Japanese automakers are able to offer so much because their manufacturing processes are streamlined to perfection - there’s a lot to learn from them.

an affordable price tag when compared to similarly specced European cars.

There are a few reasons why Japanese auto manufacturers took over American and European markets: But there’s more to this than just reliability.

To this day, Japanese cars are regarded as some of the most reliable out there. Japan, quite literally, introduced the west to reliable mobility. Their age-old philosophy of honor, duty, and loyalty trickle down into every aspect of Japanese culture - even their cars.īefore Japan started to deliver cars to Europe and the USA, cars, in general, were seen as ultra-complicated machines that would inevitably break down and require maintenance all the time. Example: If a car's VIN number is less than 25 years old, the car is not legal for import in the U.S.There’s a lot to love about the land of the rising sun. Keep in mind that buying a car and importing it are two different things. There are a couple of auction sites where you can find and bid for the JDM vehicle of your choice. A JDM version of the Honda Integra can differ from the Honda Integra, sold in the US, in terms of engine power (usually due to emissions) or even exterior features, like bumpers. This can also be a Japanese car sold for a market outside of Japan.

Q: What is not JDM?Īny car that isn't built in compliance with Japanese regulations and is not meant for the Japanese market. The easiest way to find out if your car is a JDM is by checking the vehicle identification (VIN) number, which is usually stamped somewhere on the car's body, most often in the engine bay or around the inner sides of the door sills. Q: What counts as a JDM car?Īny car or a version of a car that was originally intended for sale on the Japanese market and has been built to comply with Japanese regulations. Currently, they are also the most expensive ones to purchase and import. Q: What's the most popular JDM car?Ĭurrently, there are many contenders for the title, but the most notable ones are the Toyota Supra Mk IV and Nissan Skyline GT-R. Some homologation may be necessary if you really want to import a JDM car to another market.

Mitsubishi 3000 GT and Mitsubishi GTO) have not been crash-tested or emission-tested outside of the Japanese market, where safety and emission standards may differ greatly. JDM is illegal because JDM cars, especially ones that don't have export equivalents (eg. Q: What are considered JDM cars?Ī JDM car is any car that is sold on the Japanese market and has been built in compliance with all Japanese regulations. The term describes vehicles that are meant solely for the Japanese market. RELATED: Exclusive: JCCS 2022 - The West Coast Mecca of JDM In this list, you will find the original ten cars and a few extra models to give you more options to learn about or to refresh your memory. Updated July 19, 2023: Since so many groups of people in North America love JDM cars, it was thought that this list should be updated instead of letting it get lost in the piles of old information. Without further ado, these are the best JDM cars that were produced in the 1990s. That may seem contradictory, but even though JDM cars have a great resale value in North American markets, they are still priced lower than what a version modified initially for sale in America could be found for. Plus, if they are ever sold, the resale values are always fairly good because so many people on this side of the world are looking to get their hands on one. The great thing about these cars for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere is that they are much more cost-friendly, and since they are reliable and built to last, they make great cars to have around. The 1990s, in particular, gave birth to most of the iconic JDM cars we lust after today. These cars or versions of cars have been produced solely for their local Japanese market and have not been exported to most (or any) other markets. A type of vehicle with a global cult following is JDM cars, which of course, stands for vehicles designed for the Japanese Domestic Market. Many cars are desirable by automotive enthusiasts, and they often vary, depending on the region.

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