# Interesting but scary



## Guest (Apr 11, 2012)

When you go through forum posts here and in other places you realise how easy that false information can become the truth. I think it is mostly because no one have time or interest to really find out, its easier to just believe what someone else say is the truth. Or perhaps a Civil Servant has told, without really knowing.

One example I came accross investigating about car import was the part of the thread that is about registering a left hand drive in Cyprus.

Everywhere it says that this is not possible, and many reffered to information from someone working in a goverment department

I was also very active when someone suddenly claimed that this is very much possible. I just did not belive the poster even if I tried to find the info somewhere. 

But now when I called the Road and Transport Department they told that it is fully possible. They even pointed me to a website where i found a link to a pdf which explained how to do it. (they said they rebuild their own website and have not the info their yet. And that was the truth, there ial mostly "page under construction"

http://www.cyprusdriving.net/documents/Registration_Procedure_Imported_Used_Vehicle_Cyprus.pdf

So you must really take the forum answers and other info found on private or business websites for what it is. We are investigating all aspects of moving over and have done so for the last 2 years. But still I get many surprices, though no one that scares us off. Be we are in the lucky circumstances to be able to live very good on dividends from overseas business, and have no children. 

So please all, Take no info for the absolute truth until you get it confirmed from the people who should have the answers and from more then one source


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## zin (Oct 28, 2010)

Interestingly until a few days ago I was under the impression it was not allowed. This was because it wasn't allowed. You could only drive a left hand drive car in Cyprus for a limited amount of time (I think 6 months) before not being allowed. I know this because this was the law imposed on my father a number of years ago and at some point since then the law changed. 

But again there's the whole thing around duty which is still not clear and as you've pointed out there should not be any excise duty for EU nationals.

I forgot to tell you this yesterday but I have also heard about a couple who own two left hand drive BMWs from the USA which they are allowed to own without paying duty for 6 months a year. So they rotate them every 6 months! Apparently cheaper to buy 2 cars than pay duty on 1!


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2012)

I am also conviced that this has changed lately but I cant find out when. 

The duty thing is easier because it is starting 01.01.12

I am sure there will be much problems in the beginning as the info seems to take long time to reach out


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## cds usa (Jan 4, 2011)

This is all great info- thanks all for sharing!
How safe is it to be driving a left hand drive car though? Considering the roads are not the safest to begin with. 
I love the car I have now but they don't make a right hand drive version so I was of a mind to try to bring it.


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## zin (Oct 28, 2010)

cds usa said:


> This is all great info- thanks all for sharing!
> How safe is it to be driving a left hand drive car though? Considering the roads are not the safest to begin with.
> I love the car I have now but they don't make a right hand drive version so I was of a mind to try to bring it.


Is it a Ford Edge?

Driving on the other side of the road takes less than a day to get used to, where the steering wheel is located shouldn't matter.


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## cds usa (Jan 4, 2011)

zin said:


> Is it a Ford Edge?
> 
> Driving on the other side of the road takes less than a day to get used to, where the steering wheel is located shouldn't matter.


It's an Acura mdx. Acura stopped making a right hand version a while ago. I can adjust driving on either side but I'm not sure how safe it is. I really don't want to give it up but I may have to, it will be hard to service, with a 3.0 litre engine it will be a fortune to pay operating costs and high insurance I bet.

My husband wants to sell it here and buy something sensible there maybe I can sneak it in the container


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## Guest (Apr 12, 2012)

I am normally left hand driver but go to UK about once a week and normally drive from Dover to Midlands. For me driving on left side with a Left hand drive is absolutely no problem, I really have more problem and make mistakes when I come back again. 

However last time we were in Cyprus I tested to drive a Right hand drive and for me that was a much bigger problem. Not because of driving on the left, more because everything was backwards in the car. And I remember I all the time wanted to go to the left door instead of the right

But you get used to everything very quickly


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## zin (Oct 28, 2010)

Only problem I can envisage is getting into and out of parking areas as the ticket machine is on the right!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

zin said:


> Only problem I can envisage is getting into and out of parking areas as the ticket machine is on the right!


Thats a very good point. It means parking areas with barriers cannot be used unless there is someone sitting in the front passenger seat


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

cds usa said:


> It's an Acura mdx. Acura stopped making a right hand version a while ago. I can adjust driving on either side but I'm not sure how safe it is. I really don't want to give it up but I may have to, it will be hard to service, with a 3.0 litre engine it will be a fortune to pay operating costs and high insurance I bet.
> 
> My husband wants to sell it here and buy something sensible there maybe I can sneak it in the container


To be honest it would be lunacy to bring a 3 litre vehicle that no one here has ever heard of. Firstly your road tax would be astronomical as would your insurance. Secondly getting spare parts for it would be nigh on impossible.
Get rid of it and get something with a smaller engine when you get here.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Veronica said:


> Thats a very good point. It means parking areas with barriers cannot be used unless there is someone sitting in the front passenger seat


Dennis said you could always reverse in and out


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## cds usa (Jan 4, 2011)

Veronica said:


> To be honest it would be lunacy to bring a 3 litre vehicle that no one here has ever heard of. Firstly your road tax would be astronomical as would your insurance. Secondly getting spare parts for it would be nigh on impossible.
> Get rid of it and get something with a smaller engine when you get here.


Veronica I hate to admit it but you are absolutely right! It would be a money pit. So I'm going to start looking for acceptable alternatives


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## Geraldine (Jan 3, 2009)

Veronica said:


> Thats a very good point. It means parking areas with barriers cannot be used unless there is someone sitting in the front passenger seat


you could always get one of those long grabber things to shove through the window to nab the ticket


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## Johnio0312 (Mar 28, 2012)

We are all entitled to have our opinions and each to their own I say! Seems you are being as careful as you can and in the end it is a matter of doing what you want - not what others think you should do! I hope works out for you..


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