Right Hand Drive

[Zero10]

I have a stupid question. I recently got a chance to drive a RHD sports car, and I must say, that I fell in love with RHD, so, I am wondering what it would cost to import a RHD 88 turbo S to Canada.

I understand that 944's sell cheaper in europe, so hopefully that will offset some of the import costs.

Sorry to get anybody's hopes up if they are selling one, I don't have the cash yet, I'm just wondering what I must save up.

[Britwrench]

Check your local laws, RHD cars are UK only (and Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa etc) and would need extensive and expensive work to comply. Don't even bother. It would be cheaper to move to the UK!!!

[Zero10]

Shoot, I have not checked the laws, but I have seen a few RHD cars around, and many of our post office trucks are RHD, I just presumed it was legal to drive them.
I thought it would be pretty sweet to have a RHD 944, I'll ask the good ol government if they will let me have one.

It was my understanding that the only cars I would have problems getting are models that were never made for a north american market, i.e. skyline, or whatever else the ricers want to drive. I will further investigate this, because I would really love to have one of them.

Although I did notice one thing looking at foreign ebay's and car dealerships, why does nobody care what year the car is?! On north american markets, it's in the title, in the UK you have to look at the MOT (Whatever that is) registration date or something like that... I guess they just know by looking at it if it's an 86 or 87, lol

[Dark Skies]

Originally posted by Britwrench
Check your local laws, RHD cars are UK only (and Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa etc) and would need extensive and expensive work to comply. Don't even bother. It would be cheaper to move to the UK!!!

I'm inclined to agree! When I was looking to move to the States a few years back I wanted to take my kit car over and I found the costs involved were too obscene to contemplate. Apart from making the car able to comply with the emission laws etc. etc. the paperwork and tests involved were just absurd. I got the impression it was purposely prohibitive it was THAT difficult.

[ronin]

speaking of which, what are the costs involved in taking your car to Europe for a few months and then bringing it back. I know of people that have done this, but I am not sure of the costs involved (other than shipping)

[Dark Skies]

Originally posted by Zero10

Although I did notice one thing looking at foreign ebay's and car dealerships, why does nobody care what year the car is?! On north american markets, it's in the title, in the UK you have to look at the MOT (Whatever that is) registration date or something like that... I guess they just know by looking at it if it's an 86 or 87, lol

The MOT is a Ministry of Transport certificate test carried out every year on cars that are older than three years (since first registered on the road). It's a thorough test carried out to check a car is roadworthy. It covers things like emission, brakes, seat belts safety, bodywork stressed areas, tyre condition, lights, windscreen, and anything to to with safety. You need to have this cert. in order to tax your car for the year too.

You can generally tell a car's age by the suffix on its number (licence) plate too. This is the year-related letter awarded to the car upon registration by the dealer. It used to be one letter a year but it was changed a few years back to being a new letter every six months (to ease the load on dealers who would get a rush every year for those who simply MUST have the newest car on the road ... pretentious wankers). The exception is, of course, private plates and 'Q' plates (signifying a car built from more than one source or a car radically altered (kit cars and custom jobs for example).

[Zero10]

Wow fascinating. Hopefully this will be easier,since the car was designed for a north american market as well, unlike a kit car. I am aware that the bumpers must be brought up to code, although it is possible that rule no longer applies since the car is 15 years old. What I am referring to is, the european cars have a steel rod instead of a bumper shock, I would have to change that, so then my bumpers would sit too far out, but it would pass (then I could change it back =).

That really is interesting about the MOT, I wish we had something similar to that here, there are far too many cars on the roads that are just not safe. Does this mean I should feel a little safer buying a car from the U.K.?

[Dark Skies]

Originally posted by Zero10
[BThat really is interesting about the MOT, I wish we had something similar to that here, there are far too many cars on the roads that are just not safe. Does this mean I should feel a little safer buying a car from the U.K.? [/B]

The Ministry of Transport says that an MOT in no way guarantees the condition of a car offered for sale (in other words it's only good until it's rolled out of the inspector's garage.

BUT ... assuming how much is left to run on the MOT (and assuming there hasn't been a major accident or mechanical mishap during that time) it's reasonable to say that the car was at least in good enough condition to meet the stringent tests required of it during that year.

I know what you mean about US cars driving around in an unsafe condition. My wife drove her Buick around for three years with a busted headlamp and cracked indicator. It never ceased to amaze me that she wasn't brought to task for this during this time. Over here either one would be an instant failure of the test.

[flangermog]

Only if it has an MOT. And don't forget the MOT is the absolute minimum level of road worthiness.

Mine passed with hardly any brakes (the handbrake passed at 15% effectiveness), hardly any shocks (they were knackered, the car would swerve violently every time i drove over a leaf in the road) wheel bearings needed and all sorts. Also the MOT does not take into account the mechanical running of the car - as long as the emissions pass (different criteria depending on year) the engine isn't looked at.

They do test things like headlight adjustment, all bulbs working etc. the mundane every day things that people should check anyway. It's amazing how many people dont though!

