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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » Shipping Large Car Parts - Help - UPS Rant too.

Feb. 28, 2009 9:47 a.m. pete240z HalfDork
I sell a Datsun spoiler and purchase a box from UPS Store Tony.

Yep. Tony sells me a nice box that he says is 10"x10"x48". UPS website states it should cost $13.72 to ship. I roll in today and Tony charges me $23.81 as the box measure 10-1/8" x 10-1/8" x 48-1/4" - next size up. Sorry.

$10 is not going to kill me as I live in the land of rich green prairies........whatever.

So I know have another spoiler that will be a little taller box, like 51"
1. Any other options you'all use for LARGER boxes? Greyhound? Fedex? US Postal?
2. DHL was decent, but they are now gone.
3. HELP!
Feb. 28, 2009 10:18 a.m. P71 Dork

Typical UPS/UPS Store scam, had it happen many, many times. With DHL gone I think I'd just throw in the towel on large shipments. Maybe FedEx isn't so bad?
Feb. 28, 2009 11:18 a.m. stuart in mn Dork

I've shipped large car parts (seats, carpet) and have always found Fedex to have the best price for big boxes.
Feb. 28, 2009 12:51 p.m. aussiesmg Dork

UPS have delivered to my home address about 300 times but whenever a shipper goes into a UPS store to send something to me, the UPS staff state the address is incorrect. 300 times and my address can't be found on their site, oh my house is 100 years old and is in town.
Feb. 28, 2009 1:55 p.m. Nitroracer Dork

Until recently I had a local hardware store that would send stuff out via UPS and the prices were always nice and cheap. For instance, I tried to ship an H-pipe at a ups store, $120 - Local place, $25. Complete rip-off. But at the same time I think someone wasn't putting in the numbers right because now they don't offer shipping anymore.
Feb. 28, 2009 1:55 p.m. patgizz Dork

i only use fedex for large or heavy stuff. get an account with them, it saves you more $ the more you use it. i ship alot of stuff out as i tend to try to completely finance the hobby by parting stuff out or buying large lots of parts that have some bits i need.
Feb. 28, 2009 2:04 p.m. 93celicaGT2 HalfDork

I used to be happy with FedEx.... until they lost an entire bottom end that i shipped.

Seriously? How do you lose a D16 bottom end? yeah yeah.... bottle of cola is bigger blah blah blah....but?
Feb. 28, 2009 3:08 p.m. cwh Dork

I have heard multiple horror stories about all of the domestic shippers. Only one I would remotely trust is the US Post Office. All of my shipping is international, but one customer in the Virgin Islands requests USPS. Never had a problem, rates weren't bad. It's funny, I can ship to Barbados cheaper than I can ship to Pensacola. And nothing has ever been lost or damaged.
Feb. 28, 2009 3:48 p.m. Travis_K Reader

The only one I have ever had problems with was the USPS actually (they lost a package for a month then finally delivered it). UPS is too expensive. Greyhound was ok, but they closed all of their stations within an hour of my house. I use fedex now and that has worked pretty well.
Feb. 28, 2009 9:19 p.m. pete240z HalfDork

yeah, i am going to check out fedex and their costs. for small parts i would rather use the US Post Office as their rates are great.
Feb. 28, 2009 9:55 p.m. grinch77 New Reader

I personally have not used Grey Hound.But I have heard nothing but good things about shipping large items with them.The only problem I see with it is if your buyer will be willing to go pick it up at a Grey Hound station.
March 1, 2009 12:45 a.m. Trans_Maro Reader

I use ABF freight on large items.

You'll have to drop off at their depot but it's not a big deal really.

I sent a Pontiac shortblock to Montana for $300.00

I'll be sending a Trans-Am hood to Indiana shortly, I think the quote was a round $250.00

Shawn
March 1, 2009 2:53 a.m. thatsnowinnebago HalfDork

I shipped a miata top and frame from CA to NJ for like $35 with greyhound and it got there in three days
March 1, 2009 8:12 a.m. jamscal HalfDork

I ship 70 lb off-road bumpers, 70" long, via Fedex all over the country.

