Planning to buy BIC America PL200-ii version 2 subwoofer from NY USA and bring it to India.

[sriram_shol]

Check with @sribuddy who has put a sale thread on BIC PL200ii sub. Its hardly few months old and carries great warranty.

It might excite you to buy the sub from USA but the same is available here and you get warranty in the case of fault or replacement. You may know BIC has great value and customer care.

Also once you bring it here , you may to open the subwoofer to change the voltage from 110 to 240. Unless you are careful in the steps, things could go wrong and you may have to run behind BIC India for an unwarranted product.

IMO, taking such an effort is worth for subs like HSU, PSA, Monolith, Seaton, JTR which are niche. You are taking so much of risk for a product to import from overseas which carries no warranty when the same is available here.

Please give a thought if you really have to go thru all these route. Do reconsider before taking this step.

 

[aniket.ani12]

Thank you for the honest opinion.

 

[sud98]

Hello All,

one of my friend is returning from NY to India this month end and i am planning to order "BIC America PL200-ii version 2 subwoofer" from from amazon.com.
This is just a subwoofer and having dimentions - 29.5 x 31.8 x 119.4 cm (i estimate the box at least 4 inches bigger from all the sides)
Item Weight - 19.8 Kg (43.8 pounds)
He will be flying via Air France flight from JFK connecting flight from Paris to Mumbai. (Air france has total of 43 KG's allowed)

i have few questions:
1) can he bring this item with him in checked in bagage?
2) lets say if his baggage allowance is full, will he be charged for extra baggage for this box weighing 43 pounds?
3) upon arrival, what process he needs to follow to pay the customs on mumbai airport? or will he be needing to pay the customs?
4) what do you think it would cost for extra baggage of 43 pounds + customs?

Please help.

I had got my sub from the US.

For flights from the US (connecting flights dont matter, unless there is a break in journey, the typical baggage limit is two bags with each being a max. of 23 kgs (depending upon the class of ticket). So if he has only one checked in bag and the shipped weight is less, then there is no issue from a baggage allowance perspective.

From a customs perspective, if you declare as subwoofer, and show the invoice, you should ideally not get charged any duty.

 

[Tuhin Lavania]

To be honest, you are taking too much risk for a mere 13k difference. Bic pl200 sells for 40k here with warranty.
I would consider buying something from abroad stuff like very expensive subs like pb16 ultra which i think is sold for 3L in India and you can save a hefty amount buying it from abroad.
Please rethink.

 

[sud98]

IMO, once the cost of an item is more than double, just go for it. Only problem in BIC is the effort one needs to do in changing the jumper cables. But youtube has videos for the same. Worst case, if something happens and cannot be handled locally you can again buy from the US and you still would have paid lesser.

 

[rksingh1]

From a customs perspective, if you declare as subwoofer, and show the invoice, you should ideally not get charged any duty.

Let me confirm it again - you declared you're carrying a sub worth few hundred dollars and showed the invoice. Custom officer let you go without any duty? Why and how did that happen? Ideally a 30% tax is expected to be charged - isn't it?

Also - how about the voltage converter for electronics from US - that is another 7-9k extra.

It mayor may not be worth BIC PL200 and 13k - but I am sure it'll be worth Rythmik, SVS, XTZ subs where the gap is steep.

 

[edjamesx]

Hello All,

one of my friend is returning from NY to India this month end and i am planning to order "BIC America PL200-ii version 2 subwoofer" from from amazon.com.


Please help.

May not recommend .. Since Sub woofer is heavy, and many complexities involved
1. From airport they may charge extra if its heavier than allowed baggage weight.
2. As per Airport transfer labour law you should limit your one baggage weight max upto 18kg. Though you are allowed to carry more weight. In this case you need to split into multiple baggages.
3.Its subject to many security scans since the box is bigger and suspicious and big magnet shield is involved.
4. There's chance of sub falling down and getting damaged due to heavy weight. I am not sure whether you have seen how people handling luggage from airport before.
5. There's heavy custom duty charged .
6. Product will become out of warranty.
7. Its burden to your dear friend as well to carry

Instead consider buying less heavy items, Like projector or small amps ..etc. Projector you can carry in from your hand luggage as well and keep it safe , and you may say to customs its for business presentation and you may escape customs.
I did same when i carried projector , and they did not charge anything. But it may not same case to all but they are high chances to escape.