Opinions on LHD Supercars

[rich12]

If LHD sales are very dependant on which country they're from, why aren't people adding the country in their listings?

[456mgt]

I really don't know why some people seem to struggle with LHD; my first LHD car was the Carrera GT and the first time I drove that, I was a mile up the road before I remembered that some had said it would take time to adapt. Didn't for me, and I interchange LHD-RHD without a second thought. In fact it feels more comfortable changing gear with my right hand.

For older cars, engineered in Europe, there's a very definite advantage to having LHD. It costs a fortune to engineer an RHD version of a car originally designed as LHD, and for low volume car manufacturers of old, budget they didn't have. Drive LHD and RHD versions of a pre 2000 sports car and you'll see what I mean. The LHD versions are much nicer to drive with lighter control weights and better equipment layout; 512BB gear lever siting is a visible example.

[MDL111]

rich12 said:

If LHD sales are very dependant on which country they're from, why aren't people adding the country in their listings?

In Germany they do - it will often say German delivered and serviced car or sth along those lines

[MDL111]

456mgt said:

I really don't know why some people seem to struggle with LHD; my first LHD car was the Carrera GT and the first time I drove that, I was a mile up the road before I remembered that some had said it would take time to adapt. Didn't for me, and I interchange LHD-RHD without a second thought. In fact it feels more comfortable changing gear with my right hand.

For older cars, engineered in Europe, there's a very definite advantage to having LHD. It costs a fortune to engineer an RHD version of a car originally designed as LHD, and for low volume car manufacturers of old, budget they didn't have. Drive LHD and RHD versions of a pre 2000 sports car and you'll see what I mean. The LHD versions are much nicer to drive with lighter control weights and better equipment layout; 512BB gear lever siting is a visible example.

I agree, never had an issue switching back and forth - although I do prefer shifting with my right hand, but just as easy with the left one

[Yipper]

LHDs make you look like someone who can't quite afford the real thing. It's only one step away from buying a red MR2 Ferrari replica.

Of course, the exception to that rule is elite models which only come with a left hook, like the Carrera GT.

[MDL111]

Yipper said:

LHDs make you look like someone who can't quite afford the real thing. It's only one step away from buying a red MR2 Ferrari replica.

Of course, the exception to that rule is elite models which only come with a left hook, like the Carrera GT.

So 10-15 years ago everybody with a LHD car was showing off how much money they have as they could afford the more expensive version?

[Behemoth]

For a manual car, LHD is better if you are right handed. I've had both and lived with both long term in Europe and the UK. LHD is very often a better ergonomic experience with cars originally designed in LHD markets (I'm thinking Italian in the main). Overtaking issues are exaggerated to say the least. It just doesn't really matter.

[rubystone]

Lhd is a good way of hiding a past history...I looked at a Lhd 355 a couple of years ago. Checked it out thoroughly and found that it had lived in the U.K. then been exported to Germany. Several years later reimported into the UK. No mention or trace of the fact it had been written off on the first of its stays in the UK.

[HamidQ]

355fiorano said:

There is a difference I believe in the perception of European LHD vs other markets based on anecdotal evidence from my conversations with friends and other petrolheads ... but by no means indicative or comprehensive.
Specifically from UAE, I have heard that the UK market is a bit more reticent in buying UAE speced cars. They do have a different spec due to weather/road conditions over there and I think the fact that the history may be even less traceable and possibly books, bills etc in arabic alphabet may be a deterrent to some buyers. There is also a reluctance for Japanese cars for similar reasons.
Having said the above however, if a UAE/Japanese car was even cheaper than a European LHD I would personally be tempted assuming all the checks were done. I do not however see this price differential in asking prices so what I suspect is that they will be less liquid vs the european counterparts and the possible additional profit you may be expecting from selling at European LHD prices may not be easy to achieve.

Edited by 355fiorano on Thursday 14th September 11:20

Edited by 355fiorano on Thursday 14th September 11:21

I live in the UAE so I am guess I am at a bit of an advantage. Like any market there are people who cherish their cars and those who use and abuse them. If you are able to find a well looked after car, you could be £££s in.

3 years ago I bought a Scud and it cost me the equivalent of £72K. The car is still with me and is unlikely to leave me soon.

Last year I bought a new Maritime Blue 991 GT3RS after an 18 month and that will stay with me for as long as I am alive I think. That could be a good car for someone if I change my mind...

I am not sure about the tax implications but if you want a car to drive, this may be a good place to buy. GT4s for example are getting close to the £60K mark...a main dealer inspection is a couple of hundred quid, not to mention most of the enthusiast cars are well known in the right circles so the most of the "story" cars can be avoided by reaching out to folks like myself.

[355fiorano]

Yipper said:

LHDs make you look like someone who can't quite afford the real thing. It's only one step away from buying a red MR2 Ferrari replica.

Of course, the exception to that rule is elite models which only come with a left hook, like the Carrera GT.

I have no problems with that. I'm happy to drive the best car I can afford no matter what anyone else's opinion is. If that means driving a car only our poor European neighbours can only afford then so be it

[355fiorano]

rich12 said:

Great bit of info. It's not something i've come across to be honest and whilst I see the potential issue, we would only bring cars over that had full main dealer history and we have a contact at Lambo/Ferrari who said they would help if need be.

In regards to the different set up, do you have any more info on it? different being camber etc or different being different suspension/tyres?

A friend was looking to buy an 599 HGTE and was seriously looking at a UAE car and looked at the spec differences but I can't really remember. He never did buy it but I seem to think that on top of things like different filters for the dust there were also ECU differences for suspension and engine settings which were more optimised for the conditions there but please wait for someone else with more knowledge to respond. Many may not look at cars in such detail however and I still think the main concern for people is history and the language issue on the paperwork.

