Snoops

Hello again

I remeber reading some time ago in EVO magazine that a LHD performance car is how the factory intended it to be. In LHD it is in its rawest and purest form.

Was just wondering if their are any disadvantages for the car being RHD in a Porsche? Are their any compromises?

I notice that alot of Race drivers and Rally drivers are in LHD cars.

Just curious.

TIA

Snoops

p.s I live in England and the prices of LHD Porsches are quite good value.

Stuart Ross UK 1996 C4

In Rallying, I know that the WRC cars are all LHD mainly because most of the events are based on the continent when LHD would be the norm anyway.

I would also guess that a lot of it has to do with availability of body shells etc... I suspect production numbers of LHD parts will be much higher than for RHD.

Besides if you were building a circuit car from a 2nd hand road going vehicle in the UK, way pay a premium for a RHD model when it really does not matter once you hit the track.

Beyond that I don't really know the reasons why.

Stuart

MarkC

Many cars designed by European manufacturers have the RHD conversion done very much as an afterthought. Low volume and specialist manufacturers have to compromise cost of proper conversion with useability, Porsche do this better than most.
A classic bad conversion was original Golf GTi where the brake linkage was routed across the bulkhead (via cranks a levers) because the master cylinder would have fowled the inlet manifold. This lead to very poor brake feel compared to the LHD version. Some manufacturers sports models have "quick" steering racks that don't make the conversion so the RHD car has to make do with the standard rack.
Lancia Delta Integrale's and E30 series M3's (the original M3's) were never officially produced in RHD although standard Delta's and 3 Series were by the thousands!
Even late model BMW's have windscreen wipers that are still not changed for RHD and many manufacturers leave the handbrake closer to the passenger seat than the drivers one as it should ideally be.
The 911 has always had a scewed driving position but it is exasperated by the conversion to RHD. In LHD form the 993 clutch foot rest is part of the wheel arch trim allowing the other pedals to spread out across the footwell, whereas in the RHD car it is tucked into the centre console. Hardly the end of the world but nonetheless inferior.

Anyone guessed that I have a LHD 993

Mike in Switzerland

Well, nobody in a rhd drive Porsche would like the expression but when I asked the same thing 4 years ago from somebody at Porsche Germany the answer was along the lines that technically RHD's are conversions - in fact there were some known component-wear issues that were rhd-specific due to the placing of certain components.

I also needed to get into Porsche ownership in the most cost-effective manner so I personally imported all three I have owned to date (into the UK) from Belgium & Germany.
My 993 cost 22'000(UK) 2 yrs ago with 47'000 miles on 18" wheels with a spare set of winter wheels & tyres. I don't know current Uk values but I don't think I have lost too much.

I also used to race formula fords 12 years ago and got to quite like the rh gearchange. When my wife imported her swiss toyota to england I persuaded her to keep it for that reason (In fact if I knew it was going to be my 993 "training" car I would have treated it with more respect!)

Overall I can't say which is better, I feel LHD works for me.
http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/My...-Quality15.jpg http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/My...-Quality15.jpg


Regards

Mike

MarkC

I think that throttle cables in particular have been troublesome in RHD 911's over the years.

Mike, £22k(UK) 2 yrs ago! What a steal, you'd still have to pay that for the same spec now.

Of course Toyota have the opposite problem they design in RHD and "convert" to LHD. Except volumes are huge so compomises don't have to be made.

Mike in Switzerland

Mark

it's good to know it held it's value. I was very disappointed with just how low spec some 993's were that i looked at. I managed to get a very well optioned car(sport seats, M030, full leather, sunroof, computer, 92 litre tank, cd-changer) from a german osteopath that moved up to a gt3. It also had 3 factory services (nice to see a Werk 1 stamp!)

The highlight of collecting the car was a 2 hr blast in his gt3 (me driving) where he kept urging me to "..."cane it" as you say in England..." !!

When I finally headed for the Swiss Border, Daniel (a porsche-loving student who kept Rupert's cars in top condition) drove the GT3 and Rupert rode shotgun in mine so we could keep talking. As our speeds in Germany crept up to 130mph we were "joined" by a midnight blue 993tt and convoyed down to switzerland at 150 mph in the May sunshine before the tt peeled-off about 30 miles later. It was a surreal and wonderful moment !

