Disclaimer: Mods, I don't believe this info has any impact on our sponsor.

For my fellow Canucks, good news on two fronts... well news to me, maybe I just found out what others know.

HF: I was always under the impression that you cannot buy from Harbor Freight, from Canada. The website makes it seem so. Turns out that is only half correct. True, HF will not ship outside the USA, nor will it allow you to use a Canadian billing address (or Cdn paypal acct) when you pay on the website.

HOWEVER, you can order from Canada via their toll-free order line. You still have to get the item shipped to a US address. Some people, like me, are close enough to a US border town with a UPS Store to make that practical. If not, there are other ways to trans-ship a package -- not practical for a small order, I guess, but on some items very worthwhile.

Eastwood: Not only did I just discover that Eastwood willingly ships to Canada, it is also a model of a US company that doesn't treat shipping up here like some insanely complicated exercise.

They only ship out once a week to Canada. I would assume they move a week's worth of stuff over the border at one shot, which limits the customs hassles... JC Penney did the same once upon a time. However, they don't charge any huge premium. Presumably that is because the famous "customs charges" we know all too well end up being assessed once on a large shipment, instead of piecemeal on each package.

Result? No BS $75-$95 "express shipping only" (on an order that would ship for free inside the USA), or "customs service charge: $35", etc., all of which are all too familiar to Canadians trying to order auto stuff online from the USA.

I paid Eastwood $17 total shipping, via Canada Post, for a box that weighed about 8 lbs and was easily 40 inches by 10 inches (bodywork tools), on a total $90 order.

And, as an additional bonus, because Eastwood is technically shipping from inside Canada, they can ship aerosols and liquids (prohibited for US-Can/Can-US cross-border postal and courier parcel shipping since post-9/11).

Just FYI.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

That is cool since both of those companies have some good stuff....

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=10414

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=156207&highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

I hear you re the freight charges. I tried to place an order with one US vendor today. Shipping for main part was about C$40 and part cost same. So I thought I would add some filters and other items I will be needing thinking it wouldn't make much difference to shipping cost. Well they then said they would be shipping from two locations and I think shipping was going to be $70. Those filter were getting expensive!

Re HF. I buy stuff there when in USA for winter. They have a bigger selection, but a lot of stuff looks same as that at PA. Likely comes from same source!

re Eastwood, I have not used these guys and don't know how costs compare with buying cross border.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I figure you mean "The Rock:" Their "ships from multiple warehouses" thing is getting really old. Possibly it's worse for our old cars, than for newer ones. I don't know. But as shipping prices increase, it's getting a bit absurd... though I believe someone posted a while back that they had the same issue with Pelican on an order. Gotta give some credit to Rock, as they have always shipped to Canada and their prices are usually at least acceptable for same.

Yes most of the stuff at HF is similar to Princess Auto, however HF goes into greater depth in some product areas. For example I am looking at a spot stud welder for bodywork... they are blowing them out the door at $99 and free shipping -- other discount outlets have the same tool at $130-150, and 'real' pro units are $350 to $750. Yes it's Chinese made but it's well-reviewed on several sites and it's not like I'm running a bodyshop. PA doesn't carry anything that specialized.

Eastwood is a very old and established DIY supplier with an excellent reputation. I don't know about the USA, but most of their products would be difficult to impossible to find locally most places in Canada.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Graham, shipping charges from USA to Canada makes buying parts in the States often unattractive. If you live not too far from the border opening an account with CBI USA | US Mailbox Rental & US Shipping Address Services could be of interest. NFI.
PS I live in Mississauga and have been at their warehouse.




[QUOTE=Graham;3475662]I hear you re the freight charges. I tried to place an order with one US vendor today. Shipping for main part was about C$40 and part cost same. So I thought I would add some filters and other items I will be needing thinking it wouldn't make much difference to shipping cost. Well they then said they would be shipping from two locations and I think shipping was going to be $70. Those filter were getting expensive!

I have an account set up with https://www.kinek.com/ but have never used them. They have a location on Wellesley Island, NY (just off Thousand islands Bridge). Round trip is 165km or about 1hr each way. About $40 in gas and bridge tolls. So usually not worth while except for items that can't be shipped by USPS.

Zach - I used to be able to borrow a spot welder from company I worked for. It was great. I made a number of boating items out of scrap titanium and S/S sheet/strips using it.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5