Left Hookers?

[lukeage 0]

Many LHD owners on here - whats the general jist - is it harder to find parts, no real difference or keep clear and hang out for a RHD?

[ZippyVR6 0]

Have a natter with Talc, he has a gem of a lefty.

[double-6s 0]

Excellent for ash tray useage if you're right handed mate :)

 

Only takes a day or two to get used to it.

[Tempest 0]

Can't say I have noticed any additional problems in getting parts for my LHD US-Corrado, possibly for the US-specific items on my C :lol:

 

Tempest

[catch_twotwo 0]

I had a lefty in the UK and never had issues... after all the only difference is the location of the wheel and interior from what I know. Still, never had problems with parts or getting things fixed on the car.

 

Good thing is that left handers are cheaper to buy as lots of people will turn them down because it's not the norm.

 

Just be prepared to put your hand into the side pocket when you go for a quick gear change ;) that one still happens to me on rare occassions.

[bristolbaron 10]

my theory is i wouldnt buy a lhd version of a car thats available in rhd unless theres a significant saving. however, id not be put of owning a lhd only car - rallye/ delta integrale/E30 M3.

[lukeage 0]

What about the overtaking a lorry scenario?

[ZippyVR6 0]

Put your foot down.

 

A big bonus of the lefty is the fun factor, Slump down in the drivers seat and get a friend in the passengers seat to wave at other cars with both hands.

[Phil K 0]

or get them to hold up a big map/news paper when you're overtaking :lol:

[Jim 2]

Its surprisingly easy to get used to.. but yeah, its quite easy (if you're just sort of dawdling along and not thinking) to try and use your left hand to change gear - but instead you just punch the door card to your left.

 

The other thing that is weird is how much your spatial awareness gets messed up. I can go from driving my Corrado fine, to then driving Eric's and suddenly feeling like i'm driving a much bigger car simply because of the expanse of bonnet and bodywork to your front right..

 

Overtaking - well - think about how often you over take. Its not that much of a big deal.. if you do need to overtake, just make sure you have a passenger :D

[Phil K 0]

HiAsAKite/Alex has a left hooker VR - I'm a more nervous passenger when sitting on the right... have been on a couple of Piston Heads runs with him and have had to sit there spotting for over taking gaps which is quite an adrenalin rush 8)

[Tempest 0]

Overtaking - well - think about how often you over take. Its not that much of a big deal.. if you do need to overtake, just make sure you have a passenger

 

I suppose that's the only problem, indeed, as I have a tendency of not wanting to have to rely on a passenger, rather than see for myself when the road is clear. After all, you can't blame a devastating error on your passenger, it's the driver who's still responsible. But indeed, the times I have found that I need to overtake on country roads in the UK in either of my 2 LHD cars are far less than the times I have needed to overtake whilst driving a RHD car on the continent.

 

id not be put of owning a lhd only car - rallye/ delta integrale/E30 M3.

 

Well, I for one view Roccos and Rados in that same list of rare cars, where I don't actually care where the steering wheel is. You get used to that anyway. I now regularly switch between my company RHD shed (Escort van), my 2 LHD cars, and the RHD car in my fleet, and never had the problem of hand-in-doorcard whilst changing gears again. It is somehow much more exciting to actually drive a LHD car in the UK, or a RHD car on the continent. You can show off no end in conversation what a brilliant driver you are, as most people are indeed scared of sitting on the "wrong" side of the car :lol:

 

Tempest

[Talc 0]

Was a little worried about getting a LHD myself, but dont have any issues when i'm driving, position on road, gearchange etc. fine.. but i do have a habit of walking up to the wrong side of the car sometimes which can be a little embarrassing... And there def is a novelty factor as Tempest says to driving LHD in UK...

The issue with going from right to left and vice versa is no big deal, drive RHD company vehicles all the time and only occasionally have a 'little' moment hitting doorcards when i first get in corrado if not driven it for a while...... parts wise, the lupo wipers came from a VW dealership in belgium and worked out cheaper by a few quid than UK, everthing else has been from GSF or scrappy.... Oh, and you need a 'grabber' or passenger for toll booths and car parks... ;)