Shipping to Canada from the lower 48 USA.

[Timo04]

Hi, does anyone on the board have any suggestions for a good, cost effective carrier for shipping a set of four FIAT 124 wheels/tires to Canada? I am not sure if the USPS is up to shipping wheels or not. Thanks in advance!

[SubGothius]

Look into FedEx Ground. I used to work at FedEx-Kinko's and remember the rates were generally surprisingly cheap going Ground to Canada, and FedEx Ground seems generally less cavalier with shipment handling than other carriers (we even had UPS drivers coming into our shop to ship stuff they cared about, if that tells you anything). You'll need to have a FedEx account (anyone can get one; it just works as a proxy to bill your credit/debit card on the fly), and you'll need to use the online Ship Manager to print your labels yourself.

If they've still got tires mounted, you may want to leave them on for rim protection but let out most of the air out to save weight, inflated just enough to keep the beads seated. Then you can just put a circle of thick cardboard on the face side of each wheel as scratch/ding protection (or don't even bother if they're already scratched up anyway), roll'em into a Kinko's and let them help you stick your printed labels on in an acceptable manner; sticking them into an airbill pouch adhered on the tread may be preferable, and they should have tire labels designed to stick to tire treads, so you can stick the pouch on top of those labels in turn.

[Whitespy]

I've done it lots, Probably a little late but what you do is get wheel boxes and ship each wheel (Insured) through local post. This way no handling or admin fees just duties. With UPS or FedX as soon it crosses the boarder we have to bend over with extra charges.

Hope this helps.

[davidb]

The United States Postal Service can ship MUCH less expensively
than UPS or Fed Ex into another country, be it a letter, box or
package. Plus many a foreign country trusts the USPS as having
screened the contents w/o opening same, hazmat detection & such.
Try shipping something as I have to Saudi Arabia or Bahrain via
UPS or Fed Ex. Grossly expensive! Trust the USPS for foreign
shipment.