Buying a JDM
 

Hi All

Do you guys have confidence if you were to buy a JDM car as I have heard too many rumors and it kinda puts me off. People say jdm cars have some dodgy past and thats why they are being exported to the uk etc.

What your opinion on this, what would be the check required for this as Bimta takes too long.

You Cant have much more of a dodgy past then many uk scoobys imo :lol1:

I doubt their past is any worse than the uk cars just make sure best you can they haven't been clocked.

The Japanese treat their cars impeccably, more so than UK Owners, and the climate is fairer and the roads much better.

To be safe, avoid a modified one -

A JDM car is far more reliable than a UK car, I assure you of that.

They are exported for multiple reasons, and not because they want to get rid of them,

1, the stringent japanese MOT style test on cars over a certain age is brutal, most just trade in for a new one
2, They are right hand drive, therefore there is a market overseas for them in the likes of the UK and Oz, therefore a market was created, making owners see it as another way to trade in and trade up
3, There is a status system in Japan, old cars don't cut the mustard

Theres a troll who knocks around on this forum saying we receive all Japans cast offs, which in a way he is right, but for the above reasons, not because they are fooked. And the best bit, you get a BETTER car as standard than any of the UK spec poverty offerings. Whats not to love!

while i dont agree with the jdm is made of angel tears etc or its anymore reliable than a uk car i do agree with they have no salt on the roads so generally are rust free and better condition underneath and most are exported for genuine reasons so i wouldnt worry too much about buying one.

Aw sugar you just reiterated what I said, we are getting somewhere in our relationship. :norty:

Oh and they are made of angel tears infused with saffron and cocaine, can't believe you did'nt know that.

im not stupid enough to say the cars are crap etc, in my opinion they are just different not better or worse in standard sti spec.

but to say they are imported for a bad reason is ridiculous.

I have a JDM spec c and I love it :)

Agree with Fat Thomas & trinity :)

So how would you go about buying one, what would you look at as I would be confident is one was imported through companies such as Torque Gt or JM Imports.

Buy mine and you'd be golden.

JDMS
 

Scooby K,
Good and bad dealers out there, even good ones have bad days.
You have to put the responsibility on yourself to find a good car, you can't entrust that to someone else, if you do it could all end in tears.

It is not too difficult.
Set yourself some standards and go through them with each car.
Those standards have to include;
1. Log book and engine stamp number match up.
2.Import docs, who imported it.
3. UK service history, as JAP wont be any use to you, and service history is only half the story.
4. MOT
5. Most importantly a good understanding of what the issues are with the model you are looking at.


Best place to start is your budget,as that will determine which model.

Good luck

Oli

Hi Oli

I always wanted a Hawkeye in black/ white and well aware of the problems with the UK models so though the JDM is a safer bet but worried about of the rumors I have heard.

Also what do you mean by service history is only half the story, what else is there to look out for.

Have a look at Hurstcars Bedford.
Max seems to get good comments for the standard of cars he sells. If I'm buying another newage STI after I sell my blob STI UK in the spring, I'll be looking for a JDM car. I like the idea of a better specd car with has minimal rust underneath. I always missed my first JDM my93 wrx. I bought that at 8 years old with 60k on it and sold it 5 years later with 120k on it and still going strong.
I think your approach to buying any used performance car should be the same, no matter if it's imported or UK. Do your homework and Google the dealer for reviews.
Impreza's are generally reliable cars, but they can go wrong, just like all turbo charged cars. The thing I find with them is that you need deep pockets for fuel or possible clutch replacement, timing belt kit and the likes.
I would not and will not be buying a UK 2.5 impreza unless it came with a lifelong warranty. I'm sure they ain't all bad cars, but I couldn't take the chance of possible engine failure. I ain't made of money !

I already bought a blob from max and gave it back after a while. Would like a blob in black but have my heart set on a Hawkeye. I heard jdm cars power delivery don't pin you back in the seat compared to ukdm. Is this true because of the twin scroll.

I find it the opposite give me twin scroll any day. :thumb:

Twin scroll doesn't pin you? Pitty you wasn't closer :lol1:

My car is bit of a handful ;)

Hah, you joke right?

What it dosent do, is let all that boost come at once like a UK car, its linear, it pins you from the start instead of

wait..bit slow but getting quicker...getting a bit quicker...ooo theres the boost im excited like a chav getting his dole cheque....change gear...damn, off boost, wait...geting quicker...the UK car fail.

Lets not mention the shorter ratio box as well, UK owners have to grow a pair to drive a JDM properly, thats why most of them get in a flap about JDM superiority :)

Someone who buys a JDM is just a stupid EVO buyer.:lol1:

I have just bought a jdm blob after 5 uk imprezas after you forget about it no having the burble its great

99.9% of your posts make no sense.

Show us the 0.1% that do, I dare ya.:lol1:

I know the newage JDM STI is different than the UK STI but are there any major differences between the JDM WRX and UK WRX?

JDM wrx has avcs heads, I think and a rear wiper.:D

Lol at the JDM fanboys on the wind up.:lol1:

the 'Elite' Ditch, the Elite. :lol1:

Same ECU as STI?

No its a special secret ninja unit that has a warpspeed stealth mode.

Does it give a little whine when you put the lights on during idling?

no its not as it can control avcs that the uk cars dont have.
as for short ratio box its only the final gears that are shorter. (sti)

Is it not the opposite way round, ie the final gears are the same and 1,2,3,4 are shorter?

no try googling some more ;)

5th and 6th are shorter only