Very reasonable.

Get an account with them, as mentioned. You fill out the form online, then drop it off and the counterperson will scan it in.

That way, you decide how big the box is.

The UPS Store has to make $$$ independent of UPS.

-James
March 1, 2009 9:25 a.m. Kendall_Jones New Reader

I've played the UPS OS1 / OS2 game while shipping race seats / miata seats.

A 24 X 24 X 40" box is $150 to ship, while a 20 X 24 X 40 box is half that price. I can pick up a couple 24 X 24 X 24 boxes (fairly cheap) and narrow them. I borrowed a box stapler from a buddy & can get 2 miata seats into a box and across the country for $70 or less.

BTW, the box stapler is the most bad ass / frightening thing I've seen. Its air powered of course & only a matter of time before I staple my thumb to the box.

Kendall
March 1, 2009 11:03 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork

thatsnowinnebago wrote:

I shipped a miata top and frame from CA to NJ for like $35 with greyhound and it got there in three days

Funny, I did the opposite with a fiat hardtop
March 1, 2009 12:16 p.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

mad_machine wrote:

thatsnowinnebago wrote:

I shipped a miata top and frame from CA to NJ for like $35 with greyhound and it got there in three days

Funny, I did the opposite with a fiat hardtop

NJ to CA for $53?
March 1, 2009 3:35 p.m. internetautomart SuperDork

UPS was routinely losing leaf springs for me.
FedEx never lost a set.
Fedex is also around the corner from me and I can walk in, drop my boxes behind the counter and walk out. No waiting in a line since all the labels are done online by me
March 1, 2009 4:26 p.m. Supercoupe Reader

I retired from UPS and never,ever use them unless the recipient specifically requests it.

USPS, then Fedex.Used to love Greyhound too, but they closed all the nearby centers here also, sent a hardtop NY to AL, $35 and the receiver didn't mind one bit driving 45 minutes to pick it up.
March 1, 2009 9:21 p.m. pete240z HalfDork

I use the UPS Store as a last resort. For smaller items the US Post Office is the most reasonable way to go.

Sorry Tony.
March 2, 2009 8:14 a.m. stuart in mn Dork

I recently set up a Fedex account and it was pretty simple - you can do it all online. I used it when I bought some car stuff from a guy in California; rather than him having to figure out the shipping costs ahead of time, he just dropped off the box at the Fedex counter and they charged it directly to me. It worked out great for both the seller and me.
March 2, 2009 3:55 p.m. HeavyDuty New Reader

A buddy of mine used Greyhound to ship carbon fiber Contour hoods. Insanely cheap and if you get there early enough in the day it can be same day delivery (depending on where you are shipping to, of course - Pittsburgh to Philly, New York, etc - no problem). I want to say he shipped 50 hoods (since I had to haul them all down to the bus station in my truck) and everyone got there in great condition.

The lack of locations and the veriability in the knowledge of the staff were my only gripes. Given we were there so often they got to know us and things went much better after the firsrt couple of shipments.
March 2, 2009 4:08 p.m. oldopelguy HalfDork

Used to be pretty consistant that under 3 lbs (or fitting in a flat-rate box) USPS was the way to go, 3-50 Fedex Ground, 50-75 UPS, over 75 Greyhound. In some cases UPS was convenient enough to offset the cost up to 120lbs, but usually DHL was better priced if that was an option (and it's not now.) Got to figure a 30 mile drive each way with gas and time and all doesn't take much to justify spending another $30 and having it drop on your door step.

Now I haven't done as much e-baying lately, so that dta is a couple years old, but it worked for ages.
March 3, 2009 8:50 a.m. psteav Reader

I have an opposite experience from most of y'all...I used to ship FedEx, until I had a horrible customer service experience there about a month ago. Now I go to UPS (the local UPS depot, NOT the UPS store) and everything is roughly 20% cheaper and the workers there much more pleasant. Haven't had any issues with them yet.

Now as for delivery, I've been pretty lucky all around. NEver had anything lost or even take longer than it should.

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