Question about deliveries. FedEx vs DHL

Buddahaid · 01-28-21, 09:20 PM

I actually think adding insurance is a waste of money. You have to have the damage to the "box" before opening very well documented and the opening as well. Gee, it wasn't packed properly, etc. Once you see damage you file the claim and wait, and wait, and wait. Any misstep and the claim will be denied and you are still stuck months later with a broken whatever.

That is speaking from the viewpoint of a private individual shipping something and not a business that has engineered their packaging.

Commander Wallace · 01-28-21, 10:06 PM

^ I had purchased a motorcycle fuel tank petcock from Amazon. It sat in the garage for a week or so. upon opening and installing it, I discovered it was a refurbished piece instead of the new unit I payed for. What's worse is that the unit not only flowed at a diminished rate, it also leaked.

I contacted Amazon who said they would correct the issue but never did. I'm thinking had I opted for insurance, it would have covered shipping and defects in the unit.

AVGWarhawk · 01-29-21, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

I actually think adding insurance is a waste of money. You have to have the damage to the "box" before opening very well documented and the opening as well. Gee, it wasn't packed properly, etc. Once you see damage you file the claim and wait, and wait, and wait. Any misstep and the claim will be denied and you are still stuck months later with a broken whatever.

That is speaking from the viewpoint of a private individual shipping something and not a business that has engineered their packaging.

What is done is the claim is first denied(after months of filing, following up and waiting). This is the first step in frustrating the person in hopes they just go away. By and large the person gives up at this juncture. Now, if the claim is pursued after denial the item insured will be paid and usually a few cents per pound. The claimant gets nothing close to what the item value. If the shipper has a declared value and pays additional insurance, the same will apply. Decline, dodge, frustrate in hopes the person gives up.

I have been in the transportation business since 1993. Seen it all.

Skybird · 01-29-21, 09:31 AM

In Germany, DHL is best option. Working conditions for drivers also are the best in business over here. I know one driver, who also thinks like this, he has worked at UPS and Hermes years ago, too. He said the parcle handling and the working climate do not compare, loan anyway. I have had three or four less good experiences with parcel deliveries over the past 20 years, all of them not having been DHL.

They are also extremely fast over here, send it on day one, and get it the next day, is the norm. Delivery projection is usually within 3-4 hours.

Von Due · 01-29-21, 09:46 AM

Having read more around the web, and asked around, it seems that DHL is indeed the option I should go for. It costs twice as much as the cheapest FedEx option but DHL seems to get the most positive reviews.

There are still a few questions about the products I am researching the answer to but it also seems that Virpil will be what I'm going for. Nothing but praise about their hardware and a little less praise about their old software solutions which I understand have been updated to be more user friendly. Also, and this is key for me, they do what they can to ensure the protection of their gear being shipped.

Also watching out for news on their upcoming helicopter collectives. Both the Ka-50 and the UH-60 collectives have been modelled to some accuracy (bar classified functions I can imagine). Still no news on how the design is going or any release date. I have been looking at the Puma Pro Flight Trainer as well but it's too specific to be useful for anything other than certain helicopter sims.

I can easily wait a couple of months too so DHL being slow is not much of an issue.

Here's what I have on my radar
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-control-panel-1.html
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-const...n-alpha-l.html for Elite Dangerous
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-const...n-alpha-r.html main for all sims
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-warbrd-base.html 2 for Elite Dangerous
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-mongoost-50cm-base.html for DCS
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-mongo...-throttle.html
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-fligh...ion-200mm.html for DCS

Now I need to talk myself out of thinking this is insane and it seems it's working slowly but surely. Summer is looking like sim time.

AVGWarhawk · 01-29-21, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Von Due

Having read more around the web, and asked around, it seems that DHL is indeed the option I should go for. It costs twice as much as the cheapest FedEx option but DHL seems to get the most positive reviews.

There are still a few questions about the products I am researching the answer to but it also seems that Virpil will be what I'm going for. Nothing but praise about their hardware and a little less praise about their old software solutions which I understand have been updated to be more user friendly. Also, and this is key for me, they do what they can to ensure the protection of their gear being shipped.

