Tag Archives: QotW

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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QotW: What Subaru model is the most Subaru?

Happy Boxing Day from JNC! Speaking of boxers, Subaru is the most prolific builder of horizontally opposed engines in the automotive kingdom. But if you had to distill the Subaru essence into one model from any time in the company’s … Continue reading

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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

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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

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QotW: What series should we binge over the holidays?

In 2014 a new trilogy of Initial D movies came out. Called New Initial D Movie — Legend, It was a reboot complete with new animation style, a retelling of the earlier chapters of the beloved series. We watched the … Continue reading

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QotW: What car-related things are you thankful for?

This week is Thanksgiving (if you’re reading from the US), that time of year when we talk about the things in life that, big or small, we are grateful for. In the very futuristic sounding year of 2023, we are … Continue reading

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QotW: What technology made modern cars less interesting?

To the average consumer the formula is pretty straightforward: new = good. But JNC owners know better than that. The last couple of decades have seen an in-car technology boom, but if you’re reading this you likely long for the … Continue reading

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QotW: What works from your childhood fueled your love for cars?

Last week I visited the home of some distant in-laws who were meeting my 4-year-old for the first time. They’re grandparents already and asked my kid if he’d like to play with some toys that once belonged to their now-adult … Continue reading

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QotW: What’s your most terrifying car story?

Boo, it’s Halloween! Gather around the campfire and tell us your spookiest tales of automotive terror. Was it that time a simple repair turned into a months-long jack stand occupation? A near miss on the road? A 10mm nut disappearing … Continue reading

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QotW: What’s your favorite Japanese truck?

Today, October 9, is Truck Day in Japan. Like many such days, the occasion is a pun on the word toraku, which means “truck” in Japanese. The syllables to and raku are alternate pronunciations of 10 and 9, respectively. While … Continue reading

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QotW: Do you give your cars names and, if so, what are they?

Today, October 2, is National Name Your Car Day. According to National Day Calendar it was created by a TV personality named John Pertzborn from St. Louis in 1990. No one gives a name to their fridge or clothes dryer, … Continue reading

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QotW: What would you put in a Mitsubishi theme park?

We recently learned that Mitsubishi is opening a theme park in Japan. While not automotive-themed, we do hope that they include at least some nods to their automotive division’s long history. Why not include a Pajero jungle cruise, Lancer Evolution … Continue reading

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