OzVMX Forum

Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: Tony T on November 26, 2012, 08:15:42 am

Title: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: Tony T on November 26, 2012, 08:15:42 am
Has anyone had any experience with surface mail out of Canada?
There's a part over there that I want, but air mail makes the cost more than it's worth.
I guess that I'm just looking for some reassurance that I will get it in the end, even if it does take up to 6 weeks.  :-\
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: vmxken on November 26, 2012, 08:25:52 am
Hi Tony - I've had a few parts in the past come this way and yes, they always arrive.  Currently waiting on a hub/rim/spokes from Canada that was posted well over a month ago but I'm sure it will turn up soon.
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: Canam370 on November 26, 2012, 08:27:11 am
I've had a bit of stuff out of Canada. It usually takes forever but I haven't had anything not arrive. If you plunk for the priority service its a lot quicker. I do admit that my decision to purchase from Canada is tempered by the potential postal delays.
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: Doc on November 26, 2012, 08:27:48 am
Yes. It will eventually arrive..but sometimes it's closer to 8 weeks ::)
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: PEZBerq on November 26, 2012, 08:44:23 am
Canada Post is one of the worlds slowest. I have has stuff take 10 weeks and even had one seller who said he wouldn't ship until the Canada Post workers came off strike! But as their airmail prices are outrageous you don't have much choice but to wait.
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: Tony T on November 26, 2012, 08:48:15 am
Thanks gentlemen.
Unfortunately, it's something that I just haven't been able to find anywhere else and having blown most of my budget on the engine and other mechanical stuff, I'm trying to save few bucks when I can.  ;)
Thanks for the reassurance that I'll get it eventually.
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: TM BILL on November 26, 2012, 09:01:40 am
Once waited 9 MONTHS yep MONTHS not weeks for a cyl head from canada  ::) I now avoid buying anything from there .
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: Rossvickicampbell on November 26, 2012, 09:10:42 am
Canada mail is soooo expensive.
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: Lozza on November 26, 2012, 09:29:01 am
I get a bit of stuff Dangerous Dave in Vancouver, prices and delivery times are close to west coast US. I would reckon time of year might have a lot to do with Canadian delivery times
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: Stevo17 on November 26, 2012, 09:42:48 am
Canadian Customs held me to ransom at the wharf when shipping a couple of bikes..... apparently they had to unload the container to do a random inspection and charged me $500 for the privilege
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: firko on November 26, 2012, 10:17:58 am
All of the above..with gusto! Canada has the worst mail system in the western world, it's unbelievably inefficient, as expensive as shit and you never quite know if you'll ever get your item. It'd have to be an amazing deal for me to deal with anybody in Canada again, I never received the PVL ignition I bought from a bloke in Manitoba and Canada Post showed rude indifference to both the sellers and my enquiries as to the wherabouts of the package. Paypal reimbursed my money but I suspect he ended up out of pocket by the deal. Another time, because of one of the frequent Canada Post strikes the seller FedExed the item to a mate of his in New York who then mailed it on via USPS.

Despite what we may think, OzPost is considered one of the more efficient postal services in the world. They actually make decent profits(something rarely seen elsewhere in the world). and you can be pretty sure your item will arrive at its destination.

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/blog/business_briefings/28254--canada-post-s-inefficient-monopoly (http://www.canadianbusiness.com/blog/business_briefings/28254--canada-post-s-inefficient-monopoly)
http://www.citizen.on.ca/news/2009-12-16/mailbox/019.html  (http://www.citizen.on.ca/news/2009-12-16/mailbox/019.html)
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: crash n bern on November 26, 2012, 11:07:31 am
Yep. I paid $100 to get a Canam Sonic tank shipped.  I thought at that price it was airmail and started panicking when it hadn't turned up after a month.  I notified the seller that I have to start a Paypal claim before it expired.  He said it was the last time he'll ship to Aus. He then mentioned that he sent it surface mail.  It arrived after two months.  That same tank would of cost $45 airmail or around $20 surface mail out of the States.  It's probably cheaper to get things out of Canada sent to a mail forwarding company in the U.S. and then onto you.
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: GD66 on November 26, 2012, 11:37:55 am
Aha, so it's not just me !! A few years ago I was delighted to score some hard-to-get gearbox stuff for my CB350 roadracer off ebay, from memory a shifter drum with straight forks for $9.95 and a full gearbox cluster with bearings for $12.50, BARGAIN !! The postage cost was initially rather daunting, at a meagre $91 :o, but it was still a viable exercise....for the first couple of months. The bloke I was dealing with in Quebec seemed genuine enough, and eventually did caution me that Canada Post were fkn WOEFUL, and to get settled in for the long haul.
Finally the bits turned up, but it was only a day or two inside four months.... ::).
  A friend who worked up there for a couple of years as a roadrace mechanic said the postal system was so bad they more or less had posters in the post office saying, We're appalling, it won't be improving, seek other options... ;)
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: Tim754 on November 26, 2012, 01:24:07 pm
 Canada post Tony . Will arrive.... but AAARRRGGGGGGGGG the time and the cost is deplorable!   Ok just the same as all above that have answered . I avoid buying from Canada just because of the expensive but piss poor post/freight systems they have in place.
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: XC83 on November 26, 2012, 03:01:49 pm
But, if you are willing to pay the premium rate for air express then it only took 5 days to get my box of stuff from BC to Coledale!
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: Rusty on November 26, 2012, 03:32:02 pm
I have always been of the opinion that if you send mail, or more specifically parcels from Canada to ANY FRENCH SPEAKING COUNTRY the service is from poor to reasonable - anywhere else and it is shiite.   Usually get a relly to pop up over the border and pick anything I want up and then send by UPS or Fedex.
Title: Re: Canada Surface Mail
Post by: FAT-TOY on November 26, 2012, 10:16:07 pm
  Had a family friend who lived in a town called Roy in washington state.  So after having to wait over 5 weeks for my first delivery from Canada, I arranged for the next part to be sent to him and he forwarded it on to me, had it in a little over 2 weeks.  So the postage time from Canada to USA seems to be ok, its just the rest of the world they have a problem with.  Just a thought anyone on this forum from Canada?  how long do they have to wait for incoming parts etc from other countries.  I suppose it would be the same hardly think it could be so inefficient going out and the opposite coming in.
                Zane