Van Cafe

1
Is anyone ordering stuff from van cafe? Every time I try them the postal cost is abserd. Just did back to back comparison on gowesty springs, Van cafe was $300 more in postage! They want $100 to send a $40 aircleaner. Am I missing something? Greg E
2
Greg,

Van Cafe is might be using a different carrier. Who are you comparing them to? I can tell you this much, you have to be creative to save on postage to OZ. Did you follow the spring shipping episode I was putting together for Nick? I'm shipping him some GoWesty springs.

Once upon a time, the US Postal Service offered what they called Third Class mail or surface service. Basically, it goes on the slow boat and takes a month of two to get there. They eliminated that level of service and aside from First Class Service for small parcels, they require everything to go Priority Mail International or Express Mail. Priority cost about double 3rd Class and triple Express. Perhaps the other vendor is on the old system.

The other favorite carrier for US vendors is UPS. As anyone will no doubt tell you, UPS has extortionist brokerage fees added in the Country of destination.

I found out a long time ago that heavier items are most economically shipped via USPS Priority Flat Rate if it will fit in their boxes. Most businesses are reluctant to use flat rate boxes because it adds an unwanted complexity in their operations. Until you know which service they are using, and which vendor you refer to, it's hard to answer your question accurately.

I happen to know both owners of GoWesty and Van Cafe. I can put in a word if I know they are the two vendors you speak of. I mean I know one is Van Cafe. Don't which is the other(s).


Regards,

BenT


On Feb 15, 2011, at 9:49 PM, "gregespo73" <gregespo73@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Is anyone ordering stuff from van cafe? Every time I try them the postal cost is abserd. Just did back to back comparison on gowesty springs, Van cafe was $300 more in postage! They want $100 to send a $40 aircleaner. Am I missing something? Greg E
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3

Greg,

I suspect that Van Café might be like a lot of small American companies. Because 99% of their trade is within America , their postage/freight tables are geared accordingly. When it comes to something offshore, it becomes multiples of the local rates and does not reflect what any global business would charge.

I buy books from the US occasionally and I have to be very careful about freight. It is not unusual for a $30 book to come with a $60 freight charge!!

Les

From: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com [mailto: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com ] On Behalf Of gregespo73
Sent: 16 February 2011 16:50
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Van Cafe

 

 

Is anyone ordering stuff from van cafe? Every time I try them the postal cost is abserd. Just did back to back comparison on gowesty springs, Van cafe was $300 more in postage! They want $100 to send a $40 aircleaner. Am I missing something? Greg E

4
Greg E,
They quoted you the automatically generated cost. Usually with us,
they e-mail with a better price.
Theo
5
Thanks Theo, I knew there must be a way of sorting it, otherwise no one in Aus would by from them.
Cheers Ben, Yes I am comparing gowest and van cafe. I have bought stuff from gowesty and their automatically generated postage is, in my experiance, fair and reasonable. But Van cafes is obviously set to prompt the buyer to email. Live and learn. Greg E
--- On Wed, 16/2/11, Theo Weiss <teows@melbpc.org.au> wrote:

From: Theo Weiss <teows@melbpc.org.au>
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Received: Wednesday, 16 February, 2011, 5:37 PM

 
Greg E,
They quoted you the automatically generated cost. Usually with us,
they e-mail with a better price.
Theo


 
6
Hi Greg,

I'll mention that to Van Cafe's owner next time I communicate with him.


Cheers,

BenT



On Feb 16, 2011, at 12:10 AM, greg esposito <gregespo73@yahoo.com> wrote:

Thanks Theo, I knew there must be a way of sorting it, otherwise no one in Aus would by from them.
Cheers Ben, Yes I am comparing gowest and van cafe. I have bought stuff from gowesty and their automatically generated postage is, in my experiance, fair and reasonable. But Van cafes is obviously set to prompt the buyer to email. Live and learn. Greg E
--- On Wed, 16/2/11, Theo Weiss <teows@melbpc.org.au> wrote:

From: Theo Weiss <teows@melbpc.org.au>
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Received: Wednesday, 16 February, 2011, 5:37 PM