It is possible to buy a car, in the UK, with an MOT that will burst into flames a few miles down the road, simply because the MOT is done annually and if it just scraped through it's MOT, it WAS only just road worthy at the time that was taken!

Insanely (as with most motoring related legislation in this country) you MUST have an MOT in orde to apply for the privilage of paying tax so that you can have your car. You then pay tax on the fuel you put in it so you can drive it, and then, in most places, you then have to pay again to get out of the bugger and leave it parked somewhere. If you haven't got any Road Tax and you leave it parked, they can, in some cases just take it away - even if you have paid for the parking, the fuel, the MOT, the VAT and the (compulsory) insurance. Not to mention the servicing bills to get it through the MOT.

So you see, miss out one link in the chain of taxation and it's game over! This is why, generally, in the UK most cars on the road are of in a reasonable condition. Only ever 12 months away from being turned into a 2' cube of metal and gubbins...

[Dark Skies]

Originally posted by flangermog


Insanely (as with most motoring related legislation in this country) you MUST have an MOT in orde to apply for the privilage of paying tax so that you can have your car.

Actually, I have no problem with this requirement. Over here in order to tax a car over three years old you need to be able to furnish a valid MOT and a certificate of insurance. You're then given a three inch dia. round tax disc that MUST be displayed on the left hand side of your windscreen. If that disc is out of date or missing it's an instant flag to a copper or traffic warden that the car or driver may be a liability to other road users and, theoretically at least, the owner can be brought to task over it.

What really bugs me about the tax disc is that, in an effort to force drivers to give the Government money up front, the six month tax disc is more expensive than the 12 month pro rata. It's a con.

Also ... if you need tax three weeks into a month (say you just bought an untaxed car and want to stick it on the road the same day) then you either have to pay from the beginning of the month and therefore pay three weeks worth of tax for a road you didn't get to use or wait until the next month rolls up (I think you can apply a few days before ... maybe).

It'd be fairer to have a disc in the window that stated you had an MOT and insurance and pay the road tax in the form of higher tax on fuel. That way people who had heavier, gas guzzling vehicles (thus harder on the road surface and environment) or those who use their cars a lot more than yer average granny would be paying their fair share. Also, of course, why should I have to pay tax on all my bikes and cars when I can only ever use one on the road at any given time?

[Dark Skies]

Originally posted by flangermog
Only if it has an MOT. And don't forget the MOT is the absolute minimum level of road worthiness.

Mine passed with hardly any brakes (the handbrake passed at 15% effectiveness), hardly any shocks (they were knackered, the car would swerve violently every time i drove over a leaf in the road) wheel bearings needed and all sorts. Also the MOT does not take into account the mechanical running of the car - as long as the emissions pass (different criteria depending on year) the engine isn't looked at.

The thing about the MOT is that it varies widely in practice from garage to garage. Some of the dodgiest will pass cars as you've described above - esp. if they're selling on a trade-in of their own. I guess the extra business they draw from owners of cars that would otherwise fail outweighs the risk of the fine if they're caught out. I know of someone who simply bought their MOT in a parking lot from a garage owner. These things will always happen.

Others are so stringent that they'll fail a car on a combination of the pettiest of items. My (racing) kit-car had to be re-tested because my Ferrari-style rear lights didn't have a reflective element in the lens (according to the tester with whom I disagreed). I bought stick-on red reflectors (like the type you often see above the door striker mechanism) and stuck one either side of the rear lights and she passed on the re-test.

I've had a fail on a steering joint boot because it had a "split". Said split turned out to be a tiny cut right on the lip of the section that slipped over the rod and was 'fixed' and passed on the re-test because I simply moved the securing tag (a plastic wire tie) a few millemetres inboard. Something the tester could have done in a second as a gesture of goodwill.

[Zero10]

Hrm, it is nice to see stricter tests on the cars, here in Canada, there are about a dozen shops int he city that will write you a passed inspection for 25 bucks.

I have emailed Transport Canada, and am waiting to hear if I can use a RHD car on our LHD roads. It would appear it is legal the other way around, based on the number of LHD cars on the U.K. Ebay

Not to be rude, but it's kind of funny that you guys say brought to task, I've never heard that before.

I have tons of horror stories about cars that should not be on the road, my brother's included, both his headlights are made out of packing tape, and his whole front end is smashed, scary if he ever hits somebody again, because all the stuff that is meant to break is already broken.

Anyhoo, sounds like I'd be slightly safer buying a car with a current MOT, but not safe like I originally thought, but that's alright, it's always buyer beware.

Stupid question, where other than the U.K. where RHD cars produced for?

And one final stupid question, in a U.K. 944, is there a catalytic converter? I have heard the emissions laws in europe are much looser.

