Japanese Nostalgic Car

These days if you look at a Japanese car company’s US lineup and the hometown Japanese lineup, there isn’t much overlap. Almost all the US models have been engineered for the US market, built in the US, and sold here with no counterpart in the motherland. The myth of Japan always getting the best version isn’t true either. During the Gentleman’s Agreement Era, for instance, our versions of Japan’s top sports cars were all rated (on paper at least) with higher horsepower numbers than their domestic counterparts. But answers for this week’s question don’t necessarily have to fall into these categories. Some cars, like an S130 or 4Runner, just feel more American. All is fair game for this week’s Independence Day-themed QotW:

What’s the most “American” JNC?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What JNC is not being preserved, but should be?“. Continue reading →

Today is 626 Day, an occasion to commemorate a car that’s been largely forgotten though they were once everywhere. The Mazda sedan didn’t sell as well as rivals from Toyota and Honda, but it’s an interesting car nonetheless. It served as the bread-and-butter staple of the Mazda lineup for years, spawned sports versions like the MX-6, and even predates the Camry. First-generation models were rear-wheel-drive as well.

But as far as we know, Mazda does not own a 626 in either at its Hiroshima museum or its US headquarters. The European museum has a later front-drive 626, but we’re not sure if a rear-drive model exists. It’s not really the kind of car one would seek out and restore, either, unless you were some kind of Mazdafarian nut and already had all the rotary cars you could warehouse. History is littered with cars like this.

What JNC is not being preserved, but should be?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Do friends and family actually take your car advice?”. Continue reading →

Like it or not, as car enthusiasts we often serve as the go-to people among our normie friends and family for advice on cars. Some people do follow our recommendations, but others, after picking our brains for hours and asking zillions of questions, end up overpaying at the mechanic or buying a car no person in their right mind would pick.

Do friends and family actually take your advice?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How would you spend $10,000 on a car in the year you were born?“. Continue reading →