Shipping parts to Australia....

[cjshaker]

I was asked to give a quote for shipping some nice custom ROSS pistons to Australia. HOLY COW!!!! The CHEAPEST quote I got back from UPS was $398!! Other shipping options from UPS ranged from $411 to $470!!

I always knew it wasn't cheap for you Aussies to get parts, but that seems INSANE! Is that in-line with others experiences for shipping parts there? I know there are several Aussies on this forum, so in the interest of helping a fellow FE guy out, is there a better way of shipping to get that price down? The package weighs 23 pounds total (that's 10.43 kg).

Edit: I got a quote from USPS and it was MUCH cheaper at $190 for Priority Mail Express International. Not sure I have complete confidence in getting the absolute cheapest rate though. Does anyone from Australia have any input as to how the best way to ship something like this is?

[ToddK]

I have found USPS to be the cheapest, and if you go with the tracking number option, it is pretty reliable. I buy just about all my parts from the U.S., and haven't had any I can remember go astray.

For larger or bulkier parts, DHL is also a good option. For even bigger or heavier stuff, I go through a shipping agent and have it sea freighted.

[cjshaker]

Thanks for the info, Todd. Normally, in the states, UPS is the cheapest for about anything bigger than a small box. Evidently that isn't the case when shipping overseas.

[fekbmax]

I use usps to Ireland because it seems to be the cheapest and easiest to track.

[jayb]

USPS is the only reasonable way to go for a shipment to Australia from the US.  I've shipped several of my intake adapters there and they all made it.  One was banged up a little from rough handling, but not seriously damaged.  Just pack it real, real well and drop it off with the post office.

[blykins]

I'll 2nd or 3rd the use of USPS.....it will be much cheaper to ship it that way. 

[cjshaker]

Thanks for the help, guys. I typically overpackage anyway because I've seen how packages get handled. What's hard to believe is that a gov't run organization CAN actually be the cheapest route

[rhinosoft]

I went to order some air bleed blanks from JEGs (Summit are the same) and the parts were around US$22 but shipping was US$67...why!!

They would easily fit in a small envelope, don't need a box with shiet loads of bubble wrap.

There is a business opportunity for someone in the US; margins are so small I guess the big players rule?

Graeme

[Yellow Truck]

I routinely beg vendors not to use UPS. The actually make USPS look like a well run operation. My last set of parts came in three packages. None of them were delivered on time, and one of them took a different route where it sat in a warehouse for a week for no particular reason. When I got it it cost me almost $200 brokerage fee to collect about $90 in sales tax. The part that went its own way was the crankshaft, and UPS dropped it and delivered the box split open.

The outrageous brokerage fee is routine, and Fedex usually charges around $10 for the same service.

I emphasize it was not my only astonishingly stupid experience with UPS.

[Nightmist66]

Any more, I much rather prefer USPS instead of UPS because it seems to be cheaper, easy to track, and arrives quickly too. Not to mention safer! We have had a few bad experiences with UPS and damaged packages. I think they misinterpret the labels sometimes to be CAUTION-Throw Underhand.

[cjshaker]

I guess I have been really lucky, I have never had a problem using UPS or USPS. I routinely overpackage though, because you have to assume the worst is going to happen during shipment. Remember, if you tossed packages for 8hrs a day, 5 days a week, it would be human nature to become rather nonchalant about it, especially when you're making about minimum wage pay.

I have shipped guitars to South America before. Now you talk about being WORRIED that it would arrive in safe condition....ship a $5000 guitar 7000 miles!! Double boxed, wrapped in cloth, then bubble wrap, then packing peanuts, then another layer of bubble wrap, then styrofoam, wrapped in cardboard! It arrived safely though

[machone]

I used to have the AED carbs shipped out to Australia and AED used UPS initially, then we decided to switch to regular United States Postal Service, was much cheaper and reliable.  Would also post them individually to keep the value at under $1,000 per item so that we don't get slugged extra tax as well!

Plan on doing it again very soon and also looking for a good FE parts supplier(even though the market is quite small) for FE parts, and any other Ford Performance or Vintage racing parts?

Naz