I was just surfing and I saw that somebody makes right hand drive kits for rual postal people. Since i knew there are a few people here that use their Prius for mail service I thought you might be interested in it. The company is www.postalthings.com Too bad they don't post their prices, I would be interested in what it costs.
If the vehicle is intended for use in the US, then a Japan domestic market or a UK Prius is not likely to have the required safety certifications.
We have had 4 factory right hand drive Subaru's. But they stopped selling them in the US in 1999. We still have a 98. My wife now drives a right hand drive Jeep Cherokee Postal. 4x4 but gets all of 11-14 mpg on the route. Her route is 600 customers and just over 50 miles a day, plus her 32 mile commute. Toyota can bring a right hand drive into the US and simply put on all the pollution and safety items of the normal US cars. But they probably won't................. Postal delivery puts excessive wear and tear on any vehicle and one of the reasons Subaru stopped doing it was the warranty items were killing them............. I wonder how getting a Prius converted and used "commercially" would effect the warranty? Saturn made one for awhile but they didn't sell well here in the Northeast US because they were not 4-wheel drive. Also, they didn't have a lot of interior room which some rural carriers need. The day we picked up our Prius I told the salesman, he could order us another if he could get one with right hand steering..................had to explain it, he didn't understand. Basically said, if it wasn't listed as an option, he couildn't get it. Did not even have any idea where I could even e-mail Toyota to offer the suggestion...................
Toyota Help We've seen many posts from Prius owners complaining about lackluster warranty service. Imagine if a few RHD cars started showing up at the dealerships. What quality of service could you expect on those mutants?
Apart from US regulations etc, the UK ones are twice the price of the US ones before it even gets on a ship.
I called them up. They said the price is the same for all their conversion kits -- $1395. They will install it for you. The regular installation price is $375. But they're having a half price installation special now for $188. They're located in Cleveland, Tennessee.
hey Boo thanks for the info. Seems a little pricey at first but maybe worth it for the added comfort especially if you keep your cars and drive the wheels off it which i bet a lot of mail carriers do.
Paprius, Thanks for sharing the information. It's nice to know that they now will convert a Prius too. The sad thing is... even full time Rural Carriers like to use their car for other things when not working and a converted vehicle does not lend itself well to that. Anyone reading this thread who is interested in more postings about "Rural Mail Carriers" can do a search using my username and/or send me a private message. timm
Hi timm and swi66, I know of an active rural mail carrier poster on the Yahoo Prius groups who removed the center console and installed a hand-operated brake lever to replace the foot-operated parking brake. Apparently he sits in the front passenger seat and manages to reach the steering wheel and pedals which, of course, remain on the left-hand side of the car.
