Bongo Fury

all japanese cars made in japan have their stalks this way round..which if you drive jap cars all the time you soon realise is the correct side.... unlike my mrs nissan x trail which was obviously built in europe...

I think we've had this discussion before and I totally agree with Jimsmimm, the Japanese have got it right with the position of the stalks. I think it's only recently (last ten years?) that European variants of Japanese cars have changed them to be the same as other european vehicles. A bad move IMO because previously we only had Japanese cars in the family but now have a recent Mazda 323 with the euro configuration in addition to the Bongo and import MR2. Bloody thing, I hate it. Fortunately it's the wife's car and don't have to drive it much so indicating with the wipers isn't too much of a problem.

The Japs definitely have it the right way round and it is obviously because they are geared up to RHD. Most of the cars we get are converted LHD so they are usually the wrong way round.

Sorry but the side the stalks is on has nothing to do with whether it is LHD or RHD - they don't turn the steering column over when they convert, they just move it sideways.

It is only the Japanese who swap the stalks from side to side, or rather hadn't swapped to the same as everybody else in the 90's when (most) Bongos were made. Just about everybody else had standardised by then.
All modern Japanese cars (wherever they are made) are now (I think) of standard layout, certainly an 07 Toyota I drove earlier in the year was.
Other RHD market cars such as Proton, Perodua and the Indian ones are in line with everybody else, as are Holden and Ford in Australia.

Most manufacturers have the primary stalk function (indicators) on the opposite side to the gear lever, so you can change gear and indicate. Rather than make two lots of switchgear assemblies they just move the whole caboodle over and save a few quid. That is why Brits and japs used to have them on the right as they were predominantly RHD biased. The Japs make so much LHD stuff they just go with the flow now. A shame because you seldom put the wipers on but you indicate very frequently so I find it particularly convenient on a manual car.

All modern Japanese cars (wherever they are made) are now (I think) of standard layout, certainly an 07 Toyota I drove earlier in the year was.
dont assume because it a toyota its made in japan.... finding out were specific models are made can be quite tricky... as in the suzuki grand vitara the wife used to own.... apparently the long wheel base 4 door was made in japan were as the short wheel base was made in canada... now I've been inside both these vehicles and their identical...you'd swear they must have come out of the same factory..... like the diahatsu advert says ..."the only small car made in japan"... may be some one could look inside one and let us know which side the indicator stalks on ...

smartmonkey wrote: so you can change gear and indicate.

At the same time?

I'm not at all sure that is "good practice".

Surely if you are only just putting your indicators on at the point where you need to change gear, you've left it a bit late?