do japanese want usdm cars??

[Axel Grungy]

with all this jdm craze going on in america now, i have to wonder what kind of cars do the japanese want?? ive heard they like cavaliers alot, but are they all into having a "USDM" car??haha, i just find it interesting/funny that they would want our peice of crap american cars. ive also heard they're into lowriders. Are people over there converting their cars to left hand drive?? any info on this topic would be cool.

[Meantime]

I was under the impression they despised Cavaliers over there... there was an article in C&D from a few years ago where GM tried to sell Cav's in Japan and it was a total failure. Not surprising when you compare it to the homebred competition...

American cars from the '50's are popular the world over, I seem to remember TMS commenting on seeing a few in the land of the rising boost.

Tangent: saw a surprising amount of F-bodies in Europe (V-6's) didn't think that type of car would be popular over in the crowded streets...

[Axel Grungy]

toyota and chevy made an agreement and sold it as the "toyota" cavalier over there too, which is pretty wierd

[SeVa-S13]

I wouldn't mind having a mean-sounding car (V8) over there...it would be a welcome change to the undoubtedly crazy-loud fartcans they all seem to have. =\

[nnkfws333]

My cousin in Japan tells me how he adores muscle cars like mustangs and camaros with the big V8's. I guess just something different from inline 4 turbo's and 6's but he loves muscle cars!

[Shnitz]

they like out sports cars, but those aren't "usdm" since they are the exact same car over there, the reason people want jdm here is because american cars are detuned because of emissions and because americans are stupid. sorry if this sounds harsh, but for the most part, americans don't want performance, look at how badly the supra, 300zx, and rx7 sold over here. we are a minority in the american community, look at how the most popular "sports car" in america for the past few years has been a v6 auto mustang. americans as a whole don't want performance, we want fake hood and brake scoops and a name brand. so, for example, the american bmw m3 had a crappy engine compared to the european one. the car enthusiasts, therefore, wanted the imported engines/vehicles, becuase of the lack of emissions/crappy engine/bumpers full of metal because they let any retard with a heartbeat get a drivers license instead of teaching people how to drive.

[Tweaky_Tom]

Ever watch the Gumball 3000? They're HUGE into Firebirds and Super Sports.

[MetaOrbit]

There is some demand for USDM items - grilles, emblems, etc - on cars that are sold here and there. I've also heard Old Cadillacs, conversion vans, and a lot of rwd v8 cars are popular.

My take on everyone here wanting JDM, and possibly the Japanese wanting USDM:

"The grass is always greener.."

[rydwhite]

I know they like rebadging as much as we do. If you're in Japan you got to get Infiniti emblems for your Nissans and the likes.

[spec-u-later]

They love muscle cars and Harleys. I used to see groups of about 50 every other night just crusin past the base on their hogs. "Fat bike and a little guy."

[szh]

Old fifties and sixties cars (Chevy, Ford, etc.) are big in many places in the Far East. I do not know about Japan.

Z

[Shnitz]

ok, i think that a lot of you are confusing "american" and "american market." for example, because i have a toyota camry doesn't mean that i have a jdm car, just because it is japanese. i like ferrari's, but if i can buy the same ferrari in america as i can in italy, then i still have a usdm ferrari. (this is an example, i know that there are differences between the cars sold in italy and the ones sold here, im just making a point). im sure that there are ricers over there that think it is mad kool to change out their kph speedometer with a mph one, now THAT is wanting usdm. however, buying a corvette just means that they like american cars.

[Hijacker]

toyota and chevy made an agreement and sold it as the "toyota" cavalier over there too, which is pretty wierd

marketing decision. GM had trouble selling the car because the Japanese are a very nationalistic society. The agreement between GM and Toyota was inked because the Japanese would buy the car. Toyota carries a better image to the Japanese than GM/Chevy does.

Small block V-8 cars seemed to be plentiful when I was in Osaka. I even saw an Eclipse while I was there. Talk about weird!

[Hijacker]

however, buying a corvette just means that they like american cars.

corvettes aren't available in Japan. Mustangs aren't available in Japan. Camaros aren't available in Japan. These cars need to be imported, and as such, they arrive in Japan as LHD cars with MPH speedos.

Chevy's current Japanese lineup is the Blazer, Astro, and Cruze. No corvette.

[rico05]

I've seen several times in Option Silvias with 240SX badges

[EZcheese15]

I know they like rebadging as much as we do. If you're in Japan you got to get Infiniti emblems for your Nissans and the likes.

I saw a number of Primeras with Infiniti grills while I was there I think I saw a V35 Skyline too that was badged "G35" LOL.

[Japican]

Wen i visited japan i saw one corvette and i think 2 camaros, but in total i saw maybe 5 american cars there.

[C-Kwik]

I do know there are some over there that pay a lot of money to have someone sell and ship them a US custom lowrider. Usually on hydros.

[EZcheese15]

Wen i visited japan i saw one corvette and i think 2 camaros, but in total i saw maybe 5 american cars there.

Really? I saw a corvette probably once every hour when I was there. I thought they happened to be one of the more popular cars being driven around.

I also so a good number of Ferrari's, one Lamborghini, and even an old Impala on hydro's.

[HongKongChick]

they are more like Benz and BMW kinda people i think!

we have Ford in hong kong, but i never noticed anything else but vetts (maybe)

most rich people buy Benz, Lamborghini, BMW, Porche, Farreri, and even Rolls Royce

[Japican]

European cars are popular over there, fo sho. My uncle says they have a good reputation over there.

[Hijacker]

the japanese are more likely to buy german than to buy american.

[Rockenreno]

the japanese are more likely to buy german than to buy american.

so am I

[xxtrizz]

I knwo a girl in Japan and she freakin loves her Mustang she like ****s bricks when we talk about them. Im like "eh" and shes like HAI DOZO lol. I think its all preferance but I do believe they liek imports.

[krazy skwerel]

I wouldn't import fords from america. I would go straight european ford oh yeah!

[Hijacker]

aussie ford for me

[Mr1der]

this reminds me of my master plan that I had to take an astro van over there that was riced out and sell it for a retarded amount of money and spend it on whore houses, thanks guys:D

now to get that astro van...

[krazy skwerel]

aussie ford for me

Good point. I forgot about ye olden land down under. :batman

[Mr1der]

The Falcon is so badass there....

400hp 4 door that looks good in blue:drooling

[Fish240]

i saw a couple mustangs there and corvettes