How do you guys generally get your parts? is there a good Canadian mail order place or how have you got the American mail order parts over the line?

 

i just get mine from Jegs or Summit, i know there are Canadian places you can order from but i dont have any names, sorry

 

I actually buy a lot of my parts right through Canadain Tire. they deal with Keystone, and to be honest most of the parts are at just about the best price you can find. Just make sure you research your parts well first, so that you know the right part # you are looking for. But there is also this place, which if I remember correctly, they are in B.C actually. http://www.hi-performance.com/

 

Canadian High-Performance Discount . They're out there somewhere - BC I think.


http://www.hi-performance.com/about.html



Edit: Kaz- I need new glasses - didn't see that you'd already posted that.. Lol

 

I never even heard of that Canadian Hi Performance place before guys... thanks.


As far as Keystone goes, they scheduled date of delivery and fluctuating prices make them not so great to deal with in my opinion. Some of their prices are very competitive, but some other prices in their catalogue seem way too high.

 

Find a buddy in the US near Bellingham/Blaine and have the goods shipped to him for pick up. Get to meet some of the guys in the "Cascade Crew" if you live in the Lower Mainland of BC.

It avoids the brokerage charge that happens when you order from the US and have shipped into Canada. Besides slowing the time for the order to come, it can add exhorbantly to the cost. It's also faster. Most places in the US can ship to another part of the US in a few days. Even with courier service, it seems to take a couple of weeks to get into Canada.

If you stay down for 48 hours (heck take your new US buddy out for a few beers), you then save money on the amount you have to declare.

I have no comment on installing the parts at your new US buddy's home and smuggling them across the border. You do risk fines and penalties if you get caught. Also, you could have a US INS problem if you get caught working on your car in the US.

Also, there's a great place in Bellingham to get your AC topped up with Freon (that stuff that our brilliant government banned a few years ago).

Lastly, go to Lordco and tell them you are a member of a car club. I tell them I am a member of the Kamloops Street Rod Assoc and they give 30% off. They probably have a similar discount for a similar club in your city/town. Heck, tell them your with the "BC F-body Association" and want to setup a discount for the Members.

 

I have ordered from Jegs and Summit but the UPS brokerage fees are killer. Canadian Hi Perf out in BC has some good prices on certain stuff. Mopac in Calgary has been quite competitive on a lot of stuff.

 

I get most of my regular stuff through B&J parts in Poco. Most normal Hi Po stuff from Mopac. For strange stuff I order direct from US mfg or use Summit or Jeg's.

You live in Surrey? Go over the 176th St truck crossing. Go into the mall by the BP gas station and go to Mail Box's International. 1733 H. Street Blaine, Washington 98230. PH: 360 332-7678. Fax : 360 332-7679

They are a UPS and I believe Fed-Ex depot for shipping and delivery. You can set up a basic delivery account for packages. Only costs $10 US per year plus a buck or two for each delivery. Then bring it across the border yourself. Saves you a TON of delivery and brokerage charges. UPS has ridiculous brokerage charges to Canada.

 

I don't know if the Post Office in Sumas will still do this, but they use to permit items to be shipped/mailed to the Sumas Post Office as General Delivery. You were limited in size and/or weight but it was like 100 lbs or bigger quite large in size. Also, a lot of US suppliers will ship by mail if requested.

When I lived in Abbotsford 5 years ago, this is how I got most of my parts from the US (until I met a good buddy in Ferndale - still the best method).

No offense, but I am not impressed with Mopac. I found them quite expensive and generally they only handle parts from their preferred supplier (like Edelbrock for intake/heads or Paxton for superchargers). They just wouldn't get the "good stuff" for Thirdgens. I swear they all drive Fords and don't want a fast Chevy.

 

Mopac's not too bad...if you know exactly what you want before hand. I usually deal with the Kingsway branch...I just never listen to any of their so called " expertise " LOL

 

The Surrey Mopac is terrible. All my business has been taken over to Best Buy. Cheapest prices around by far and extremely knowledgable and friendly guys.

 

Yeah...I hear ya. Kingsway Mopac near work for me and I can sometimes pop in on a lunch break. I just put earplugs in when I go there

 

there are no brokerage fee's with USPS. Going through fed-ex is more expensive than UPS sometimes... same with purolator. One thing you can do with UPS is get the waybill from them and pay the tax/duty yourself and bring it back to pickup your parcel without any brokerage fee's. And YES I have confirmed this with UPS several times.

 

OK buy USPS, I assume you mean United States Postal Service has no brokerage fees. That's true and I have ordered small parts that way. When I get large pieces I usually go UPS...mainly because shipping is sometimes free with large orders to the 48 States from my suppliers.

UPS in BC charges absolutely hoses us with extra charges, including brokerage fees, on anything brought across the border. I was paid $75 in extra fees on a $25 Weber carb part. Never again. And to the best of my knowledge this has never changed....at least not here.

I know of at 6 competitors who all use Mail Box International in Blaine. We've all had the same experiences with gouging by UPS and Fed-Ex. Quite funny as we all order our Race tires as a Group purchase. UPS truck shows up with about eight sets of tires ranging in size from 265\45x16's to 335\35x17's. Funny as hell as this is a very tiny store. Takes up their whole receiving area. Curse those danged Canadians!!!

As the border is so close here, it's much less hassle to have a Post Office Box in the US.