[H-GEN] Laptops

[James McPherson]

Frank Brand writes:
 > James McPherson wrote:
 > > my dad managed to get a Tecra 500CD? from New Hampshire early last year for
 > > bugger all (tm). NH doesn't have sales tax, so a configuration of
 > > {P166,32Mb,2.1Gb,CD} and win95+office95 cost him $1800US. His warranty is good
 > > for over here and I don't think he's got any complaints about it at all.
 > Some important points to remember here:-
 > 
 > 1. $1800 USD is $3000 AUD - doesn't matter whether you earn it there or
 > take it with you. Just because you make the money there, it does not
 > increase or decrease its real value.

actually when he got it it was more like AUD2400 - but that's the money market 
for you.

 > 2. I reckon I can get better value than this in Australia now but you
 > can in the US too - the dynamics of the computer commodities markets,
 > James is talking 18 months or so ago and prices move. A Toshiba
 > Satellite 2505 CDS 233 MMX MHz, 32 Mb RAM, 2Gb HDD, 20X CD ROM, Modem,
 > 12" screen and LI Battery is about $1400 USD best price (about $2400
 > AUD) - you may have to pay extra for the case in the US, the discounters
 > are very crafty. I can pick up a later model Toshiba 330 similar specs
 > for about $2700 (all tax and duty paid). Just a bit questionable whether
 > it is worthwhile when you consider you may be up for 20% duty on return
 > to Australia.

that is very true - I think that my Dad got around that because he didn't buy
it duty free in the US - he just happened to buy it in a State where there was 
no duty to pay ;)

 > 3. Even if you buy it duty free over there, Syd was right, you only get
 > $400 per person duty free into Australia and it will be subject to duty
 > on return. You can take the risk and not declare it or you can declare
 > it and take the risk on them charging you the duty.

or you could break it into $400 chunks and get it sent over to you one at a
time ;)


cheers all,
James