Accurate Exchange Rates (Importing)

[theshadow2001]

Im thinking about importing an instrument from the US. If I do I'll probably pay via credit card. Is there anyway that I can get an accurate (or as close as possible) the exchange rate I would be paying including the costs added by the credit card company(Visa). So I can get an accurate projection of costs. Whilst the likes of www.xe.com/ucc will give the current dollar versus euro conversion no problem, I would likely pay more than their stated rate due to the credit card taking their cuts. As I type this though I'm thinking that it would be cheaper just to mail a bank draft over thus cutting out the credit cards fee and only having to pay the banks fee for exchanging currency(which would be cheaper than credit card I imagine).

[Sheep Man]

I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, but a quick google search of "Visa exchange rates" yielded this:
http://www.corporate.visa.com/pd/consumer_ex_rates.jsp

And throwing in EUR to USD with 0% bank fee came up with:
http://www.corporate.visa.com/pd/con...o=USD&rate=0.0

[theshadow2001]

Thanks sheep man I tried googling before but to no avail. Maybe because Im more of a put everything under the matrass before putting it in the bank kind of guy. The site could be for when you use your credit card abroad. Is that the same as buying something over the phone in america? All this stuff confuses the hell out of me

[katri]

hey bad news some manufactures have said that they wont let their products (i.e basses) be sold from one country to another. this means you might only be able to buy used gear from the U.S
sorry
dan

[theshadow2001]

Originally Posted by katri

hey bad news some manufactures have said that they wont let their products (i.e basses) be sold from one country to another. this means you might only be able to buy used gear from the U.S
sorry
dan

This is a non issue for me since I'll be buying from the manufacturer. Major bummer though. There was a lot to be saved by buying from shops in America. Still though a lot of people have been known to make day trips to new york from here to do shopping. I could always order the bass on the phone hop over pick it up and bring it back and still save money. Anyways all unrelated right now.....

Ok I think I've got it! I've been browsing around my banks internet site and came across "currency conversion fee's" for the Visa card that they issue. Which is 2.75% for rest of world (ie America)

So if I add 2.75% to the currency conversion rate on www.xe.com I'll get what I actually will be paying.

Or Alternitavely put 2.75% into the bank fee section in the link that sheep man gave

Would people agree that this is correct? Is there other chrages invloved that Im not thinking of that some of you might let me know about.