Maria9995

Does anyone know if it's possible (and if so, where I can get one) to buy a right hand drive car in the US (I'm based in NY) and take it back to the UK? I'm moving back next year and have heard if I buy anything more than 6 months before moving then I can avoid import duty. I'd like to take advantage of the cheap rpices over here!

Dave_Was

I tried this a while back and I never managed it. The only leads I got was that some Post Office vehicles are right hand drive and so it should be possible. The other one is that some right hand drive vehicles have been imported into the US so you might be able to pick one of them up, but normally these are 'specialist vehicles', such as Lotus Carlton's, Sklines, etc. So expect to pay a premium.

On top of that you would still have to prove road worthiness in the UK, such as doing the SVA test, which I have been through once and vowed never again.

Just some thoughts.

dunroving

As per previous post, the US Mail service buys RH drive cars - not just the boxy mail vans, but also Subarus, I believe. I drive a Subaru Legacy and I can recommend them highly.

Maria9995

Thanks guys for responding. It might be more effort than it's worth. I'll start looking at Auto Trader before I return home!

Piff Poff

Why not drive a LHD back in the UK? We have owned several LHD cars in the Uk and never had a problem insuring or driving them - newer ones and older ones. There is quite a big US car scene in the UK so you should have no problems selling if you buy an American brand.

Gtsnapper

Due to strict importing rules there arent many right hand drive cars in the US, apart from battered postal cars, 25+ year old classic cars imported from Britain, which are exempt from the rules, and a few other 'approved' imports. Car manufacturers have to have their cars pass DOT crash testing approval before they can be sold and registered in this US. The crash testing approval also includes rhd cars, as long as they are the same model that has crash testing approval already.

Canada appear to have much more laid back rules about importing rhd cars, and judging by looking at Canada's eBay (ebay.ca) they are much easier to get hold of there.

Should you buy one in Canada, I understand you can keep an non-approved car in the US without registering it, for upto 12 months before exporting it. Or you might find a model of rhd car that already has crash testing approval in the US, and you can register it here, before you export it. You'll need to check the DOTs website for more info.