Lemon Laws and Importing Vehicles

In Australia when we were converting MG's and Fiat Spiders to RHD we simply bought the RHD components and retrofitted them, when converting LHD American Cars to RHD that presented a LOT of problems, but could be pulled off very professionally if done right. When we converted the American Cars, we made a Dashboard from scratch to mirror the original and had it re-skinned to match, everything worked as it did from the factory including the Column Shifter and under-dash Hand Brake etc, I had the job of switching all of the wiring from one side to the other as well as fitting the Steering columns through the original Air-con Boxes fiber-glassing them up to suit (PITA!!) then repairing and prepping the bodies ready for painting.

But the issue of Indicator Stalks being on the left or right side of the Steering Column I do not understand? Having driven many cars where the Indicators and Headlight/Wiper Stalks are on different sides, it is just a case of adapting to what you have, neither is right or wrong, just the way some cars are made, like those with the Steering Column off-set to an inch or two to the side where the driver does not sit facing the centre of the Steering wheel, you adapt as that is the way they came from the factory.

Why do the Dashes not work? Everything SHOULD work as per original to gain proper Registration... SURELY the Suppliers here CAN buy the suitable LHD components to make it a professional conversion, if it does not work or match then it sounds like it is just bad workmanship on the suppliers part.
(And YES; it all comes town to Pe$oS...) Looks like I can scrub RUSCO from my list also then, WAS planning to visit them come the time...

 

YES. Scrub them off your list. They do a horrid job of converting rh drives to lh drives, but they do easy (expensive) financing so they sell a lot of vehicles.

I ended up with a unit they put together and sold in 2009. Another foreigner bought it and took pretty good care of it and I just bought it off him. RUSCO marketed it as a 2007 model and scratched out much of the VIN number so its hard to know, but from what I can make of it, 2003 looks like the original model year when it was built for the Japanese market. The V.I.N. plate has a lot of Japanese characters still visible so it may be decipherable to someone who reads Japanese but the bottom line is that these surplus vehicles are registered in the year they were assembled in Philippines rather than the year they were built. That would be a problem if trying to locate parts but the Philippine mechanics know all that stuff.

If the price is right and it runs well then its a deal. But Rusco don't assemble any more Honda Civics so its not a current issue. Now they appear to stick to Suzuki vans and trucks only.

As I side note. I do know a private, local guy, who is importing low cost surplus Hondas and doing a very good job of reassembling them. You would be looking at 250K to buy one but good value, better than Rusco. I cannot advertise him as he is working in his backyard, but I could take a friend 'round to visit so drop by when Jack and I have one of our beers and I can take you to his place. I would have bought one myself if I ha 250K burning a hole in my pocket.

 

That is the other thing I have read online regards buying Cars here, often the 'Years' advertised are the year the Car was imported and NOT the year of manufacture. Very misleading!

I also read that a company in Cebu had got into strife for Honda Fits, something about more being registered than being declared? I think THAT was in relation to bringing in "Parts Cars" and reassembling them and the LTO put a stop to registering them due to the 'Grey Import area'...

I do not know WHY I am not able to simply import a LHD car to here from the States or likewise country, everything I keep reading online it ends up with; "Just sell your car there and buy one here".

I wish I had 250k burning a hole in my pocket mate, but until I sort out this Land problem, it is still the Jeepney for me, but I am on the look out in case something too good to be true comes along where I can run to my Bank and hit them up for a loan! lol