Japanese sports cars are among the most desirable in the world, and the crown jewels within that market are the classic cars from the earliest days of JDM, as well as the brilliant 90s machinery that sparked the automotive Cold War between the nation’s biggest manufacturers.
Updated April 2023: Classic Japanese sports cars are as desirable as they are unreliable, and while many can still be fetched for seriously tempting prices, would they be worth it in the long run? Here’s a list of 10 that may not be.
Not only were the resulting products affordable to the masses and extremely durable, but provided a great template to explore the massive selection of aftermarket parts that began to circulate specifically for them. So it’s completely understandable why they continue to be so popular with enthusiasts.
In fact, the cars from Great Nihon’s golden period of motoring draw such fanfare, we’ve even put together a list of exclusive renders that showcase what your 10 favorite Japanese cars would look like as new models today. But while some of these cars may still be affordable today, their age has taken a huge toll on reliability - as is expected. So, here are 10 that may just bankrupt you through maintenance and repairs:
10 Subaru XT
Subaru’s styling team were allowed to go wild during the 80s and 90s, with unusual coupes at the forefront of it. It almost showed a level of desperation from Subaru, to tempt buyers into investing in a cool, new age for the brand. The car to define this was the forgotten XT, with its wedge-shaped design and pop-up headlights.
It showed promise at first, but this was short-lived thanks to a dodgy bit of mechanical engineering under the hood. The 1.8-liter four-pot produces a paltry 97 hp, which was no match for other cars from rival manufacturers. Rust problems also contribute to the reasons why the XT doesn’t get the same attention as other 90s Japanese sports cars.
9 Subaru SVX
Given the failure of the XT, Subaru decided to venture into the luxury/performance market with its 1991 SVX. It continued the quirky design traits, which in the SVX was headlined by a window-within-a-window design. It certainly looks the part, just like its predecessor, but transmission and wheel bearing failures make the Subaru SVX a headache to live with.
A warped rotor is another serious issue, and can be attributed purely with the car’s colossal weight of over 3,600 pounds. While there are some that believe the Subaru SVX is a seriously underrated car, most would beg to differ. Given how rare they are, the difficulty of finding spare parts just doesn’t make this classic Japanese sports car worth buying.
8 Honda Prelude (Fifth Generation)
The Honda Prelude had a promising start to life with the first four generations, and set out to become one of Honda’s most successful models. However, things took a sudden twist with the introduction of the fifth generation 1997-2001 Honda Prelude. A moniker that had built such a stellar reputation as a sports car saw its stock plummet within months.
The fourth-gen is a seriously handsome thing, but its successor is comparatively bland. Furthermore, horrific engine and transmission durability means that the relatively low purchase cost is unraveled by the substantial upkeep. A sticky clutch, non-functioning gearbox (in the automatic models), gear grinding and excessive oil consumption furthers this argument.
7 Acura RSX (Fourth Generation)
Honda sold the fourth-generation Integra as the Acura RSX in North America from 2001 to 2006. More than a decade later, it remains a popular choice for gearheads thanks to its JDM flair and impeccable performance. The fact that you can pick up a 2006 Acura RSX Type-S 6-Speed for a smudge over $10k makes it even more enticing.
So, despite the obvious reasons why gearheads should consider buying the Acura RSX Type-S, there are many reasons why you shouldn’t, and all of them revolve around reliability. Oil leaks, faulty emissions control values, failing pressure sensors at over 80k miles and grindy gears on the manual models are a handful of notable issues. Acura even issued safety recalls in 2013 for failing power braking systems on 2006 RSX models. Steer clear.
6 Toyota Paseo
You’ve got to give credit to Toyota because it did give us some proper brilliance during the pre-2000 years, such as the A80 Supra and the Celica GT-Four. But for every good car, it made an equally bad one. Exhibit A: the forgotten Toyota Paseo sports car. We say sports car because that was what it was originally marketed as, but in reality, it's far from one.
The mediocre 1.3-liter engine puts out just 93-hp, and takes 11.4 seconds to reach 60 – what exactly is sporty about that? Additionally, Toyota, a brand so often celebrated for its reliability, lost all sense of the word with the Paseo. AC compressor wear, rattling noises from the timing belt tensioner and failed three-way lock-up solenoids are why the Paseo is a car we wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole.
5 Mitsubishi Eclipse (Second Generation)
This is a tricky one for us to put on this list, because it’s not only an extremely likable car, but also because Brian’s Mitsubishi Eclipse from the Fast and Furious movie is a literal JDM legend. But while it does remain an excellent driver’s car, Mitsubishi issued mass recalls for the Eclipse in 1998, citing a transfer case lockup problem.
The turbocharged 4G63 engine in the second-generation model suffers from the “crank walk” problem, which requires an engine swap to fix – not cheap. Other recalls in subsequent models included electric wiring issues, fuel leakage problems and fuel filter tube rust. So, while the Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX is special, it's far from trustworthy.
4 Honda CR-X Del Sol
Based on the Civic, this was Honda’s answer to the first-gen Mazda Miata. There are so many things we love about the Honda CR-X Del Sol. Particularly, its 1.5/1.6-liter engine, which sent power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. It’s a proper joy to drive. But its untimely demise ultimately came at the hands of its own reliability record, leading to its retirement in 1997.
The removable targa roof was prone to noise and leaks, leading to poor sales throughout the car’s production life. Owners have also complained about faulty auxiliary lighting, interior squeaks and oil leaks. Despite 1995 Honda Del Sol Si 5-Speeds going for as low as $7,900, the hassle of keeping one on the road makes us think twice.
3 Mazda RX-7
Like the Eclipse, we hate having to put this on our list. Not only is the FD Mazda RX-7 one of the most beautiful 90s Japanese sports car's money can buy, but its Wankel engine and low seating position make it a driver’s dream to push to the limit. Sadly, you’ll be pushing it to that limit on very rare occasions.
The rotary is prone to excessive oil use, which could lead to blown apex seals if not monitored properly. It’s one of the five most common Mazda 13B REW engine problems, and an eventual engine rebuild will set you back as much as $2,000. The constant worry and frequent mishaps make the RX-7 tricky to maintain, and while its general maintenance bills aren’t too bad, you’ll be hit with a big one when the engine does decide to go.
2 Mazda RX-8
Mazda introduced the RX-8 in 2002 as the successor to the iconic RX-7. The latter served as Mazda’s best-selling sports car during the 90s, since it drove, looked and sounded better than most of its competitors. That meant the RX-8 had big shoes to fill: something that would ultimately be sabotaged by the fact that Mazda RX-8 ownership could bankrupt you.
It continued the theme of adopting a rotary, but its naturally-aspirated 13B Renesis unit was far from exciting, and often choked on its own reliability. Problems ranged from leaking apex seals and ignition coil failure, to engine flooding and starter motor issues. So, you can see just why the Mazda RX-8 is considered unreliable.
1 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4
Amidst the Skylines and Supras that battled for supremacy during the 90s, some real gems have become lost. None more so than the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4, which is one of the best used sports car bargains on the market right now. But despite its comparatively impressive tech features, the 3000GT was heavy, which cost it severely in a race with its rivals.
That’s one of the two main reasons why you can pick up a 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT SL 5-Speed for as low as $8k. The second big drawback is its reliability. A weak transmission and lifter ticker were big problems, while the 1990–1994 models suffered from spinning bearings on the engine bottom end. It’s a lovely car to look at, but not to live with.