Quick rant thread.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2136]

I ALWAYS use FedEx. they call you within 12 hours of your parcel being picked up in Berlin/California, so you have paid your clearance before it even hits New Zealand.

USPS is just another state owned lethargic company, that feeds into NZ Post, probably the worst freight company in NZ. UPS is marginally better (delivered by Flyways in the Wellington region, but not sure if thats nationwide), but still won't call you till it arrives at the border.

[gjm 3258]

This is the (hopefully) back-end of a saga of using NZ Post's YouShop service which has the benefit of being able to consolidate multiple packages from different sources before shipping on to NZ. It's probably fine if you're in no hurry, but they will always use national carriers.
(NZ Post = Royal Mail = USPS, etc)

Our local delivery driver does sign for stuff, provided it fits in the box at the end of the drive. She's not too keen on leaving her van, though.

[richard 384]

ordered parts from FCP Easter,  dropped at my front door today . Cant rant highly enough about system.

[gjm 3258]

On 4/7/2018 at 10:44 PM, gjm said:

This is the (hopefully) back-end of a saga of using NZ Post's YouShop service which has the benefit of being able to consolidate multiple packages from different sources before shipping on to NZ. It's probably fine if you're in no hurry, but they will always use national carriers.
(NZ Post = Royal Mail = USPS, etc)

Our local delivery driver does sign for stuff, provided it fits in the box at the end of the drive. She's not too keen on leaving her van, though.

So... The courier tried to deliver... At 06.36 this morning, an hour before business opens. 
I've got the box here. Not sure I dare open it... (It wasn't opened for inspection by customs, so just wtf were they doing with it for 8 days?)

1 hour ago, richard said:

ordered parts from FCP Easter,  dropped at my front door today . Cant rant highly enough about system.

Harrumph. (And other polite noises.)

[Olaf 3339]

On 4/7/2018 at 10:44 PM, gjm said:

This is the (hopefully) back-end of a saga of using NZ Post's YouShop service which has the benefit of being able to consolidate multiple packages from different sources before shipping on to NZ. It's probably fine if you're in no hurry, but they will always use national carriers.
(NZ Post = Royal Mail = USPS, etc)

with MyUS.com, YOU CHOOSE your carrier!  

I ordered from FCP on Weds evening last week, parts arrived at my doorstep this morning.  W00t.

[gjm 3258]

1 hour ago, Olaf said:

with MyUS.com, YOU CHOOSE your carrier!  

I ordered from FCP on Weds evening last week, parts arrived at my doorstep this morning.  W00t.

Do they consolidate multiple items from different vendors?

 

[Olaf 3339]

9 hours ago, gjm said:

Do they consolidate multiple items from different vendors?

 

Yes, they do consolidation.  they do re-packaging.  they wont split an incoming  shipment.  You have excellent control through the web portal or the phone app.  basically they everything that you shop does, more and better.  

You choose your carrier... I get option on two versions of FedEx, DHL, two versions of UPS, and "Budget" (no consolidation, 7-14 days).  DHL is only one doing batteries now.

You get your own address.  All the carriers deliver there.  It's in Florida.  I find that using FedEx I get it here in 4 days, as long as I press 'send' before Thursday US time.  Unless they're really busy.

Look here: https://www.myus.com/benefits/

Buy here:  https://www.myus.com/welcome/visa/ - this way you get:

• Set-up fee waived (US$20 value)

• 2-year free Premium membership (US$120 value)

• Save 25% on shipping for first month

• Save 20% on future shipments

• Personal Shopper service can make purchases for you

premium gives you 30 days no-charge storage.  Then they just charge you a per-day, per package rate. Theyve always packged well - "the right amount".

Hey, I'm not here to sell you.  You just seem traumatised from You Shop. There are other, service-oriented offerings. 

HTH.

Edited April 9, 2018 by Olaf
more info.

[Jacko 2158]

The F*&(^Kng bolt at the top of the (&(*)& box into the )*&(#(^ head of N52, who put that there! Need 12 foot long tweezers. 

Deep breaths.

 

 

[gjm 3258]

24 minutes ago, Jacko said:

The F*&(^Kng bolt at the top of the (&(*)& box into the )*&(#(^ head of N52, who put that there! Need 12 foot long tweezers. 

Deep breaths.

Much humour.

I've been working on a Land Rover the last couple of days. Whose idea was it to use a slot-head screw on one side, and a nut on the other, necessitating 2m long arms so you can actually get to both sides?
Haven't these people heard of captive nuts?

Edited April 10, 2018 by gjm

[eliongater 718]

3 hours ago, gjm said:

Much humour.

I've been working on a Land Rover the last couple of days. Whose idea was it to use a slot-head screw on one side, and a nut on the other, necessitating 2m long arms so you can actually get to both sides?
Haven't these people heard of captive nuts?

My favourites were the inner guard bolts... British “engineering”...

[gjm 3258]

30 minutes ago, eliongater said:

My favourites were the inner guard bolts... British “engineering”...

