Postage Costs ex-chamber - US to Oz?

[Quicksilver]

I was quoted $585US to send over an engine. The engine only sold for $93. . I have been told by sellers in USA the USPS no longer has surface mail option.
So what other options are their for heavier items like an engine?

[Oldrodder]

Find someone who brings conatiners over, like a vehicle importer.
They often look for other bits and pieces to fill the containers with.
Roly Leahy imports is one

[Quicksilver]

Might be the only way rodder. Heres a reply I got yesterday when I askeed same question to another seller on importing an engine.

Howdy

Are you sitting down? Better sit down before you read the price from the USPS.

$507

It's not the size it's the weight. I just put it on a scale and it's
just over 60 lbs. UPPS max for a package is 70 lbs and while I
could probably get it crated for the trip and keep it under 70lbs
it wouldn't be by much.

Being that I've never seen this engine run and while I've spun it
around and shifted it through the gears and everything looks
fine it doesn't necessarily mean that it won't have some problem
crop up. Investing $500 in shipping is just too much risk since
paypal would refund your money if you complained to them and
I'd be out the cost of shipping it. So I must say no to sending it
to Australia. Though I expect that the $500 shipping killed your
interest in it anyway.

Sorry, William

A little better then last quote but still way to much. Cant blame the seller not wanting to ship it with risk involved

[GMC]

I got the pipe for $0.99US 

Well, I can't compete with that

[Quicksilver]

I got the pipe for $0.99US 

Well, I can't compete with that

I can understand a USA purchase if its a hard to fine used part or no one in Aussie produce's it....
I reckon buying from GMC seems like best way to go. Buying from USA your already $100 down in freight before you start. If its gets lost in post your as good as stuffed.
Why would you when theirs a homegrown product, spend your dollars in Australia.  Same goes for shocks. Just buy YSS.
Unless their is no other option or a masive dollar saving why bother buying offshore, i'll spend my coin with a local company.

[All Things 414]

I bet, if you put an ozzie pipe on your bike (GMC), you'll never ever scratch it. Put one on that you've gone through all the trouble of getting from The States and the first time you put it on the ute, a tie-down will brake, your bike will do a one-and-a-half backflip with a pike and said pipe will flatten itself on the bike stand beside it . I'll bet anything........

[mx250]

Just had a nice Ebay experience. I just had to pass it on.

A Yankee Ebayer charged me $15US for postage; his real cost of postage was $18.80US.

So you see some of our Yankee friends real do love us  .

[GD66]

 Certainly worth doing your homework. My joy at finding parts for my CB350 roadracer at bargain cost, Gearbox shafts c/w gears and bearings $12.50, shifter drum c/w forks $9.95, soon turned lopsided when the quoted freight cost from Canada is $75.30 surface, $139.30 airmail in US dollars. Never quite get over the feeling you're being gently massaged....

[090]

Stuff from Canada is way expensive. I bought a set of shoulder pads and questioned the price. He promptly gave me the link to their postage calculator to find out that it is just bloody dear.So he might not be massaging you at all.

[mx250]

He promptly gave me the link to their postage calculator to find out that it is just bloody dear.

That, I don't understand - there must be reciprocal arrangements between the postal services. You would think the charges would approximate each other  .

[GD66]

Ah, it's easy come, easy go for me. I've had fun buying all my riding gear and some bits off ebay, scored some great bargains, and met some good people all over the joint, including this forum, since deciding to get stuck into vmx. And just one of those CB350 selectors new costs more than the entire transaction, so no worries. Thanks for the perspective though, 090.

[jimson]

The good thing about dealing with YSS and GMC is your talking to the man if you know what I mean  Not some bloke thats watching the clock and doesn't give a shit these Aussie suppliers need us to buy from them supporting them is really supporting VMX in Aussie thats the way I see it .jimson