 
Greg E,
They quoted you the automatically generated cost. Usually with us,
they e-mail with a better price.
Theo


 
7
Yeah the false postage almost put me off buying from them the first time round too. They do offer shipping as comparable to the other US  vendors and once you place an order it's shipped out next day latest so great service from their end of things.. I've bought a set of 6 rhein alloys from them via fedex (arrived at the door in 4 days) , front end bushing kit, old man emu shocks which were cheaper to re-import from US than buy them in oz! and some other smaller items. Never any problems.
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: syncro@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:20:24 -0800
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe

 
Hi Greg,

I'll mention that to Van Cafe's owner next time I communicate with him.


Cheers,

BenT



On Feb 16, 2011, at 12:10 AM, greg esposito <gregespo73@yahoo.com> wrote:

Thanks Theo, I knew there must be a way of sorting it, otherwise no one in Aus would by from them.
Cheers Ben, Yes I am comparing gowest and van cafe. I have bought stuff from gowesty and their automatically generated postage is, in my experiance, fair and reasonable. But Van cafes is obviously set to prompt the buyer to email. Live and learn. Greg E
--- On Wed, 16/2/11, Theo Weiss <teows@melbpc.org.au> wrote:

From: Theo Weiss <teows@melbpc.org.au>
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Received: Wednesday, 16 February, 2011, 5:37 PM

 
Greg E,
They quoted you the automatically generated cost. Usually with us,
they e-mail with a better price.
Theo


 


8
Just bought from Van cafe and they went to a lot of trouble to get
the postage minimized.
But didn't check that the used electric mirrors were not suited to right
hand drive.
They've offered alternatives and compensation by the way.

Mark
9
Mark,

I'm just curious why the power mirrors can't be used for RHD. If the convex mirror is the problem, I believe they are interchangeable.


BenT


Sent from my mobile device

On Feb 16, 2011, at 10:35 PM, "m.mullet" <m.mullet@yahoo.com.au wrote:

> Just bought from Van cafe and they went to a lot of trouble to get
> the postage minimized.
> But didn't check that the used electric mirrors were not suited to right
> hand drive.
> They've offered alternatives and compensation by the way.
>
> Mark
>
10
Hi Mark,
There is a modification you can do to increase the adjustment angle listed in The Bentleys (66.3) and also swap over the convex if its a problem.
 
Cheers, Andy Sinclair, St.Kilda
 

From: m.mullet
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 5:35 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe

 

Just bought from Van cafe and they went to a lot of trouble to get
the postage minimized.
But didn't check that the used electric mirrors were not suited to right
hand drive.
They've offered alternatives and compensation by the way.

Mark

11

From memory, electric mirrors were an option in Australia , therefore ADR compliant and they would have been what VAG manufactured for RH drive countries.

Les

From: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com [mailto: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com ] On Behalf Of BenT Syncro
Sent: 17 February 2011 19:03
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Cc: m.mullet@yahoo.com.au
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe

 

 

Mark,

I'm just curious why the power mirrors can't be used for RHD. If the convex mirror is the problem, I believe they are interchangeable.

BenT

Sent from my mobile device

On Feb 16, 2011, at 10:35 PM, "m.mullet" <m.mullet@yahoo.com.au wrote:

> Just bought from Van cafe and they went to a lot of trouble to get
> the postage minimized.
> But didn't check that the used electric mirrors were not suited to right
> hand drive.
> They've offered alternatives and compensation by the way.
>
> Mark
>

12
The loom could possibly be different as well but Im sure will still fit and work better as a fixed mirror than the other type, you could also re-wire them and do the bentleys modification...
 
Andy

From: Les Harris
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 7:48 PM
Subject: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe

 

From memory, electric mirrors were an option in Australia , therefore ADR compliant and they would have been what VAG manufactured for RH drive countries.

Les

From: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com [mailto: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com ] On Behalf Of BenT Syncro
Sent: 17 February 2011 19:03
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Cc: m.mullet@yahoo.com.au
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe

 

Mark,

I'm just curious why the power mirrors can't be used for RHD. If the convex mirror is the problem, I believe they are interchangeable.

