LHD versus RHD
Discussion
You know I really REALLY can't get this out of my head. I feel that RHD is the right (pardon pun) thing to do as it makes sense on our roads but then I think of comments from VS etc., saying LHD is better (strangely owning LHD cars as they do so! ;-) )
So... let's hear it from the floor and HOW difficult are they to sell later on?
I can imagine it's great for trackdays and Ring/Europe trips but back here in Blighty.... come on.... tell all!!
(Have to admit the cost differential is a factor but I don't want to be stuck with a car I'll never shift later)
So... let's hear it from the floor and HOW difficult are they to sell later on?
I can imagine it's great for trackdays and Ring/Europe trips but back here in Blighty.... come on.... tell all!!
(Have to admit the cost differential is a factor but I don't want to be stuck with a car I'll never shift later)
dubbs, it's hard for any to say - some people i know agre e about the driving position but just can't get the hang of driving a LHD car because they're so used to positioning themselves on the road from the right seat...
best thing you can do is find a way to spend a day in a left hand drive car - hire a smart for a day or something
best thing you can do is find a way to spend a day in a left hand drive car - hire a smart for a day or something
The only problem with LHD, in my experience is...
You have to look like a bit of a fool getting out the car, running round the other side, to get the car parking ticket when you enter multi storey car parks.
Unknowing passengers always try to get in on the drivers side.
Entering the motorway takes more care than usual
Other than that, those are the only probs imho,
I prefer LHD now to be honest
all the best
adam
You have to look like a bit of a fool getting out the car, running round the other side, to get the car parking ticket when you enter multi storey car parks.
Unknowing passengers always try to get in on the drivers side.
Entering the motorway takes more care than usual
Other than that, those are the only probs imho,
I prefer LHD now to be honest
all the best
adam
LHD is only a disadvantage when overtaking something you can't see through/past eg truck. This is rare and does not bother me as I rarely overtake because I am in a hurry but do so for the fun/challenge.
Up to 993 model pedals are better postioned on LHD (nowhere to rest left foot in RHD). But really I bought LHD 993RS as felt extra £20K for RHD was not worth it.
Up to 993 model pedals are better postioned on LHD (nowhere to rest left foot in RHD). But really I bought LHD 993RS as felt extra £20K for RHD was not worth it.
I don't think its very straightforward myself.
I have a LHD 993 for one reason only - the driving position is better for me, and I really cannot get comfortable in the RHD cars. Equally I found each car "appeared" to vary, and some (LHD) cars were better than others. I'm not sure why but this may because of different seats/seat heights/seat mounting positions and so on.
I would say I'm a lanky git and, therefore, may be more sensitive to the driving position than someone else.
If I were buying any of the water-cooled cars I'd buy RHD, as there seems to be no material difference to the driving position. Certainly my 944 was RHD and absolutely fine.
Regarding re-sale don't forget you can always sell it back to Europe where there is apparently quite a large market for LHD cars ... Obviously a bit more difficult to do but hardly impossible.
I would strongly recommend you test several and work out if it makes a difference to you.
One thing to be cautious of is some people buy LHD cars because they are cheaper, and maintain them accordingly.
Dan
I have a LHD 993 for one reason only - the driving position is better for me, and I really cannot get comfortable in the RHD cars. Equally I found each car "appeared" to vary, and some (LHD) cars were better than others. I'm not sure why but this may because of different seats/seat heights/seat mounting positions and so on.
I would say I'm a lanky git and, therefore, may be more sensitive to the driving position than someone else.
If I were buying any of the water-cooled cars I'd buy RHD, as there seems to be no material difference to the driving position. Certainly my 944 was RHD and absolutely fine.
Regarding re-sale don't forget you can always sell it back to Europe where there is apparently quite a large market for LHD cars ...
Obviously a bit more difficult to do but hardly impossible. I would strongly recommend you test several and work out if it makes a difference to you.
One thing to be cautious of is some people buy LHD cars because they are cheaper, and maintain them accordingly.
Dan
Rarely with turning left at a junction the angle means you can't see trafic coming from your right well at all and have to look out of the back.
There is also the tendency to wander to the middle of the road whilst you are getting used to it
I mildly prefer RHD but there is really not a massive ammount in it. You do need to spend a few hours trying it first though.
There is also the tendency to wander to the middle of the road whilst you are getting used to it
I mildly prefer RHD but there is really not a massive ammount in it. You do need to spend a few hours trying it first though.
danww said:
I have a LHD 993 for one reason only - the driving position is better for me, and I really cannot get comfortable in the RHD cars.
