DEAR
SERGEANT AL: I live here in
the States and I am considering purchasing a 1988 Daimler Double-Six SIII
saloon currently in the UK to bring back home and drive here daily. The problem
with the car as it is with most Daimlers, is that it is meant for driving in
the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth countries with right-hand drive steering
on left hand side roads. It’s an expensive proposition to convert this car to
left hand drive so I’m a bit weary of driving it on an American road because of
this. What is your opinion of driving right hand drive (RHD) cars on right-hand
American roads? Are there any legal/law enforcement issues? Do you think there
is a danger I should consider?
-- POTENTIALLY ACQUIRING TROUBLE SO CONTEMPLATING
ANOTHER TROUBLE.
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| This is a 1988 Daimler Double Six SIII Saloon with a 5.3 litre V12 engine. Not quite a collectible classic yet, but getting there very soon. |
Editor's Note: 3/4/18: Since this writing obviously Jaguar Land Rover for some reason had a change of heart to decide not to resurrect the Daimler nameplate. But like other extinct brands like Oldsmobile, the oldest American nameplate in existence, Daimler lives on in legacy. AC
DEAR PATS CAT: Although I do have several issues you need to address with a right-hand drive car (RHD) driven in America as a daily driver, as I will explain a bit later, I first researched a 1988 Daimler Double-Six SIII saloon (or sedan as only we Yanks in the English speaking world call it) you’re considering to see what you’re getting into, and it is a beautiful car. Daimler, and no, not the German car maker Daimler AG, but the Daimler Motor Company Ltd. of Coventry UK and the predecessor to Jaguar Cars, is a temporarily defunct brand that was considered the oldest car company in the UK, and the top of the line flagship of the Jaguar model range, particularly in Great Britain. If you were to buy the most expensive and exclusive Jaguar car in Britain in 1988, you would buy the Daimler branded Double-Six SIII. Here in the US in 1988, you would buy its sister variant, the Jaguar XJ 12 Vanden Plas or Sovereign model series I, II, or III. The cars look essentially the same except for badging and minor style differences and both have a powerful 5.3 litre v12 engine. The best way I can describe this branding issue to Americans not familiar with Jaguar v. Daimler is the equivalent of Bentley v. Rolls Royce in the 1970’s where the same car basically had different grills, hood ornaments, gear selectors, and hubcaps to be either a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow or a Bentley T Series. In American car parlance, the equivalent was like going to a Mercury dealer in the 1970’s, and instead of buying a 1979 Mercury Monarch, you would instead buy a 1979 Lincoln Versailles, as they are both the same car in different styling under the House of Lincoln-Mercury, the Lincoln being slightly more luxurious. So it is with the Daimler. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by commission has awarded Daimler royal warrants as she has a 2008 Daimler in the Royal Mews that she personally drives. Daimler went defunct in 2009 after Jaguar revamped its model line-up, and plans on resurrecting the brand sometime in a year or two.
DEAR PATS CAT: Although I do have several issues you need to address with a right-hand drive car (RHD) driven in America as a daily driver, as I will explain a bit later, I first researched a 1988 Daimler Double-Six SIII saloon (or sedan as only we Yanks in the English speaking world call it) you’re considering to see what you’re getting into, and it is a beautiful car. Daimler, and no, not the German car maker Daimler AG, but the Daimler Motor Company Ltd. of Coventry UK and the predecessor to Jaguar Cars, is a temporarily defunct brand that was considered the oldest car company in the UK, and the top of the line flagship of the Jaguar model range, particularly in Great Britain. If you were to buy the most expensive and exclusive Jaguar car in Britain in 1988, you would buy the Daimler branded Double-Six SIII. Here in the US in 1988, you would buy its sister variant, the Jaguar XJ 12 Vanden Plas or Sovereign model series I, II, or III. The cars look essentially the same except for badging and minor style differences and both have a powerful 5.3 litre v12 engine. The best way I can describe this branding issue to Americans not familiar with Jaguar v. Daimler is the equivalent of Bentley v. Rolls Royce in the 1970’s where the same car basically had different grills, hood ornaments, gear selectors, and hubcaps to be either a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow or a Bentley T Series. In American car parlance, the equivalent was like going to a Mercury dealer in the 1970’s, and instead of buying a 1979 Mercury Monarch, you would instead buy a 1979 Lincoln Versailles, as they are both the same car in different styling under the House of Lincoln-Mercury, the Lincoln being slightly more luxurious. So it is with the Daimler. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by commission has awarded Daimler royal warrants as she has a 2008 Daimler in the Royal Mews that she personally drives. Daimler went defunct in 2009 after Jaguar revamped its model line-up, and plans on resurrecting the brand sometime in a year or two.
