As we know that all the cars in the US are made with a steering wheel on the left side, it is challenging to buy a car with a right-hand steering wheel. Therefore, when it comes to right-hand side steering, the first question that arises is whether it is legal to drive such a car.
The answer to this question is that driving a car with steering on the right side is perfectly legal in the US. Therefore, there is no harm in buying a right-hand side drive car in the United States. But such vehicles are not readily available in the US.
Potential buyers need to do some research to find the availability of right-hand side driving cars. This post explains the step-by-step process to buy a right-hand side driving car in the United States.
Is Driving a Right-hand Side Car Legal in the US?
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The short and simple answer to this question is yes, it is perfectly legal to drive a right-hand side drive car in the United States. The postal service is a perfect example of the same as all mail vehicles come with right-hand driving. Also, any person can buy mail vehicles when they retire from service.
It means that right-hand sidecars are legal in the US. However, they must have proper registration and compliance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
How to buy a right-hand side drive car in the US
There are many ways to buy a right-hand side drive car in the United States. Let us check out all the ways.
Buy from a dealership
The first and simplest way to buy a factory-made car is from a car dealership. Some companies make and sell right-hand side drive cars in the US. Also, there are some models of cars that are only available with a right-hand drive facility.
Jeep Dealership
The Jeep dealerships in the United States sell vehicles to postal services. However, these vehicles are also available to the general public. It means anyone can buy a right-hand drive car from a Jeep dealership. If you like such vehicles, you can walk into a Jeep dealership and buy a Jeep Wrangler or any other vehicle of your choice.
Import from another country
If you want a new right-hand side drive car but do not want to buy from the US, you can import it from another country. Here, another country means a state where RHD cars are common and a part of traffic regulations. However, you should inquire from a vehicle registration office in your location, whether they allow the registration of the vehicle you want to import or not. It might be difficult to register an imported vehicle in the US. On the other hand, it is quite simple to register an RHD car you buy in the US.
Buy a Used Car
As most new right-hand drive cars are expensive, one can buy a used car from a second-hand car market. As the demand for right-hand drive cars is low, you can find them at low prices than standard used cars in the United States. You can get a used RHD car in the US for as low as $9000 and as high as $100,000.
Convert a car from left-hand to right-hand drive
If you cannot find a used RHD car or don’t want to buy a new one, you can convert your existing LHD car to a right-hand drive. Yes, you can convert your existing LHD car to a right-hand drive by consulting a qualified technician. Some car servicing businesses also offer such types of services. There are two ways to convert your car.
Driving an RHD car in the US
Before you buy a new or used RHD car in the United States, you should know about its benefits and challenges. If you are habitual in right-hand driving, then driving an RHD car can be a big advantage for you.
However, driving in the US can be difficult for you, as the US is an LHD drive country. Drivers have experienced safety issues while driving their RHD cars. Usually, people face difficulty in changing lanes and overtaking other vehicles on double-lane roads. Also, using the drive-up windows on a drive-through lane or paying tolls can be difficult if you are alone.
Final Words
These are some ways to buy a right-hand side drive car in the United States. Not only in the US, can you buy an RHD car in any county. People living in Brisbane can buy cars in Brisbane or any other part of Australia using the ways mentioned in this post. However, you should inquire about the registration of RHD vehicles if you want to use them in a country with left-hand side driving traffic rules.
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