UK Exchange Rate

[Jpdv]

Just FYI,

The Pound is down about 8% from its January rate against the AUD. It's a good time to be buying -that 8% or so helps offset delivery fees etc, and further helps with the cheaper cost base on UK spares etc. (Travall Dog Guard on its way for me...)

[Redtail]

The pound may be down, but how are freight charges?

Back in 2018, I bought a Prospeed roofrack, ladder and rock sliders. Freight to Perth was 600GBP.
Last week I got a quote from Rydam for a Novawinch 12500 and discreet cradle for my D4, around 800GBP.
Not a particularly large package compared to the Prospeed gear. But freight? 1195GBP! [bighmmm]

[loanrangie]

The pound may be down, but how are freight charges?

Back in 2018, I bought a Prospeed roofrack, ladder and rock sliders. Freight to Perth was 600GBP.
Last week I got a quote from Rydam for a Novawinch 12500 and discreet cradle for my D4, around 800GBP.
Not a particularly large package compared to the Prospeed gear. But freight? 1195GBP! [bighmmm]

Freight is up everywhere.

[Eric SDV6SE]

Freight cost and time of delivery is up, especially domestic. The exception seems to be freight time from the UK.....

[Jpdv]

Its all case by case. I'm finding UK freight fast at the moment, and a big lump like the dog guard is only about $60 freight...
Bottom line is do your sums, but for me on some items, UK prices and freight add up to between 50 and 75% of buying locally... I'll take the wait for that unless its totally time critical...

[scarry]

The pound may be down, but how are freight charges?

Back in 2018, I bought a Prospeed roofrack, ladder and rock sliders. Freight to Perth was 600GBP.
Last week I got a quote from Rydam for a Novawinch 12500 and discreet cradle for my D4, around 800GBP.
Not a particularly large package compared to the Prospeed gear. But freight? 1195GBP! [bighmmm]

Back in 2018,we were getting a common item we use freighted from Toowoomba to Brisbane for $25.

Today, same parcel, is freighted for $60.

[drfish]

I am just commencing a new build and ordering my parts. Out of curiosity I went through my old invoices from UK suppliers during 2019 and pre-COVID 2020 to work out the proportion of each invoice that represented freight. For all these old invoices it was remarkably consistent - around 28-30% of the landed cost was freight (I live in regional NSW). Capitalising on the current GBP exchange rate I have just posted about $6k worth of orders in the last month, and the average freight cost has just moved to the other side of 30% (30-33%). So it’s gone up, but not significantly (at least for my suppliers). It is still much cheaper sourcing from UK than local suppliers, for anything that is not too heavy (e.g. leaf springs and brake drums).

What is more worrying for me is 1) stock levels (with many Chinese ports affected by Covid), and 2) the decline of OEM or genuine options for Series-model parts. For example, CV type brake master cylinder for a 109 is now NLA - The only mob that I could find had an OEM one was SP4x4, which I ordered, but they wrote back and said they couldn’t get them anymore. So I brought a genuine NOS seal kit from Blanchards which I’ll use in a new Bearmach m/c (too many horror stories with aftermarket brake parts). The situation will only get worse when Blanchards close next year.

[Redtail]

Its all case by case. I'm finding UK freight fast at the moment, and a big lump like the dog guard is only about $60 freight...
Bottom line is do your sums, but for me on some items, UK prices and freight add up to between 50 and 75% of buying locally... I'll take the wait for that unless its totally time critical...

I agree.

Given I paid 600GBP for a "big lump" of roof rack, rock sliders and a ladder, I was still rather surprised at the 1195GBP charge for a winch and a mounting bracket.
I will be shopping around for the lowest landed cost, without sacrificing quality gear.

[DiscoDan]

Was just quoted £825 for freight of auto box from Ashcroft. Hurts. But a stage 2 box and upgraded torque converter landed is still cheaper than what’s available in Brisbane

[PeterOZ]

I have been sending a few parcels domestically and finding Aust post are taking anywhere from 2 days to 3 weeks just to process then delivery on top of that.

As for UK gear I am about to bite the bullet on a set of 4 arms plus rear knuckle bushes and associated bolts etc. I hope the GBP keeps going down.

[Jpdv]

I have been sending a few parcels domestically and finding Aust post are taking anywhere from 2 days to 3 weeks just to process then delivery on top of that.

As for UK gear I am about to bite the bullet on a set of 4 arms plus rear knuckle bushes and associated bolts etc. I hope the GBP keeps going down.

If you're doing that, do what I do and add in some servicing consumables - oil/air/cabin filters etc. Their freight cost is then often zero, as they don't bump the weight up to the next cost band the sender uses, and they're about 50% of Aus prices - I've got 3 complete sets lined up, sealed in the original packaging in the shed...

[PeterOZ]

If you're doing that, do what I do and add in some servicing consumables - oil/air/cabin filters etc. Their freight cost is then often zero, as they don't bump the weight up to the next cost band the sender uses, and they're about 50% of Aus prices - I've got 3 complete sets lined up, sealed in the original packaging in the shed...

not a bad idea, maybe fuel filter too.

[PerthDisco]

not a bad idea, maybe fuel filter too.

Transfer box special oil another good one to sneak in to large orders as cheap over there.