Prejudiced against Rice rockets?
Discussion
lanciachris said:
Im skeptical about japanese cars because the car laws they have over there make it difficult to own an older car and seem to have lead to the creation of cars not designed to last very long.
We seem to be past the worst of the rusty cars era but the japanese ones seem to be stubbornly hanging on to the ability to decompose rapidly.
What you're forgetting is that Japanese car manufacturers have a global market to cater for, not just the JDM. I reckon pound-for-pound there are more old Jap cars on the roads than say French or Italian. Run a Renault and a Toyota side by side and see which one falls apart first if you're in any doubt
I like Japanese cars, but then I like most things Japanese (except the food). There's an honesty in the things they make, they do what they say they will do and do it well, without any pretence - clinical if you will, which I guess is why some people don't like them.
I always used to want a Supra when they first came out. I can remember the reviews at the time saying it was one of the fastest point-to-point cars you could buy due to its stonking mid-range power and the ease of extracting the performance. I think I would have one now, but I would keep it standard (on the outside at least) as I think this forgoes much image negativity. I would have a Skyline first though.
se6b said:
The later RX7 is indeed a very nice looking machine. Hints of Le Mans racer. There was a gorgeous black one that I used to drool over daily in Manchester. But, as far as I'm told they drink petrol like a Jenson Interceptor....and I know which I'd prefer.
Not sure how bad the jensen is but mine returns around 17-20mpg depending on abuse. Or ~7 laps of silverstone/quarter tank: 6 mpg!
DanBoy said:
Banzai and Jap Performance...
Ricemags!
Both have FDs this month, neither of which are to my taste, but still good all the same.
>> Edited by DanBoy on Monday 6th September 16:51
If all you're interested in is performance orientated stuff, I wouldn't bother with Banzai.
Japanese Performance is the one to get.
DanBoy said:
So it's hard to love something efficient and reliable...
And yet you wouldn't have a FD because they're too thirsty?!
Corrr - Talk about hard to please!
The thing is, I'd see the RX7 as an 'everyday' car, because despite being a great looking car it still has that inherent Japanese reliability and efficiency thing going on. In an 'everyday' car I'd want something resembling double figure mpg. To my mind it can't be 'special' unless you really can't depend on it. If you really can't depend on it then you can only realistically own a car like that if its a second car. A treat. Japanese cars I would consider owning (and am) include, Subaru Impreza Turbo, Mitsubishi Evo VII, Nissan Skyline, Nissan 300ZX, Mazda MX5. But I have to add that I'm only now being forced to consider Japanese due to Irish Insurers hating anything obscure, classic or big block, along with Irish potholed roads wreaking havoc on anything with less build quality than a Challenger tank.
My 3rd gen RX-7 is my everyday car. It's totally reliable though I politely turn a blind eye to its drinking problem It's rare (only seen two others pass me in the last five months), fast, gorgeous, and hilarious to watch my mates trying to clamber out of the rear seats!
In fact it's been such a delight to live with I've put back my Elise S2 ownership ideas for a few years to try out a number of other fast jap stuff while I still can - Supra and new Integra are definitely on my list. I passed a grey Supra on an R-plate today, it was parked outside a car dealership but didn't have a price on it. Looked totally stunning, especially as it had no rear wing either and had lost the titchy 16" original wheels...
It's rare (only seen two others pass me in the last five months), fast, gorgeous, and hilarious to watch my mates trying to clamber out of the rear seats! In fact it's been such a delight to live with I've put back my Elise S2 ownership ideas for a few years to try out a number of other fast jap stuff while I still can - Supra and new Integra are definitely on my list. I passed a grey Supra on an R-plate today, it was parked outside a car dealership but didn't have a price on it. Looked totally stunning, especially as it had no rear wing either and had lost the titchy 16" original wheels...
lanciachris said:
Im skeptical about japanese cars because the car laws they have over there make it difficult to own an older car and seem to have lead to the creation of cars not designed to last very long.
We seem to be past the worst of the rusty cars era but the japanese ones seem to be stubbornly hanging on to the ability to decompose rapidly.
Actually thats more applicable to Lancias...
The GT4 has an 8 year anti corrosion warranty; its 13 years old, and NO rust at all. Jap cars go rusty? Urban Myth, they dont rust nowadays matey.
