Good car for rough roads

DieterVosHier

I'm working in Ukraine and want to drive something back to there that can hold up to the rough roads. Looking at a 2008 xc90 or an X5.
Has to be safe as it will be carrying children, and needs traction control for the winter.
A seven seater that can carry goods would be perfect, bit of power be nice too. Has anyone any suggestions. Any pitfalls for changing steering over?
I'm trying to keep it below 4k or maybe 5k, but I'll have to pay 500 or so to swap it to lhd in Ukraine. Was also looking at seven seater caddy but they're rare at home. plus the high tax seems to keeping the price down on xc90 size engines. Thanks

colm_mcm

If you're thinking safety, would a left hand drive car not be better?

mossy50

Try AUTOSCOUT24

DieterVosHier

colm_mcm wrote: »

If you're thinking safety, would a left hand drive car not be better?

It would but second hand cars in Ukraine can't be trusted. I considered buying in Germany, but it's hard to move quickly enough on a good car there, being a days travel away.
Easiest and cheapest option seems to be buy in Ireland and get it changed to lhd here in Ukraine. Also not so many lhd for sale in Ireland, but would be good if a nice seven seater showed up.

CJhaughey

I'd be looking for a 90 or 120 series 7 seat Landcruiser.
You would buy one within budget either here in in NI, parts are readily available.
Reliable as a hammer and will cope with rough roads easily.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-landcruiser/16257114

ba_barabus

DieterVosHier wrote: »

It would but second hand cars in Ukraine can't be trusted.

Yet you'd trust a lhd conversion for a couple of hundred quid.

Honestly just buy a car on the continent

CiniO

ba_barabus wrote: »

Yet you'd trust a lhd conversion for a couple of hundred quid.

Honestly just buy a car on the continent

If done properly then why not.

Remember that 500 quid worth of labour in Ukraine, is probably equivalent to €5000 labour cost in Ireland.

Would you trust a garage who would properly convert your car LHD/RHD for €5000 here?

ba_barabus

CiniO wrote: »

If done properly then why not.

Remember that 500 quid worth of labour in Ukraine, is probably equivalent to €5000 labour cost in Ireland.

Would you trust a garage who would properly convert your car LHD/RHD for €5000 here?

On a modern car though you're looking at more than just a new dash amd steering rack. Even using an old fashioned technique of running links behind the dash so everything mechanical can stay in its oroginal position won't work I'd imagine due to electronic steering now and all the other stuff like airbags etc. I genuinely can't see it being done properly.

CiniO

ba_barabus wrote: »

On a modern car though you're looking at more than just a new dash amd steering rack. Even using an old fashioned technique of running links behind the dash so everything mechanical can stay in its oroginal position won't work I'd imagine due to electronic steering now and all the other stuff like airbags etc. I genuinely can't see it being done properly.

I can't really see that technique you're describing about running links behind the dash.

Properly done conversion consists of stripping whole dash, replacing steering rack, pedals, most likely brake servo, clutch master cylinder, etc...
It's a big job to do it properly.
Some cars are easier to convert. Some needs a bit of cutting and welding.
But still - it can be done properly.

ba_barabus

CiniO wrote: »

I can't really see that technique you're describing about running links behind the dash.

It's an old fashioned way of doing it. Essentially all the mechanical bits stay in their rhd positions. The steering wheel is moved and is connected by links to the original steering column. I've seen it on rhd conversion Mustangs done in the uk.

I'm not contesting that it can't be done, I'm just very doubtful it can be done properly as you describe above for a few hundred euro.

CiniO

ba_barabus wrote: »

It's an old fashioned way of doing it. Essentially all the mechanical bits stay in their rhd positions. The steering wheel is moved and is connected by links to the original steering column. I've seen it on rhd conversion Mustangs done in the uk.

I must admit, I'd be wary of driving a car converted like that.

I'm not contesting that it can't be done, I'm just very doubtful it can be done properly as you describe above for a few hundred euro.

So what price do you imagine it would cost?
Remember that while car mechanic might charge €40 per hour labour in Ireland, but only €4 per hour labour in Ukraine.

ba_barabus

CiniO wrote: »

I must admit, I'd be wary of driving a car converted like that.

Quiet common, so much so that manufacturers did it in various ways. For example Peugeot would link the brakes in a rhd to lhd assembles in the 206 meaning the passenger could activate the brakes by pressing on the floor with their foot. The Mustangs I spoke about were conversions done by Ford dealers in the UK to the steering.

CiniO wrote: »

So what price do you imagine it would cost?
Remember that while car mechanic might charge €40 per hour labour in Ireland, but only €4 per hour labour in Ukraine.

I've no idea on the prices but parts prices for good and safe parts would add up. Using the few parts above you mentioned how much do you think it would cost for a competent mechanic to do a safe conversion.

If the whole issue that the OP outlined in the first post is safety surely the OP would be infinitely better off to buy a lhd vehicle from a reputable source. Surely Poland, Slovenia or The Czech Rep would offer some without going to Germany.

CiniO

ba_barabus wrote: »

I've no idea on the prices but parts prices for good and safe parts would add up. Using the few parts above you mentioned how much do you think it would cost for a competent mechanic to do a safe conversion.

While I have no direct experience converting a vehicle LHD/RHD, but it was fairly popular exercise in Poland since 2004, especially in earlier years.
Parts needed for conversion for most cars can be bought for around €400 to €800 (they are usually sourced from crashed cars).
Labour depends on car, but starts at around €500 and could reach €2000 in case of cars very difficult to convert.
So cheapest for whole conversion would be below €1000, while most expensive could probably reach €3000.
That's in Poland.
Remember though that labour cost in Ukraine, must be significently cheaper than in Poland. I don't know about parts cost.

If the whole issue that the OP outlined in the first post is safety surely the OP would be infinitely better off to buy a lhd vehicle from a reputable source. Surely Poland, Slovenia or The Czech Rep would offer some without going to Germany.

To be honest, very likely cost of buying good condition car like that in Poland or Germany etc, could well be twice as expensive as buying in Ireland and converting to LHD.

DieterVosHier

CiniO wrote: »

So cheapest for whole conversion would be below €1000, while most expensive could probably reach €3000.
That's in Poland.
Remember though that labour cost in Ukraine, must be significently cheaper than in Poland. I don't know about parts cost.

You're right, labour is very cheap in Ukraine, I've been quoted 500 but problem is trying to find dash for an xc90 as they're not as common as x5 or landcruiser.

There are a few here who make their money importing Gb cars and converting. I was told it's just a matter of finding dash and changing pedals etc. I'd be relying on them doing a good s job as Barabas was saying. I don't know how big a job it's really going to be so i need to be sure i won't end up with the steering wheel falling off when i press cruise control

The problem with importing from the likes of Poland and Slovakia is that it has to be in my name by the time i cross the border. Germany is handy this way as the garage will sort temp plates and it's a quick process. Also, I'm pretty much on the polish border but people don't trust polish cars here, neither do I tbh.

Overall though it's working out a lot cheaper to buy in Ireland and get it converted here. Plus at home I can ask my family to check it out and I'm in no panic for time to get it into my name. The road trip would be class too.

ba_barabus

Just changing the dash and pedal box is pretty much what I outlined earlier and Cino said he wouldn't drive. You need to find out exactly what they are going to do. Modern cars are too complicated to just do a rough conversion.