mozzaITA

Hi all, im seriously considering buying an Intergrale but one of the main factors would be living with LHD.... it would be my only car and say 10 000 miles per year. Has anybody owned a LHD as their main car? What was it like to live with??

thanks in advance

Moz

Writer/Researcher and Sales

www.rapidcarsltd.co.uk

stu8v

Its spelt INTEGRALE!!!!!!!

There ok to live with day to day the only points that **** you off are automated carparks and toll booths but the joy the grale gives far outway those minor troubles.

8v grale owner

LeeMac

iTrader: (1)

get one bought

R.B

Ive had one and you do get used to it.

Phil M

yeh but smarts are gay

KJD Mk1

iTrader: (3)

I was lucky enough to own a lhd m3 (the original and the best) a few years ago it was a bit strange at first but you soon get used to it.I would have no problems getting another lhd cheaper too!!!!

NACRO

Just to clarify: Smarts ARE gay and N Yorkshire IS full of knuckle draggers


As for the question, after a short while of hitting the door with your left hand as you go for the gear lever, you will soon get used to driving a LHD vehicle. The only real problem is overtaking something like a HGV on a single carriageway, you have to modify your technique a little bit to take account of the fact you are now sitting on the wrong side to see round the thing.

PeterSimpson

no real probs with LHD to be honest. only drive thru's and toll booths as has already been mentioned.

Rgds
Pete ( evo1 grale )

Biggins

Simply reverse LHD car through McD's drive thru, toll roads, carparks etc. and it's problem solved.

jjones

what mpg for combined driving?

n one

iTrader: (5)

I had a Golf G60 for about a year, you soon get use to LHD, the main problems were overtaking trucks/tractors etc and you cant see to get past.

dpb

HAHA

CraigRA

Getting off slip roads onto motorways and the like requires extra caution, so does over taking, as said carparks etc can be a pain.
Plus points when parked you step off on to the pavement, and it makes driving abroad easy.
Put up with my left hooker for 15 years.

Brendan Hughes

Had a 1.6 Pug GTI in Belgium for 6 mths. The extra cautious overtaking on single lanes made it VERY frustrating and I wouldn't have done it for much longer.

Not sure. In a saloon, who cares. But buy a car you want to drive fast, you want to overtake a lot, but are unable to - most irritating.

Of course, a growler needs less of a gap than a 1.6 Pug...

owbow

mate rich loves it (pulsar LHD) but does find the transition to RHD now a little weird.... dammit he'll have an advantage in the hirecar @ the Ring next time!

Owain

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Very true. I never had any trouble overtaking in mine. You just look down the nearside of the car you want to overtake and pay attention then you are gone.

I personally love LHD and would have it by choice. Drive throughs are for fattys anyway

As for car parks I have heard of people having one of those grabber sticks on the passenger seat to grab tickets but I just used to park in pay and displays. I once used the one where you have to get a ticket by accident and the attendant saw me coming down the ramp and came out of his booth to put the ticket in for me

cheeseboy

LHD cars are great..














But I live on the mainland and drive on the right side of the road

st/EVO

buy the integrale and move to spain

mozzaITA

yes it is spelt Integrale just a very silly typo, why move to spain might as well go back home to Italy.

I have driven abroad before and it felt a bit strange but that was only for a short period of time, so generally there doesnt seem to be a huge problem driving a left hooker here in GB.

thanks

Moz

Writer/Researcher and Sales
www.rapidcarsltd.co.uk

redevo

Get one I had a Scooby before the Integrale and it's doesn't come close to the exclusivity of owning a Grale or the driver involvement, best car I've ever owned. P. S best looking car this side of a 22B or 50K! And LHD is a piece of ****. Tony

Spoon

Actually prefer it myself.

You sit kerbside and follow it like a kart would, puts an end to centre whitelining.

Just drop back a bit when over-taking something bigger so you can look up the inside.

The there's the added safety feature should some dozy ned hit you coming the other way, you're kind of out the way.

Stu_M

Had an Integrale Evo for a couple of years, the LHD isnt a problem, just takes a short time of adjustment, only thing I thought was abit strange at first was quick gear changes with the wrong hand but you soon get used to that. Didn't find overtaking to much of a problem, found that generally people drive nearer the middle of the road anyway so as Paul P says you can see down the nearside, just the bigger wagons and the like with no back windows to look through and taking up the whole of the road is a bit more tricky, then again get a chip put in and your not on the wrong side of the road for long
I'd be more concerned about reliability problems and running costs than LHD to be honest, but thats another issue I'm sure your only to aware of.

greasemonkey

Drive LHD cars all the time, find it more natural than RHD.

Only problems are, as mentioned above, toll booths, car parks, that sort of thing (turning round and reversing is often not an option!). Also occasional visibility issues when stuck in queue of traffic and considering overtake, but you can often look down kerb side and check. It's rarely a problem.

Carl2

I drive a LHD HGV all day around a small part of N yorks. At least overtaking is easier for me cos I'm higher up than the cars, the only problem is I never go fast enough to overtake anything.