[rich12]

HamidQ said:

I live in the UAE so I am guess I am at a bit of an advantage. Like any market there are people who cherish their cars and those who use and abuse them. If you are able to find a well looked after car, you could be £££s in.

3 years ago I bought a Scud and it cost me the equivalent of £72K. The car is still with me and is unlikely to leave me soon.

Last year I bought a new Maritime Blue 991 GT3RS after an 18 month and that will stay with me for as long as I am alive I think. That could be a good car for someone if I change my mind...

I am not sure about the tax implications but if you want a car to drive, this may be a good place to buy. GT4s for example are getting close to the £60K mark...a main dealer inspection is a couple of hundred quid, not to mention most of the enthusiast cars are well known in the right circles so the most of the "story" cars can be avoided by reaching out to folks like myself.

If you don't mind me asking, where in the UAE do you live? It's always good to get more info from people who actually own these sort of cars out there.

[rich12]

355fiorano said:

A friend was looking to buy an 599 HGTE and was seriously looking at a UAE car and looked at the spec differences but I can't really remember. He never did buy it but I seem to think that on top of things like different filters for the dust there were also ECU differences for suspension and engine settings which were more optimised for the conditions there but please wait for someone else with more knowledge to respond. Many may not look at cars in such detail however and I still think the main concern for people is history and the language issue on the paperwork.

This is exactly the sort of info I need.
If we're going to import cars from a specific place, I need to know every little detail about them so I know whether or not they'll be good cars.

Whilst we work with supercars day in, day out, importing is a completely new venture for us so need to make sure it's viable.
Hopefully it will work and i'll be able to import myself a lovely F150 Raptor. (I have no interest in owning supercars, I just like looking at them and driving them haha).

[Pioneer]

Yipper said:

LHDs make you look like someone who can't quite afford the real thing. It's only one step away from buying a red MR2 Ferrari replica.

Of course, the exception to that rule is elite models which only come with a left hook, like the Carrera GT.

My old boss used to say "... either he's foreign or he couldn't afford a RHD" Always made me chuckle. Especially when not long after the sales manager pulled up at work in his new 308GTB, which you guessed it ... was a left hooker

[f1ten]

Likewise for me in my left hand drive f430 it's not an issue and frankly real driving for me is in Europe now anway as uk south east is too busy and too much to risk my licence. Never had issues with lhd and I used to have a BMW z1. Which was lhd only.

911Thrasher said:

Same experience here, and have owned 2x LHD Stradale, 1x LHD Scud, 1x LHD 575HGTC and 1x LHD 964RS...next maybe a LHD 997.2/991 GT3RS or 964/993RS or again a 575HGTC

Currently at home we still have 1x LHD Stradale, 1x LHD G55 and 1x RHD SL300 R107...and both my wife and i don't see any difference going from one car to another in terms of driving in Central London, parkings, etc.

Edited by 911Thrasher on Thursday 14th September 11:51

[isaldiri]

Behemoth said:

For a manual car, LHD is better if you are right handed. I've had both and lived with both long term in Europe and the UK. LHD is very often a better ergonomic experience with cars originally designed in LHD markets (I'm thinking Italian in the main). Overtaking issues are exaggerated to say the least. It just doesn't really matter.

^ +1. I actively prefer lhd manuals and the driving position tends to be better as well for me.

[HamidQ]

rich12 said:

If you don't mind me asking, where in the UAE do you live? It's always good to get more info from people who actually own these sort of cars out there.

I live in Dubai.

As for those asking about Documentation, manuals are typically in English or both English and Arabic.

[marky1]

HamidQ said:

I live in the UAE so I am guess I am at a bit of an advantage. Like any market there are people who cherish their cars and those who use and abuse them. If you are able to find a well looked after car, you could be £££s in.

3 years ago I bought a Scud and it cost me the equivalent of £72K. The car is still with me and is unlikely to leave me soon.

Last year I bought a new Maritime Blue 991 GT3RS after an 18 month and that will stay with me for as long as I am alive I think. That could be a good car for someone if I change my mind...

I am not sure about the tax implications but if you want a car to drive, this may be a good place to buy. GT4s for example are getting close to the £60K mark...a main dealer inspection is a couple of hundred quid, not to mention most of the enthusiast cars are well known in the right circles so the most of the "story" cars can be avoided by reaching out to folks like myself.

Great price on the Scud, well done.

[BobTurner]

Yipper said:

It's only one step away from buying a red MR2 Ferrari replica.

[Paracetamol]

Cars in the UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi) are generally very close to EU spec cars but with lots of extras. Where you become unstuck is the following

1. Colour choices and options choices can be a bit 'special'. The number of 458s I have seen with comedy spec red dash and steering wheel with tan interiors is depressing. Also most place comfort above performance and so things like GT3s have comfort and not the bucket seats that seem to be in demand in the EU.

2. There are many super car hire companies here and its difficult to know if the cars have been owned by one of these

3. Many accidents seem to be as a result of undercarriage impact and not always visible

4. Some cars are owned by people who simply abuse them more than would be expected in the West. This is more becuase there are younger people with access to funds and the outcome would be the same in the EU if younger people had the same access to funds and insurance.

Saying all this, if the cars check out then they can be great. Service schedules here are very onerous (annual service required for warranty). If you find ones owned by the right guys then they are super anal about not leaving them out in the sun etc etc.

All cars imported to UK from UAE etc have to have SVA testing and this involves lights, speedo in MPH etc. This is not the case if the car is older than 10 years. So to change the lights on a modern supercar can cost 6k gpb easily..with all the other bits and pieces it can add around 8k gbp to the import cost.