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RHD to LHD conversion
l0rd - 1/5/10 at 07:11 PM

Right

As i am planning to going back to Greece next year, I am after a car that will be converted from RHD to LHD.

Would this mean that the car will have to go through IVA allthough it started it's life as a RHD or will i need to just declare it to DVLA as a LHD?

I am planning of getting a Renault Megane CC 2005-2006 model.

These fetch about 5-6k here in UK but about 16-18K in Greece.

Obviously, i need to spend 1k for the parts.

austin man - 1/5/10 at 07:26 PM

I wouldnt think IVA would be required as tyou will not be altering the structure of the car

rusty nuts - 1/5/10 at 07:30 PM

Might be worth buying one on the continent that's already LHD?

britishtrident - 1/5/10 at 07:30 PM

These days it really isn't viable sometimes the rhd body shell has a different bulkhead from the LHD and you have issues with the position of ecus and have change the SRS.

irvined - 1/5/10 at 07:43 PM

AFAIK, you wont need to redo IVA, you can buy kits for mini's and beetles, and they don't need to be iva'd afterwards.

What you need to watch out for is:

* Bulkhead is symetrical, same length, and same width, make sure you can fit your feet in the passenger side.

* Engine choice is important, you may want to go for duratec or pinto if your cec'ing as then the zorst will be on the passenger side - stops your ears bleeding.

* Also good idea to make sure there is space to run the clutch cable the long way around, that the master cylinders don't hit the exhaust, filters, etc. Also make sure the steering column doesn't hit anything on the other side.

Its not that hard both legally and technically to do, quite a few guys in NL do it.

l0rd - 1/5/10 at 07:47 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Might be worth buying one on the continent that's already LHD?


Buying one in the continent is out of the question. Even in France, they go for 13-15K minimum.

I need to go and have a look at one.

I just hope that if it is the same as my Laguna, the brake master cylinder is on the passenger side which makes me believe that probably the bulkhead is the same for both.

l0rd - 1/5/10 at 07:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by irvined

What you need to watch out for is:

* Bulkhead is symetrical, same length, and same width, make sure you can fit your feet in the passenger side.

* Engine choice is important, you may want to go for duratec or pinto if your cec'ing as then the zorst will be on the passenger side - stops your ears bleeding.

.


I thought that i comes with a Renault Engine

Humbug - 1/5/10 at 08:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by irvined
AFAIK, you wont need to redo IVA, you can buy kits for mini's and beetles, and they don't need to be iva'd afterwards.

What you need to watch out for is:

* Bulkhead is symetrical, same length, and same width, make sure you can fit your feet in the passenger side.

* Engine choice is important, you may want to go for duratec or pinto if your cec'ing as then the zorst will be on the passenger side - stops your ears bleeding.

* Also good idea to make sure there is space to run the clutch cable the long way around, that the master cylinders don't hit the exhaust, filters, etc. Also make sure the steering column doesn't hit anything on the other side.

Its not that hard both legally and technically to do, quite a few guys in NL do it.


He's talking about a Megane, not a seven

britishtrident - 1/5/10 at 09:59 PM

Also although Renault Meganes are not exactly popular with the trade I think 5 to 6k for a 2005/2006 Megane CC is more than a little optimistic, 9k would be nearer the mark.

BenB - 1/5/10 at 10:57 PM

Certainly on the old Megane it's designed as a left hooker because the brake servo etc is on the left hand side and actuated via a rather puny looking "dual control" bushed rod....

l0rd - 1/5/10 at 11:13 PM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
Also although Renault Meganes are not exactly popular with the trade I think 5 to 6k for a 2005/2006 Megane CC is more than a little optimistic, 9k would be nearer the mark.



I have found several even for less than 5.

You can always have a look on ebay and autotrader.

l0rd - 1/5/10 at 11:14 PM

quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Certainly on the old Megane it's designed as a left hooker because the brake servo etc is on the left hand side and actuated via a rather puny looking "dual control" bushed rod....


