Posting cars UK

[Coopdevil 18]

Couple of really dumb/naive questions here;

I have a couple of 1:10 cars to get rid of before a house move so will throw them on ebay.

I've never posted anything this large before so

1 - Where's the best place to get suitable boxes from (UK) and
2 - Can something this large just be taken to my local Post Office for posting, or do I need to sort out a seperate courier collection?

Cheers,

Coop

[Tamiyabigstuff 832]

I've posted lots of R/C cars and other large items.

Boxes - try supermarkets or DIY / electrical stores - normally happy to get rid of them.

Post Office can be pretty expensive - I normally use MyHermes - I've never had a problem with them.

Whatever courier you choose, use a strong cardboard box with plenty of bubble wrap, foam chips or crumpled newspaper for packaging.

If you are sending a boxed kit I've found cardboard tubes from toilet roll / kitchen roll or the cardboard inner from rolls of packing tape make very good corner protectors.   

[Prescient 671]

Boxes purchased from local storage unit facility are usually good. Post office counter to be sent via parcel force (make sure tracked and insured but no batteries).

Cheaper via parcel to go / parcel monkey etc or collect+ but again pick a decent courrier option and insured..

[Newsh 111]

What cars you getting rid of? Might be worth posting here too and save yourself the Ebay fees

[njmlondon 570]

Definitely try and sell them via Tamiyaclub first. Ebay fees are horrible.

Do not go near the post office. Parcel2Go.com is your best source for posting. I have used MyHermes and UPS with no issues at all and frequently half the price of Parcelforce.

[Coopdevil 18]

Cheers all, had forgotten about storage providers for boxes (there is one in a retail park that's walking distance from my front door). 

Post Office counter - I know it's pricier than a courier but I drive past one on my way back from work, and I live at an awkward address in a block of flats so prefer not to have the hassle of somebody not being able to find the address, or not working out how to use the intercom (this happens). 

Car wise, it's two rollers - TT02B, and a Falcon. No idea of value hence was going to auction. 

[topforcein 1764]

2 hours ago, Coopdevil said:

Couple of really dumb/naive questions here;

I have a couple of 1:10 cars to get rid of before a house move so will throw them on ebay.

I've never posted anything this large before so

1 - Where's the best place to get suitable boxes from (UK) and
2 - Can something this large just be taken to my local Post Office for posting, or do I need to sort out a seperate courier collection?

Cheers,

Coop

Where about are you in the black country

 

 

 

[Coopdevil 18]

Just down the road from you, Tividale Quays. 

[topforcein 1764]

That's great so you getting out of rc completely??. 

For box's the yellow self storage building between dreams island and the wednesbury island with the gates on it sells box's.

And their is a place at the top if princess end just past the shop with the chipton fryer on it sells box's also

[Coopdevil 18]

No, just pruning the collection a bit. A car I've no use for now, and a restoration project I never started.

[topforcein 1764]

I know what that's like seeing there ain't anywhere around here to use rc,s

[Percymon 2184]

Boxes - check local supermarket, or your work/school. You can buy large mailing boxes from the post office for a fiver as a last resort.

 

 

Shipping - Royal Mail is pretty expensive, if its just a touring car then you can get  a reasonable price as a medium sized parcel for ca £6 second class with no tracking/signature.  Bigger parcels tend to end up with parcelforce so you're looking at £10-15 (hence a lot of sellers on ebay asking £13-18 postage !

I've used myhermes and collectplus for years (with both i drop at local shop as the drop-off point, delivery to recipients door).

I will not use myhermes anymore - they lost a parcel of mine in October, letting my buyer down and me - it took numerous calls and an online chat session to raise a claim, which took another 2 weeks to pay out.  My buyer had no good words to say about myhermes (lots of damaged parcels, thrown over the fence, or not even bothering to go to the end of his street) - he told me this after buyign the itme which clearly said myhermes shipping !!

I've had no issues with Collectplus, shipped more than 20 RC cars with them. typically £8 next day, insured , with signature on delivery

[Coopdevil 18]

That Collectplus looks ideal, cheers. 

 

Coop

[Phil_H 418]

I paid £18 on my recent eBay purchase for 2nd Class Royal Mail!

 

Same parcel would cost about £4 with Parcel2go.  I post a lot of stuff, My Hermes, Collect+, Yodel and UPS Access Point....all very good and priced much better than Royal Mail. Only use RM for anything that comes under "small parcel' 

 

[Scouser 83]

As others have mentioned, Hermes and Yodel are my first choices for sending cars. Went to the post office to send a B4 and they wanted £26 for a service that cost £8 through either of the other couriers. Needless to say I won't be using the Post Office too frequently.

[bigoggy 203]

There seems to be some hate for the post office here.

I know they are not cheap, but I will now only buy from sellers who use them.

Had far too many mess ups from Hermes, and Yodel. Parcels left with neighbours, or on doorstep, despite notes on the parcels not to do so.

And most of Hermes and Yodels delivery people are using normal cars, without proper insurance, hence the cheap prices.

Don't scrimp on postage.

[Phil_H 418]

3 minutes ago, bigoggy said:

There seems to be some hate for the post office here.

I know they are not cheap, but I will now only buy from sellers who use them.

Had far too many mess ups from Hermes, and Yodel. Parcels left with neighbours, or on doorstep, despite notes on the parcels not to do so.

And most of Hermes and Yodels delivery people are using normal cars, without proper insurance, hence the cheap prices.

Don't scrimp on postage.

In the last 7 or 8yrs that I've been using couriers I've had 1 parcel damaged and 2 lost, which out of hundreds of parcels is a pretty good stat. I was reimbursed for all. 

If you take out insurance and pack stuff correctly there is nothing to worry about. 

 

 

[Nobbi1977 1793]

1 hour ago, bigoggy said:

There seems to be some hate for the post office here.

I know they are not cheap, but I will now only buy from sellers who use them.

Had far too many mess ups from Hermes, and Yodel. Parcels left with neighbours, or on doorstep, despite notes on the parcels not to do so.

And most of Hermes and Yodels delivery people are using normal cars, without proper insurance, hence the cheap prices.

Don't scrimp on postage.

Most people don't want to pay postage though. Items I list with £3.75 postage sell well, list at £7.50 and no offers.

Myherpies are not great but I box well and have not had a complaint yet.

[Wooders28 4723]

I normally use the box that my last car purchase was delivered in! 

I've used myhermes around 20 times, as the local spar is open until 10pm,and the only issues I've had, is the last 2 cars I've sold, the charity build one took 2 weeks to be delivered!  

I found ' myhermes RANTS' on facebook, gets you quicker replies and answers than trying to contact myhermes!