USPS stinks

[R5-P7 project]

Hi Guys, let me tell you about my latest misadventure with the Post Office.
I received my package today. The Postman (substitute; real nice guy) rang
my doorbell. He had a package in another larger open top box, and said this
is the way it was delivered to our local branch. The package was dripping wet,
torn all apart; the only thing holding it together was the tape. Parts (Carrillo rods)
were hanging out on all sides. He asked me to check it and see if everything
was there. I did and it wasn't. I was missing two rod caps. Well, you know
the rods aren't any good without caps and the set isn't any good without the
two rods. He asked me to go to the post office and speak to the Postmaster
and see if they can track back to where the package was put into the larger
box; that's where my missing caps probably are. The Postmaster said there
isn't anything he can do. They don't track packages anymore. I explained to
him, I would have to purchase two new rods, because you can't buy just the caps.
New rods cost 280.00 ea. or 560.00 to replace both. He said sorry.  He said he
could have covered my loss if I had bought insurance, but I didn't. Well, that
really set me off because last year they lost a set of Jesel rockers (complete set)
but refused to honor the insurance coverage because the route carrier said
she remembered putting the package on my porch. I live in the boonies, I'm
700 ft. off the highway and I'm retired. I was working on my car in my
garage that day and nobody came up my driveway. She might have left the
the package on some-body's porch; but not mine.  As you guys might guess;
I was getting pretty upset about now. I told him what I thought of the USPS,
and how efficient UPS and FedX are. He didn't like that. I could tell you several
more stories about lost USPS packages, but you would go to sleep and we don't
want that. I guess I'm just trying to warn you, with the USPS lost & damage
insurance doesn't mean anything unless the carrier admits they misplaced your
package. And when they completely destroy your package while in their care;
they just say sorry.  Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.
                                                                               Cheers,  Budd

[That One Guy]

well, they definately don't get in a hurry,
hope things turn out better for ya sometime

[ilabodyguy]

I convinced myself a long time ago that if anyone had anything important to ship steer WAY clear of the USPS. The post office has its place, paper mail that can be replaced or reproduced. All of our important documents and packages go through FedEX or UPS now. I have a very slight preference for FedEx, but that is because they will deliver on Saturday in our area.

[satellite65]

If possible, always have sensitive items shipped via method that requires signature for delivery. That way, if it is damaged you can refuse the delivery and have the item sent back to the point of origin and if it never shows up at all then it's not your problem. C.Y.A. at all times.
The U.S.P.S. seems to be in a little bit of a bind. Obviously they can't handle packages worth beans. I got a phone call from someone from U.S.P.S. doing marketing research. Asked a bunch of questions (mostly demographic) and then asked me if I would participate in a survey which I would receive $30.00 for my efforts. Supposedly, all I would have to do was answer a couple of questions about the mail I received each day for one week. They sent out the survey package and after looking it over for about 3 minutes, INTO THE CIRCULAR FILE IT WENT! Holy crap, the SAT's were a walk in the park compared to this nightmare, about an hours work each day. Stupidest thing I've ever seen. I wonder how much they spent on this fiasco and when are they going to raise the price of stamps to cover the cost?

[1967dart406]

use a private carrier for everything and insure it, its a few dollars more but will get covered in the long run

[mxlplx71]

i bought something from a well known fastener and parts company almost two months ago, and am still waiting for it they said it was shipped us mail over a month ago and i never recieved it called a few weeks ago and they said they would send another, idont want to name the supplyer, they have  a rep of slow shipping and the us post office likely did loose it, but its agrivating, i could have put my engine in a month ago if i had orderd it from somewhere that uses ups.

[blasphemous]

I'd ordered an operators manual for my Deuce and half off of ebay.  The guy sent it out USPS and I never got it.  He was really good about it and sent me another one, that I DID get in about 3 days.

[Tiamat]

Is it the final carrier that looses/scores this stuff or what?
This year I have had many orders shipped from the US to New Zealand via USPS
and haven't had any go missing.
Pretty fast too, order on friday, here on monday (except duty applicable items)

Keep an eye out at the track for speedy postal workers 

[chryco]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune . I don`t know who's better , I have horror stories about all the above .
  Beware !
    Chryco

[Dono]

Ya Andy got a package from Europe and it is sensitive electronic parts.  Two week now and still working on getting them to work right.  The big problem is it is a prototype one off.

I am Canadian and I agree USPS sucks dog balls.

