sassy-cat

So we are considering taking our car back to the UK. It's a couple of years old and would mean we'd have a car on arrival if we ship soon and not have to go car shopping just before Christmas!

Good idea? Bad idea? Costs?

We've driven a UK car in France so know all about being on the wrong side of the vehicle.. but at least our car is an automatic!

Any recent experience with this?

Thanks for your help!:

Jerseygirl

Why would you do that? Unless it's something special that a collector of US cars would buy... I would sell it before you leave. Used cars are as cheap as chips in the UK...plus they are much smaller. Parking/opening the door and exiting the car in the UK is a nightmare with even a mid to largish UK car...the parking spaces are tiny.

Novocastrian

Could you specify the model? I agree with JG that most American cars (unless Japanese imports) would be rather impractical in most parts of the UK.

sassy-cat

Why would I do that?
To have a mode of transport and not have to add car purchase to my to do list on arrival at Heathrow in December!
Yes, I realise our car would be rather large for the UK but it's not an Escalade. It's a small SUV, a RAV4.
Have never bought a used car in the UK, only bought new and not done that for nearly 20 years so no experience.

Mainly asking for advice if this is a reasonable idea. We'd have a place to park it and would generally only be using it for fairly long trip (1 hour in the car) not a runabout town car.

Novocastrian

It's an unreasonable idea.

sassy-cat

OK, thanks! Seems like I need a plan B

I'd still be interested if anyone has actually done this. It seems fairly in expensive to transport. I imagine I'd probably have sticker shock when it came to gas/petrol prices though!

SanDiegogirl

Having taken our British car to France one year, I vowed never to do that again! Being on the wrong side of the car for overtaking purposes was a nightmare.

Could not imagine overtaking under such conditions on the motorways in the UK these days, not to mention the feeling of always being on the wrong side of the road!

Get a car to suit the driving situation.

Novocastrian

Not just that. The value of a LHD vehicle is way below the equivalent RHD version.

mikelincs

also you would have the extra expense of getting it registered in the UK and getting headlights and fog lights changed, also remember that pay areas on entering and leaving car parks are designed for RHD cars, as are things like drive throughs.

Bob

Issues would arise if it isn't the same spec as a EU model, so getting it insured and parts, as I know exhaust parts are spec'ed differently for Honda's and use different materials, so if Toyota were the same, parts could be more hassle/expensive if you wanted to keep warranty valid.

Insurance would be a chore.

Sorting out the lights may be costly to do, to get it road legal.

No resell value.

You could sell it here for much more money that you'd spend in the UK on a second hand car.

sassy-cat

Ha, yes not being able to pay for parking at the exit gate would mean having 2 people in the car so one can leap out and pay..
headlights and foglight I had no clue about so thanks for that.

I'm leaning towards selling it now.
It has more second hand value here than in the UK.

sassy-cat

Thanks, Bob. My research indicates that selling it here would be a better idea.
OK I think I'm ready to give up my car!

Novocastrian

I've not yet encountered a drive through in the Uk, perhaps they exist, but the parking and things like that are a major hassle if the steering wheel is on the wrong side. From personal experience.

sassy-cat

Well I've encountered a few in the past.. a parking garage in Epsom town centre and one in Croydon for starters.

So sadly I'm coming to terms with leaving my car. My son who will remain in the US would like it but he can't pay for it so maybe selling it is my best option.

mikelincs

Almost every McDonalds has one, so have many other fast food places. Also the carwash places would need two people in the car. or a very quick dive from one side to the other and a quick window close.