Category Archives: Question of the Week
QotW: What’s the greenest car you’ve ever owned?
Happy Earth Day! We at JNC don’t see a love for cars as being in conflict with care for the planet. We’re all about preservation, whether it’s classic cars or mountain gorillas or clean rivers. We love our Land Cruisers … Continue reading
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QotW: Which carmaker takes the best care of its heritage?
The recent revelation that the Toyota USA Museum was crushing two of its cars was gut-wrenching for enthusiasts. Every carmaker struggles with the conflicting forces of keeping their heritage alive and having to juggle constraints of cost or space or … Continue reading
QotW: What advice or stories do you have about tires?
Today, April 8, is Tire Day in Japan. The day was established by the Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association to remind people to inspect their tires, and in fact JATMA holds free tire inspections at popular expressway rest stops throughout … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the biggest joke in the automotive world?
Happy April Fools’ Day. Instead of playing a joke on you this year, we’re going to explore the jokes that this cruel world has played on all of us. It would be too easy to mock the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, … Continue reading
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QotW: What car still feels new to you even though it’s actually old?
As lovers of classic cars our perception of time can get seriously warped. That often manifests itself when we see a car like the Nissan 350Z, which because we grew up admiring the S30-Z32 generations, we think of as new … Continue reading
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QotW: Which Nissan model is the most Nissan?
This is going to be a tough one. Not only has Nissan has built a wide variety of enthusiast cars over its 90 years in business, it has created icons over and over again. From the Datsun 510 to the … Continue reading
QotW: What tool has saved you the most agony?
Today, March 11, is National Worship of Tools Day. This oddly named day is meant to be spent taking care of the instruments that make our lives possible and convenient. Maybe take some time to organize your toolbox, cleaning grease … Continue reading
QotW: How do you tell a “car enthusiast” from a car enthusiast?
Many people claim to be car enthusiasts, but are only superficially interested in things that go vroom-vroom. Sometimes what really appeals to “car enthusiasts” is the perceived status that owning a loud, flashy, expensive thing confers on them. Many go … Continue reading
QotW: What should be the last purely gasoline-powered car ever produced?
If the rumors are true, the upcoming and very limited MR2 will likely be the last Toyota powered solely by gasoline. All future models will either be a gasoline-electric hybrid, electric only, or hydrogen-powered (either fuel cell or hydrogen fuel). … Continue reading
QotW: Which Mitsubishi model is the most Mitsubishi?
We’ve previously asked which models best represent the essence of Honda, Toyota, and Subaru. Now it’s Mitsubishi’s turn. The company was once known for having an entire portfolio of turbocharged cars, and for their broad AWD lineup. They’ve also been … Continue reading
QotW: For which post-1980 JNC is zenki better than kouki?
Conventional wisdom states that newer is better but we all know that’s not true, especially when it comes to cars. There are some in which the pre-facelift (zenki) is preferred over the post-facelift (kouki). We’re limiting this question to 1980 … Continue reading
QotW: What JNC should be made into a Lego set?
Lego are insanely popular right now, but there isn’t much in the way of JNCs. They have licenses from Nissan, Toyota, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and maybe Honda, but they barely do anything with them. There’s a lot of potential in those … Continue reading
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QotW: If you could magically merge the body of one car with the hardware of another, what would you choose?
One of the coolest things about the FJ40/J70 Franken-Cruiser from the Tokyo Auto Salon was how it looked. It was indistinguishable from a classic FJ40 to all but the most dedicated Land Cruiser enthusiasts. Yet it rode on a modern … Continue reading
QotW: What JNC is perfect for any occasion?
Life circumstances have made it so that you can have only one car that needs to do it all. It has to take you to work every day, look dignified enough as to not embarrass your boss/date/HOA, and be fun … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your best/worst police encounter story?
For the average law-abiding citizen the most likely encounter you’ve had with police involves a car. Today, January 15th, is the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, the famed department that has been the star of … Continue reading
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QotW: What’s your automotive resolution for 2024?
New year, new beginnings. 2024 is when you’re finally going to get that back burner project finished, or perhaps started, or at least cleared out so that it’s no longer surrounded by cardboard boxes. We believe in you. Commit your … Continue reading
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QotW: What 1999 car would you import from Japan?
A new year means a new crop of cars are eligible for import. This year cars built in 1999 will be legal to bring ashore under America’s 25-year-rule. The Godzilla in the room is of course the R34 Nissan Skyline … Continue reading
QotW: What do you want from Japanese Santa Claus this year?
Do you think Japanese Santa Claus is a rosy-cheeked, jolly old man with a fluffy white beard? No, he’s a chain-smoking mechanic in red one-piece coveralls with blackened fingernails and a perm. If you ask him the price of anything … Continue reading
QotW: What car would you show an alien to help them appreciate cars?
Today is ET Day in Japan, commemorating the day in 1982 when the movie E.T. The Extraterrestrial was released there. Using that as a jumping off point, let’s say you encounter a curious and benign life form that has traveled … Continue reading
