As we go about with our daily driving habits, it’s easy to forget that we live in a world with both left-hand drive cars and right-hand drive cars. Most leading car manufacturers produce their models in both versions, depending on which countries they’re shipping off those cars. But can you take an LHD car and convert it to RHD in countries like Australia?
Yes, you can convert LHD to RHD in right-hand drive countries like Australia. The process is known as a steering conversion, and it can bring about many benefits when importing such a car to Australia. However, the process involves high costs and paperwork filing with your local road authority.
Yes, going through all the trouble can take up so much of your time and money. However, these are necessary trade-offs that many LHD car owners willingly accept just to drive their imported cars on Aussie streets.
Keep reading as we explore what it looks like to convert an LHD car to RHD in Australia and similar countries where right-hand drive is the norm.
Can You Convert LHD To RHD?
Yes, you can indeed convert an LHD car to RHD, both legally and mechanically. Steering conversion is required in a country with right-hand drive cars like Australia, but some local laws allow exceptions under certain conditions.
Some states have specific provisions allowing you to leave an LHD car as is, but you’ll need to file some extra paperwork with the road authority. For instance, Queensland allows foreign defence personnel to bring their LHD vehicles for personal use but subject to the approval of the proper authorities.
However, even if you’re allowed to keep your LHD vehicle in its original configuration, there are plenty of reasons to convert it to RHD.
Why Would You Want or Need to Convert LHD To RHD?
Driving a left-hand drive car in countries with right-hand drive as the norm can be pretty cool and eye-catching. You’ll certainly turn heads and get plenty of questions about where you got your car since it’s clearly not one that’s designed for the local market.
Still, it not worth taking the risk of driving an LHD on roads made for RHD’s, which is why you should opt for LHD-to-RHD conversion.
Imagine these scenarios:
- At the toll booth, you’ll have to stretch to the right side (from your left seat) to get a ticket at the parking lot entrance.
- What an awkward way to order from your favourite Macca’s drive-thru when you’re sitting on the opposite side.
- And this – accidentally turning on your wipers when you wanted to use your turn signal since the levers are on opposite sides for LHD and RHD steering wheels.
Minor inconveniences, you might say, but they’ll add up throughout the lifespan of your car and may even make you resent buying it in the first place.
The larger picture, of course, is your safety. It’s simply not safe to drive from the far side of the highway’s centreline, while the rest of the road users have a clear advantage over you.
Generally, though, you’ll need to convert your LHD car to drive it legally, and you’ll be happier and safer in the long run by getting a steering conversion done.
How Do You Convert LHD To RHD?
So, what does the steering conversion process look like, anyway? Well, it’s a complex and time-consuming process that includes the following stages:
- Switching the position of the steering wheel: The most obvious step is moving the steering wheel's position from the left to the right side.
- Rebuilding the dashboard: The steering wheel isn't the only thing that needs to switch sides. Like the instrument panel, everything else also needs to be moved to a new position, requiring a brand-new dashboard customised for that purpose.
- Replacing the shift knob and side mirrors: Smaller components like the shift knob and side mirrors must also be repositioned. Now that you’ll be sitting on the right side, the angles are all different and must be adjusted.
- Repositioning the rack and pinion: This part is where it gets complicated, at least mechanically. The rack and pinion (and any other parts you don’t see from the cabin) must also be repositioned to cater to a wheel on the opposite side.
Word of Caution: In this stage, some ‘specialists’ cut corners. Instead of repositioning the steering box to the right side as they should, they leave it where it is. Then, they add more moving parts like a cross shaft and more gearboxes to reach the repositioned steering wheel. This approach saves time and money, but it adds more unnecessary moving parts to your steering system, which could cause problems later.
What Vehicles Can Be Converted to Right-Hand Drive?
Pretty much all LHD vehicles can be converted to right-hand drive cars, as long as you (or your mechanic) have the proper know-how, skills, and experience to do so. Since you're not likely to do the job yourself, that means your biggest challenge is finding the best people who can do the job for you.
You can find businesses and workshops throughout Australia that specialise in converting cars from LHD to RHD. They're often referred to as 'steering conversion' businesses, so that's the keyword you'll want to use when searching online or asking around.
How Much Does It Cost to Convert a Car to Right-hand Drive in Australia?
Comparing different businesses to find the lowest right-hand drive conversion cost Australia has to offer can is not that easy. Unlike many other car repairs or procedures, there is no one-size-fits-all or standardised pricing for steering conversions.
That’s because the price to convert from LHD to RHD involves a long list of factors, such as:
- Import Costs: Do you already own the LHD vehicle in Australia, or are you hiring the company to import it for you before they convert it? This factor will affect the conversion cost significantly.
- Parts Costs: Getting the correct parts isn’t so straightforward, as you’ll need to ensure they comply with standards set by the Australian government.
- Modification and Labour Costs: Like any other repair or modification at a workshop, there will be costs for the time and effort their employees put into it.
- Certification and Registration: Steering conversions also require engineering certification and registration with your local road authority, which involves additional costs.
- Various Taxes and Fees: GST, Luxury Car Tax, Import and Customs Duties (if they’re bringing the car in for you), and so on.
As you might imagine, these costs are a significant hurdle that discourages people from getting the steering conversion done, but there’s always a trade-off whether you choose to do it or not.
To learn more about left-hand drive cars, steering conversions, and other automotive topics, please check out our blog at Carpart.com.au, where there’s a lot to learn and discover.
By Ray Hasbollah