Just putting this out there in the hope that someone has some insight into the worldwide shipping racket?
I am planning on ordering an Recco R380 transmission for the 85 Classic in Oz this week. (Classic has Tdi300 and trans from Disco)
Ashcrofts has the best price and a great reputation, so was leaning that way. Unless I am missing info on a good rebuilder in Oz?
They want about 600 pounds for shipping, and still come out better than a couple of rebuilders in NSW I have contacted, even after duty and GST.
I will be charged 350 Pounds for the core, so I was looking for a really slow, cheap sea freight way to send the core back for less than the
core charge. It just needs to be returned within 12 months.
It seems that most sea freight companies will only deliver to a port and will not arrange onward shipment?
So, question for the UK crowd.....What is the best international port to ship to to get closest to Luton?
Then, is there a courier or freight service that is preferred to do the "final mile" part? (Weight is 62kg)
Any advice gladly accepted!
Cheers,
Tom

Virtually all international freight comes into Felixstowe, or at least the container traffic does. That is where all the cars I used to import from the US came in (except when someone in the States put our container on the wrong ship so we had to drive to Rotterdam in two Range Rovers, both with trailers to collect them from there). Felixstowe is 100 miles from me and Luton is 50 miles but in the opposite direction. There's courier companies that will move stuff on a pallet (if it is on a pallet) but I suspect a normal courier would not be cheap due to the size and weight.

The cars got unloaded from the containers and parked in a bonded warehouse and wouldn't be released until duty was paid. However, if you were to send a gearbox to Ashcrofts for rebuild and they were returning it after it had been done, there wouldn't be any duty to pay (as it is your property) in the same way if Ashcrofts marked the new one as rebuilt being returned, I suspect there wouldn't be any GST to pay at your end. It might be worth asking them if they would be prepared to do this.

Sounds like you need a freight forwarding company attuned to single transaction business.

A now deceased friend ran a "one man and girl Friday" business doing such things up until 30 years ago. He was very good at arranging that sort of there and back journey at a reasonable price. Not the only thing he did but a speciality. Was training girl Friday, a very sharp young lady, to take over the business so he could retire in a few years when a heart attack wrecked the plans.

I imagine there must still be people doing that sort of thing, just a matter of finding one able to get your box into a corner of a shared container. The sea leg is the cheap bit, about £6,000 or so for a 40 ft container from OZ to UK I believe.

Clive