This weeks Classic Irish bargains that I'm not buying

pablo128

Seweryn wrote: »

It is on the proper side. Cars are designed that way and when they want to sell their cars here they convert them.

Very often some components are left in the wrong place, like a brake master on the left, radio controls on the passenger side, bonnet open latch on the left side of the car, hand brake lever closer to the passenger, etc.

Also the manual gear change pattern is designed for the driver to operate it from the driver side (i.e. left side of the car).
Sometimes there is no left foot rest in the RHD models. And some cars come with unchanged windscreen wiper rest positions.

So, the RHD cars are always somehow compromised.

Japanese cars are designed as rhd first and converted for lhd markets.

unkel

pablo128 wrote: »

Japanese cars are designed as rhd first and converted for lhd markets.

I'd wager that over 95% of cars on classic insurance in this country are not Japanese though!

I've had cars with most of those issues Seweryn describes...

Seweryn

pablo128 wrote: »

Japanese cars are designed as rhd first and converted for lhd markets.

You can say that for British cars as well. However, the gear change and radio controls remain designed to be operated from left side of the car for all cars.

They never mirror the pedal arrangement, but that is probably OK .

Seweryn

unkel wrote: »

I'd wager that over 95% of cars on classic insurance in this country are not Japanese though!

I've had cars with most of those issues Seweryn describes...

Sadly even Mercedes got somehow lost in the details. Look at the auto gear lever. Lettering on the passenger side? Yeah... Interior light / sunroof switch? On the other side. And remember to bring a passenger with you if you are going to open the bonnet when you stop .

BMW was even more lazy at some point with the E28 and other from that era. The auto gear lever is an L-shape lever designed for your right hand specifically. I test drove it once, but really couldn't understand this detail and why they never re-designed it.

RHD Saabs from the '80s and I am sure some other cars as well have the pedals moved unusually far to the left, so you have to sit a bit "sideways" when driving (I sold my 900 Turbo for that reason, but would love to keep it if she was LHD).

I know you can live with most of these things, but I would prefer a fully engineered car rather than re-engineered.

Another aspect is that some models were unavailable in our market. For example all the turbo diesels from M-B of the '80s and early '90s (W201, W124, W140, etc.) due to the steering box placed where the turbocharger was to be.

oceanman

Seweryn wrote: »

It is on the proper side. Cars are designed that way and when they want to sell their cars here they convert them.

Very often some components are left in the wrong place, like a brake master on the left, radio controls on the passenger side, bonnet open latch on the left side of the car, hand brake lever closer to the passenger, etc.

Also the manual gear change pattern is designed for the driver to operate it from the driver side (i.e. left side of the car).
Sometimes there is no left foot rest in the RHD models. And some cars come with unchanged windscreen wiper rest positions.

So, the RHD cars are always somehow compromised.

I am not disagreeing with anything you say but I am just saying it is the "wrong" side for us here in this country

w124man

Seweryn wrote: »

However, the gear change and radio controls remain designed to be operated from left side of the car for all cars.

Any chance you could let us know who your drug dealer is?

Have you ever worked in a motor manufactures design department?

Seweryn

w124man wrote: »

Any chance you could let us know who your drug dealer is?

Hard to remember who that is while being on drugs most of the time .

w124man wrote: »

Have you ever worked in a motor manufactures design department?

No, but I understand the cost would be way too high to apply some of the changes to RHD cars. My point is that cars and car controls are standardised for LHD models.

And I hope it is OK for a customer not to like some of the final results of the re-engineering.

26000 Elephants

Seweryn wrote: »

My point is that cars and car controls are standardised for LHD models.

But you made that point in relation to the escort that was posted: a car that was developed *entirely* in the UK, and was later engineered by Ford of Germany for the European LHD market, so in that case, the RHD certainly was not compromised.

Otherwise, you make fair points about most continental European cars.

elperello

Another LHD.
This looks solid and not too dear.
The earlier models were prettier.
He says VRT is usually €200 but being on US plates it will cost more.

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/alfa-romeo-spider-gratuate-2-0i-l-h-d/24323878

unkel

elperello wrote: »

Another LHD.
This looks solid and not too dear.
The earlier models were prettier.
He says VRT is usually €200 but being on US plates it will cost more.

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/alfa-romeo-spider-gratuate-2-0i-l-h-d/24323878

Tricky to get that on Irish reg when it's been in the country for so long already. Al

Very cheap for what it is though, even taking into account some work to get it freshly on the road again and past the NCT. Might very well be worth a punt.

unkel

That Graduate badge would have to go though

Duke O Smiley

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/volvo-244/24348628



79 244 auto, looks good in the photos but the ad lacks detail, a bargain at €2k IMO

unkel

That looks familiar, did we have this on here before? If it's half decent that's a bargain!

JabbaTheHut

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/1989-2-0-manual-mercedes-190-petrol/24350161

Really chequered MOT history. If that didn't put you off, that hitch should.

Edit: Forgot the !!!

con747

JabbaTheHut wrote: »

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/1989-2-0-manual-mercedes-190-petrol/24350161

Really chequered MOT history. If that didn't put you off, that hitch should.

Edit: Forgot the !!!

He likes his !!! on both his adds.

unkel

JabbaTheHut wrote: »

If that didn't put you off, that hitch should.

And the rest

Do you honestly think that car is an Irish bargain?

JabbaTheHut

unkel wrote: »

And the rest

Do you honestly think that car is an Irish bargain?

Good point .

But when we had a UK Escort, and a US Alfa in the last few posts, I said I'd add to the fire and include this.

unkel

Fair enough about the car not being on Irish plates. But do you really think it's a bargain?

JabbaTheHut

Oh no. Lol. It's no bargain.

But I suppose you can't blame the lad for trying.

Duke O Smiley

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/1970-fiat-500-l/24348499



Decent looking 500L for €4k

Looks a bit scabby on closer inspection but it seems very cheap no?

w124man

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/1970-fiat-500-l/24348499



Decent looking 500L for €4k

Looks a bit scabby on closer inspection but it seems very cheap no?

Worth a look at that money.

RobAMerc

that looks good value for sure if its not a total rot box

Testacalda

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

but it seems very cheap no?

I wonder does left hand drive be put people off, it does for me

Duke O Smiley

I don't think it'd bother me on something as small as a 500

w124man

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

I don't think it'd bother me on something as small as a 500

Its not as though you'll be doing much overtaking

JabbaTheHut

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/lexus-ls400-rare-dhp/24365805

This is a lot of car.

Duke O Smiley

JabbaTheHut wrote: »

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/lexus-ls400-rare-dhp/24365805

This is a lot of car.

Beautiful looking example, nice history, good spec, original Irish

That'll be worth a lot of money in years to come. I don't think they're worth much yet though to be honest. Stuck in tax limbo and avoiding checkpoints for the next 9 years I think..

BonnieSituation

JabbaTheHut wrote: »

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/lexus-ls400-rare-dhp/24365805

This is a lot of car.

You could easily take it to Stuttgart!

Duke O Smiley

Starting price for them in 99 was £70k IIRC, I'd say that one was 80 if not more.

BonnieSituation

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

Starting price for them in 99 was £70k IIRC, I'd say that one was 80 if not more.

102,000 euro and not remotely accounting for 21 years inflation. YIKES!