Hand Drive Cars
Encountering a rear-end hand drive vehicle often raises a variety of queries, such as can you purchase rear-end hand drive vehicles in the USA? The legality of driving a rear-end hand-drive vehicle, or RHD, within the United States is most likely the first question that you have. Although an overwhelming majority of RHD vehicles are imported into the USA, a small percentage of cars on the road in the USA are rear-end hand-drive imports. As an import, a rear-end hand-drive vehicle must be registered with the American Automobile Association, or AAA, as well as comply with all other applicable Federal, state, and local statutes. These legal requirements have been enforced since the year 1965, when Congress directed that all vehicles on the road in the United States to be sold in accordance with the Consumer Purchase Protection Act, or CPRA. While many states have laws pertaining to purchasing a rear-end hand-drive vehicle, some do not.
Because of the unique configuration of a rear-end RHD vehicle, it is more difficult to buy and sell than an equivalent front-end vehicle. Unlike front-end vehicles, which are manufactured on a short-order basis at any given automobile manufacturing plant, rear-end vehicles are built only to be sold on the street.
Manufacturers of rear-end hand-drive cars are required by law to build only to the specifications of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA. The purpose of this law is to prevent vehicles from being intentionally under-delivered to consumers. NHTSA requires manufacturers to carefully document the delivery of each car and the time it was driven. Failure to do so can result in fines up to $12,000 per infraction.
There are more stringent regulations regarding the saleability of a hand-drive car than are enforced for front-drive cars. When choosing a seller for a rear-end vehicle, prospective buyers should be sure to find out the history of ownership.
Manufacturers of right hand drive jeep wrangler are required to report all defects and malfunctions with their vehicles to NHTSA within forty-five days of the date of sale. A report cannot be filed with local law enforcement officials until forty-five days after the date of sale. Additionally, failure to report the condition immediately can result in serious penalties.
Because of the complexities of owning an RHD automobile, most owners choose to purchase a factory second-hand vehicle. It is important to make sure that the cars sold were sold by a manufacturer licensed to make such vehicles. It would also be wise to inquire about a dealer's warranty policy and/or repair facility before purchasing any used cars. Factory second-hand cars generally have a limited warranty coverage.
The top rated Car Dealer St Louis require owners to purchase this coverage, but many owners prefer to purchase the extended warranty offered by the manufacturer through the dealership. Many dealerships offer financing for the purchase of these cars.
While some people prefer to pay cash for the right hand drive jeep wrangler, another alternative is to lease the car. There are a number of finance companies and banks that specialize in leasing and/or loan sales for used cars. These dealerships often provide convenient payment plans with reasonable interest rates to new and used car buyers. They often offer a better price and/or better service than car dealerships.
If you are in the market for a hand drive automobile, consider visiting a dealer who specializes in that type of vehicle. The information in this article is provided for information purposes only. It should not be used as, in place of or in conjunction with professional financial or insurance advice relating to purchasing, leasing or insuring a new or used car. An alternative post for more info on the topic here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dealership.