As of last Friday I am now out of the old Jap thing having got rid of the Impreza PPP. In the end it came down to only a couple of factors.
Firstly the incessant ‘CHAV’ obsession around this site got to a point where I got fed up with looking at what is and will remain a very good car. Considering this site is meant to be for folk who like their cars (together with an indiscriminate disliking for the Islamic faith) I found peoples views enormously myopic.. It was a very competent car which had it the tyres of an EVO VIII along with the ludicrous servicing would be a match for it and as such one of the fastest cars point to point you can buy. There is an obsession that unless a car needs to ‘Set’ before you can drive it or unless it has the carbon fibre fag lighter option then it’s not worth sixpence.
It had an uncanny ability to attract all the wrong sort of attention whether it is this disdainful glances from those who think they know better or as ultimately tipped the balance being badly vandalised whilst sat on my driveway by those who need a blindfold and last cigarette
Still I’m off to look at an Espada this weekend which I thoroughly intended to drive with a Burberry cap and Kappa tracksuit to the next major Pistonhead gathering
Rant over!
Firstly the incessant ‘CHAV’ obsession around this site got to a point where I got fed up with looking at what is and will remain a very good car. Considering this site is meant to be for folk who like their cars (together with an indiscriminate disliking for the Islamic faith) I found peoples views enormously myopic.. It was a very competent car which had it the tyres of an EVO VIII along with the ludicrous servicing would be a match for it and as such one of the fastest cars point to point you can buy. There is an obsession that unless a car needs to ‘Set’ before you can drive it or unless it has the carbon fibre fag lighter option then it’s not worth sixpence.
It had an uncanny ability to attract all the wrong sort of attention whether it is this disdainful glances from those who think they know better or as ultimately tipped the balance being badly vandalised whilst sat on my driveway by those who need a blindfold and last cigarette
Still I’m off to look at an Espada this weekend which I thoroughly intended to drive with a Burberry cap and Kappa tracksuit to the next major Pistonhead gathering
Rant over!
Vario - I intended this thread to bring some balance to the jap car issue. I can see that many Jap cars are supremely engineered, and so it therefore makes sense that the hot versions should be pretty interesting.
For me, the site of a de-spoilered , subtle grey Supra with dark coloured wheels attracted me. I thought it looked terrific.
Perhaps it is the tendency for the laxxers to adopt these sort of cars ( and ruin them in the process ) that gives them a bad image.
Does'nt change the fact that they are fine cars, when not messed around too much.
Sorry that the attitudes on this site contributed to turning you off from owning a decent car.
But I can understand. There are some people here with a rather narrow outlook on the world...
For me, the site of a de-spoilered , subtle grey Supra with dark coloured wheels attracted me. I thought it looked terrific.
Perhaps it is the tendency for the laxxers to adopt these sort of cars ( and ruin them in the process ) that gives them a bad image.
Does'nt change the fact that they are fine cars, when not messed around too much.
Sorry that the attitudes on this site contributed to turning you off from owning a decent car.
But I can understand. There are some people here with a rather narrow outlook on the world...
TS – Over the last ten years or so at our hotel for Le Mans (alencon actually) there has been a guy who owned the Supra that featured in many of the performance car magazines in the early mid nineties. Anyway the brute in question generated about 1000bhp and cost him not far short of £100k to assemble but was remarkably short of unnecessary addenda that so many seem to suffer from.
The owner is indeed a true aficionado of all things automotive and now owns a Tuscan (enough said) but what struck me then as indeed as it does now as whether in standard form or producing stratospheric amounts of power the old Supra is indeed a worthy old steer and own a UK spec one in good and clean shape would be well worth owning.
The upside of Pistonheads is of course after the Miura thread (now alive again) I have set about acquiring an Espada facilitated by the loss of the CHAV-BARU, hey ho!
The owner is indeed a true aficionado of all things automotive and now owns a Tuscan (enough said) but what struck me then as indeed as it does now as whether in standard form or producing stratospheric amounts of power the old Supra is indeed a worthy old steer and own a UK spec one in good and clean shape would be well worth owning.
The upside of Pistonheads is of course after the Miura thread (now alive again) I have set about acquiring an Espada facilitated by the loss of the CHAV-BARU, hey ho!
