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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]
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i really dont see myself driving a silvia. sorry. ive never liked them and i dont really have a good reason for it, but i wont drive one. ditto the soarer. in fact, i have had a long standing aversion to toyotas in general.
although... i had never seen that Toy Mk II, and it looks very tempting. also i recalled my misplaced affection for 20b Eunos Cosmos. also FD.
a 'hard' car is generally acceptable for just me, but as it will be the only car, it needs to be a bit practical too. so even an automatic (shudder) is not out of the realm of possibilities.
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you could an evo IX wagon? or a evo VI TME.
i'm also randomly posting cars from local jdm meets until something catches your eye :p
edit: i added the suzuki carry in pic 4 because it's hilarious and i want one, and the S12 gazelle/leopard in pic 5 because it's not technically a silvia
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[quote=cmcpokey;946086]i really dont see myself driving a silvia. sorry. ive never liked them and i dont really have a good reason for it, but i wont drive one. [/quote]
Fair enough - a fair few people have those aversions - But maybe if you drove a good one your oppinion would be changed to the dark side.
What are the actual critirium for your selection?
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I was gunna suggest a 20b Cosmo but thought it might be a tad old. Gotta be one of my all time favourite Japanese cars though! just fantastic.
Something a bit different, Honda Torneo Euro-R : [url="http://exchange.goo-net.com/usedcars/spread/700050009520100513002.html"]HONDA TORNEO EURO R | 2001 | BLACK | 44,000km | details.- Japanese used cars.Goo-net Exchange[/url] dead popular in New Zealand now! My boss has one and loves it. 200 something hp and revs to hell and back so gotta be fun.
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How could it be anything else?
[url="http://exchange.goo-net.com/usedcars/spread/700080229620090328003.html"]NISSAN SKYLINE Other | 1972 | WHITE | 20,000km | details.- Japanese used cars.Goo-net Exchange[/url]
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Nissan March, gen K11C, no f***ink doubts. In British Green or whatever comes closer. My aunt would respect you.
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or you could buy a Mitsubishi Sigma wagon. They aren't even horribly expensive,
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I would avoid almost any classic car in japan.
Their definition of a rebuild and restoration is extremely sub par for anything that cant be seen by the casual onlooker.
Under the car can often be a horrific mish-mash of plate steel hastily welded over cut outs of chassis. - Get anything older than 20 years inspected [I]thoroughly[/I] is what I'm saying.
I would avoid the Suzuki Cappuccino - its f*cking miniscule and having recently ridden in one for more than 20 minutes I would never own one.
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the criteria that i have is that it needs to hold 2 people, a small dog, and potentially a child seat. potentially. so a 2+2 car at a minimum. a wagon would be nice (stagea?), but not essential. 2 doors are okay. im not sure what i will have by way of parking. that is often an issue for people buying cars in japan, but i think it may be less of an issue where i will be living.
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so ummm if you need someone to look after the G...i'd be more than happy =) i kinda miss mine. I mostly miss that exhaust note and the wild thrashy roaring engine that works so well. I miss the oil consumption and burning smell of it after a hard drive.
and if you want, i know someone who can take the RX off your hands too! (my buddy is a rotary freak and has an RX8 himself)
I guess if we need JDM parts you can get them? 2JZ's? RB's? haha. good luck out there man. I would say get an R34 just cause well its godzilla. I want to go skiing in japan and drive on some of those mountain roads.
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my vote also goes to the R34. Its the first answer that pops into everyone's head for a reason. Why bother getting an oddity just for the sake of being different? I don't think you'd regret it :).
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[quote=cmcpokey;946118]the criteria that i have is that it needs to hold 2 people, a small dog, and potentially a child seat. potentially. so a 2+2 car at a minimum. a wagon would be nice (stagea?), but not essential. 2 doors are okay. im not sure what i will have by way of parking. that is often an issue for people buying cars in japan, but i think it may be less of an issue where i will be living.[/quote]
That Accord Euro R looks like a great idea, suggested by Spastic I think.
If anything, you might want to go for a Accord wagon, or from the US perspective, a TSX wagon. You could also go for a Forester STI or a Legacy STI too, I'm sure that'd be a lot of fun. And can you bring back the car that you drove in Japan? That'd be lots of fun.
On a bit of a side note, didn't you just renovate your house in California?
