Shipping Tricks and General Shipping Questions / Discussion

[BWD]

[Teeroy]

Thanks E ! TROY
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[obus]

hey Everett,

I once had my vanagon engine shipped from a certain CA engine co. via Red Star trucking line. they had to drop it off at a biz though and would not do residential. and if i recall, i had to call on a few of the guys i used to work with who had "good" backs to help me unload the pallet off the truck because they would not unload it. i don't remember the cost though?
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66 21 window bus built 8/31/65 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=777273

[germanstyle]

i too have used forwrdair and they where very helpful and resonable

[PK399]

Dose anyone know whats the cheapest way to ship parts to Canada? It's easier to find what I'm looking for in the US then here in Canada so any info would really help.Thanks.

[EverettB]

Everything I have shipped to Canada has been via the US Postal Service so far. Not always cheap.
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[Okie Adam]

So whats the procedure with Greyhound, those of you that have done it? Is it common practice for them to carry packages? Do you just package it up and they quote you a price based on weight and size? What resrtictions do they have? I have used forward air before and like some of the others have expressed I dont like having to build the crate on a skid.
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[Lind]

[Okie Adam]

Thanks for the helpful info/tips and link Lind. I am looking to have a roof rack shipped to me in OK from NY.
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55 Wolfsburg Kombi
60 Walkthrough Kombi
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66 21window
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76 Westy
64 Karmann Ghia

[greggearhead]

Great thread. I ship ALOT of stuff.

Yes, Fedex Ground is the best for ground. Cheaper than UPS, especially on oversize. Automatically insure for $100 for no additional $. OPtional past that.

For international, the cheapest I have found is US Postal. Have shipped alloy wheels, rear seats, manifolds, etc. to UK, France, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, etc etc. Buy insurance, even if they don't pay for it. Covers your ass and gives some semblence of tracking (normal tracking isn't avail through postal international).

Oh yeah. I have used forwardair to ship a motorcycle complete from CO to NC. Including their metal crate rental it was less that $500.
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[jdawgthethird]

[bugginmiami]

Another thing to watch out for as mentioned by someone here. If you have 4 wheels (or 2 seats), Do not tape or pack things together if they are in seperate boxes. I used to put 2 wheel boxes together to send out wheels. Worked fine for quite a while, until someone (possibly the ebay slime that i shipped them too) decided to tell me he only got 2 of them. Yes he got the 2 of them with the packing slips taped too them, they cut the other boxes free of those boxes and said they were lost. Could have been the guy i sent them to, could have been UPS. I have no way to find out and UPS denied the claim under the insurance. They dont weigh them either apparently and cant tell me how the box lost 35 lbs in transit (trimspa?). If you have 2 or 4 of something, taped together, dont do it, send them seperate, saves trouble in the end. I dont think it costs much more to do it this way either, but worth it in the case of a problem that they refuse to help in resolving. I almost dont use UPS anymore since this, fedex ground seems cheaper and better.
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[typesoneandtwo]

I wanted to share a few shipping tricks I've learned.
Getting large boxes- Talk to your local appliance store. They usually throw away many good boxes daily.
I recently found these flower boxes at a local florist. They are great for items with length, and two-piece double-walled for strength.

Making small cardboard boxes.
Often it is useful, cheap and fast to make small boxes yourself from recycled cardboard.
1.Cut a strip of cardboard that is a perfect rectangle.

2.Measure equally for the sides and top and fold along your marks. Use a stiff metal ruler for a sharp, accurate fold.

3.Secure the seam with packing tape, creating the sides of your box.

4.Score apppropriately at each corner. The taped corner may not need it.

5.Fold each end outward along a common point.

6.Fold short pieces in first, then long pieces.

7.Secure the end wuth packing tape and repeat steps 4-7 for the other end.

This method can be used for boxes of any size, but it works best for making small boxes with custom sizing.

Packing Tape
My local Office Supply Store sells 6-packs of Scotch packing tape for about $17.
On E-Bay I get the same thing for about $11 after shipping.

Plastic Soda Bottles for packing.
1, 2 and 3 liter plastic soda bottles make great cushioning and packing material. They are light, cheap and when capped provide soft yet uncrushable protection. They are great for filling in space to make a tight package.
Hopefully this helps.
Jon
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[WD-40]

Here's another tip: Be aware of your pickup locations.

I've always had the problem that UPS / FedEx come while I'm not home, and for whatever reason (signature required, etc) can't leave the package and I have to go pick it up myself. For me, the nearest UPS & FedEx locations are 30-45 minutes away, depending on traffic. The post office, however, is about 5 minutes away.


So given a choice, I always pick USPS, simply because of that aspect. Sometimes spending extra to ship via a different carrier really saves a lot of time and $$ in the long run.

- David
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[Daddybus]

When I ship wheels (bare rims) I make my own box by combining two boxes and some flat cardboard). The bottom box has an open top. I insert one rim and then make a cardboard shelf (flat cardboard bent into a U-shape with the "legs" sliding down between the bottom box and the rim). I stack the next rim followed by another shelf with the "legs" 180 degrees from the first shelf legs (staggered). I open the top and bottom of the second box and tape it to the first box and continue adding shelfs until all 4 rims are packed with a cardboard shelf inbetween. I trim off the excess cardboard leaving flaps to fold down as in a regular box. 15"x6" rims fit in a 16"x16"x26" box. One box. Even steel rims are within the weight allotment. Send 911 steel rims from CA to PA that way.

[jensend]

We ship almost daily from our local USPS office and are on good terms with the counter people as we treat them like human beings (you'd be surprised how many don't). With the recent rise in rates and change in descriptions and standards, many items that were reasonably shipped are now expensive. This is especially true of things that were previously Media Mail and almost anything going overseas. Today, we learned that the USPS seems to have begun checking and opening more packages and fining people who try to circumvent USPS shipping rules. We follow the rules, so it doesn't present a problem for us, but, thought it worthwhile to mention that the USPS seems to be very focused on Media Mail (anything with advertising of any kind in it can't go MM), and the "misuse" of Priority Mail boxes by turning them inside out (this was a surprise). Thought it worth a heads-up.

[yellrhd]

Well since I'm stationed overseas I'm stuck with the USPS
I have just discovered click and ship and it makes life a lot easier
now I just do everything on line and drop it at the post office. If your in the states they'll come pick it up or you can drop it off.

I wish more companies would realize that an FPO/APO address is no different than any other address in the U.S. and then those of us stationed here and in europe could get our stuff sent to us and it wouldn't matter who we ordered it from now we are limited by who is willing to ship funny how some sites offer USPS shipping but not to FPO/APO and its the same postal service? RANT over

[Gary]

I've seen many complaints about shippers using cardboard boxes to ship fragile pieces, such as chrome/aluminum trim pieces. The best way to ships those items safely is to wrap each piece in small bubblewrap and then place the items into a length of PVC pipe and then cap the ends. PVC pipe is cheap and very tough. Then, pack the pipe into a box and send it on it's way.
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[rusbus]

This service looks interesting -
If you are making a road trip, you post up your itinerary, and the site matches you with users who need a ride for themselves, or for a package. (and vice verse)

Could be a cheap way to send stuff, or to make a couple extra bucks carrying items. If anyone tries it out, post up your experience...

www.pickuppal.com

[beatleeater]

If you can ship to a business address, at least with Fedex, it is often cheaper than to a residence. I ship everything to my work.