buyring a raptor in canada

[barrett]

besides em tryign to score something used, im thinking about buy one new as a kit to really familiarize myself, and know everything is built right. so with my US pricing in the back of my head, i went to GH to see how much she will cost, and they want over twice what most people in the US are asking. Is THunder Tiger hard to get here or something? anyways basically this is my call to see if anyone knows somewhere with a decent price on these kits. kit with cf blades runs about 370 usd.

[Charlie]

$370 USD is about $505 CAN. By the time you put shipping, duty, custom fee's (all USD) it will cast you the same or even more to buy one in the USA

I bought a set of 550mm rotor blades from down there about 1 1/2 years ago and I payed $75 USD for them, by the time I got them in my hand, I had $160 CAN into them. If your thinking THAT'S A RIP OFF, your absolutely right. I have never bought anything down there again.

[barrett]

hmm, well i have products comming in from and i send to the states on a weekly basis (as im truly addicted to this damn hobby), i agree shipping can be bad, however i have a fed ex account and even to ship large parcels to the states (such as i did recently with an r/c monster truck), it only cost me 15 cdn for 5 day service. there can also be brokerage if you use ups especially, fedex is really decent for brokerage fees. exchange is hoverig at a nice low rate lately,

btw GH wants nearly 700 for the 505 echange price, there is NO WAY shipping and brackerage would be that much, and also why should we have to take that in account, all busniesses write off there brokerage and most of their shipping expenses anyways, i just felt like GH was slightly gouging on this, as for the most part i am very happy with there prices.

[Colin]

They might be more expensive but not twice so,

649 and 779 for the 50 with or without engine at GH then you go to Ricks and size it up at ruffly at 385 and 479USD=524 and 652 Canadian. This is not anywhere close to double which would be about 960 and 1244 Canadian.

Heliproz is 394USD and 500USD= 536 CND and 680 CND
For me to ship from US costs about 40 CND but if I get gouged for brokerage fee by not going the correct route it gets really expensive.

So do you want to support the locals and save cross border shipping hassles/costs plus have a local supply of parts or do you want to buy American for a few bucks? :D These GH guys give out quite a few prizes through the summer for Canadian funflys and offer decent product support. Actually you and I are on this very forum thanks to them. All I can say is I've seen the frugal mark ups, they are not gouging anyone and are only trying to make an honest living.

Try the Tower Hobbies currency converter. http://www.towerhobbies.com/listings/cat-cat-e.html

Just keeping things in an honest perspective.

Stephen

[Legend4]

I have found Great Hobbies to be very competive in their prices. Lots of times they are even cheaper.

Trevor

[barrett]

this looks like I started a bashing towards GH, I LOVE THEM, and have probably spent over 2000 the last year with them, but as any company cant have competitive prices in all aspects, i thought maybe it was with there raptors. as far as me saying double, i meant a 2.0x conversion in currency, instead of what it is currently around 1.3x on the dollar. THe thing that blew me away is that they are usually on par with the current exchange rate, and them being so far off with the heli kinda made me shake my head. anyways it doesnt look like i will find one cheaper, and I was wanting to find one in canada. I really do hate buying outside of the country but it really seems the usa has about 100x the r/c enthusiasts we do, and all my trading seems to fall on that side of the boarder.

Thanks for everyones input.

[SpaceCowboy]

Hi guys ; Do not forget that all our hobby stores have some old stock they have bought at the old prices.

I have seen this in my local hobby shop.


Most of the stuff I have bought in Toledo would be cheaper to buy in Canada if it was in stock . It is just that it is available there to see and handle so I buy it .

Just my 2 cents.


Great Hobbies is great to me too. :D

[Legend4]

I have been thinking about buying a raptor. After comparing the price with the JR venture the raptor is rather on the expensive side. Maybe the canadian distributor has something to do with the higher price? I don't know. With the talk in another thread lately about problems getting parts in canada and Ace to be supplying directly to us in the future. Maybe we will see some better prices?

[barrett]

well i just spoke with a buddy of mine who owns a hobby store in Yorkton (just opened), Rob told me thunder tiger is not supplying to canada right now, and he can only get it in through certain american distributors. I thought i remembered hearing something about thunder tiger a while back in jan or feb about pulling all inventory and going to go about it all diff. so maybe thats why the price's are what they are here.

