Anything that’s older or has been in uk for a while. A fresh jdm import from the right part of Japan will be clean. My 03 crown was so clean underneath that even bolt treads etc were fresh. Not a spot of rust anywhere.Yeah if you go DC5 be careful with rust, i sold my 2004 DC5 in 2011 or 2012 and it was starting to quite quite rusty underneath despite having been undersealed when it came to the UK. I looked at the MOT history after i sold it and it sounded like it pretty much rusted into dust over the next 5 yearsAmazingly looked like it managed to get an MOT in 2020 but nothing since then. The probably painted the underneath in waxoil so no one could tell how bad it was!
Any JDM fans here, recommendations?
- Thread starter almoststew1990
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I had one back in 99/00 loved it. You know the quickest way to make a GTiR faster, if it has the stock top mount theres a hose which I think manages boost pressure or something. Pull it off and insta more boost. Will probably kill it but will make it faster, for a while
I would have another but I don't have the space.
Apologies if it seems like a flex, but I have these two. The Impreza is a Spec C Type RA and the Evo is a IX GT. I think the Evo is better put together but feels a bit more solid as the Impreza is stripped out from the factory. The Evo GT cars have the RS running gear (5 speed box, LSD rear diff etc) but come with creature comforts - sound deadening and the nice seats. The Spec C gearing is very short which can make long journies a bit of a chore. On the Evo 1-4 are close and there is quite the gap to 5th. The 5th on the Evo is still taller than the 6th on the Impreza
I bought well on the Impreza. It's nearly double in the value since I bought it. The Evo, I paid too much for it and the engine build has just got ridiculous and ended up costing more than the purchase price of the Impreza
.The only time in nearly 2 years of ownership they've been side by side.
JDM Impreza WRX STI (blob/hawk)
Sounds like an RX7 (people will moan that they don't sound like a 'subaru', they're just jealous)
Only thing I would say is that the later JDM Impreza don't really "thump" like the older ones. I think they have equal length exhaust manifold so you don't get the same rumble. Least mine doesn't anyway.
Soldato
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I've had a fair few JDM cars over the years, Impreza, S14, Mazda RX7 etc
It would take some sway to get me to move away from a decent CP9A Evo (4 to 6). Nothing wrong with the later cars, they're just a little too front light for me and the steering is overassisted. Needs to be an RS, too.
It would take some sway to get me to move away from a decent CP9A Evo (4 to 6). Nothing wrong with the later cars, they're just a little too front light for me and the steering is overassisted. Needs to be an RS, too.
Only thing I would say is that the later JDM Impreza don't really "thump" like the older ones. I think they have equal length exhaust manifold so you don't get the same rumble. Least mine doesn't anyway.
Yeah my mate has a blob JDM STi and it's equal length/twin scroll turbo... probably very similar setup to your Spec C.
It sounds nothing like a UK car, but then doesn't sound like an inline 4 either. I think it sounds really good... but much to his annoyance it'll never sound as good as mine (3" turbo back with a Blitz Nur Spec R
)Is your Impreza a hawk? Only two cars I'd consider changing mine for, a V5/V6 2 door STi Type R or a white JDM Hawk STi.
Absolutely lovely pair of cars Edd
Thank youIs your Impreza a hawk? Only two cars I'd consider changing mine for, a V5/V6 2 door STi Type R or a white JDM Hawk STi.
Absolutely lovely pair of cars Edd
Yes, it's a hawk. I wanted as close to #becauserallycar as I could get and didn't want a classic so it had to be a Type RA.
I'm collecting the Evo next Thursday. First time I've had a car with over 550hp so that will be interesting.
I love me a bit of classic JDM, but I don't think I'd want to take on the financial risk of something like that (my mechanic skills are more or less non-existent as well). If I did, it'd be a R32 GT-R (out of OP's price range though of course). I'm still happy with my 350z HR though and it hasn't turned into a money pit thankfully so I'm close enough!
Caporegime
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Rx8 are such a good looking car, just a bit underwhelming performance wise sadly otherwise I'd have one!
I've been out of "the scene" for a decade or more now after selling my R34 but still pop in every now and again and the biggest issue seems to be UK parts availability vs cost. Back in the early 2000's it was still possible to import parts from Japan at a "cheap" rate but no longer, plus the ability to get parts for cars not originally sold in the UK is way harder now so I'd probably be looking mostly towards UK cars, rather than imports.
