I have to agree with Toyotageek. Perfect case in point. BMWs and Porsches do not have a stigmatism attached to them like Japanese cars do. (well, they might have a douche-bag stigmatism attached to them, but I digress) I think it is moreso the fact that when we started getting Japanese cars over here, there was some sort of perception that they were cheap. Imagine today if Walmart started selling a "cheap" Chinese made car. How many of you would right it off with all the other cheap Chinese junk that Walmart peddles? It's just a perception thing from the older generation. I think it stems from an attitude about "MADE IN JAPAN" that started back in the 70s. Nowadays, the attitude persists, but it's different now, it's "MADE IN CHINA" that we as Americans have an opinion about. I think in general, most folks today recognize Japanese superiority when it comes to Japan made products. I know I do, and I am not just talking about cars.

Furthermore, the German car thing is a good example of genre based bias. I go to Hot August Nights here in Reno every year. Its a big classic car show, and you might, if you are lucky, see an old 356b or something. 99.99% of the cars are American muscle. BMWs and Porsches and what not tend to fall into their own genre, like European luxury or supercar or whatever. The same goes for J-tin. That 62 year old man with the '69 Camaro just isn't into old Japanese stuff, and he probably could care less about a 1975 911 at the same time. Obviously, I am making broad strokes, but you get the idea.

Bart

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The events leading up to WW2(Manchuria, and Chinese invasions) and the war itself, along with the post war manufacturing of Japan has lead to an unfair prejudice on Japanese cars. The post-war period of shoddy manufacturing (made in Japan was equal to really cheap ass shit in the 50s and 60s) is what differentiates itself from the reaction towards Germany.

Being a baby boomer, and having had my share of muscle/pony cars, what I usually find distasteful @ shows are the beat to shit looking (drifter specials, unfinished body work, YOUR desire to be different) type cars that don't show any effort @ revitalization.

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Not disagreeing with those who disagreed (eh?), but back in the day, Volkswagen had a HUGE social stigma to overcome. Reading some magazines from back in the day shows how some writers really did not like the idea of cars being imported from Germany.

Kuroneko: You obviously lived in Sydney yeah? Possibly the Shire?

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I have to say that although I don't agree with the reason for people's hatred for Japanese cars, I can see why. I used to get bothered by it, until I made a friend who has a shop near my work, who has been building 1940's era cars since the 1940's. He is a great guy, who has a great skill, and builds amazing cars. I told him one time that I would bring my Skyline over and show it to him, and he let me know that I should call him before I come, to make sure he is in a good mood, or else the windows may get shot out when I pull in the parking lot. I then noticed a sticker on the window of his 1940 mercury that said "remember Pearl Harbor". Now my opinion, being a bit of a history buff my self, is that every country will do things during war to cause the other countries to dislike them, that is war. That being said, I don't personally believe that has anything to do with Japanese cars, but I did not grow up in the time that they did. I am sure you could find a WWII vet in Japan who would never own an American car. I am a car guy, who loves all types of cars. I would love to build a classic German car, and a classic American car, to go with all of the Japanese cars I have or will have. Some people will try to be offensive about it, although I don't think the majority of the "old guys" dislike them, or mean to offend by it. We just have to understand what they went through.

you may be unaware the dominant ancestry of the usa is german
that could affect things just a wee bit

(also brings up questions about wwii)

Agree with toyotageek. As an example, German soldiers exterminated millions of innocent civilians during WWII. War crimes are committed by all sides - that's what war is. Interestingly (and perhaps irrelevant), only the losing side is held accountable.

This is not intended as the start of a political debate, but IMHO it illustrates that there does not appear to be a correlation between war atrocities and consumer sentiment, 60 years on, IMHO.

Well . . . 15%. Meaning that 85% would be non-Germanic. 10% are of Irish heritage, which did not appear to help when the Delorean was introduced, LOL.

Since I'm on to statistics - some polls show that 60% of those 15% would be unable to locate Germany on a map. This should come as a surprise to no one, seeing that another poll showed that only 63% of Americans can find the United States on a map OF the United States. The most shocking element to all of this is the surprising number of Americans who have discovered flaws in Apple Maps for iOS6 - who would have thought they were so attentive, LOL!

Scoresby. Don't ask... Neko.

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