Parts from the USofA

[slofox]

Some may know that recently my bike shat itself and needs a new exhaust camshaft and one new cam follower (or tappet...or bucket...).

I am always one to support local business. I'm not normally inclined to buy from offshore. But at present I work 0.5 of a job and earn 0.5 of a wage. So I did not have the wherewithall to support Suzuki NZ...


SO. I got the parts from the USA at 20% of NZ price.

BUT. They have taken forever to arrive. Both bits are still "in transit" somewhere in the depths of the good ole USofA...one seller had my money for a month before the part even shipped.

So what happened to "instant communication" when it takes five days to turn a message around?

Fucking inept I reckon. Or apathy perhaps. If anyone on Trade Me here took so long to sort little details out for a buyer, they wouldn't last five minutes.

Oh well, back to sleep now I guess....zzz.

[jellywrestler]

Some may know that recently my bike shat itself and needs a new exhaust camshaft and one new cam follower (or tappet...or bucket...).

I am always one to support local business. I'm not normally inclined to buy from offshore. But at present I work 0.5 of a job and earn 0.5 of a wage. So I did not have the wherewithall to support Suzuki NZ...


SO. I got the parts from the USA at 20% of NZ price.

BUT. They have taken forever to arrive. Both bits are still "in transit" somewhere in the depths of the good ole USofA...one seller had my money for a month before the part even shipped.

So what happened to "instant communication" when it takes five days to turn a message around?

Fucking inept I reckon. Or apathy perhaps. If anyone on Trade Me here took so long to sort little details out for a buyer, they wouldn't last five minutes.

Oh well, back to sleep now I guess....zzz.

yep and hopefully they're the right model parts. it's a prick having to send em back

[Haggis2]

Strange, I've had nothing but good experiences with purchases from overseas. Maybe just good luck I suppose. In one case I got stuff from China quicker than some bits I bought off TM. I have found tracking to be an issue though - find that it tracks ok till it leaves the states then nothing more until it arrives which is a bit wierd.

I hope your parts arrive soon

[SPman]

Yoshimura muffler and pipe from California - 6 days from order, to arrival in country town, West Aus.! The worst from the States I've had has been 2 weeks! I find stuff from NZ to be the worst - half it never arrives or disappears in transit!

[MIXONE]

How many kms has your bike done Slofox?I'm just curious to see as to why it shat itself.

[Gremlin]

Just make sure the black hole of Customs hasn't swallowed it up. I haven't had any issues with all my online purchases, the two biggest delays are either the part shipping out (maybe they didn't have stock - but it was a delay of a couple of days) or Customs held it and figured I'd find out via telepathy.

[paturoa]

Best place to find the good on-line shops is through forums dedicated to your model of bike. Or to put it another way, you'll quickly identify those that don't perfrom well, as they (we?) are quick to name and shame on forums.

[pete376403]

Are the parts coming via USPS? Not too long ago I bought a Honda (car) ECU which was shipped by USPS.
Tracking number shows left some place in Texas in early July. USPS admit they have no idea where it is.No compensation either, so I'm about $US200 out of pocket

[gammaguy]

anyone who buys anything from anywhere and doesnt pay with Paypal is an Idiot

as you were

[Brian d marge]

anyone who buys anything from anywhere and doesnt pay with Paypal is an Idiot

as you were

she only takes cash and I have to wear protection ...

Stephen

[slofox]

How many kms has your bike done Slofox?I'm just curious to see as to why it shat itself.

48,000km. The hardening on the cam follower failed and it took out the cam lobe as well.

Just make sure the black hole of Customs hasn't swallowed it up. I haven't had any issues with all my online purchases, the two biggest delays are either the part shipping out (maybe they didn't have stock - but it was a delay of a couple of days) or Customs held it and figured I'd find out via telepathy.

Both packages are still in the USofA.

Are the parts coming via USPS? Not too long ago I bought a Honda (car) ECU which was shipped by USPS.
Tracking number shows left some place in Texas in early July. USPS admit they have no idea where it is.No compensation either, so I'm about $US200 out of pocket

One is USPS. Other is UPS.

anyone who buys anything from anywhere and doesnt pay with Paypal is an Idiot

as you were

I did use paypal...

[Boo]

I always buy from the US west coast, shipping is half the price in most cases. USPS sucks, but you can track it, if the item has fees,I ring and leave my details. Fed EX is awesome they do all the customs work. I brought a motor, it landed the next day, I had it the third day. I don't like it when it sits to long at a depot and will ask them to ship on a monday so it at least gets out of the states, once its out its easy from there.
Fed EX and DHL are expensive, yes it is cheaper to by on e bay, I save between 35-50% on most parts, but thats only if its close to LA. I don't buy from the east, mid or top because of shipping.

[pete376403]

anyone who buys anything from anywhere and doesnt pay with Paypal is an Idiot

as you were

It was paid via PayPal.

The supplier didn't loose the item, USPS did. Paypal will indemnify against supplier failure, but I doubt if they will carry the can for USPS

[Owl]

That sucks slofox.

Got a package from the US on Tuesday, that I ordered last Friday, so 4 days in transit. Went from LA to Memphis to Honolulu to Auckland.....and that's when the awesome tracking failed

[slofox]

In my case, I didn't have a lot of choice as to whom I bought the items from. I had to search all over for a supplier who actually had the parts in stock and ended up using Ebay for that reason.

With the benefit of the 20/20 vision provided by hindsight, I might have been better to have put supplier reliability ahead of part availability. I might have waited less time overall. But then I might not have too...oh well, one day.

EDIT: I ought to point out that neither of the suppliers I used shipped to NZ. I do have a sister living in Colorado and have had the parts sent to her for onshipping. The camshaft (on UPS) has at least reached Colorado. The follower, in the caring nerveless grasp of USPS seems to be in limbo somewhere...