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| This is the current Jaguar XJ Saloon from which the next Daimler probably will be based. When it does premier, it will be the flagship of the Jaguar line-up, but only in the UK and the Commonwealth. |
What’s the connection between Daimler Motor Company of the UK and
Daimler AG of Stuttgart Germany? Both share one of the same founders, and that
is Gottlieb Daimler,
a German born engineer who perfected the bore and stroke engine. To avoid
confusion with the two brands that have nothing else in common and want to keep
it that way, the German Daimler rebranded themselves into Mercedes-Benz as a brand under
the parent company that kept the Daimler name in some way or shape over the
last century. I don’t think we’ll ever see this brand sold here in America when
they resurrect it soon, and since they just reinvigorated the entire Jaguar
line under the management of Tata
Motors of India. Jaguar plans on selling another top of the line saloon based
on their new XJ Model that will be a Daimler. There would be too much confusion
in America like perhaps I am inadvertently creating here. But this shows you
how complicated and history rich the car industry is. The interesting thing is
that because of patents and licenses, every time the German Daimler changes its
parent name (i.e. from DaimlerChrysler AG to Daimler AG) it must consult with whoever
owns Jaguar Cars at the time. The last time the Mercedes people wanted to do
this after they broke up with Chrysler, they had to sit down with Ford who owned
Jaguar at the time to consent to an agreement. The car industry makes for
strange bedfellows!
 |
| Gottlieb Daimler is credited as one of the founders of Mercedes Benz in Germany and the Daimler Motor Company, the oldest car company in Great Britain. He is the only thing that both companies share in common, and both wish to keep it that way. |
As much as I love Jaguars, unfortunately I have issues
with RHD cars in America being driven as a daily car. You needn’t worry ever
about the police pulling you over for other than being in awe of you car,
unless you are a speeder, which
in such case you need to follow my advice on driving flashy cars by clicking
here. I hope you know how to drive, however, and drive well defensively. If
you are not careful, your Daimler is an accident waiting to happen. Unless this
car is going to be semi-retired for weddings, proms, or the Concours circuit or
part of a collection like an old RHD Rolls Royce or Bentley shipped here to
America from Britain, you might want to reconsider your idea of driving this
beauty as a daily driver. Unless this was a truck or an SUV like a right-handed
Range Rover that sits high over traffic to let you see what’s going on
defensively, any right-hand car on a right-hand road here in America can be a
dangerous and tricky proposition. Here are my ten issues with owning and
driving a RHD car in America:
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| Passing a vehicle on the left from the right seat of a car on a right hand road with just one lane is a tricky if not dangerous proposition. You may not think it, but you wouldn't be able to see some of these cars ahead from the right seat. If you try to peek by veering over the lines you might cause a head-on collision. |
1.
You will not be able to see past vehicles ahead to pass
them on the left, which
is really dangerous on single lane roadways. That can be a head-on collision
waiting to happen. Your Daimler Jaguar doesn’t have sophisticated crumple
zones, airbags, stability control, lane-departure warning, and antilock brakes.
She’s an old-school English country girl who’s a pedigree cat, runs fast and likes
rough play, but gives little margin for mercy. Like the real cat, if you push
her too hard, tease her too much, or you’re not careful, she can kill you . . .
 |
| Whether paying a toll, paying for parking, or getting lunch at a drive-thru window, with a RHD car in America you will not have that many chances to enter a drive thru backwards or the wrong way . . . |
2.
It is difficult making left turns, using a drive thru
window, paying a toll, or getting a parking garage ticket receipt. Americans
are not used to left-side of the road driving unlike Europeans who regardless
of what country drives on what side, can get around in a European Union world, but
with North Americans, their orientation is not going to be the same as they
look for you in your car. This can be hazardous or frustrating for hand
signaling or getting the other driver’s attention. This is where either your
field of vision or theirs might be cut off to either’s detriment, especially when
executing left turns. It is going to become annoying to reach over every time
to pick up or pay something, especially when you’re alone. Thank goodness you
have electric windows . . .
3.
Your insurance company may not want to insure you, so you might have to shop
around. Call Flo to check with your insurance policy. Make sure you tell her the car is
RHD. She may accept you with open arms or tell you to take a hike. You may have no choice but to insure as a classic/antique car, and
especially as a daily driver, that might be a very expensive proposition.
4.
Customs may not allow you to import the car if it’s
not here yet. Check with the Feds at both DHS and DOT to see what the
regulations are importing a RHD car. Unless it is an antique or classic they
may not let you, depending on what their definition is, which in this case is
the key. The reverse engine configuration may not meet US standards for
emission requirements. If the Feds resist, you may have to try your luck with
Canada then see how the Feds react when you try to ship it from there. Seek the
assistance of a car shipping company that specializes in exotics to help you
with this.