Buying my cars in Europe has made me new friendships in 3 countries that are still very strong 5 years later. We all share a common interest in these cars yet they seem to be able to enrich our experiences with people too

Jonas

The problem with RHD 993's is that the pedals are off-set badly and you don't have this problem when you drive a LHD equivalent. Therefore I always laugh when the English motoring journalists discourage the Britts from buying LHD cars which is great for those of us who know better since there are bargains to be found in the UK. Last week a 1994 25K mile 3,6 Turbo was on sale at GBP 23,000 what a steal...

Mike in Switzerland

Agreed, I've driven 2 rhd 993's and they didn't feel "right". The previous post about bolting the foot rest to the centre console actually explains a lot. I just couldn't get comfortable in them (having spent an excellent 30'000 miles in LHD 911's)

Mike

Riccardo

Yeah, I feel the same way as you guys too. I've got a LHD 964 and am always amazed at how expensive the RHD ones are. Being 6'5" the pedal offset in the RHDs was too much for me anyway, so LHD was the only choice. Of course, the fact it also cost almost 20% less was not to be sniffed at either.

The way I see it you need to look at a car's origins to determine how to buy it. A Japanese or British car (TVR, Morgan, Aston, Bentley (in the past)) must have probably been born as RHD. However, a German, Italian, French etc car has definitely been born as LHD.

E. J. - 993 Alumni

My question is it it hard to learn to use your right leg for the clutch.

MarkC

EJ,

Using the clutch with the right foot is easy enough but you tend to be really brutal with the accelerator as it's so much lighter in comparision

Mike,

I'm planning a trip to Switzerland and Northern Italy in April/May. I plan to pick up a proper watch probably at Silver Watches in Zug.
I'd be interested to learn your prefered/suggested route from Calais to Zug.
Also what's the best route into Italy? I fancy taking in one of those famous writheing passes and perhaps some roads on "stilts" and some nice long tunnels and, and, and....

I love the French road system from previous trips to Rhiems, Paris and LeMans but have no experience of Belgian and German roads on the route to Switzerland.

Now if I could hook up with GT3 to run interferance, perhaps my laser jammer could take a rest.

Perhaps you'd prefer to mail me off list as I'm going way off thread.

Adrian

Dear Mark,
Make sure your laser jammer is well out of sight (like left at home) before you cross the border into Switzerland. They are totally illegal here and worth a lot in fines if they find it. Plus you lose it.
The routes into Italy are a bit of a problem at the moment but the most scenic route is from Zürich to Chur through the San Bernardino tunnel over the border at Chiasso and into the most beautiful town of Como.
Then down to Milano or across to Venice or whatever.
Do not forget you will need an autobahn sticker (40CHF) for Switzerland. Austria as well if you want to cross over.
It is also better to go up and over (more scenic) than to drive the long tunnels. Depends on the weather of course.
On the RHD versus LHD subject. RHD are actually heavier than a LHD because they are conversions and get doubled up in structural areas and the wiring has to be treated with caution. Many undergo final fitting out upon arrival, especially in the UK and some of these installations lead to some interesting problems. Alarm systems pre immobilizer is one that pops into my mind. The other is the aircon and heating control unit,
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4

PS: I have been up and over both ways down to Milano. It is spectacular.

Stuart Ross UK 1996 C4

I was already aware of the supposed offset driving position in RHD 993's when I bought mine, but for someone who grew up driving RHD Alfa Sud's it just made me feel right at home !!!

Stuart

Riccardo

Mark,

What on earth are you on about? The pedals in a RHD car have the same orientation as on a LHD car!

Regarding the trip to Italy, I used to live near Como, so I know the roads around there. I used to travel through the Sustenpass, which is on the way from Interlaken. Its a nice and small road, with plenty of curves. Mind you, this time of year it will probably be closed due to snow (even in August there was snow at the top!).

Having said that, any of the passes are usually very beautiful and adventurous, so you can't go too wrong. But the most famous pass is not through Switz but through Austria, its called the "Brennero" pass and its the one you would see in many car adverts (I think its even on the current BMW 'feel connected' one).

Have you looked at the viamichelin.com site?

regards

E. J. - 993 Alumni

LOL!