Just wondering what kind of issues people have had with registration and OOP's when getting a RHD FD. The car I'm looking at has just landed in Vancouver and the importer will be performing a BC OOP and registering the car to his company, he will be adding the DRL's and lighted marker lights as required, I'm trying to figure out what's going to happen when I try to drive this thing into Alberta and get it registered.

I know most insurance companies won't offer collision only personal damage/liability, any recommendations on who to go with?

 

if it passes in BC you should be fine in AB

 

few years ago intact insurance offered plpd and comprehensive on RHD cars...

Not sure if they do any more, I'm currently through wawanesa but might check out intact again to see if I can get comprehensive on the car...


J.

 

DRL's and lighted markers are NOT required. Vehicles over 15 years old do not have to meet any Canadian requirements, hence why RHD cars can come in.

-Geoff

 

^The car still has to adhere to PROVINCIAL RULES.
DRLs are required.

You can find comprehensive if you're willing to take on a large deductible.

 

I had to have a DRL module installed on my RHD, but that was it.

You can't get full coverage on the car in case of accident, since the insurance company will have trouble finding RHD parts. That's with AMA though, and their rates are no different than any LHD in my experience.

OOP will be a breeze man.

 

Never had in a problem in AB with no DRL.
The LHD FD is allowed on AB roads as is with no DRL, so why wouldn't an imported one?
I remember looking this up when I had my FB, any vehicle that did not originally come with DRLs in AB does not need them...
Though I could be wrong if things have changed in the past few years

 

In order to pass an OOP with a RHD car, you must have DRLs. They are looking for that stuff on imported vehicles. They probably won't look for it if the car was "born" here back in 19xx, versus imported last week from Whereverladesh.

Nothing stopping you from disconnecting or deleting them after you receive the paperwork.

I would recommend using the DRLs anyways, as it makes the roads safer. There should be a way to have front marker lights on with the headlights down still. But hey, it's your car, so whatever you want.

I never was a big fan of DRLs, but I find these days with so many cars and trucks equipped with them, the ones that don't or have them disconnected can catch you off guard if you are passing into oncoming traffic or people are passing you on a two lane wide highway. Just harder to notice. You kind of get used to seeing the lights and you start looking for lights instead of objects at a glance.

 

Agree, why wouldn't you want DRLs, even if they weren't required for OOP? Wire them to fogs if you must, but as Black13B notes, people have gotten accustomed to spotting oncoming traffic on two-lanes easily by the DRLs, so by not having them you increase the chance someone approaching to pulling out to pass on top of you.

Alberta does require DRLs for OOP, but if the vehicle did not come equipped with them originally, it does not require they be maintained in operating condition - so you have to have them to get it passed, but you do not need to keep them working (or, presumably at all) on vehicles that didn't come with them. So there is a loophole.

 

My FD was imported into Canada through AB. No one put DRL's on it...

-Geoff

 

Lucky guy..

As far as rules go, you're supposed to have them for OOP...

 

anything newer then 1990 requires them...

whether the vehicle is imported from states, or across the ponds, 1990+ requires it...

now I know lots of people who wire something up just to pass the OPI then remove it (my FD was that way) but to pass a OPI without knowing the tech doing the inspection, and him giving you some grace... They MUST be in working order...

J

 

the DRL is really easy to setup too. i just wired mine off any ACC to trigger a 12v relay that then powers the park lamps in the turn signal bulbs (i dont have fogs) the rest is history.

 

Thanks for all the great replies. I did think the DRL thing was strange since it wasn't madandory until 1995 or something. I'm pretty used to not having them on an Rx-7 after 14 years of first gen ownership but it's not a big deal to have them either way. A friend in town has a RHD supra that he has insured with co-operators so I'm feeling less worried about the registration/insurance portion and now I have to decided if this thing is mechanically sound. Which should be fun over the phone.