Since her Astra G is in the garage due a broken starter, she thinks more and more to buy a new car. In my opinion it's not neccessary, because at first the Astra will be repaired soon and otherwise she can use my Omega. Since I have a home-office, I don't need it any more. My my bit of driving my K 70 would be enough. Anyways, sooner or later she want to buy something newer (she had to drive 130 km per day minimum).

Randomly she watched British advertises and found that one:
http://www.autoquake.com/vehicle/inspid=14224

The price is a joke, compared with Germany. Here a similar car, same year, same mileage, condition, extras and so on would cost minimum 4000 € / 3400 Pounds more!
The actually weak Brit.Pound is not the main reason, in Britain are cars always cheaper than on the continent.

A Vauxhall would be more stylish and freaky over here, especially as RHD. Some people are putting Vauxhall-grilles on their Opels, because they like it, but this isn't the same. The main reason for my wife, not to choose it, is the ugly narrow entry lane of the underground-garage in her company. That's all.
I'm not interested in new cars, but I'm trying to convince her for that car, mainly because it's rare and freaky (for here), but the saving of so much money is much important, too.
And the dealer looks reliable. Such detailed advertises we've never found before.

She know how to drive RHD-cars, she had done it sometimes (Nissan Hardbody in Namibia, Renault Megane in South Africa and Polo Classic on Cyprus) and she even likes it. Just the ugly garage-entry feds hr up - but she could try to swap her place with a colleague, so this is not a hard reason.

Let's see, if I can reach something...

Never would I buy a right hand drive car, it has to be quite uncomfortable to drive in a country in where you have to drive on the other side but with the steering wheel on the wrong side.

I'd probably think about it twice if the car was something really special (like for example something made only for the UK or Australia), but for a simple Zafira that you can easily buy in your own country? what's the point?

And what's so special about it being just a Vauxhall? then you critize other rebadgements and say they're nothing but "x" car in reality, which you're totally right about Ingo, so I don't know what's so special bout having a Vauxhall, I'd just buy a replacement grill like many people do, since i like the Vauxhall logo as well.

Also, one more question Ingo, what do you want a minivan for if you say you don't even really need a second car? I'm the first one to respect everybody's opinion and tastes, I'm not against any type of car but I always found it odd when people buy minivans when they don't really need them.

Or are children on their way coming?

As for the price I wonder if it really costs that, if so, then it's cheaper than what you can find here as well, these newer Zafiras B are more expensive, but as I said I don't think it's worth it, specially for the fact that it's not a special car.

No idea, how. Could you please tell me more details? Please with pics.


O.k., the Zafira was less and more just an example. My wife has also looked for other cars, VW, Skoda, etc., even Mercedes, and it was always the same, that cars in Britain are indeed roundabout between 20 and 30% cheaper than here. Even the money for the ferry-transfer wouldn't change much.

Sure, at RHD-cars you always should look closer for details, for example for the space for your legs. This can be worse, compared to a LHD-car, as I've seen at the VW K 70 - what else? . The RHD-K 70 is very uncomfortable indeed and at least a rolling makeshift. I wrote before, that this is often the fact, because outside of Japan and Britain cars were constructed as LHD, and for making the RHD-version they just take a "normal" prototype and cobble the RHD in the ready car. so it's not an unique construction.
Anyways: the cars, actually available on the British market, are, except the RHD, identical with the "continental" cars, so there won't be the big problems with spare-parts. Finally all cars were produced i nthe same plants, side by side. The time of an unique British car-industry and -history is gone.

Yes, the question, you have mentioned, we just had again discussed during the dinner: "What a *first* car do we need, when Astra and Omega will be gone?" As I wrote, the *first* car will be my wife's car, the reliable all-day-car. It's up to her to choose. I have to be reluctant, because I'm not involved.
Sure, the question of getting childs is not out of the world, so my wife has this in mind, too. So a two-door Sports Coupé is not any basis of the discussion. The main thing is reliability and a low fuel(Diesel-)consumption.

Eeeh, about unique RHD-cars: sorry, there is no single Holden on the European market today.
This would be really freaky - and it would fit to my birthday-present! My parents-in-law couldn't find during the cruise-ship-trip along Down Under not the T-Shirt I was asking for (the "God drives a Holden"-one, I wrote about that. Btw.: discovered at IMCDB ), so they bought me a Holden-watch (sorry, not to see right now at eBay).
Except a few car-freaks noone knows Holden over here. So a Holden would be really special. At best a V8 and/or an Ute. An Ute, based on an car, which is over here only known as Sedan or Estate. Yes, this it would be...

There are a few dealers in the UK who sell LHD cars - for instance The Left Hand Drive Place. How do the prices compare with Germany?

As "Holden" in Europe you can get the Vauxhall VXR8 which is a rebadged HSV Clubsport R8 which does not exist as Opel...

I don't know much about car-prices, but that offers aren't really cheap. I would say, that they are very expensive, if you compare them with similar cars, offered at www.mobile.de

What model 'ute'? Of course a Commodore, but what era/year-I can price check for you, but not if I don't know what. How much are you looking to spend...

In case there's anybody here who doesn't know, the United States Postal Service trucks are primarily RHD. A lot of times you'll find former USPS vehicles that remain that way when they're auctioned off.

Is it just me or does the car have three different types of tires?

Weird indeed...

Many thanks for the offer , but I'm not keen enough for that to organize the transport and the paperwork around.
The import of the Nissan Santana, which still stands at my friend in Yokohama, is still not made. And the VW Polo Coupé wih the FIN-no. 000137, he wants to have, is still here, too.

Inside Europe it's much easier to arrange it...