Just two cents for anyone else wanting to import a land cruiser from Costa Rica. Do not use Vanguard Shipping and do not use the Seattle port. It seems many people import cruisers to Florida without a hitch. But it has taken us two and a half months to get our container since dropping the trucks off. Now, the trucks are sitting in Seattle, incurring storage, transport fees, and handling costs up the wazoo because Customs decided to wait 11 days to do an inspection and you only are allowed 9 free days of storage at the Port. The accrued costs are hideous--$525 so far for 3 days over. Thank you feds. Thank you so very much for taking care of your citizens.
They still have to be sent to ANOTHER storage for ANOTHER "intensive exam" because Customs think they saw something or some things that require a closer look. This means the costs are going to be well over $1000 before even paying the tax. These costs are passed on to the shipping broker. And guess who the shipping broker passes them to? We were obliged to guarantee payment of any additional costs after the fact. What company makes a customer write a blank check!? There was, of course, no disclosure of such possible costs being incurred. If we'd known this was a possibility we would have much rather driven them through Mexico back to the states.
Basically we are being severely punished/penalized for not doing anything. We're seeking any lawyers knowledgeable in importing/customs. They will find that there's no cartel, coke, or humans stowed away in our trucks and yet we are being penalized to kingdom come.
They still have to be sent to ANOTHER storage for ANOTHER "intensive exam" because Customs think they saw something or some things that require a closer look. This means the costs are going to be well over $1000 before even paying the tax. These costs are passed on to the shipping broker. And guess who the shipping broker passes them to? We were obliged to guarantee payment of any additional costs after the fact. What company makes a customer write a blank check!? There was, of course, no disclosure of such possible costs being incurred. If we'd known this was a possibility we would have much rather driven them through Mexico back to the states.
Basically we are being severely punished/penalized for not doing anything. We're seeking any lawyers knowledgeable in importing/customs. They will find that there's no cartel, coke, or humans stowed away in our trucks and yet we are being penalized to kingdom come.