[urq] How to ship parts/exchange money between NA listers

[DGraber460 at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/1/2004 9:59:17 AM Mountain Standard Time,  
Louis-Alain_Richard at computerhorizons.com writes:

Hi  there,

I'd like to hear from your experiences as well since there is  many ways to 
ship parts/cash money.
But in the meantime, here is a  wrap-up of the useful lessons I have 
learned recently with regards to  :


1 - How to ship parts from US to Canada and don't pay heavy  brokerage 
fees;
If time is not a factor, US Postal service (USPS) is  the way to go. It 
delivers stuff in about the same time as ups or fedex  (take a day or 2), 
costs a LOT less and doesn't charge brokerage fees at  all. Between 
listers, this is my preffered carrier. Last experience with  ups is costing 
me 41$can (fees + taxes) over the 35$us (packing and  shipping 5lbs from CO 
to QC) for a declared value of 60$. Yikes!   More, ups will deliver only 9 
to 5 where Canada Post will keep the package  at the nearest postal office, 
which is open until from 7:00AM to 10:00PM  everyday. THAT is good service.


2- How to send money from Canada to  US safely without paying too much.
Everybody knows how efficient paypal is,  so I will not elaborate more 
about it.
But when one of the parties is  not using it, postal money order (PMO) is 
the way to go. As an example,  sending 100$US to a fellow lister, cost me 
126$CAN and that includes the  exchange rate of 21%! So the PMO fee is 
about 5$CAN, and it si very safe  since only the recipient can cash the 
money. So a standard enveloppe by  regular mail is all you will have to pay 
over the 5$. Can't be cheaper  IMO.

MAC: Friendly Dennis G sent me a very nice sunroof frame (plus  some 
goodies) for my urQuattro, scavenged from a Coupe that didn't saw any  
winter (water?). This stuff is VERY rare here in the  snowbelt...


Hope this helps someone, 

Louis-Alain
1983  Quattro, with a silent sunroof but noisy studded  tires


The final verdict on the international money transfer issue:
    Success! My bank took the Postal Money Order from  Canada, albeit having 
to have 3 staffers give it the final thumbs up first.  Quite painless actually.

 
Dennis
Denver