What is the obsession with Jap cars?
Discussion
Its because they have that much more time on their hands as they generally don't go wrong. Unlike the Brit based cars where you end up dicussing distributor gappage & wiring loom repairs or how nice the AA men are etc 
I must admit I like my Jap cars but avoid the anal stuff like the plague, each to his own but the mention of dashboard plastics or velour interiors soons downs them
I must admit I like my Jap cars but avoid the anal stuff like the plague, each to his own but the mention of dashboard plastics or velour interiors soons downs them
fidgits said:
come try my lexus then
Could someone advise our Far Eastern friends that "luxury" doesn't mean 3 million sodding buttons everywhere..!?!?
could someone advise podie to try sitting in a car before trying to make a witty comment about it
Kensington wheelie bin plastic , as stated in my earlier post.
>> Edited by DennisTheMenace on Tuesday 9th May 10:37
fidgits said:
come try my lexus then
Could someone advise our Far Eastern friends that "luxury" doesn't mean 3 million sodding buttons everywhere..!?!?
could someone advise podie to try sitting in a car before trying to make a witty comment about it
could someone advise fidgits to try finding a sense of humour
i grew up with budget cars in the late 80s - rover 200s, nissan bluebirds, micras - if you wanted a reliable car you were almost going to buy japanese (not everyone could afford a Golf GTi in the 80s) - but yeah they weren't exciting cars to drive and no one ever bought a bluebird because they liked the interior. things have changed now and Jap sports cars are very desirable. i'd consider an NSX over a Porsche or a 350Z over an Audi TT - something that probably wouldn't have happened 20 years ago (if i had some loose change then). it works the other way of course, "boring but reliable" ... "it's got not soul" ... "it's driven by oldies" was a common criticism from friends when i bought my civic type-R - none of whom had even driven one?!
for the Playstation generation (<25s?) and new drivers it's probably alot to do with the marketing.
i really can't understand why anyone would want to spend £10k doing up an old Honda Civic, but that's what kids are into nowadays. i bought my type-R because it was the best new drivers' car for the money at the time - it's not the best hatch now. but it's got a bit of a following now in the same way the Golf GTi used to. which is why i'll always get some tw*t trying to race me at traffic lights in Guildford when i'm coming back from Tescos.
proper P'heads will appreciate any brand of car. i'm happy with any car that will bring a smile to my face.
I've just bought a 53 plate Impreza WRX and I have to say its great fun to drive and its practical enough to drive everyday (its also reliable enough as well). Having said that I'm avidly saving up to buy a lotus elise S2 as a weekend/summer toy.
Some Japanese cars are a hell of lot of car for the money, but I admit the interior trim might not be up to much. Then again it'll be a cold day in hell before I base my decision on whether to buy a car on the interior. I'm a petrol head... I don't really care about the type of plastic used on the dash or whether it has the latest sat nav or faux wood glued to it, I'm more concerned about power and handling, on both these counts japanese cards offer a lot for the price tag. The only issues I do have is the whole fast and furious types who are more concerned about how large a rims they can fit on their cars or how big a recaro seat they can squeeze in....
Some Japanese cars are a hell of lot of car for the money, but I admit the interior trim might not be up to much. Then again it'll be a cold day in hell before I base my decision on whether to buy a car on the interior. I'm a petrol head... I don't really care about the type of plastic used on the dash or whether it has the latest sat nav or faux wood glued to it, I'm more concerned about power and handling, on both these counts japanese cards offer a lot for the price tag. The only issues I do have is the whole fast and furious types who are more concerned about how large a rims they can fit on their cars or how big a recaro seat they can squeeze in....
Podie said:
come try my lexus then
Could someone advise our Far Eastern friends that "luxury" doesn't mean 3 million sodding buttons everywhere..!?!?
could someone advise podie to try sitting in a car before trying to make a witty comment about it
could someone advise fidgits to try finding a sense of humour
sorry...
i'm thinking of buying a German car, so i've been practising not having one
Depends what you call passion etc.
If it means that through the car breaking down so much you have an affiniti with it, then no they have no passion
Seriously though, if you are pro jap then you can see through the crappy interior because to be honest that gives you no performance enhancement
However, these people who say the interior is bad, plastic wheelie bin etc, then I would be interested to see what you drive, although bland I can't really see any other cars being much better, also what is the point of adding an extra 100kg of 'nice' interior to a car.
Anyone who does know jap cars, then I prefer the interior of the Integra DC5 to the interior of the DC2, however overall I prefer the older car, the interior is low on the relevance list for my car buying checklist, then again I drive an NSX which has a really bad interior compared to err, hang on compared to what
If it means that through the car breaking down so much you have an affiniti with it, then no they have no passion
Seriously though, if you are pro jap then you can see through the crappy interior because to be honest that gives you no performance enhancement
However, these people who say the interior is bad, plastic wheelie bin etc, then I would be interested to see what you drive, although bland I can't really see any other cars being much better, also what is the point of adding an extra 100kg of 'nice' interior to a car.
Anyone who does know jap cars, then I prefer the interior of the Integra DC5 to the interior of the DC2, however overall I prefer the older car, the interior is low on the relevance list for my car buying checklist, then again I drive an NSX which has a really bad interior compared to err, hang on compared to what
Back to r5gttgaz original post before we get into a 20+ page thread slating jap plastics.
I think Pistonheads defo has a more level headed, mature membership (equal in passion about there cars though) in comparison with the local forums you may have experienced which probably consists of a younger generation on their first cars which are Jap cars affordable for power v cost v reliability thus the blinkered view that they are the only cars that exist, did it myself when i was 18, best car in the world was my mk11 escort with big bore exhaust !!!! nothing else came close.
As for Jap cars i have owned the following in the last 4 years.
Lexus IS 200 Sport (nice sound from 6 pot, bit under powered but great build quality)
Saab 93 Aero (fast mid range, handled great, interior plastics quite poor)
Mercedes C220 CDI sport (great build quality, great mpg, great mway car)
TVR Chim 4.0 (V8 sound, weekend car for me, divorce forced sale)
Nissan 350z (sound, power, reliability, day to day live with, decent plastics too)
Dont knock em till you have tried em.
I bought TVR despite everybody going about reliability - loved it, never let me down.
Ive currently got a 350z - and its alot of car for the money.
I think Pistonheads defo has a more level headed, mature membership (equal in passion about there cars though) in comparison with the local forums you may have experienced which probably consists of a younger generation on their first cars which are Jap cars affordable for power v cost v reliability thus the blinkered view that they are the only cars that exist, did it myself when i was 18, best car in the world was my mk11 escort with big bore exhaust !!!! nothing else came close.
As for Jap cars i have owned the following in the last 4 years.
Lexus IS 200 Sport (nice sound from 6 pot, bit under powered but great build quality)
Saab 93 Aero (fast mid range, handled great, interior plastics quite poor)
Mercedes C220 CDI sport (great build quality, great mpg, great mway car)
TVR Chim 4.0 (V8 sound, weekend car for me, divorce forced sale)
Nissan 350z (sound, power, reliability, day to day live with, decent plastics too)
Dont knock em till you have tried em.
I bought TVR despite everybody going about reliability - loved it, never let me down.
Ive currently got a 350z - and its alot of car for the money.
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