Then you've got the ever rising prices now these are considered "classics" with prices that command a higher premium as the numbers of "rarer" cars available (GTi-R, R32/33/34 Skyines, Mk3 Supras, Evo 4-6 etc) has dropped heavily over time so their prices are silly now at £30k+ for things worth £10k just 7-8 years ago.
Then you've got the ever rising prices now these are considered "classics" with prices that command a higher premium as the numbers of "rarer" cars available (GTi-R, R32/33/34 Skyines, Mk3 Supras, Evo 4-6 etc) has dropped heavily over time so their prices are silly now at £30k+ for things worth £10k just 7-8 years ago.
Just as a slight counterpoint to the above. I am currently collecting bits to refresh my RX7's suspension bushes.
For pillowballs, which you need 6 of. I went into Mazda yesterday to price check, they have stock and they are £90+VAT each, so £108 each. Nengun are £72 each. Shipping from Japan and potential for import tax make them £93 each landed. Tasca parts in the US are at £70 each and after shipping and taxes its £90 each. So it is genuinely cheaper to import from the other side of the world than buy from Mazda UK.
But the rarer parts are like ianh says, rocking horse doodoo and sold at stupid prices. The carbon effect OEM trim for the 7, someone in Australia is trying to sell it for about £2k. It isn't even genuine carbon.
For pillowballs, which you need 6 of. I went into Mazda yesterday to price check, they have stock and they are £90+VAT each, so £108 each. Nengun are £72 each. Shipping from Japan and potential for import tax make them £93 each landed. Tasca parts in the US are at £70 each and after shipping and taxes its £90 each. So it is genuinely cheaper to import from the other side of the world than buy from Mazda UK.
But the rarer parts are like ianh says, rocking horse doodoo and sold at stupid prices. The carbon effect OEM trim for the 7, someone in Australia is trying to sell it for about £2k. It isn't even genuine carbon.
Caporegime
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I found that sites like amayama in UAE had better part availability, cheaper prices etc that Mitsubishi who wanted 90+ days for some parts...
But yes the exchange rate is hurting importing parts from japan/usa and some sites won't ship to the UK now so you have to use proxy consolidators etc...
But yes the exchange rate is hurting importing parts from japan/usa and some sites won't ship to the UK now so you have to use proxy consolidators etc...
Nah high fuel consumption, high oil consumption and the need to be rebuilt often due to apex seal wear, I think I’ll avoid thanks. They are not even that quick either. RX-7 now that’s a different ball game.You are missing out
Soldato
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Yeah that's a good point actually about parts, I've been out of the JDM game for 5+ years too and i'd forgotten how draining it was to find parts for a car that was never sold in the UK, even if it had a version sold in the UK there's always loads of bits that are JDM specific, plus the JODB standard rather than ODB or ODB2 means it can be even harder to diagnose stuff
. One of the reasons i got rid of my '96 WRX was there was a boost cut issue occasionally and it was just a massive pain to try and diagnose with the weird diagnostic port.High Fuel Consumption: Yup, eats it.
High Oil Consumption: 1L for 1k miles is what mine is roughly using. I am pretty sure a few piston engines out there, the manufacturers are saying that is a normal level of oil usage, and they aren't designed to inject it.
Apex seals: Ah the great internet meme, sure they need to be rebuilt more than a piston engine, but are cheaper to rebuild and often is an unfair metric. Mines done 40k since the previous owner had it rebuilt and thats because a Mazda coolant seal failed.
Quickness: I mean that is subjective, it is more than fast enough with a beautiful chassis. It's been what nearly 12 years since the RX8 went out of production. We didn't have the Golf R's and A45's back in the day, they were all FWD mid 200bhp hatches. With a few JDM exceptions Evo/Subaru. We are definitely spoiled by newer tech.
RX7 is way more rattly than the RX8. I am currently trying to get all that sorted. There are quite a few differences, but I never feel short changed jumping from 7 to the 8.
Nah not my cup of tea mate glad you like yours but they don’t do anything for me at all. Raced one years ago in a £600 MK2 golf and was surprised I was stuck to the back of it like glue.