BenT

Sent from my mobile device

On Feb 16, 2011, at 10:35 PM, "m.mullet" <m.mullet@yahoo.com.au wrote:

> Just bought from Van cafe and they went to a lot of trouble
to get
> the postage minimized.
> But didn't check that the used
electric mirrors were not suited to right
> hand drive.
> They've
offered alternatives and compensation by the way.
>
> Mark
>

13
My power mirrors have been bastardised from LHD to RHD and work fine. AS Ben T said. Just change the mirrors over - its really easy.
 
Cheers,
 
Skot
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 7:03 PM
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe

 

Mark,

I'm just curious why the power mirrors can't be used for RHD. If the convex mirror is the problem, I believe they are interchangeable.

BenT

Sent from my mobile device

On Feb 16, 2011, at 10:35 PM, "m.mullet" <m.mullet@yahoo.com.au wrote:

> Just bought from Van cafe and they went to a lot of trouble to get
> the postage minimized.
> But didn't check that the used electric mirrors were not suited to right
> hand drive.
> They've offered alternatives and compensation by the way.
>
> Mark
>

14
In addition to the mod in the manual to get the angle right on my mirrors I had to grind the locating lugs off the base pice.  This means that they don't lock back in the same place but they are a much solider set up than the standard ones.
 
Michael Roberts

From: Mr Scott Pitcher <spbconsulting@bigpond.com>
To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, February 17, 2011 8:18:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe

 

My power mirrors have been bastardised from LHD to RHD and work fine. AS Ben T said. Just change the mirrors over - its really easy.
 
Cheers,
 
Skot
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 7:03 PM
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe

 

Mark,

I'm just curious why the power mirrors can't be used for RHD. If the convex mirror is the problem, I believe they are interchangeable.

BenT

Sent from my mobile device

On Feb 16, 2011, at 10:35 PM, "m.mullet" <m.mullet@yahoo.com.au wrote:

> Just bought from Van cafe and they went to a lot of trouble to get
> the postage minimized.
> But didn't check that the used electric mirrors were not suited to right
> hand drive.
> They've offered alternatives and compensation by the way.
>
> Mark
>


15
Thanks for the tip Andy,

as I don't have a Bentleys I probably should get one.
Can you briefly describe the process for me.

Thanks,

Mark

--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Sinclair" <andy@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Mark,
> There is a modification you can do to increase the adjustment angle listed in The Bentleys (66.3) and also swap over the convex if its a problem.
>
> Cheers, Andy Sinclair, St.Kilda
>
>
>
> From: m.mullet
> Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 5:35 PM
> To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe
>
>
>
> Just bought from Van cafe and they went to a lot of trouble to get
> the postage minimized.
> But didn't check that the used electric mirrors were not suited to right
> hand drive.
> They've offered alternatives and compensation by the way.
>
> Mark
>
16
Hi Mark,
Bit difficult to describe and I cant send a photo of the page at the moment. I could however send a photo to your phone. If thats possible send your number to me. Mine is 0438 170461.
 
Cheers, Andy

From: m.mullet
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2011 10:53 AM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe

 

Thanks for the tip Andy,

as I don't have a Bentleys I probably should get one.
Can you briefly describe the process for me.

Thanks,

Mark

--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Sinclair" <andy@...> wrote:

>
> Hi Mark,
> There
is a modification you can do to increase the adjustment angle listed in The Bentleys (66.3) and also swap over the convex if its a problem.
>
>
Cheers, Andy Sinclair, St.Kilda
>
>
>
> From:
m.mullet
> Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 5:35 PM
> To:
href="mailto:Syncro_T3_Australia%40yahoogroups.com">Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Van Cafe
>
>
>
> Just bought from Van cafe and they went to a lot of trouble to
get
> the postage minimized.
> But didn't check that the used
electric mirrors were not suited to right
> hand drive.
> They've
offered alternatives and compensation by the way.
>
>
Mark
>