I wouldn't say I'm much prejudiced against Japanese cars. Well, TBH most of the saloons and non-sporting hatches they make are a safe alternative to a coma, but the sporting machinery, technology-wise and in terms of driver involvement pees all over Germany's. My personal Japanese favourites are the Toyota MR2 and Honda CRX.
My main reservation, however, is the styling, or rather lack of it. I refuse to accept a Toyota Supra as anything other than overdone. Anyone who think it's well proportioned and pretty needs an eye test. This is one of the reasons why I like MR2s rebodied like Ferrari F355s - they look better.
Also - and this may just be me and my monumental pickiness - but they all seem to have horrible grey plastic dashboards. If I'm going to spend upwards of £10k on a car I'd like a bit of leather and some design flair in what I have to sit behind.
However, recent Japanese cars including the Mazda RX-8, Nissan 350Z and the latest (non-imported) version of the Skyline go against all my reservations.
My main reservation, however, is the styling, or rather lack of it. I refuse to accept a Toyota Supra as anything other than overdone. Anyone who think it's well proportioned and pretty needs an eye test. This is one of the reasons why I like MR2s rebodied like Ferrari F355s - they look better.
Also - and this may just be me and my monumental pickiness - but they all seem to have horrible grey plastic dashboards. If I'm going to spend upwards of £10k on a car I'd like a bit of leather and some design flair in what I have to sit behind.
However, recent Japanese cars including the Mazda RX-8, Nissan 350Z and the latest (non-imported) version of the Skyline go against all my reservations.
v8thunder said:And a rebodied MR2 that looks nothing like an F355 is well propertioned and pretty? I know my black MR2 with only the front smoothed (and smaller number plate in the mouth) and 17" 5 spoke split rims looked a million times better than any tacky Ferrari bodykit I've seen.
Anyone who think it's well proportioned and pretty needs an eye test. This is one of the reasons why I like MR2s rebodied like Ferrari F355s - they look better.
Gazboy said:
This is one of the reasons why I like MR2s rebodied like Ferrari F355s - they look better.
Opinions, beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that, but you are talking cobblers.
Seconded You reckon a Supra is disproportionate, yet a 355 kitted MR2 is an improvement?!
lanciachris said:
Ive seen plenty of rusty 5th gen celicas and ftos, gtos etc. And i never said lancias dont rust
And you know, i might even step to renaults defence. current shed = renault 5 1.1 - £300, 45mpg, 10k miles so far in 6 months with no problems, and it already had 100k on it!
Rusty Celicas in its latest incarnation? Nope, sorry i dont believe ya!
Have you any photos?
I suspect that if you have seen any rusty ones that its because of didgy repairs, they certainly DONT rust if undamaged.
Like i said, they have an 8 year anti corrosion warranty.
ApexClipper said:
Gazboy said:
v8thunder said:
This is one of the reasons why I like MR2s rebodied like Ferrari F355s - they look better.
Opinions, beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that, but you are talking cobblers.
You reckon a Supra is disproportionate, yet a 355 kitted MR2 is an improvement?!
Like I said, it's just my opinion so I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but IMO alongside Pininfarinas design, even on an MR2, the MR2 MK2's styling just looks (to me) a little bland considering the great car underneath. They also hold their value better. I say again, disagree with me all you like, accuse be of talking complete and utter bollocks, fill my inbox with spam, I don't care, that's just what I think
As for the Supra - the rear light clusters are too long in proportion to the rear panel, the wing looks stupid (but would on any car), the front light units look too big and mirrored, especially above the froggy mouth of an air intake, the bonnet intake looks stuck-on and other than all these messy little features, it's a rather bland shape.
Having said all that I lay EXACTLY the same criticisms at the Ferrari 550/575M Maranello!
Edited to say: Yeah, I know Gaz, I still think the yellow one at the top looks better (and I'm not a fan of rear wings on anything)
>> Edited by v8thunder on Monday 6th September 20:33
v8thunder said:
...the front light units look too big and mirrored, especially above the froggy mouth of an air intake...
I agree with you on that.
I thing Supras are bloody ugly, froggy looking things. Kitting them seems to add meat to the front end which otherwise looks rather overwhelmed by those massive lights.
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