cheap shipping large items from UK?

[jnrdavo]

I'm looking for some replacement front seats for the S3 as the drivers one is knackered..

There are lots for sale in the UK, including door trims, back seats etc, but shipping is as much as the seats.

Has anybody got any experience in shipping from the UK? In the old days, you could put stuff in somebody else's container that were moving over here for a much cheaper rate. It was slow to get the product, but cheap.

Any thoughts?

[IchBautAuto]

Thats literally about it but the owners of the stuff in the container would want to know you personally I would think. Seats stuffed full of happy dust would ruin their day when the container finally got here. Just before Covid, shipping from UK and US started to really peak in price. I've given up in the main, just the really special part is worth the hassle and it does need to be special. Waited 4 months for a bit from Germany and it went out on time. Wouldn't you be better off just getting a great drivers seat from your local race shop. I got rid of an ADR compliant race seat a year or so ago on Gumtree for peanuts. Went from my 4WD laser to an office chair to where ever it is now.

[jnrdavo]

Yeah, on the flip side, I'd also be worried that the person with the container could fill my seats with happy dust (ie, I'm the innocent party) and cop it when the arrive...

The other option seems to be striping the cars seats in the UK, then shipping/courier the leather and get it re-stitched here...

[IchBautAuto]

That works but shipping is still expensive just for the covers and neither you nor the upholsterer work for peanuts. Oz is one of the most expensive places in the world to get things done. Result of most of us having a very high standard of living. You'd need to hope you wouldn't need an upholsterer to remove the covers but then again might be better than an enthusiastic amateur.