cwilks... those bouncing boobies are driving me nuts - here I am reading everyone's comments then I get to your reply, focus on theboobs, and forget all about the message subject...

 

I found when ordering from discountHD Dealers that shipping charges could be vastly different. I don't mind mentioning names (after all they advertise in the major mags)so here goes:
Surdyke HD gave 15% off of MSRPand Motor City HD gave 20% (both ads found in the Thunder Press).When I checked the shipping costs Surdyke was at least50% less.Both use UPS - but Motor City charges their customers a hidden "handling fee" which nearly doubled the shipping costs. I was going to spend a pretty good chunk of change ordering not only for myself but several buddies. The shipping costs from Motor City amounted to almost 40% of the order!! I requested a regular shipping price since I was making such a large order and they pretty much told me to **** off. I even explained that I do lots of work on buddies bikes and would be ordering much more in the future but the answer never changed. Surdyke gotthat order and I saved hundreds in shipping.
Even my hometown HD shop charges more than the HD catalog price, but only a few pennies. If the catalog price is $12.95 they mark it up to $12.99 and right down the line. It's a shame for a dealer to screw their customers out of a few pennies after they spent thousands of dollars on a bike. That's why I buy parts online and stay away from the localHD dealer.
Like these otherposters have said - compare everything before you order. You'll thank yourself for it. See Ya

 

I think the biggest point here was that some, if not all vendors, seem to dick around with their shipping costs. This case is a good example of 3 items that are pretty much the same, yet the shipping is different by a couple of dollars. Why? Not that it's a huge deal, but it sure is reasonable to ask vendors to be consistent in their pricing when all else is equal (weight, size, destination.)

As far as checking on shipping before you order...well, try as you might, that doesn't always work out either. Case in point, I recently ordered $600+ worth of items from Zanotti's, had the cost plus shipping from their web site, fired off my order then got a request from them a day later asking for another $15 for "additional shipping". I contemplated telling them to go F--- themselves, but decided to just pay it so I could get my order in the time frame I wanted. If the "correct" shipping was quoted up front, I probably wouldn't have had a problem with it, but the way it was presented was, IMO, poor customer service. I'm a firm believer that if your business is mail order/web site sales, then your business is also knowing how much it costs to ship those items. And it ain't the $15...it's the jerking around that I don't like, as I'M SURE MOST WOULD AGREE.

 

I agree...Did happened to me...And one of my order was damaged due to their poor packaging but they offered a replacement if I send the item back at my cost.

 

What is this about you are comparing differant Part#'s from differant dealers. If you want 20% frist time every time call Chicago Harley.

 

Different parts of equal size and weight from the same dealer.

 

Never, ever go with just one vendor. I have priced CHD vs Zan's many times. With shipping counted in the costs these 2 go back and forth on which one is cheaper..and it's usually not by a whole hell of alot! Also it's not always 20%..gotta watch that.