Eric,
This "fastest possible" is the normal American mode. They are steeped
in rapid consumerism. I continually battle with US firms to use
good old US Post...but they all want to use overnight or 3 day
deliveries. But shipments to Canada are even more expensive as when
they use the non-postal services there is a "customs clearance"
charge imposed by the courier. UPS is famous for this. So one ends
up paying for overnight (or 2-3 business days) freight AND a customs
charge. With US post - none of this. I got stiffed $30 + $23 +
taxes for a $10 part!! But try and educate the US suppliers
.....!!!! Having said that some of them have got wise - even to
using "sample" or "old auto parts" for easy border clearance !! One
thing I have found is that the supplier often has no protocol which
allows the shipping dept to use the US Post - they have contracts
with one courier like FedEx, UPS etc etc. Some web sites do not even
offer slow cheap US Post Service in their "buy on line"
facility!! Best bet is get it shipped to a friend in the US and get
them to mail it to you. But postage to and from Australia/Canada is
very expensive - !!!
At 11:00 AM 1/17/2009, Eric Erickson wrote:
>Guys,
>
>I am looking to buy a head gasket for my new engine from the Cometic
>Gasket people in Concord, OH.
>
>Yes, there is a Cometic distributor in Australia but it seems they
>don't have the exact gasket I need and would have to "special order"
>it in... so I am probably better off trying to get it from Cometic
>myself (maybe). The guys at Cometic said they don't stock any of
>these specific gaskets and they would have to make one up, which
>would take a few days.
>
>This is the "maybe" part.
>
>Cometic have given me a part number and have quoted me a price...
>but their quoted cost of shipping the item is horrendous (about half
>the cost of the item again and the gasket price is $US94.00).
>
>Why is it that many American companies I have dealt with don't have
>the option of cheap surface mail but rather (with no option offered)
>they stick it in an express parcel delivery service? I don't need
>the thing overnight!
>
>Can't they just wander down to the post office and hand it over the
>counter for mail to Australia?
>
>Anyway, after that rant... maybe I can pay twice and still get it
>cheaper? If find someone that lives nearby maybe I could have it
>delivered to them and then pay them to mail it to me... SLOW BOAT,
>CHEAP AS POSSIBLE!
>
>Does this sound reasonable... feasible... plausible?
>
>
>
>Eric
>Adelaide, South Australia
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Regards
Barrie
Barrie Robinson
(705) 721-9060
http://www.britishv8.org/MG/BarrieRobinson.htm
http://www.britcot.com
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