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Author Topic: Shipping a Lister from the UK  (Read 5893 times)

Mack

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Shipping a Lister from the UK
« on: May 26, 2007, 01:44:23 AM »
If you bought a Real Lister from the UK. And shipped to North America.
Who did you use to ship the engine and how much did it cost?


I bought a 12/2. About two years ago. The owner charged me about $100. To crate her up.
And he loaded it for free. He actually shipped it out before my check arrived.
Awful trusting, but he did receive payment.


I was quoted about $550. To ship to New England. I don’t remember who I dealt with.
Didn’t matter, as the engine was in transit. The company I paid went out of business.

Who ever took over the assets of the company (or maybe it was the shipping line)
Was extorting an extra $250. out of me. The express company that had my motor
Could not release it until they got the OK.


Stan

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Re: Shipping a Lister from the UK
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2007, 03:01:24 AM »
Andrew, T19, our moderator did just that.  His explanation of exactly how he did it and how much it cost him is somewhere in this thread, try here...   http://listerengine.com/smf/index.php?topic=826.0

Stan

listeroidsusa1

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Re: Shipping a Lister from the UK
« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2007, 05:38:29 AM »
It'll end up costing you FAR more than you planned. I imported 2 Lister CD engines from Birmingham and at first thought I had a bargain, one runner and even a complete parts engine only needing a valve job for US $28. Ocean freight was quoted at $162. What I ran into were new US import regulations that forbid the importation of raw wood crating. All crating needs to be either certified heat treated or manufactured wood such as OSB board or plywood. It cost almost $750 for the certified crating + liftgate truck pickup to deliver to the terminal, warehouse charges, loading charges for the container, unloading charges for the container here in the US, duties, harbor tax, customs entry, inland freight ect. added up to over $1700 additional by the time it arrived at my shop. Importing a single engine from the UK can be done but it is quite expensive.

MikeyT

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Re: Shipping a Lister from the UK
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2007, 04:07:04 PM »
Mike (listeroidsusa1) is right, it will cost more than you think it should. I have imported 2 over the past 2 years, around $1500 each. Ballpark costs are 250 for lift gate pickup, 250 for crating, 800 for shipping and import fees (there are many, they nickel and dime you to death), and 200 to 500 to domestic shipping (depends on how far you are from the port of entry).

Hotater, myself, and a English fellow who used to post here (Mr Lister) tried to generate some interest a while back in a group shipping arrangement (full containers are much cheaper, if you spread the costs out, than partial loads), but there was not much interest, and the logistics (and additional cost) of getting them to a central "staging" location in the UK, and the similar domestic shipping arrangements that would satisfy all (import to east coast, west coast, or somewhere in between) negate much of the savings from the full container concept.

These engines were selling for premium prices on eBay (in the UK) just a few months ago, but seem to back near a reasonable range now. If you can buy a good one at a decent price, then it might be worth it (only you can decide that!). It really boils down to: do you want a half wore out original (original parts are expensive), or a brand new look-a-like; IMO, time invested to make either reliable are about the same, and cost is not significantly different whether you buy a good original from a helpful seller and be patient on the shipping, vs a good listeroid from a quality domestic dealer.

Michael

Stan

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Re: Shipping a Lister from the UK
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2007, 04:59:00 PM »
Come on Mike, there are as many reasons to buy an original Lister as there are to buying an original oil painting as opposed to a print.  The "half wore out" part is true but from what I've seen of the quality of the original I have apart now in my basement, compared to the woes we read about here, the "half wore out" will outlast the "new".  There are other reasons, first in my mind is rescuing a meaningful piece of machinery from the crushers.  That's where Penelope was headed when I intervened.  Also the very act of sourcing original parts is a challenge worth pursuing for many, just ask the classic car guys.  They could buy a much superior "modern" one and probably do drive one for their daily driver, but restoring something old and meaningful to yourself has a huge following at least here in Canada.  If someone just wanted a turnkey diesel generator they would buy one from Acklands and have an electrician hook it up in a shed out back and forget about it but that's not what this forum is all about.  Mack has been thoroughly warned about the costs, given that, don't try and discourage someone from following their dream just because it isn't meaningful for you. :'(
Stan
« Last Edit: May 28, 2007, 05:01:04 PM by Stan »

MikeyT

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Re: Shipping a Lister from the UK
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2007, 07:59:13 PM »
Stan,

Of course there are many other reasons, I did not go there. Better to go read some of the "books" that GuyF wrote :)

I am certainly not trying to discourage anyone, the originals truly are beautifully built engines, from a time when quality of design, materials, and workmanship happened to come together in just the right way. I did not go to the time, trouble, and expense for the two that I brought over to use them as many here would, I did it for most of the reasons you list AND to keep my wife guessing ;)

Michael

Dursley Dave

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Re: Shipping a Lister from the UK
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2007, 09:27:29 PM »
The trouble is over here in the UK, when the electric companies put up the energy prices, Lister gen sets go through the roof, price wise. I have seen genuine Lister s-o-m's make 1100 sterling.say $2200us.
Now that prices are coming down a little form the utilities, bargains can be had.
Last week I managed to buy a 2.5KW S-O--M 6/1 set for around the $200 mark...........But!
on stripping the engine out, the big end is 9 thou out of round, the shells are down to the copper, rings are scrap, etc etc etc. so, you pays your money and takes your choice (Chance?)

Twins are extemely rare over here. I have never seen a 12/2 or 16/2 over here. (yet)

Regarding quality, my opinion is that it is far better to have a genuine Lister than some nasty thing built with no quality control or care to how it was machined or assembled.

R.A.Lister and co Ltd only built high quality products (And still do). the workforce were proud of the products they produced. The name "Lister" is still the mark of quality here. "Listeroid" is just an inferior copy of a great engine design.
If you can go through the pains and expence to get the genuine article, thats the way I would go. Good luck! 
"Quality remains long after the price is forgotten"
Henry Royce (Rolls Royce)

t19

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Re: Shipping a Lister from the UK
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2007, 03:35:00 AM »
I shipped it in a container as I posted for the price I posted.  There was no import  tax, there was no extras to bring it into the port of Montreal in Canada.  It was shipped on a standard skid from Europe, the type that comes in every day.

I found it to be a lot easier than I had found posted here and would, will do it again

Andrew
There is plenty of room for all of Gods creatures... right next to the mashed potatoes...

listerdiesel

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Re: Shipping a Lister from the UK
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2007, 07:51:24 AM »

Twins are extemely rare over here. I have never seen a 12/2 or 16/2 over here. (yet)


They are around, especially down in the West Country. Because of their size and weight they tend to be scrapped rather than sold as the people that have them are not internet-savvy and don't have access to ebay etc.

We have a 10/2.

Peter

listerdiesel

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Re: Shipping a Lister from the UK
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2007, 07:56:38 AM »
We have a batch of engines that we sold to a collector some time (years) ago. We originally went for pallets, but as the shipping was delayed we hit the new ruling on wood products, so we then went for steel stillages which we were able to pick up for about $15 each. These are used a lot in the plastic and ali window frame industry.

We had a small mod to do so we could bolt the engines (1 to a stillage) in, but they look secure and meet all the shipping regs. The stillages give a secure perimeter and you can get other boxes of parts around the engine to use up the volume.

I've got some pictures on the other PC, I'll post a couple to show the arrangement later.

Peter