>>977658>http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Feature_Bicycles/Feature_Bicycles_France/Peugeot_UE8/Peugeot_UE8_2_Finding.htmI really did like the newest UE8, but by this time in my collecting career, I was pretty much into high end bicycles only. That would change, in days to come, but at that time I guess I really did know that the bike would just sit. With that in mind, and The Old Shed bulging with vintage road bicycles, I decided to sell the Peugeot. I listed the bike on Ebay, and once again got a reasonable price for a bicycle that had cost me nothing. The second found Peugeot UE8 was sold to a fellow in Australia. And that was the beginning of a very unusual shipping story.
Thank goodness the potential buyer had the wisdom to ask about shipping costs before bidding. The cost to ship a complete bicycle, from my location in Canada to his in Australia, was $940.00 US. Almost a thousand dollars. He responded to the quote, thanking me for my time and I thought little more of it.
Well, a few days later, the auction ended and the Down-Under guy had bought the bicycle. He was quick to contact me and ask if I could possible put the shipping of the bicycle on his FedEx Account Number. Doing so would allow for his shipping discount to kick in and the final shipping cost to him would be $560.00 US. Still an awful lot for what was little more than an entry level, seventies something, Peugeot.
Well, to suggest that his final shipping cost levelled out at $560.00 would prove to be wrong. Australian Customs seized the bicycle, claiming that it was dirty. They insisted that the Peugeot be professionally cleaned, at the buyer's expense, before being released into the country. Additionally, the bicycle would be impounded for thirty days, with even more cost to my customer. I was horrified to find all of this out.
>$560 shipping>UE8 