Lewiswheels
New member
What's the situation with driving RHD classics in the States. I'm in Oz, but thinking of sending one over. I believe they made a few for postal services etc, before sending them overseas.
RHD XJ's
- Thread starter Lewiswheels
- Start date
I have not personally seen any RHD XJs, but there are definitely RHD classics on the roads. The typical postal Jeep is a DJ (Dispatcher Jeep, most comparable to a CJ), but postal XJs are supposed to exist.
I would expect that if there are any issues with bringing over a RHD vehicle they would show up in the import documents/process. It is also possible that there could be issues with individual states, but I would expect that to be rare (and archaic).
I would expect that if there are any issues with bringing over a RHD vehicle they would show up in the import documents/process. It is also possible that there could be issues with individual states, but I would expect that to be rare (and archaic).
I see them on Craigslist occasionally
https://lasalle.craigslist.org/cto/d/1996-rhd-postal-jeep-cherokee/6757133651.html
https://lasalle.craigslist.org/cto/d/1996-rhd-postal-jeep-cherokee/6757133651.html
Is it a diesel or gas? Ive definitely seen RHD XJs out here, but haven't known of too many people importing them. I do believe there's a company bring them in from Japan though if I'm not mistaken to be sold to USPS rural dispatchers.
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I have seen a few on the road here in North East Florida, XJ's as well as other manufactures offering including high end German cars (Porche and Audi). The XJ's definitely catches my attention being from the Caribbean where most of our vehicles used to be imported from England with the steering wheel on the right side. The first thin to catch my eye though are the side marker location,...center of the front fender unlike vehicles intended for the US highway. I think it should not be too difficult to get one into the US.
Vince is a long time member here. I think it was '08 when he brought his XJ over from UK to participate in the Moab event. Confused the heck out of his spotters.
Correct - I ran with him and his wife on at two of the trail days in '08 - the Seven Mile Rim day and the Canyonlands day. They brought over his XJ and her TJ. In their case it was a temporary import, so they had 11 months to get them back "in country".
Last time I saw Vince post was over in the "International Chapter" forum.
Lewiswheels
New member
Thanks for your replies Guys. BTW - what's a Sidemarker?
Turn signal - outside the U.S., apparently they have small ones at the peak of the front wheel arches.
I have some fond memories of those years. I still have my RHD XJ, my wife sold the TJ in 2011 then a couple of years ago decided she wanted her own wife! Trying to survive divorce proceedings at the moment so no return trip possible until that's all over.
The NHTSA were really set against permanent reimports of export model XJs for a long time. I remember reading someone was petitioning for 4.0L 1997+ RHD around 2010. I haven't looked on the NHTSA's OK list for some years so perhaps the petitioner was successful.
I doubt that any XJ diesels will be on the OK list as it requires an already approved engine to qualify. The KJ engine is close, but came after export XJ production ceased and before the KJ diesel was approved in the USA.
Lewiswheels - Is your XJ EU type approved. I know some Australian market Jeeps are and a EU Certificate of Conformity can be obtained for them when they are shipped to the UK. As far as I know, there is a single byte difference in the EU ECU's OBD ID code to the US Federal spec OBDII ID which is what is looked at for engine compliance.
The NHTSA were really set against permanent reimports of export model XJs for a long time. I remember reading someone was petitioning for 4.0L 1997+ RHD around 2010. I haven't looked on the NHTSA's OK list for some years so perhaps the petitioner was successful.
I doubt that any XJ diesels will be on the OK list as it requires an already approved engine to qualify. The KJ engine is close, but came after export XJ production ceased and before the KJ diesel was approved in the USA.
Lewiswheels - Is your XJ EU type approved. I know some Australian market Jeeps are and a EU Certificate of Conformity can be obtained for them when they are shipped to the UK. As far as I know, there is a single byte difference in the EU ECU's OBD ID code to the US Federal spec OBDII ID which is what is looked at for engine compliance.
RHD XJs made for the home market with US Federal stickers have no problem being in the USA permanently. RHD XJs damned with the 'Export Model' sticker have to go through the NHTSA to get permission to be reimported.
I have heard stories of some forces personnel returning home with a RHD vehicle and managing to get them on their State DMV computer without the NHTSA noticing but I don't know of anyone personally that has done this particularly this century.
I got a wave from a postal worker near Lake Tahoe in 2008 when I pulled alongside their white RHD XJ at the lights. Are they still popular with postal workers or have RHD JKs taken over from XJs now?
I have heard stories of some forces personnel returning home with a RHD vehicle and managing to get them on their State DMV computer without the NHTSA noticing but I don't know of anyone personally that has done this particularly this century.
I got a wave from a postal worker near Lake Tahoe in 2008 when I pulled alongside their white RHD XJ at the lights. Are they still popular with postal workers or have RHD JKs taken over from XJs now?
I saw one way out in the county a few weeks ago. I'm certainly seeing them less often than I used to
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Lewiswheels
New member
Thanks for your thoughts. Sounds like a bit a bureaucratic nightmare. Mine has got the OBD port but no statement on the ID plate about OBD11 Compliance. I'm still trying to get mine running (bought it as a non-runner with no remote fob). Apparently cars imported into the UK & Oz were retro-fitted with a May & Scofield immob (has small glass dome pickup), as the original was thought to be not secure. Trouble is M & S don't answer any emails. I have bought some I/R fobs and tried coding them as per the usual routine of musical doorlocks, but nothing happens.
You may want to look into what it would cost to ship it over here first. I say that only because I looked into shipping my XJ to Australia for an extended off-road trip and the costs were approaching $10,000.
I understand the appeal of driving your own vehicle in a foreign country, but it may be more fiscally sound to just buy a Jeep over here, drive it as long as you need, then sell it off before you go back to Australia.
And speaking of RHD Jeeps - yes, plenty of them around if you look hard enough. There is one in middle Tennessee right now on the internet for sale. About 18 months ago I found two, both wrecked, sitting behind a repair shop in town. They wanted $4000 US for the pair, I only wanted the '95 model as the '99 had too much damage, and they wouldn't split the pair. Those were imports from Japan.
I understand the appeal of driving your own vehicle in a foreign country, but it may be more fiscally sound to just buy a Jeep over here, drive it as long as you need, then sell it off before you go back to Australia.
And speaking of RHD Jeeps - yes, plenty of them around if you look hard enough. There is one in middle Tennessee right now on the internet for sale. About 18 months ago I found two, both wrecked, sitting behind a repair shop in town. They wanted $4000 US for the pair, I only wanted the '95 model as the '99 had too much damage, and they wouldn't split the pair. Those were imports from Japan.
See >> www.PostalPete.com for USA RHD Jeeps.
I've seen a handful over the past few years.
A guy I know has a RHD JK.
A guy I know has a RHD JK.