[Colin]

Bashing...certainly not at all. You had some issues, questions and voiced them. Information was exchanged for a better understanding from the other side of the fence. Speak your mind I always say.

cheers,

stephen

[Gonzo007]

One place you might want to look into is Jet Hobbies in Richmond BC. They have great prices on Raptor Heli stuff. All my friends that fly Raptors by there. I do believe they have a mail order.

If you would like any other info just let me know.

Colin

[Colin]

One place you might want to look into is Jet Hobbies in Richmond BC

I ordered there once but won't again because I have found out that it's grey market stores like these that put companies like GH out of business. Not to mention if anything is broken in the kit there is nothing that can be done about it. You won't be able to get a new item for free.

Colin

[Gonzo007]

I didn't know that they were Grey Market. Like I said my friends that fly Raptors buy there. Mind you we are not mail ordering stuff. I will say this for GH all my expereince with them have been pleasent. But 95% of everything I buy comes from Norburn Hobbies. Dean just doesn't care Raptor stuff.

Colin

[kamlooper]

Somehow I got signed up on some mailing list from Triad Aviation, Ponoka Alta. and recieved an e-flyer on June 16th which has some Raptor kits listed on sale. Heres an example of 1 Raptor kit:

Raptor 30 V2 Sport Kit Reg. $429.99 Sale $399.99 Cdn.

Take note, Ive have not bought anything from them or know anyone who has...Im just passing the info along.

Theyre email is: triadav@telusplanet.net
Phone: 1-888-783-3912

Myself Id reccomend the Hawk Sport for a beginner, as theyre are a capable and inexpensive machine and have a very good distributor in Canada with good parts supply.

good luck

[Noin]

What the heck is a grey market store?

[Colin]

Grey market dealers buy overseas and don't go through the normal purchasing/distribution channels. The distributor and merchants should not and do not have to technically support a product acquired in this manner since they have not reaped any benefits. Warranty through many distributors is normally refused in these cases for good reason. My point is (even though I do help anywhere I can) why should I setup or fix your grey market heli when Great Hobbies earnings support my efforts? Think of the situation where Joe Blow buys a Grey Market heli and calls the GH tech line for support, the educated guy on the end of the phone is paid a salary to answer and help you along. E-mail tech support if present falls under similar reasoning. When you look at say the GAFF, we don't see grey market prizes. A reputable manufacturer basically should and usually does guard against this type of marketing to protect his distributership investment. By trying as a hobbiest group to have ones cake and eat it too it is quite possible that certain product lines could vanish from the local shelves. To be clear, I am however speculating from what is normal within the business world.

This is something to consider for the new flyer buying a first helicopter or the seasoned modeler who likes things stocked close at hand and supported in a proper technical manner. Just a point of view I wanted to make from my window.

Stephen Bell

[Gonzo007]

Colin

Thanks for the info on Grey Market Dealers.

I use to own a Hawk I, I loved that heli, I had to stop flying them just because I am now a student and need to spend my cash on school now. I would also recommend a Hawk Sport.

Kamlooper

I was wondering where you fly? I will be moving back to Kamloops in Sept for my second year at UCC. Just would like to know where some good spots to fly are.

Thanks

Colin

[Colin]

We travel as far as Quebec right now, based in NS. Due to travel costs we stick closer to home in the Maritimes.
My reasoning with heli brand is any heli is a good heli so long as one is happy.

Stephen

[kamlooper]

Colin, I pm'ed ya.

[Rappyfly]

Grey Market?

Lets me use Rick's Heli for a example. I order a lot of minair stuff from them and what did I get return in technical assistance? None. The most they provided to me are business services(return, exchange).

It doesnt matter where you get your stuff from. The most helps you will get is from local flyers and a phone call might not help when problem might be series of links. Communication over the phone is not the best way to get help on heli related stuff. I have met pepole from Kirkland Lake Ont with his heli and tried to get help in Toronto when they had a weekend trip.

If any store have grey market stuff, he just simply save cost and pass benefits to you. If he marks the price same as other guy. Will you know the source of the kit?