TROA soft top: nice fit? Happy with the product? OEM Bows. (2 Viewers)

[NicksFJ40]

Just an FYI, I ordered a TROA top, Friday morning I received a call from FedEx. Fed Ex passed on that the Customs agents in Miami wanted to know where the zippers were made. Ha ha, I told her to call TROA, I didn’t make the top. She tried and there wasn’t an answers. I told her Colombia. We will see what happens.

 

[RevISK]

Just an FYI, I ordered a TROA top, Friday morning I received a call from FedEx. Fed Ex passed on that the Customs agents in Miami wanted to know where the zippers were made. Ha ha, I told her to call TROA, I didn’t make the top. She tried and there wasn’t an answers. I told her Colombia. We will see what happens.

Interesting, I’ve been reluctant to keep selling tops but just sold two last week. Hopefully this kind of stuff doesn’t keep happening. Although, I do my best to head this type of stuff off of r at least use my contacts with TROA to get some resolution.

I had one incident where they (FedEx) attempted to charge an additional $65 for something. TROA did step up and cover it although I (Daddy Warbucks) had to front it.

@NicksFJ40 I guess you bought your top through eBay or something but feel free to reach out if you need some help, I’ll do what I can.

Ian

 

[NicksFJ40]

I did go through EBay. I emailed through the TROA sight, and that’s what was suggested. All has been great and assume things will work out. It’s crazy because I’m not ordering a box of zippers, it’s part of a product. Thank you RevISK. I’m looking forward to the install.

 

[RevISK]

When I bought my top last summer, they were hung up about aluminum content in the metal parts and where it came from.
Huh?

 

[NicksFJ40]

RevISK, what ultimately happened? Did you have contact with FedEx or Customs?

 

[RevISK]

RevISK, what ultimately happened? Did you have contact with FedEx or Customs?

Eventually TROA handled it. I’d never seen one of their tops in person and all of a sudden I’m being asked about the metallurgical methods of the maker?

It was all customs to be fair, and this was pre tariff confusion to boot. In the end TROA took care of it but the communication was lacking at times.

It is partly what led to me becoming a small distributor for them, so I could help with communication.

Again, feel free to reach out if you need any assistance, happy to help.

Ian

 

[Chungas Revenge]

From what I can gather, it’s a bottleneck to a single belly button in Customs…Same here, punted Customs questions about contents, lunar eclipses and Aztec Mythology back to TROA. Handled expertly.

 

[gr8ful]

Because they fall into an automotive classification, they fall into the section 232 steel & aluminum derivatives tariffs. You have to pay a tariff on the value of the steel or aluminum parts that are in there, unless you can prove they were smelted in the USA. The 232 rules predate all of the current trade war tariff issues. Technically you are supposed to declare the country of smelt on these parts as well, and if you don’t know, you are supposed to declare Russia, or some other highly sanctioned country.

As the importer of record, you are legally the person that is supposed to know these answers, so telling CBP, I don’t know, ask TROA is a higher risk scenario. Ever since the customs modernization act of ‘93, it is the importer’s responsibility to know what they are doing, blah blah blah.

Although more often than not, a fedex rep would just click the box that says “no metal” & move on without asking. They’ll get more hardcore about it with all the changes this year.

 

[RevISK]

Because they fall into an automotive classification, they fall into the section 232 steel & aluminum derivatives tariffs. You have to pay a tariff on the value of the steel or aluminum parts that are in there, unless you can prove they were smelted in the USA. The 232 rules predate all of the current trade war tariff issues. Technically you are supposed to declare the country of smelt on these parts as well, and if you don’t know, you are supposed to declare Russia, or some other highly sanctioned country.

As the importer of record, you are legally the person that is supposed to know these answers, so telling CBP, I don’t know, ask TROA is a higher risk scenario. Ever since the customs modernization act of ‘93, it is the importer’s responsibility to know what they are doing, blah blah blah.

Although more often than not, a fedex rep would just click the box that says “no metal” & move on without asking. They’ll get more hardcore about it with all the changes this year.

Interesting, thanks for the lesson.

I was directed, by whomever I was being asked at customs, to involve the seller when I was being asked these questions. The poster above, like me at the time, is just buying something online and has no idea, nor really should/could they, where the metal was smelted. I thought it was amusing that I was asked how much aluminum was in the stamped steel or cold roll steel tubing.

Appreciate the insight.

Are you ever going to make tops again?

 

[rlong]

This is all interesting, I’m big on answering whatever I think is what will get me past.. “no aluminum”.. “These aren't the droids your looking for”

 

[voyager:01]

Me too.

Here's one of my old '73 with a vinyl Pakistan top for reference/comparison. No weirdness over the door or windshield corner. Wish we could still get these.

 

[Jdc1]

Because they fall into an automotive classification, they fall into the section 232 steel & aluminum derivatives tariffs. You have to pay a tariff on the value of the steel or aluminum parts that are in there, unless you can prove they were smelted in the USA. The 232 rules predate all of the current trade war tariff issues. Technically you are supposed to declare the country of smelt on these parts as well, and if you don’t know, you are supposed to declare Russia, or some other highly sanctioned country.

As the importer of record, you are legally the person that is supposed to know these answers, so telling CBP, I don’t know, ask TROA is a higher risk scenario. Ever since the customs modernization act of ‘93, it is the importer’s responsibility to know what they are doing, blah blah blah.

Although more often than not, a fedex rep would just click the box that says “no metal” & move on without asking. They’ll get more hardcore about it with all the changes this year.

So in a nutshell; Whoever smelt it, dealts it?

(Not accurate, see @Living in the Past ’s factual description below.)

 

[Living in the Past]

So in a nutshell; Whoever smelt it, dealts it.

No! Something that was smelted in one country and shipped to another country to be used in a product imported to the US is not going to pay any tariff. Importer is actually the one responsible for any tariffs. If you can get the manufacturer in another country to pay great.

 

[JohnnyC]

So in a nutshell; Whoever smelt it, dealts it.

Whoever buy it be liable for it

I rhyme with every line... I´m a poet and didn't even know it

 

[RevISK]

Importer is actually the one responsible for any tariffs

The buyer here is the "importer" for all intents and purposes.

 

[NicksFJ40]

TROA forwarded a couple docs to me and others, non of the emails said FedEx/Customs. So I don’t know who they are. I forwarded them to the FedEx agent that called me. Haven’t heard anything.

Tracking still shows Miami Customs. RevISK, if you have contact with TROA, it might be beneficial to put the Customs document in with the soft top. Just a thought. Seems like the zipper is the only hold back for the tops.

 

[RevISK]

TROA forwarded a couple docs to me and others, non of the emails said FedEx/Customs. So I don’t know who they are. I forwarded them to the FedEx agent that called me. Haven’t heard anything.

Tracking still shows Miami Customs. RevISK, if you have contact with TROA, it might be beneficial to put the Customs document in with the soft top. Just a thought. Seems like the zipper is the only hold back for the tops.

Don't be surprised if you get some additional paperwork.

The zippers being the thing is interesting, they are components used in so many different applications and likely easily targeted as being made in China.

My contacts have their own ideas of how the paperwork thing works.

 

[mdsims]

I wasn’t able to find any web presence, though I didn’t look too hard. Then I realized there is a Colombian phone number on the top itself.

 

[NicksFJ40]

Looks like the top made it through Customs.

 

[RevISK]

Looks like the top made it through Customs.

View attachment 3902284

Be prepared for a large crate. Roughly 6x4x1 if you got the whole shebang.

I would also open up the crate and inspect all of your metalwork, if you are in doubt about something reach out.

Ian