5.
Call or email Jaguar Cars in Coventry UK and pin a
representative down to give you assistance on the emissions issues of a UK car coming to the US. I did the same thing when
I was considering buying an Audi to ship from an east coast dealer to face
tough California emission requirements. Obviously the dealer didn’t know (or
cared for that matter), so I found an Audi representative at headquarters who
was most helpful and researched the issue for me, answer and all. The premium
brands hire people who love to do things like this, and if it helps them for
you to buy their products, they’ll be eager to help. Remember that since the
car was designed for RHD its emissions components are different, if at all
compatible. It may not make any sense to spend all that money importing this
car if it never can pass an American emission inspection. In fact, if the car
is still there, I’d get the UK owner to emission test the car there and send
the results here to see what you’re facing. If not find out from Coventry what
parts are needed and how much.
6.
Be ready to have a love/hate relationship with your
Jaguar Dealer or mechanic. I hope
you have a good Jaguar mechanic that can do things backwards blindfolded under
the hood. Literally. Remember everything or some things under the bonnet might
be reversed, so it’s going to take a good feline vet to know how to take good care
of your dyslectic English iron pussycat; she has special needs! If you do
decide to buy/import and drive, be careful with that front end. Remember that
the steering linkages, front suspension, rack and pinion components, etc., can
be so different on a RHD that it might seem like a totally different car than
its American Jaguar littermate.
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| There's no flying leaper on the radiator grille of this car, but make no mistake, she's still very much a powerful pussy cat! |
7.
She’s going to need parts that are hard to find. If you
don’t do Ebay now, start familiarizing yourself with the site for parts. I know there are a lot of cool Daimler/Jaguar
things on EBay. Find out from your trusty mechanic what parts break often, and
if rare and/or affordable, keep spares on hand. Start with belts and hoses. If
something breaks on or under the front end, be prepared for that car to sit for
quite a while before it finally gets repaired. You are going to have to wait
for those rare parts to ship from the UK, and for parts for a 1988 car, that
might mean manufacturing the part from scratch or fabricating it. And this is
where you need to take another look at doing a LHD conversion. The exorbitant
cost of converting to LHD might be worth it now to avoid problems with a RHD down
the road. Set up a hypothetical where you have to redo the entire front end,
soup to nuts. Find out how much it costs. Do a cost comparison.
8.
After you buy this car make sure you buy another
reliable one as a backup. Keep a
sandbox for your iron cat at both your mechanic’s and your garage, literally. You’ll soon find that your car is
loveable, but like an old-school country girl, she can be high maintenance if you don't treat and take of her like the English Queen she really is. If
American Jaguars are notoriously oil leaky and plagued with electrical
problems, what makes you think that getting a homegrown off-the-boat English
cat made for Britain is going to be any different?
9.
For stick shift cars: it’s odd getting used to: The saving grace is that you have an automatic
transmission (I hope it’s not slipping) so this issue is for cars that have a
manual: the gears are configured differently so you have to be careful and
adjust when shifting gears. This is the equivalent to riding an Indian
motorcycle where the accelerator and brakes are reversed on the same handlebar.
If not careful, both a RHD and an old Indian can be dangerous, especially during
an evasive maneuver.
10. No matter how exotic, rare, unusual, unique, special, or
different your RHD car may be, its value will never be the same in this country
compared to the same purpose built LHD car. As novel as your car will
be in the States, your car will never hold its value compared to if it were
made for LHD. It will always be harder to sell, harder to get parts, harder to insure, even as a
LHD conversion should you decide to convert; the price of the car will always
suffer because of it.
Whatever you decide PATS CAT, I would hook up with a Daimler or
Jaguar Owners Club and check with forums online to see what challenges and
rewards are ahead for you in owning a Daimler Jaguar. But you are cited with a
WARNING: you are entering a potentially tricky/risky proposition, on the road,
in the garage, and with your bank account. Your car is a beauty no doubt, but not quite yet a collectible classic. Approach with eyes wide open so that
if you must give your English iron pussy cat up for adoption, there won’t be any love lost
between the both of you. Let me know what you decide. Good luck!
Suggested
Reading:
What is a CARMAGEDDON and when will
it happen?
Am I allowed to walk on a highway?
Suggested Reading:
The
definition of a “Concours” car and event
Suggested Reading:
Suggested Reading:
What is the new national terror alert warning?
Taking photographs at off-limits tourist landmarks .
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Sgt. Al here. I welcome your comments, ideas, and suggestions. You have questions about the police, and I'm interested in hearing what you have to say as a citizen. Thanks!