LHD vans

[kampaman]

I'm thinking of getting a 'tag axle' 90's hymer, to full time in, its great quality and condition with low miles and cheap for what you get. trouble is its LHD. And I've never driven a left hooker. Now there may be times when we go to France etc, but 90% time we will be driving in the uk. Has anyone on here got a left hand drive? If so what should I look out for? pro's/con's? and how do you get on overtaking on the motorways? Also if anyone else has a 90's tag axle hymer, I'd appreciate your opinions on i.e what MPG can I expect? Thanks in advance.

 

[Deleted member 40316]

Hi We have a S670 LHD Hymer. Have driven it a lot in the UK. No problems overtaking on motorways - just get used to using your RH mirrors. Only problem area is turning left at some junctions as you cant see to your right at the junction line. So hang back and angle your van for a view or if a wide junction go tight left at the junction & use your RH mirror to see . Would get a couple of mirrors & a little blind spot mirror.

 

[Makzine]

We have a 694 hymer tag axle and find she is a bit big for some places in this country. That said I find no problem driving the hymer in England as you have plenty of visibility, but it is better if you have a co pilot. Mileage is around the 25miles to the gallon on a good run. As for overtaking makes sure you have good mirrors and give yourself plenty of time and room. :wave:

 

[Makzine]

I see your in Canterbury, were Ashford, if you want to come over for a look and a chat your most welcome.

 

[winks]

Lhd

Got a leftie Hymer coach built and have no problems apart from at some obtuse angle junctions, but you will find ways around that one.

What's overtaking mean?

Cheers

H

 

[TJBi]

I'm thinking of getting a 'tag axle' 90's hymer, to full time in, its great quality and condition with low miles and cheap for what you get. trouble is its LHD. And I've never driven a left hooker. Now there may be times when we go to France etc, but 90% time we will be driving in the uk. Has anyone on here got a left hand drive? If so what should I look out for? pro's/con's? and how do you get on overtaking on the motorways? Also if anyone else has a 90's tag axle hymer, I'd appreciate your opinions on i.e what MPG can I expect? Thanks in advance.

"trouble is it's LHD"
No trouble! I'm having to source a replacement from the continent for my stolen motorhome, because I specifically want LHD (but then a lot of my driving is in France). As others have said, in the UK visibility can be an issue at some junctions, but I came across one in Derbyshire today that would have been much easier with LHD than RHD!
I had no difficulty in adjusting to the gear lever being on the right, and actually found it an advantage having LHD when I was getting used to driving the motorhome as opposed to a car, because being on the nearside I could more easily judge distance from the kerb on those occasions when I needed to keep well over to the left. As much of my driving in the UK tended to be on dual carriageways and motorways, visibility when overtaking large vehicles was seldom an issue and of course I could usually see over cars.

If the Hymer that you're thinking of buying is in the UK, see if you can have a test drive to see how you find left-hand drive.

Tom

 

[mossypossy]

If you have a decent lounge window along the offside of the van then left hand junctions are not an issue in a LHD.

Extra width of the van also means that you drive on the gutter side of the road so can better judge how far from the pavement you actually are

Only real disadvantage with LHD is overtaking and there is not a lot of that!

Got about 26mpg from my tag axle Fiat base

 

[craig9760]

our transit motorhome is LHD had her 8 years now
first week was a bit of fun driving but
after that it was ok
and for the fuel its how you drive if you go fast
then it will use more :wave:

 

[Deadsfo]

our transit motorhome is LHD had her 8 years now
first week was a bit of fun driving but
after that it was ok
and for the fuel its how you drive if you go fast
then it will use more :wave:

A window in the R/H lounge wall is very helpful at left turns at junctions, an extra mirror on the right hand side is a must, I have fitted twin reversing mirrors as I realy want to know what is coming up behind me, beware drifting to the centre of the carriageway , when overtaking start your manouever from well back .
and get used to leaning across the cab to pay tolls or anything else where you are required to pay or talk to someone in a box

 

[n brown]

i spent a lot of time in foreign places,always had my uk van, and bought a local banger for a runaround.it quickly becomes no problem to drive a LHD in the morning and a RHD in the afternoon, the brain has no problem with this !
but as with any van with limited vision arriving at an obliquely angled junction,try to position your vehicle at 90 degrees to the transverse road. indicate in case the dimwit behind tries to squeeze past,having misread your intention, as happened today !

 

[tim m154]

Just remember to drive in the gutter, I have a Hymer S700 Lhd and love it, approx. 25 mpg, (19mpg with race car on trailer behind) as has been said good mirrors and blind spot mirrors make life easy, go for it you will soon get used to it.

 

[rockape]

What you REALLY need is an Alvis Stalwart stealth camper and then you have the best of both worlds, I've driven LHD,s and RHD,s on either sides of the road and I'm comfortable with both. I was thinking of getting a toy stick on steering wheel so her indoors can have a play around.
Best not, I've probably skidded more times than she has driven forward.

 

[Polar Bear]

I have a Hymer b544 LHD and have no bother driving in the UK. The right hand cab window combined with the side window gives good views at junctions.
Just keep an eye on your mirrors, set them so you can see where the side if your van and wheels are in relation to the road edge, remember that the wheels are set in a little so when you think you are as far across as you can be towards the curb edge there may be a little more scope.

The worst thing I find with the LHD Hymer is the height of the drivers window when trying to pay tolls on the continent. It's to high for the car tickets and to low for the trucks. If you get to close to the machine you don't have space to open your door to pay.

 

[mickymost]

I now own a LHD 640 Hymer Starline. 1998 vintage since October 2015.

Had driven for 36 years with RHD but soon got used to driving the Hymer,in UK As others have said junctions turning left can be a bit tricky but great with my co-pilot sat in the *Suicide* seat its not a problem.I haven't experienced trying to change gear with the window winder as many who change from RHD to LHD Claim and soon got used to using my right hand on the gear lever.And yes you can get tight into the kerb when roads are narrow as you can see how far into the hedge you are.
The only small problem was getting used to using my left foot for the accelerator and my right foot for the clutch but you soon get the hang of it....:lol-053::rolleyes2:

Go for it you won't be sorry

 

[AdieL]

As others have said, its no problem and you will soon get used to it. Our Adria Coral is a left hooker and tbh, our next van could be either LHD or RHD, it will make no difference to me.

 

[Ggohd]

I have a lhd Knaus, I bought it partly because it was lhd. Nearly all my driving on the wrong side of the road is on dual carriageways and motorways. No problem there, just look in the right hand mirrors and off you go. The only place that can be a problem is roundabouts where there is a very oblique joining angle. Happily I have a large side window on the right and so long as I remember to leave the blind up have more than adequate vision. On dual carriageway roundabouts I sometimes wait for the impatient sod to my right to take off and use him as a blocker so he would be hit first if anything unseen was there.
Other than that, a laminated sticker infront of the speedo proclaims LEFT with an arrow. I don't seem to need one to remind me to keep right. As for motorway overtaking I generally just run with the trucks, helps the fuel economy.
The little Smart on the trailer is also lhd. Don't do much overtaking in that either.
I do sometimes travel solo and I am aware of one toll road in the UK, which I wouldn't use on principle, but especially in France and a bit in Spain having the drivers window on the left (correct) side makes tolls easier.
It really is not a problem.