I understand that a third of us Brits are too scared to drive abroad. It has, however, never been easier, what with sat-navs and all that. I was on the radio telling listeners not to be so wussy.
My ‘kiss the kerb’ mantra went down well enough with the listeners. That’s because in a right-hand-drive car in a left-hand-drive country, drivers will always be adjacent to where the pedestrians are. Why not, though, make it all so much simpler for those who voted Brexit and simply buy a left-hooker?
Unlike the old days, it may not make motors that much cheaper, just more difficult to sell — unless you know how to market it. Some exotics, though, do seem to be a tad more affordable. Best of all, looking at left-hookers brings to the fore motors you might never normally consider.
Everyone has got terribly excited by the new Ford Mustang, so why not go for a barely credible 1990s one? I stumbled across a 1995 3.8 V8, which had a stripe down the middle, at £4500. Now there’s a fun way to enjoy your touring holiday.
Even more exciting was a 1988 Maserati Biturbo with 56,000 miles. It was the coupé version, fashionably off white and £6995. It will, of course, break down, but even that may still get you a round of applause while it’s blowing steam at the side of an autostrada.
What keeps popping up, of course, are Corvettes and, inevitably, a Pontiac Firebird in Knight Rider black. But what I really wanted was a banana yellow BMW Z3M at what I think is a quite reasonable £23,995. After all, it is only going to climb in value.
When you get to £28,000, the rather appealing Dodge Challenger hoves into view. The specifications are varied, but the fact that you can get a V8 is enough.
Porsches are lurking around at most price points, and it is interesting to see that the once not-that-rated 964 Carrera is very much on the up, with an almost no-mile Carrera 4 being offered for £40k. However, a 2011 997 Carrera at £48k is easily the better buy. Then again, a 1990 Carrera 2 at £50,000 makes the previous C4 look suddenly rather cheap. Left-hand drive can do this to the used car buyer: it simply confuses them.
Clearly there are not so many rules when it comes to left-hookers, but at least looking for one is never boring — and we never even touched the Ferrari 360 Modena F1 at just over £50,000.
Join the debate
Add your comment
Chevrolet UK did sell the
It may make sense for continental visits in the SouthEast of England, however in the corners of provincial UK where a trip from home to Dover can be longer than the trip from Calais to a few major European cities.
Do it quick then
Don't expect it to last long...
Don't expect it to last long...