In some countries like New Zealand, vehicles have to be driven on the right hand side, as such, upon importation of a car from the U. S or other LHD countries; it has to be converted to RHD. However, with a good reason, you can still have your vehicle converted even when you are in a country that uses the right side of the road for driving like the U. S. In some cases, you need the approval of relevant authorities to avoid getting into trouble with traffic offices. The right hand drive conversions are now done by big professionals as long as you pay for the service.
The first thing you notice about the RHD is the cosmetic differences. Though it sounds obvious, the steering wheel is on the right-hand side and thus the name. Even though the critical control functions remain the same, there are several other things in the cockpit that are different. For instance, the Gas, Brake and Clutch are still placed from right to left and the gear pattern too is similar to that in the USDM LHD Manuals. However, it now means that the shifting has to be done with the left hand. It is not difficult though.
However, there are some other changes in the cockpit that can bring a big difference. The turn signal switch, for instance, goes to the right while the wipers are taken to the left. The ebrake is also placed to the side of the driver and the radio controls also become closer.
In the same way, the driving experience is slightly different. The main difference comes at the point of overtaking. Unlike with LHD where you just peek, and if the road ahead is clear you overtake, with RHD, you have to slight slow down and allow a significant distance between you and the car in front to be able to get a clear view before accelerating to overtake.
The average market price varies widely depending on the company, the kit and the type of the vehicle. For instance, converting a sport car from LHD to RHD can cost anything from $20,000 to $40,000 largely depending on the vehicle type. The other standards to be complied with are the ADR standards which include indicators.
As already alluded to above, the conversion itself is not just taking the steering wheel from the left to the right. There are several other things involved. At the conversion facility, the car is dismantled and every part stored in a dedicated bay with the right labeling to prevent the mismatch. This is also done in a way so that the parts are safe and free of dust.
Several parts will have to be converted in addition to the steering wheel. These include the air condition system, the heater box and the cockpit itself among others. In some cases, even the driver's seat may be taken to the right, particularly if it is unique in some ways.
If the driver's seat has a particular configuration for extra comfort, it may have to be converted too or else you let go of the comfort. Generally though, the end product depends largely on the engineer who worked on your vehicle. There can be a slight difference from one company to the other. However, there are some companies that have international recognition as the experts in the field, even if you pay some extra cash they deliver a car beyond your expectation.
The first thing you notice about the RHD is the cosmetic differences. Though it sounds obvious, the steering wheel is on the right-hand side and thus the name. Even though the critical control functions remain the same, there are several other things in the cockpit that are different. For instance, the Gas, Brake and Clutch are still placed from right to left and the gear pattern too is similar to that in the USDM LHD Manuals. However, it now means that the shifting has to be done with the left hand. It is not difficult though.
However, there are some other changes in the cockpit that can bring a big difference. The turn signal switch, for instance, goes to the right while the wipers are taken to the left. The ebrake is also placed to the side of the driver and the radio controls also become closer.
In the same way, the driving experience is slightly different. The main difference comes at the point of overtaking. Unlike with LHD where you just peek, and if the road ahead is clear you overtake, with RHD, you have to slight slow down and allow a significant distance between you and the car in front to be able to get a clear view before accelerating to overtake.
The average market price varies widely depending on the company, the kit and the type of the vehicle. For instance, converting a sport car from LHD to RHD can cost anything from $20,000 to $40,000 largely depending on the vehicle type. The other standards to be complied with are the ADR standards which include indicators.
As already alluded to above, the conversion itself is not just taking the steering wheel from the left to the right. There are several other things involved. At the conversion facility, the car is dismantled and every part stored in a dedicated bay with the right labeling to prevent the mismatch. This is also done in a way so that the parts are safe and free of dust.
Several parts will have to be converted in addition to the steering wheel. These include the air condition system, the heater box and the cockpit itself among others. In some cases, even the driver's seat may be taken to the right, particularly if it is unique in some ways.
If the driver's seat has a particular configuration for extra comfort, it may have to be converted too or else you let go of the comfort. Generally though, the end product depends largely on the engineer who worked on your vehicle. There can be a slight difference from one company to the other. However, there are some companies that have international recognition as the experts in the field, even if you pay some extra cash they deliver a car beyond your expectation.
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