So now i need to find if the CC had exactly the same configuration. If it did, this would make my life a lot easier as i believe, the steering is electric?

designer - 2/5/10 at 06:05 AM

The cheapest place to buy cars in Europe is Belgium.

Even the French do it to save money.

morcus - 2/5/10 at 07:09 AM

Converted cars are never as good as ones built right the first time. I've no experience my dad and my Uncles do and I believe its true even more so than for the cars they had.

On Auto trader they seem to start at £3K on a 54.

I wouldn't bother though to be honest, I think you'd do better to buy a LHD car. The conversion will put people of when it comes to selling aswell.

britishtrident - 2/5/10 at 07:42 AM

quote:
Originally posted by l0rd
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
Also although Renault Meganes are not exactly popular with the trade I think 5 to 6k for a 2005/2006 Megane CC is more than a little optimistic, 9k would be nearer the mark.



I have found several even for less than 5.

You can always have a look on ebay and autotrader.


Megane yes truck loads of them but a decent clean lowish mileage manual tranny Megan CC ---

Ninehigh - 2/5/10 at 08:31 AM

Why not just stick with rhd? People bring lhd cars over there and don't convert them..

l0rd - 2/5/10 at 05:01 PM

to bring a LHD car here and drive is fine.

Have you ever tried driving a car in Greece? It is a mission. Imagine a RHD one.

Ninehigh - 3/5/10 at 06:50 AM

I'll take that as a good point

Just as a thought you are looking for a lhd one over here, that'll be even cheaper, or just get the seven done

l0rd - 3/5/10 at 01:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
I'll take that as a good point

Just as a thought you are looking for a lhd one over here, that'll be even cheaper, or just get the seven done


LHD here are expensive also. There is only one Vauxhall tigra LHD for 6.5K but is 2 seater strictly.

I am still looking for a loophole to register a 7 in Greece.

[Edited on 3/5/10 by l0rd]

britishtrident - 3/5/10 at 01:42 PM

Another bit of caution ----
Although a rescue deal has been agreed for the Greek economy if it works it will pull the value of the Euro down a bit if it doesn't Greece well end up going back to the Drachma which the Greek government is rumoured to have printed in warehouse loads ready to issue. Nobody knows what is going to happen to car values in Greece.

l0rd - 3/5/10 at 02:02 PM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
Another bit of caution ----
Although a rescue deal has been agreed for the Greek economy if it works it will pull the value of the Euro down a bit if it doesn't Greece well end up going back to the Drachma which the Greek government is rumoured to have printed in warehouse loads ready to issue. Nobody knows what is going to happen to car values in Greece.


Thanks for pointing it out.

But nothing will happen to the car values in Greece. Probably the only thing that will happen is that most of the cars over 1.8L will be sorned after the latest changes on Road Tax.

Also, Greece is the only country in Europe that you have to pay car import tax

Imagine that the cheapest Renault Clio here is 8.5K cash price. In Greece due to Import Tax the Renault Laguna GT here is £27K and in Greece is 39.5K euros or £36K.

Ninehigh - 3/5/10 at 03:12 PM

If the 7 is registered here why couldn't it go under the standard import? Also if you then list it as having a value of £500 there won't be much tax

l0rd - 3/5/10 at 03:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
If the 7 is registered here why couldn't it go under the standard import? Also if you then list it as having a value of £500 there won't be much tax


Because I won't have an ECC certificate from a manufacturer.

West&hams are the only 2 that can provide one as long as you get a factory build one at the moment.

morcus - 3/5/10 at 05:00 PM

I was under the impression you had to pay import Tax and VAT to bring a car into the UK?

Couldn't you register the seven somewhere else in the eu and only drive it half the year?

l0rd - 3/5/10 at 10:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by morcus
I was under the impression you had to pay import Tax and VAT to bring a car into the UK?

Couldn't you register the seven somewhere else in the eu and only drive it half the year?


I do not believe so. Even if it is, it is not as expensive as it is in Greece.

I have thought of that, but, I will not be able to get insurance as I will not live here in UK. I have read a rule somewhere for it.