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Moving again
As many of you know, I have to move for my job relatively frequently. In the time I have been a member here I have lived at least 6 different places (losing track actually), and i just found out a few days ago where I will be moving to next. So in a little over a year, after some time spent bouncing around the US for schools and stuff, I will be headed to Japan!
I will be in southern Japan, in the Nagasaki area, and live there for about a year and a half, give or take a few months. So I posted this in the user's rides section, because for one, we will be selling our cars we currently have. or if not selling then, storing them to wait for our return. but i will also be in the market for some it's-JDM-yo car for the time I am there. so i have been pondering what kind of crazy turbo kei car, or R34, or what have you to get, and figured it would be just as well to ask the wealth of information found here. (looking at you aussies, with your copious grey market of japanese cars.)
so what car should i get when i move to japan?
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Something newish. I'm not sure if it applies to all regions, but I'm pretty sure tax on older cars in alot of places is pretty steep. I know when I was in Japan I barely saw anything older than about 6 years or so with the exception of taxis.
Also consider if you'll even need a car. Japans public transport system is nothing short of incredible and assuming you'll have some grasp of the language should serve you well for 99% of the time. There's a good reason the Jap import cars have such low kms..they never really need to drive them.
But if you do want a car, go for something small. Cars are also taxed on size, (hence why Kei class is so popular). I like the look of the Subaru R1 myself!
[IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/2005_Subaru_R1.jpg/800px-2005_Subaru_R1.jpg[/IMG]
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the Cap seems to be an oft recommended car. I must look further into one of those. and that scooby looks nice.
so a couple things about your post Spaz. where i will be living (sasebo) is fairly rural, and the public transport is supposedly not as ubiquitous as it is elsewhere. thus, it is fairly necessary for a family to have at least one car. i also don't speak any japanese, nor will i have any training before i move there. the area has a lot of americans, so there should be a good deal of english signs etc. but i still have a feeling i may struggle with that sort of thing. and finally, i think that there are exemptions for us US military types with the crazy taxes and expensive inspections for older cars. at least that is what i hear.
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Well in that case go crazy! [url="http://exchange.goo-net.com/"]Japanese used cars - Goo-net Exchange | Best Place to Buy Foreign and Japanese Used Cars[/url] is a good website for checking out whats available as far as used cars go in Japan. Due to the tax situation you can get some absolute bargains on the older cars (hence why they're so popular to import here), so you might just find something that'll be a whole lot of fun.
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hence i was thinking of an R34 GTR. but that is such a canned answer. so thats why i was looking for some oddities. i think i will need to play some GT4 and see what seems fun.
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Probably the best thing to do!
Toyota has a range of kick ass RWD turbo super sedans such as the Mark II and Chaser that I've always loved..
[url="http://exchange.goo-net.com/usedcars/spread/700050300220100606001.html"]TOYOTA MARK II TOURER V | 2000 | D GREEN M | 55,000km | details.- Japanese used cars.Goo-net Exchange[/url]
[url="http://exchange.goo-net.com/usedcars/spread/700055026520091106001.html"]TOYOTA CHASER TOURER V | 2000 | GREEN M | 115,000km | details.- Japanese used cars.Goo-net Exchange[/url]
Nearly all of them on there have been modified like crazy..but then thats not such a bad thing
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there are so many awesome jap cars that are not available in the US it's hard to know where to start.
if you are exempt from their taxes on older cars maybe save something classic.
for something newer, dunno if you guys get the ralliart colt over there but they are great pocket rockets.
also don't forget you can get an original mini for not that much in japan.
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[quote=cmcpokey;946062]the Cap seems to be an oft recommended car. I must look further into one of those. and that scooby looks nice.
so a couple things about your post Spaz. where i will be living (sasebo) is fairly rural, and the public transport is supposedly not as ubiquitous as it is elsewhere. thus, it is fairly necessary for a family to have at least one car. i also don't speak any japanese, nor will i have any training before i move there. the area has a lot of americans, so there should be a good deal of english signs etc. but i still have a feeling i may struggle with that sort of thing. and finally, i think that there are exemptions for us US military types with the crazy taxes and expensive inspections for older cars. at least that is what i hear.[/quote]
I was slightly joking with the cap.. it's not really a family car. You'll struggle to get around without any Japanese, though like you say you should be ok locally. There's not much English spoken there, and when I was in Nara (near Osaka and Kyoto) visiting my sister there wasn't much English signage at all. Would definately be a good idea to learn some getting around Japanese beforehand if you can.
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i have a soft spot for clean R31's and soarers..
cefiro's go alright too.
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fine taste clutch. goo-net is just a wet dream for us who like those old jap performance cars. old school soarers and chasers are top notch.
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Get a Hako!
Or, failing that, try to find an slightly-used slightly-weird '80s ride, like a City Turbo.
EDIT: Or a Suzuki Alto Works, Daihatsu Mira Turbo (TRX-X), Subaru Rex (its a kei car, not a WRX :)) Turbo, Mitsubishi Minica Turbo, or a Daihatsu Charade GTX-X.
I have a link somewhere that talks about the kei power wars of the '80s.
EDITEDIT: Here: [url="http://autospeed.com/cms/A_1819/article.html"]http://autospeed.com/cms/A_1819/article.html[/url]
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[quote=cmcpokey;946064]i think i will need to play some GT4 and see what seems fun.[/quote]
YES!!! Now that's what I call "living the dream"!!! Have fun!
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Honestly, there will be a billion nice cars to choose from, Nissan Cube's are good runarounds, but there are alot of cheap S15's + S14's (S13's are getting on abit too much for me to recomend seriously)
R34 GTR's would cost a fair amount I'd assume to just use for a year and a half. Unless you find a way to take it back to the states with you.
For Bang/Buck I would reccomend an S15, WRX/EVO or depending on age and quality Rx7 Series 6 and up, Supra and the ilk.
Alot of those cars come into australia for very cheap prices and can be in excelent nic.
If it were my money I'd be willing to go slightly older and forgo creature comforts for a harder experience.
but I find S15's nice enough inside (air con + heaters work well etc) and very capable in the corners and straights.
[IMG]http://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2008/09/03/02/32/1998_nissan_silvia-pic-2890.jpeg[/IMG]