Dan
verysideways said:
I'm on my third lhd 993 - i went looking for rhd initially and loved the cars i saw and drove. I hadn't ever liked driving rhd 964/3.2 cars.
Then i drove a lhd 993 and the pedals, seat, and steering seemed so much better.
Since then i have driven (and enjoyed) lhd 964's and 3.2's
I dont think re-sale of 996's in general is easy at thr moment and lhd is going to be harder. I paid 35k for mine in may a 03 c2,i bought it purely because of the price difference which at the time was around 12k cheaper.I,m thinking about selling mine now and i'd be happy with 30k,(no less).I bought it with 15thmls and now its done 26.Similar cars to mine are still up for 35k from <a href="www.lhdporsche.com"><a href="www.lhdporsche.com">www.lhdporsche.com</a></a> so i think anyone who buys my car will get a very good deal.It has 9 months opc warranty with it and if you wanted to buy a rhd car with the same speck as mine u'd still be looking to pay around 40-44k from opc.At the end of the day lhd cars are a better buy if you dont mind driving on the wrong side.PS If you are realistic with your re-sale price,and offer a good deal you will always find a buyer.
>> Edited by rob05 on Friday 14th October 09:59
>> Edited by rob05 on Friday 14th October 10:00
>> Edited by rob05 on Friday 14th October 10:08
>> Edited by rob05 on Friday 14th October 09:59
>> Edited by rob05 on Friday 14th October 10:00
>> Edited by rob05 on Friday 14th October 10:08
roygarth said:
LHD is only a disadvantage when overtaking something you can't see through/past eg truck. This is rare and does not bother me as I rarely overtake because I am in a hurry but do so for the fun/challenge.
Up to 993 model pedals are better postioned on LHD (nowhere to rest left foot in RHD). But really I bought LHD 993RS as felt extra £20K for RHD was not worth it.
It's all about lane positioning, nice and tight on left handers and further back on right.
I've had LHD cars before (simply because they didn't make them in RHD) and have to admit I find them far more natural to be chaning gear with my right hand.
Having said that I drove a LHD 993 RS on Saturday and found it more uncomfortable than my RHD 993
LHD is inherently better for pedal position because the wheelarches obtrude into the footwells. Your right foot needs clearance to allow it to move the throttle. The inverse is not the same because ovbiously the footrest is static. Most any car with wide front tyres and decent steering lock will have this problem.
I'm surprised that so far no one has mentioned the difference in fuel tank size. In RHDs it's 60-something, in LHDs it seems to be 84.
I'm surprised that so far no one has mentioned the difference in fuel tank size. In RHDs it's 60-something, in LHDs it seems to be 84.
flemke said:
LHD is inherently better for pedal position because the wheelarches obtrude into the footwells. Your right foot needs clearance to allow it to move the throttle. The inverse is not the same because ovbiously the footrest is static. Most any car with wide front tyres and decent steering lock will have this problem.
I'm surprised that so far no one has mentioned the difference in fuel tank size. In RHDs it's 60-something, in LHDs it seems to be 84.
I really can't complain about the pedals in the 996 though. Perfectly judged position and weighting. Steering lock is good too.
I wouldn't mind a bigger fuel tank though.
LHD is the bees' knees, but then I would say that living in France! I don't find it a problem when I come to the UK - better visibility into right hand bends, worse visibility into left hand bends.
The problems of looking for overtaking opportunities are very real in low-powered cars, but in a porker you can hang back to increase your forward field of vision, knowing that when you floor it the gap will be closed very quickly.
As for the money side of it, LHD cars will always be cheaper in the UK (that's why I bought my porker there!) if RHD versions are also available. You get it a bit cheaper, you sell it a bit cheaper - net effect is only depreciation as for the RHD cars.
The problems of looking for overtaking opportunities are very real in low-powered cars, but in a porker you can hang back to increase your forward field of vision, knowing that when you floor it the gap will be closed very quickly.
As for the money side of it, LHD cars will always be cheaper in the UK (that's why I bought my porker there!) if RHD versions are also available. You get it a bit cheaper, you sell it a bit cheaper - net effect is only depreciation as for the RHD cars.
flemke said:
I'm surprised that so far no one has mentioned the difference in fuel tank size. In RHDs it's 60-something, in LHDs it seems to be 84.
lhd and rhd 993's get a 70 litre tank, but on lhd (not US/Canada) there was the option of a 92 litre tank, which was quite a popular option on 993tt's. Gert sells this tank for ROW LHD 993's (not cheap!).
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