JDM, in case you didn't already know, stands for "Japanese Domestic Market." This acronym is highly regarded in the automotive world as a sign of exclusivity, a taste of the forbidden fruit Japan's automakers made for their home market in the Land Of The Rising Sun.
As enthusiasts outside of Japan, we often feel a sense of longing for the seemingly spectacular machines that we could never buy. Whether it was from a lack of projected sales, or simply wanting to keep the best for their home market, the Japanese never exported many of the cars they made to the world, or at least not North America.
As the world becomes more connected, many enthusiasts outside Japan are realizing just what has been kept from them, and with private importing now attainable for the average car enthusiast, the mythical aura around JDM cars is now being dispelled. Here are 15 things most people get wrong when thinking about these JDM machines.
15 All JDM Cars Are Fast
Many of the JDM legends achieved legend status for their performance. Cars like the Nissan GTR or Honda Civic Type R have been made for generations in the Japanese market, yet only the latest generations have been brought to North America, which is why people seem drawn to the performance JDM machines most of all. But just because a car is JDM, doesn't mean it's automatically fast... Plenty of average economy cars are JDM.
14 All JDM Cars Are Higher Quality Than The Ones That Were Exported
Similarly to the attitude on performance, the iconic JDM cars are icons because of their quality. But that doesn't change the fact that plenty of JDM cars were built with the same cost-cutting methods as what you may consider the average Japanese export to be. These are still 1980s/90s Japanese cars; expect interiors to be made mostly out of plastic unless you get the top trim version of something like a Nissan GTR.
13 All JDM Cars Are Expensive
The market for JDM cars outside of Japan has exploded in recent years. With iconic cars like RX7s, GTRs, and Supras retaining their value when new, and even going above and beyond with collectible value. But not every JDM car is an iconic powerhouse. Take for example the fun little Kei cars like this Suzuki Cappuccino. It's a unique JDM experience for under $6,000.
12 All JDM Cars Are In Good Shape
When your only point of reference is the pristine examples that enthusiasts import from Japan, it can be easy to think every JDM car was well maintained and will be pristine upon arrival. But just like anywhere in the world, there are people who don't always keep their cars in the best shape. Just because it's JDM, doesn't mean it will be an immaculate example.
11 The 25-Year Rule Is A World Standard
If you're an American car enthusiast who has dreamed of importing a JDM icon like a Nissan S15 Sylvia, you've probably had your dreams let down by the 25-year rule. Essentially, a car can only be privately imported to the USA if it is over 25 years old. But this isn't the case everywhere. Canada, for example, only requires the car to be 15 years old.
10 Driving A Right-Hand Drive Car On North American Roads Is Easy
An obstacle anyone importing a JDM car to left-hand drive (LHD) countries is the fact that in Japan, the driver sits on the right. This may not seem like the biggest deal, but there is a learning curve to overcome. For example, on roads designed for LHD cars, you have visibility from the left when crossing traffic to make a left turn. RHD cars don't. Also, the signal and windshield wiper stalks are switched, and drive-thrus require a passenger, or must be reversed through.
9 All Nissan Skylines Are Sports Cars
The Nissan Skyline is considered by many enthusiasts to be a legendary lineage of cars. Perhaps it's because they were never sold in North America, meaning the only ones you'll see on the road are owned by enthusiasts who inevitably modify them. But, not every skyline is a GTR. Plenty were made as absolutely yawn-worthy family sedans. While the base models can be modified to be fun, why go through the hassle of importing a base model?
8 Kei Cars Are Fast Because They Are Lightweight
Kei cars are one of the most interesting types of JDM cars. Essentially their own class of small and lightweight city cars, Kei cars may seem like a lot of fun due to their small size and weight, after all, small cars like Miatas are fun, so why shouldn't Kei cars be? Well, horsepower is legally limited to 64 HP when producing a Kei car, and the interiors are not meant to fit anyone with above-average height. More of an oddity than a driver's car.
7 Japanese Car Enthusiasts Never Import American Cars
When thinking about American automotive tastes, Japanese cars tend to dominate the market. But many people have reported that in Japan, there is no taste for American cars. This isn't entirely true, though. While sales of American cars in Japan are lackluster, there are clubs and plenty of enthusiastic owners of American classics. Even Dodge Minivans have a dedicated following in Japan.
6 People In Japan Don't Appreciate How Great Their Exclusive Cars Are
When you are surrounded by something on a daily basis, it becomes normal. Logically speaking then, the JDM cars that are so out of the ordinary in America must not garner much attention in Japan, right? Wrong. Motorsports like drifting were created by Japanese enthusiasts' passion for their homegrown performance machines. Even then, check out Japanese car meets and you'll find plenty of love for the JDM monsters.
5 The Only Desirable JDM Cars Are Sports Cars
By now we've already established that the JDM icons tend to be performance powerhouses. But that's not the end of JDM masterpieces, luxurious sedans like the Toyota Century are still well respected among JDM enthusiasts, even then, the novelty cars that may not have a purpose here in North America (i.e. Kei cars) are still in demand due to their uniqueness.
4 Japanese Manufacturers Never Make Exclusive Cars For Markets Outside Japan
When you look at the long list of cars that were kept as JDM exclusives, it's hard to be anything but jealous, clearly Japanese manufacturers don't want to give us anything cool for ourselves. Well, they in fact have given North America some interesting exclusives over the years. For example, the Subaru Baja Turbo was only sold in North America and Chile.
3 All Japanese Cars Are Made In Japan
It seems rather logical, if a car is made by a Japanese manufacturer, it must be made in Japan. But this in fact is far from the truth. Manufacturers like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Subaru all have set up factories in North America. It makes sense as an investment, why add on business export costs to sell a car in North America, when making a factory there means you can send it to dealers right off the factory floor?
2 Repairing JDM Cars Is Cheap
Anyone who has worked on a Japanese car, or paid for someone else to, knows just how great it is being able to source parts for cheap. It's easy to assume that JDM cars would have the same low cost of repair. But when engines and mechanical parts are unique to the Japanese market, merely acquiring the parts will have massive shipping and import fees added on to them. And that's assuming sellers don't add on their own markup.
1 The Only Cars Enthusiasts Import To North America Are JDM Cars
With talk of importing JDM cars dominating the import scene, it's easy to forget that Japan isn't the only nation who has kept some amazing machines to themselves. But to believe that would be ignoring the entire fan base of Euro Spec cars. Plenty of fantastic cars were brought to life in Europe, never to be sold in America. Just take a look at this Peugeot 205 GTI imported from Spain, easily as cool as any JDM hatchback.