[bigyagi]

i have checked the prices of the 944 series, in the "local" rag/magazine, any time i am back home, and i have to say that when you convert uk pounds into canadian dollars, the prices are insane. ie: $4000 pounds, is approx $10000 canadian!!
i would say forget rhd, and buy your car in the states, where you will get value for money!
as regards safety check/mot, yes, its a rip off here, as well as in the uk. there are still a few places that will give you the certificate, if you come up with the right shekels, moolah, dinero etc.
btw, even after 7 plus years of living in N.A, i'm still blown away by the price of petrol/gas! when i first moved here, gas was 90 cents a gallon, in detroit ! thats about 60 pence in uk money!! now it averages around $1-30 a gallon, still cheap. last xmas i was back in scotland, and i guess a gallon works out at around $10-60c canadian ! sheesh.
tell you what ! i really do miss driving on some great roads, especially around the lochs, and hills ! i could do some real damage there.
happy xmas, safe driving in the uk!
regards. bob.

[Britwrench]

Sorry to get anybody's hopes up if they are selling one, I don't have the cash yet, I'm just wondering what I must save up.

As usual


Without loosing too much of the Christmas spirit and being more than the Grinch that I normally am, I do have to wonder if the only posts that you read are the ones written by yourself.
All the questions you posed have already been answered.

Before you do anything, research if it's even going to be legally possible. I don't think it is as Canadian and US standards are basically the same.

[ae1969]

... zero.... import from the U.S **** CHEAPER ****

As far as I know there is no exclusion on lhd,rhd cars.... it just must meet the requirements...

If the car in this case if the (951) is 15 years and older.....

All you need to do is.

1. Pay gst on price of purchase at the border...
2. Pay duty on A/C
3. Have the car certified out of province inspection...
4. Insure it.

If its younger than 15 years it must meet transport canadas standards... There is a list of vehicles that are allowed to be imported ( 5 mph bumpers, etc.) Many cars that are 15 years are younger are excluded as well from being imported....

There is a transport canada site that gives you all the details...

[Zero10]

Well britwrench, thank you for that sarcastic reply, and for what it's worth, you are wrong.
Transport Canada says it does not matter which side the driver is on, as long as the car is safe.
I really don't appreciate criticism like that, keep the grumpy remarks off the board, let's keep this courteous and pleasant.
I do not only read the posts I have started, look around, I post on lots of people's threads, trying to help out. Before you go telling me it's impossible, perhaps you should do some reading. If you don't know the answer, at least say that, instead of insulting me then telling me it is impossible.

Everybody who says buy a U.S. car, it's cheaper, well I have news for you, (no offense) Canadian cars are just as cheap, unless you buy them in Vancouver. If I did not want a right hand drive, I would simply buy a Canadian car.
Unless you are referring to importing a RHD car from the US that has already been imported. In which case, how difficult would it be to track one down?

[Alex Cook]

Originally posted by Zero10
I understand that 944's sell cheaper in europe, so hopefully that will offset some of the import costs.

944s are cheap in SOME parts of Europe (eg Germany) but not in the UK, which is of course the only RHD market in Europe. A Turbo S would probably cost £10000-12000 in the UK, which is about $23500-28000 Canadian. Plus all the shipping costs and hassle of course!

[Zero10]

really that high? I have seen lots of non-turbo's going for cheaper than they do in Canada, so I figuired that the trend applied for all 944's. That's alright, I would be willing to pay more for RHD, perhaps I could get one with some engine problems, I would be willing to swap or rebuild a motor...
Well, it's going to be a little while until I can afford to bring one in, but it looks like it is legal to do, so at least there is good news there.

[ae1969]

Originally posted by Zero10
............. Everybody who says buy a U.S. car, it's cheaper, well I have news for you, (no offense) Canadian cars are just as cheap, unless you buy them in Vancouver. If I did not want a right hand drive, I would simply buy a Canadian car.
Unless you are referring to importing a RHD car from the US that has already been imported. In which case, how difficult would it be to track one down?

1. Don't take britwrench seriously. Most of his comments are tongue in cheek. Unless you mention that you want to turbocharge your NA. He knows more about these cars than me and you and most of the people on the board combined..... (he actually works on these for a living).. so relax ... he is not picking on you.

2. The exchange rate is in our favor right now. You can find awesome deals in the U.S..........and you CAN'T find the variety here in canada. You are lucky if you see 5 turbos for sale in canada at one time!!. Tons of NA's but who cares about those.

3. I have driven a RHD sports car here as well...... asides from being a novelty and in some cases a flippen hazard its not my cup of tea.

But its your money do what you want with it.....

[Britwrench]

Currently, to buy a decent 951 (1986) in the UK is 5000 pounds. Although it may be legal in Canada to bring a RHD car in, that does not mean the car itself will be legal. RHD turbos, in general, don't have cats, although it was an option. The UK uses salt on the roads and most cars never get washed underneath so when you find a real nice one = not going to be cheap. Buying any Porsche with an engine problem is just wasting money as a proper engine rebuild is as much as buying another running car.
So, basic costs are. Good 951 say 6000 pounds
Shipping 1000
Taxes etc
Convert to your current exchange rate...

All that equals an overpriced car that you can't afford to sell due to the loss it would mean. If you have spare money to just do it. well do it, but as you said you would have to save up, that doesn't sound like the case.
Having a "toy" is great, but having a toy that costs too much and is unsellable, probably is not a good idea.
Actually, I try not to be sarcastic, more like realistic. A running 944 is much better than yet another garden ornament.