Importing Playfields

[gwen]

Has anyone imported playfields from America privately?  Pros and Cons?  What freight company is best?  Any info would be great!  Thanks!

[Pinballer]

I have imported many playfields from the US over the years.  It can be an expensive exercise just to ship it here.

The best option was the US Postal Service until they implemented size restrictions that now exclude playfields.  Other options are international couriers such as FedEx, UPS etc.  However this can run into the hundreds of dollars.

The best bet is to ask Mark (Pinball Spare Parts Australia) or Wayne (Mr.Pinball Australia) or another importer to bring it in for you in their next container.  Prices I've heard for this service are around $100 per playfield.  However you have to pay to have it sent to their location in the US, then pay to have it sent to you here, from them once it arrives here in Australia.  Assuming you cannot pick it up in person.

CPR and other sellers have great discounts on shipping as they are shipping hundreds of these things a year.  So the shipping companies offer them attractive discounts.  If you are buying your playfield from a private seller and that person is shipping it directly to you, expect to pay $250+ to have it shipped via FedEx or UPS.

It will be interesting to see what others have to say on this topic.

[Strangeways]

These days, it is a lot more expensive to ship playfields from the USA. I have brought quite a few from CPR and their price has increased but it is still reasonable. Sending a playfield from anywhere else can be expensive. I'm not sure on the going rate, but I would hope the seller would recommend a shipper etc. I think Fedex or UPS would be the only shippers I've heard of that handle playfields, but I was told that "Pack N Send" do a good job as well.

[madness]

UPS around the $300- $350 mark + duties . If it costs you over the $1000 limit, expect to pay GST on top of that.
Very expensive to do but if you have no other alternative go for it.Just make sure you intend to keep the pin as you will never most likely recover the money on the playfield its going into.

[pinnies4me]

Was quoted $400+ for a BH via Fed-Ex recently, a lot more than I expected.

[Jango]

Slightly off topic but here goes.. does anyone know where I can get a NOS Terminator 2 playfield in the US from please?

[tonyt]

http://www.ssbilliards.com/sale.html

Might be better getting your playfield restored. Have you seen http://aussiepinball.com/index.php?topic=4672.0? Might be worth speaking with Tim at Pinball Tales.

[wonder]

Slightly off topic but here goes.. does anyone know where I can get a NOS Terminator 2 playfield in the US from please?

Was one in perth  for sale not long ago but he wanted $1000 for it and no it is not me.

[narf]

i heard there is some in bunbury too  not me of course but i have passed on what i know

[wonder]

thats him, had a few of them i heard.

[Jango]

Is $1000 too much for a NOS T2 playfield?

[wonder]

Yes, unless i was selling it .

[RatBag]

None left in Bunbury,the last few at my house know .Rob does have 2 NOS fully populated ones left but he tells me when he finishes building his new Taj Mahal they are going in the entry, but not hanging on the wall like you would expect but in the floor under glass so when you walk in they light up

Oh to be at that auction the day LAI closed their doors here in Perth,a pallet load of NOS T2 playfields (9 unpopulated 2 populated) all for a song

[ktm450]

Rob does have 2 NOS fully populated ones left but he tells me when he finishes building his new Taj Mahal they are going in the entry, but not hanging on the wall like you would expect but in the floor under glass so when you walk in they light up

Cool, would love to see that