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Potentially a JZX90 Cresta.
[IMG]http://ll.speedhunters.com/u/f/eagames/NFS/speedhunters.com/Images/Dino%20Dalle%20Carbonare/2010/August%202010/SumDM-P1/AY0F3448.jpg[/IMG]
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Austin/Morris 1300. They love them over there :) Might be pricey !!
[IMG]http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/front_website/octane_interact/modelpicture.php?id=3819[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.mountgreen.co.uk/imageLibrary/mg.jpg[/IMG]
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[url="http://forum.jdmstyletuning.com/showthread.php?t=7768&highlight=Hako"]JDM Style Tuning Forum[/url]
Read this thread for the effort gone into preserving and maintaining (by extension its awesome transformation into the worlds greatest daily) a Prince GT2000 Hako.
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Being a GT4 freak myself i've got a couple diff. cars that might be fun. If ur lookin for a wagon then go Stagea or maybe a Mitsu Legnum VR4. Kei car: Honda Beat or Diahatsu Storia X4 (i would say Cappucino as well but it seems out of the question reading other posts). Other suggestion: Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex
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[quote=Cobrafan427;946150]Being a GT4 freak myself i've got a couple diff. cars that might be fun. If ur lookin for a wagon then go Stagea or maybe a Mitsu Legnum VR4. Kei car: Honda Beat or Diahatsu Storia X4 (i would say Cappucino as well but it seems out of the question reading other posts). Other suggestion: Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex[/quote]
I don't think a Beat would do well for him, it needs to be somewhat practical.
And if the Toyota wasn't so popular, I would say yes, but the Trueno probably is way too expensive.
On a side note, maybe something more mundane- an early Honda Civic or Accord?
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[quote=NSXType-R;946236]I don't think a Beat would do well for him, it needs to be somewhat practical.
And if the Toyota wasn't so popular, I would say yes, but the Trueno probably is way too expensive.
On a side note, maybe something more mundane- an early Honda Civic or Accord?[/quote]
you are right on the Beat. not enough car there. most of the kei cars fall into that, but i may change my mind on that once i get there. the trueno isnt a bad car, but it doesnt really pique my interest.
but you really have to get off this honda thing. with the plethora of stuff available, i am not going to drive a civic or an accord.
showed the wife the stagea last night, and she seemed to like it. she is less into the Cosmo.
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aristo for the wife, then troll 2JZ supra owners
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[quote=cmcpokey;946244]you are right on the Beat. not enough car there. most of the kei cars fall into that, but i may change my mind on that once i get there. the trueno isnt a bad car, but it doesnt really pique my interest.
but you really have to get off this honda thing. with the plethora of stuff available, i am not going to drive a civic or an accord.
showed the wife the stagea last night, and she seemed to like it. she is less into the Cosmo.[/quote]
Haha, sorry about that, you know how I am about Hondas.
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If you do go a kei, maybe a Suzuki Wagon R RR? Pirate special.
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[quote=cmcpokey;946244]
but you really have to get off this honda thing. with the plethora of stuff available, i am not going to drive a civic or an accord.
[/quote]
OWNED! lols
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Stagea's are nice, but bear in mind they're pretty big vehicles, if you've never seen one in the flesh. Factory manuals are rarer than rocking horse shit too.
edit: Forester STi ftw for whoever mentioned that.
[IMG]http://www.mdracing.co.uk/images/forester_sti.jpg[/IMG]
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case solved! sir, i have your vehicle.
[IMG]http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=340571&stc=1&d=1282701649[/IMG]
;)
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[quote=clutch-monkey;946249]aristo for the wife, then troll 2JZ supra owners[/quote]
just a lexus GS. not my style, not too interesting.
[quote=coolieman1220;946258]OWNED! lols[/quote]
quite.
[quote=Spastik_Roach;946261]Stagea's are nice, but bear in mind they're pretty big vehicles, if you've never seen one in the flesh. Factory manuals are rarer than rocking horse shit too.
edit: Forester STi ftw for whoever mentioned that.
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Forrester STi ftmfw!
and the yes the stagea is big, but not terribly big. it is my car with a butt on it, so not too out of the realm of drivability.
[quote=clutch-monkey;946262]case solved! sir, i have your vehicle.
;)[/quote]
ok... i have no idea what that is. it looks familiar from GT4, but can put my finger on it.