Also watching out for news on their upcoming helicopter collectives. Both the Ka-50 and the UH-60 collectives have been modelled to some accuracy (bar classified functions I can imagine). Still no news on how the design is going or any release date. I have been looking at the Puma Pro Flight Trainer as well but it's too specific to be useful for anything other than certain helicopter sims.

I can easily wait a couple of months too so DHL being slow is not much of an issue.

Here's what I have on my radar
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-control-panel-1.html
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-const...n-alpha-l.html for Elite Dangerous
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-const...n-alpha-r.html main for all sims
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-warbrd-base.html 2 for Elite Dangerous
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-mongoost-50cm-base.html for DCS
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-mongo...-throttle.html
https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-fligh...ion-200mm.html for DCS

Now I need to talk myself out of thinking this is insane and it seems it's working slowly but surely. Summer is looking like sim time.

That is some serious hardware!

Von Due · 01-29-21, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

That is some serious hardware!

I just wish I possessed the ingenuity of this gentleman

but yeah, this whole thing is one that will be the core of my sim gear for the rest of my simming career so it's an investment I'm willing to make but you see why I REALLY don't want the carrier to mess it up.

01-28-21, 09:20 PM	#1
Buddahaid Shark above Space Chicken Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 8,570 Downloads: 160 Uploads: 0	I actually think adding insurance is a waste of money. You have to have the damage to the "box" before opening very well documented and the opening as well. Gee, it wasn't packed properly, etc. Once you see damage you file the claim and wait, and wait, and wait. Any misstep and the claim will be denied and you are still stuck months later with a broken whatever. That is speaking from the viewpoint of a private individual shipping something and not a business that has engineered their packaging. __________________ "However vast the darkness, we must provide our own light." Stanley Kubrick "Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming." David Bowie

01-29-21, 09:31 AM	#4
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 40,598 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	In Germany, DHL is best option. Working conditions for drivers also are the best in business over here. I know one driver, who also thinks like this, he has worked at UPS and Hermes years ago, too. He said the parcle handling and the working climate do not compare, loan anyway. I have had three or four less good experiences with parcel deliveries over the past 20 years, all of them not having been DHL. They are also extremely fast over here, send it on day one, and get it the next day, is the norm. Delivery projection is usually within 3-4 hours. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

01-28-21, 10:06 PM	#2
Commander Wallace Navy Seal Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Under the sea in an Octupus garden in the shade Posts: 5,018 Downloads: 360 Uploads: 0	^ I had purchased a motorcycle fuel tank petcock from Amazon. It sat in the garage for a week or so. upon opening and installing it, I discovered it was a refurbished piece instead of the new unit I payed for. What's worse is that the unit not only flowed at a diminished rate, it also leaked. I contacted Amazon who said they would correct the issue but never did. I'm thinking had I opted for insurance, it would have covered shipping and defects in the unit.

01-29-21, 09:46 AM	#5
Von Due Sea Lord Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 1,662 Downloads: 30 Uploads: 0	Having read more around the web, and asked around, it seems that DHL is indeed the option I should go for. It costs twice as much as the cheapest FedEx option but DHL seems to get the most positive reviews. There are still a few questions about the products I am researching the answer to but it also seems that Virpil will be what I'm going for. Nothing but praise about their hardware and a little less praise about their old software solutions which I understand have been updated to be more user friendly. Also, and this is key for me, they do what they can to ensure the protection of their gear being shipped. Also watching out for news on their upcoming helicopter collectives. Both the Ka-50 and the UH-60 collectives have been modelled to some accuracy (bar classified functions I can imagine). Still no news on how the design is going or any release date. I have been looking at the Puma Pro Flight Trainer as well but it's too specific to be useful for anything other than certain helicopter sims. I can easily wait a couple of months too so DHL being slow is not much of an issue. Here's what I have on my radar https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-control-panel-1.html https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-const...n-alpha-l.html for Elite Dangerous https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-const...n-alpha-r.html main for all sims https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-warbrd-base.html 2 for Elite Dangerous https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-mongoost-50cm-base.html for DCS https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-mongo...-throttle.html https://virpil-controls.eu/vpc-fligh...ion-200mm.html for DCS Now I need to talk myself out of thinking this is insane and it seems it's working slowly but surely. Summer is looking like sim time.