F-Body Europe

You'd think that having a $1200 order for wheels, these guys would be banging on your door to supply a set.

I've now e-mailed several wheel vendors asking for a shipping cost to the UK and I either get no reply or they ask me a dumb question back, like "When do you want them?".

One suggested he send them for collection at "your nearest airport" - sure, why don't I commision a 747 personally, it'll be cheaper! Another suggested the US Postal Service with a 2 month delivery time. Yet no-one actually provided a cost.

I've tried AFS, AAA, Custom Wheel Market and a few others. I'm now trying to get a set of Boyd Smoothies from a company called Newstalgia as they seem to ship outside the US, seem to use UPS and even take credit cards! We shall see....

My experience with UPS is, that they are sh*t expensive. Usually it is around 3 times (yes three !!!) cheaper to use some freight forwarder and the shipping time is just few days more via air. But yes, I guess you have to collect it from airport. May-be it's different in from US to UK, but if possible, ask what it would be to ship not using the UPS. I have used successfully BAX Global.

And yes, I have noticed, that many US vendors are not interested to sell overseas - probably too complicated for them. But once I have even managed to purchase used T-56 from junkyard in Texas, guy probably had no idea where he is sending it, but he did.

I can understand your frustration. There are some that won't even ship to an APO address. As far as shipping, have you checked out the prices for Emery Worldwide? I used to use them a few years back. The cheapest way is to have the stuff sent to the airport where you'll pick it up. Don't know if you have to deal with customs. It's a PITA over here. As far as finding used parts, go to http://www.car-part.com It'll find what you're looking for from junkyards all over the states, then you contact that strip yard and see if they'll ship to you. As far as new parts go, you would have to spend some more time behind the computer searching. This is a good place to ask since people from all over can give you advice on where to go or not to.
Good luck on finding your parts!

LuS1fer,
I understand the headache your having! The wheel your looking for can be had from Summit Racing. They will ship through the US Post office and it takes roughly 5 days priorty mail (took 5 days for a set of 4 BFGs). I bought a set of wheels from LG Motorsports and they took 5 days to get here. The problem that alot of suppliers are having is when they ship to APOs here in Europe and stuff gets lost they have to wait 3 months before they can claim it to get there money back from the US Post office. This is why so many won't ship. I was having the same problem with shipping the 9in rearend(I'm in the process of ordering). I'm going through Thunder Racing for it and they really did their homework on the shipping of it. For one rearend from Moser to my door here in Germany is $200, that's right $200. That's the cheapest I've heard yet. Try the Tire Rack, I bought a set of Kumho Victoracer 700s (4) and had them in 6 days (through the US Post) no problems ordering at all. You are right alot of the suppliers are just plain lazy to try and help. I look at it like this, there are too many suppliers out there to wait on the lazy A$$ to e-mail back let alone call me back. There are only certain suppliers that I'll use now along with certain costumer service reps! Good Luck in quest!
Val

That's it?!?!?!?! How about some details? That's half the price of other places. And to your door?

Val Make that two rearends to yiur door.

Folks if you can master the logistics of shipping then the world is yours.

Holy sugarlumps Batman, I've just been quoted $130 a wheel by air. Caramba, what with a $1300 purchase price, that stacks up to over 1800 bucks and that's before the blinking taxman gets his 17.5% cut of everything.

I'm beginning to see the worth of buying an imported SS.....

Roy,
No problem!!

OK this is the deal, I went through David at Thunder Racing for Roy's and my rearend. I told David to use BAX but he instead got ahold of Moser and had them do the research on the shipping. He came back with shipping to the airport and then to my front door. To the airport was $396 (for both) and to my front door was $440 (for both). I like the idea of them having to do all the moving so I just have to bring it in the house!! I'll find out from David who the shipper is but I want to say it's UPS......not for sure. I'll find out exactly who. David reallyu went the extra mile to make the deal happen, alot more than I can say for the other's who I talked to. If you do go through Thunder ask for David and tell him that Val sent you and I know he'll go the extra mile for you! He even went as far as to go out to a different auto parts house and get the u-joints that I wanted for my new 9 in.........that really says something about costumer service!!!
Val

I think I'm gonna try and make some friends with the Savannah Air Guard. They'll be coming to Ramstein in the winter. They are stationed not too far from my house in the states. A case of beer should help me get some parts in the back of a C-130. You can fit alot back there.

I doubt it, but it never hurts to ask.

Daddy2K3,
Do you think they can fit a 1 ton Quad Cab 4x4 Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel Ho back there for 2 cases of beer ?? Need to get one for my wife!!
Good luck hope they help you out!!

Just ordered the 3rd member for the 9in from 4x4 wholesale parts (out of CA). Priority US Post was $235 shipping. I still saved $300 in comparision to what it would of costed to get the complete unit from Moser. The thing that I've found is that alot of suppliers don't understand how to get things here to us. The guy at 4x4 wholesale parts thought that I was on a base in New York even after I told him that I was calling from Germany. He now understands how the APO mail system works, it just took alittle explaining on my part.

Give it a shot, you would be surprised some of the things I have seen brought back from TDYs! Never hurts to try, especially if they will be bringing mobility bins!

So far, I'm getting responses and some help from the following:

http://www.discounttiredirect.com in respect of a set of Boyd Coddington Smoothies. Good link to UPS website and they email information about number of packages and weights so you can get an idea ie $340 for shipping to the UK ( a lot better!)

AFS wheels who hocheeba mentioned have e-mailed back to keep in touch but still waiting for a shipping quote from them and I did a search on Google and T.Byrne seem to offer international shipping.

I must say I was disappointed to see AFS advertising a set of chromed 18 x 9.5 Z06 replicas on their website for $1299 (which I thought was good) and then seeing that they have at least half a dozen sets of the same wheels (not seconds) on ebay on a "buy it now" basis for $795. Of course, ebay don't do international shipping. How can I buy a set from AFS and not feel like I've been ripped off $500????

What do you mean that ebay doesn't do international shipping? Or is it just that seller who doesn't? You can always ask them anyway, you never know, they may change their mind and help you out.

It says on the site that they are sorry but they do not do international shipping at this time. Someone somewhere mentioned about having to send it to a US address and sending it on. OK if you have someone prepared to do that but a giant pain in the butt.

The shipper for the 2 rearends is BAX Global. The total price for 2 9in rearends to my front door here in Germany is $440. Hope this helps.

nice wheels available in uk - try

http://www.luxurywheels.co.uk/home.html

"Available" in the UK, yes, but costing an arm and a leg. The Boyd Coddington link just goes to the US site where the price is quoted in dollars and that happens to be about $150 more than T.Byrne sell them for to begin with. So without even speaking to them, I know the quote will be a laugh.

we ship US mail ....

takes 5/10 days to get to u ...

with pretty low shipping fee's

small parts that is

Thanks Mike

yep i agree with Mike cos he's done it for me.

he even argues with the post office to get the best price he he.

http://web.camaross.com/forums/showthre ... did=174774
This guy might ship if you offer enough...