International Shipping, for parts, what is best way?

I tried the search and did not find anything about international shipping. Maybe this can be a post others can use in the future?

I need to send a box of car parts to Sweden. When I sold my 59 El Camino back at the Jan Turlock swap meet, the buyer was a guy from Sweden. He came with cash and drove the car away that day. I had forgot a box of small parts (rubber seals, some suspension ball joints, etc) at home. Told the buyer I would send it.

Well........here it is about 6 weeks later and I am finally getting it done. I know that the parts are useful for him and also I had told him they would be sent. So I need to do it.

What is the best way that is cheapest for me to send this box from Calif to Sweden? Do I have to do anything special for customs? Do I just declare the value as $0 and a gift to save him duty taxes? Is there a reasonable time for shipping besides air mail, which could get expensive?

Thanks for the help, Terry

 

Send it USPS...surface mail, will take 6-8 weeks, fill in the customs form as "Used car parts" and gift, and put about $40.00 as value.

You need form 2976-A if its over 4lbs its the white one with several pages, not the green one.

They will ask if there is anything liquid, perishable or fragile... Thats about it!

Once you have it boxed up, weigh it & go to www.usps.com & it will tell you exactly what it costs.

 

i would ck with dhl....they have a flat rateshipping box that can be sent international. their ground delivery service is by far they least expensive domestic shipping . stands to reason theycan help with international shipping..

 

Greetings from overseas. USPS is the way nowadays, not UPS or DHL (for reasonably sized packages) like your box. If the weight or size goes over the limits, then we have to use boat because of the costs.

 

USPS parcel post when I ship outside the country,reasonable rates and no problems so far.

 

Thanks, looks like I will be heading to the Post Office at lunch to mail this box.

 

I recently did this and it worked great. Went to Sweden even. Also did the same thing to Canada.

OOPS EDIT: I used the Airmail Parcel Post. It went faster, like 4-10 days they say.

 

I use USPS Airmail parcel post. Faster delivery and just a few cents more than standard (slooooow) service. I've recently sold ebay items to Norway, Belguim, Japan, Italy and Finland and almost all packages arrived in less than a week.

 

As a recipient of parts shipped internationally, I also have to agree with USPS. UPS and the others rape us on "paperwork" charges for customs brokering. USPS is usually just a flat $5 brokerage fee when I have things shipped to me from the USA.

 

Dont send it UPS, he will get a nasty customs and broker fee, send USPS and at least the charges will be minimum as its would be gov't to gov't. Whenever i order something and someone sends it UPS i get nailed with a brokerage fee more than the shipping i already paid for.