Yesterday it was the c-clips used to secure bundles of wires. One every 6 inches or so it seems... Great fun when they're on the firewall: slot head screw on the inside of the vehicle in the top of the footwell of the bulkhead, and a nut in the engine bay!

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

Mazda6 requires you to go thru the wheel arch liner to replace the low beam bulb

Edited April 10, 2018 by Young Thrash Driver

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2963]

16 hours ago, gjm said:

Great fun when they're on the firewall: slot head screw on the inside of the vehicle in the top of the footwell of the bulkhead, and a nut in the engine bay!

Blame it on the trade unions, make a one man job a two man job! And then wonder why the company is in financial strife..

[gjm 3258]

On 4/10/2018 at 5:24 AM, Olaf said:

Hey, I'm not here to sell you.  You just seem traumatised from You Shop. There are other, service-oriented offerings. 

Most of the trauma has come at the hands of an inept and slow customs "service" who sat on my parcel for 8 days, yet did absolutely nothing with it!

YouShop hardly covered themselves in glory, but using MyUS for stuff bought in the UK would have presented its own challenges!

(I know - don't shop in Europe...)

[hotwire 352]

On 10/04/2018 at 4:17 PM, gjm said:

Much humour.

I've been working on a Land Rover the last couple of days. Whose idea was it to use a slot-head screw on one side, and a nut on the other, necessitating 2m long arms so you can actually get to both sides?
Haven't these people heard of captive nuts?

That has been a pom trait from the year dot. British Leyland comes to mind...

[hotwire 352]

17 hours ago, Young Thrash Driver said:

Mazda6 requires you to go thru the wheel arch liner to replace the low beam bulb

So do some Toyota's. One Honda Stream requires removing the whole front & the lights!

[Allanw 1072]

10 hours ago, gjm said:

Most of the trauma has come at the hands of an inept and slow customs "service" who sat on my parcel for 8 days, yet did absolutely nothing with it!

As was explained to me one time...

Sometimes the "paperwork" is started before the physical item actually arrives in the country, so it can LOOK like its at customs, when it hasn't actually arrived in NZ yet. So it can say "held for clearance", but they then wait four days for it to get to them. They can do duty/GST calculations if the paperwork is sent ahead/is believable, but won't clear it entirely, until it physically arrives and can be x-ray, sniffed for lollies drugs etc.

 

Who knows... might be true

Edited April 11, 2018 by Allanw

[gjm 3258]

46 minutes ago, Allanw said:

As was explained to me one time...

Sometimes the "paperwork" is started before the physical item actually arrives in the country, so it can LOOK like its at customs, when it hasn't actually arrived in NZ yet. So it can say "held for clearance", but they then wait four days for it to get to them. They can do duty/GST calculations if the paperwork is sent ahead/is believable, but won't clear it entirely, until it physically arrives and can be x-ray, sniffed for lollies drugs etc.

 

Who knows... might be true

Not this time.
My tracking showed UK departure, NZ arrival, and H e l d  f o r  c u  s   t    o     m      s... .  .   .   .    .     .
For 8 days. 

[richard 384]

9 hours ago, gjm said:

Not this time.
My tracking showed UK departure, NZ arrival, and H e l d  f o r  c u  s   t    o     m      s... .  .   .   .    .     .
For 8 days. 

maybe the packer had a big line of coke before packing,  and it set the dogs into a frenzy.

[gjm 3258]

F1 - Chinese GP

"Sebastian Vettel has questioned the timing of the Formula 1 safety car period that compromised his race in China."

Is this the same guy who had no hope of winning in Melbourne until a very lucky safety car period allowed him to pit and leap-frog Hamilton into the lead?

Live by the sword. Die by the sword.
Suck it up, buttercup.

[Olaf 3339]

On 4/10/2018 at 7:43 PM, eliongater said:

My favourites were the inner guard bolts... British “engineering”...

ha!  you haven't gotten to actually driving it yet.  once your elbows and knees recover (usually after it's been on the side of the road for a few weeks with another failure), drive a Land Cruiser or Nissan Patrol.  "Oh look, their designers recognise the presence of elbows and knees!  Who knew?" 

[Matth5 471]

On 11/04/2018 at 4:29 AM, Young Thrash Driver said:

Mazda6 requires you to go thru the wheel arch liner to replace the low beam bulb

So do newer BMWs, at least the Xenon ones. 

[Jacko 2158]

Changing the angel eyes bulbs in a 1 series requires removing wheel well liners. Or, dislocating wrists, dropping the bulbs and then removing the wheel well liners to get the bulbs back.

 

[Navin 180]

1 hour ago, Jacko said:

Changing the angel eyes bulbs in a 1 series requires removing wheel well liners. Or, dislocating wrists, dropping the bulbs and then removing the wheel well liners to get the bulbs back.

 

They must've made it much easier for the 135i's then. Mine took about 15 minutes to do both sides, don't recall struggling too much to do them and definitely didn't have to remove the liners. That would be frustrating

[B.M.W Ltd 950]

Friggen time wasters on Tardme. I'm over selling stuff on there. Had more success on Facepalm Marketplace