canadian to avoid the hassle of getting one out of the states. I had looked at another used unit in the states but was challenged by arranging the logistics to get the unit shipped to Canada. The problem is that everyone prices them in terms of the US dollar, even it you purchase it here in Canada.

As another writer pointed out that you can get a better deal if you can be patient and find a motivated seller. Be prepared to move on it quickly and work out the logistics of exporting a used unit to Canada in advance to make the whole operation go smoother.

Cheers,

James

[Ajcoholic]

I bought a bot off another Canadian to avoid the hassle of getting one out of the states. I had looked at another used unit in the states but was challenged by arranging the logistics to get the unit shipped to Canada. The problem is that everyone prices them in terms of the US dollar, even it you purchase it here in Canada.

As another writer pointed out that you can get a better deal if you can be patient and find a motivated seller. Be prepared to move on it quickly and work out the logistics of exporting a used unit to Canada in advance to make the whole operation go smoother.

Cheers,

James

Buying machinery from the USA is pretty straight forward... as I have done it several times, over many years (both used from a private seller, and from a manufacturer).

You just need to hire a broker to do the customs and import paperwork for you. As a business, I get any taxes back anyhow, and typically on something as large as my Shopbot purchase (back in Jan 2012 when I bought mine, total was about $21,000 C) total brokerage should be less than a few hundred.

I am not sure what the procedure for private (non business) is, but hiring a brokerage firm for a one-off doing of the paperwork is easy.

Last year when I bought my used regen blower from a guy here, It was around a grand C and I think it cost me $50 or $60 to broker it and get all the customs stuff done. Not difficult.

As for the currency exchange... well not much anyone can do about that!

[Doug Bornyk]

Thanks everyone. It's very valuable Information. I will be waiting for awhile, and hopefully the exchange rate will come down. We'll see. I really like the Shopbot, and it's the Number One on my list.

[Ajcoholic]

Thanks everyone. It's very valuable Information. I will be waiting for awhile, and hopefully the exchange rate will come down. We'll see. I really like the Shopbot, and it's the Number One on my list.

We're somewhat limited in Canada anyhow in terms of brands of machines you can actually buy here. I think some smaller units from General ( wouldn't touch them right now due to severe drop in service since they've been bought out) and a few places can get Laguna ( again I'd be worried about being able to get good tech support and service if need be). Anything else you're going to have to be in the same situation getting out of the USA anyhow.

If I ever am in a position to buy another CNC router... I've already told myself based on my experience I would go with a Shopbot again. Most definitely.