[flyboy01]

I feel your pain, since early this year the USPS lost a Master Cylinder and booser, set of upper A arms and ball joints, an Autometer gauge, two (2), yes I said two seperate manual steering boxes, shipped from different people, a set of tie rod ends, and a set of ARP main studs. All of this in a 5 month period from December to April. I always request that when someone ships me something, its by Fedex Ground, but they never do, they always ship USPS because its cheaper. So far, $0 has been recovered from them, but since I make it a point to pay by Paypal or COD, the sellers have been out the money, except for the gauge, that was my $50.

[jamesdart]

so far ther ehas been a thread about each and every possible shipper  and how bad they suck. i had lousy experiences with usps and ups, but its all a shot i nthe dark, for what we pay to ship stuff, they cant treat everything like its some artifact.

[MyCreation68]

Yeah I've heard bad about everyone. It's hit and miss. For me living in canada anything that comes from the states through UPS gets a hidden charge of about 40 bucks every time they never can give you a straight answer as to why they give you this charge while charging more for shipping then anyone else and nobody else charges that extra 40. I don't ship them whenever possible. Everything I've ordered from the states has been shipped USPS and has arrived just fine. maybe a little longer but all fine and in good shape. it sucks to hear about bad experiences but every company is always going to have problems.

[440Ken]

Richard show us that picture of why everyone should use UPS. The USPS really does suck

[Hotwheelsjr]

Richard show us that picture of why everyone should use UPS. The USPS really does suck

[mxlplx71]

  I'm sold, its a perfect advertising campaign.

[440Ken]

Long live UPS!

[shatar4]

So let me get this straight. You ordered $2500.00 in parts but did not put insurance on them and when they were damaged, you got mad because they wouldn't pay for them. Do you also put insurance on a car the day AFTER a accident? As far as the first incident, if it was insured for more then $200.00, then they would need a signature when they delivered it.

[demon340v]

i reallytry all my best to stay away from usps i dislike their service. i do use them for only when i send items overseas it's easier for me to let them worry about that

[R5-P7 project]

No shatar4, I asked the shipper not to ship USPS; as I always do, but they don't look at
my requests, they ship the way most convenient to them. This issue goes beyond
insurance; the package was totally destroyed while in their care. Should I have to pay
extra to get them to do the job I already paid them to do? Never had a problem with
UPS about claims; and yes UPS has lost a package of mine a couple years ago. Also, on
the insured package USPS refused to pay for, because the carrier remembered delivering
it; I had signed a waiver on "signature required" because I was working then and wasn't
home during the day. That was several years ago and I had a very good and reliable
carrier then. He has since retired. I get 2 or 3 deliveries a week from UPS and 1 or 2 a
month from FedX, never a problem.

[Brad4406]

UPS isn't any better.  A few years ago I received a box with a hole in it missing a diagonal link that I bought w/ a set of ladder bars from a member here.  Fortunately he was nice enough to make a claim for it and send me the $100 that UPS reimbursed him with. 

A couple weeks later though, I bought a set of coil over shocks w/springs from a guy on racingjunk using a money order.  I asked him to insure them since I had recently had the problem with the missing diagonal link.  Wouldn't you know that the box arrived with a hole in it just big enough for one of the coil over shocks to drop out.  Then of course the a--hole that sent them told me he would make a claim for me but then would not answer or return my phone calls afterwards since he already had my money.  I contacted UPS but they said that their contract was with him and they couldn't do anything for me.  I explained to them that he used my money to ship the items to me so their financial responsibility was to me, but they wouldn't budge.  I tried for 3 months till I decided it wasn't worth the bother anymore; $235 down the drain.

[67Dart34dr0]

I feel your pain, since early this year the USPS lost a Master Cylinder and booser, set of upper A arms and ball joints, an Autometer gauge, two (2), yes I said two seperate manual steering boxes, shipped from different people, a set of tie rod ends, and a set of ARP main studs. All of this in a 5 month period from December to April. I always request that when someone ships me something, its by Fedex Ground, but they never do, they always ship USPS because its cheaper. So far, $0 has been recovered from them, but since I make it a point to pay by Paypal or COD, the sellers have been out the money, except for the gauge, that was my $50.

Sounds like your local postman is pretty far on his restoration.

[sbmopar]

the post office should be able to get all the mailout faster with all the spare parts they are getting to keep thier cars going. At least they get paid when they screw up. More than I can say for my job.