Japanese Nostalgic Car

Today, March 3, is National “Simplify Your Life” Day. As fans of old cars we tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. It starts with the actual car(s). Then comes the spare parts, aftermarket parts, tools, entire donor cars, diecast cars, RC cars, scale model kits, books, magazines, posters, brochures and scraps of metal and wood that you “might need” someday. It’s pretty easy to get overwhelmed, but how do you get back to just being average-whelmed?

What’s a car-related thing that you should really get rid of?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Which JNC is a must-have for a car museum?“. Continue reading →

A friend recently called to ask for car buying advice. He commutes 60 miles each way to work and the fuel bill’s adding up. He is a car guy and owns a stable of fun cars, but they’re all either too precious or too thirsty to daily. He fills up twice a week on premium right now. He’s considering a 2012 RAV4 EV for around $5,000, thinking he’d make the cost back in fueI savings in about a year. He only has access to an EV charger at his workplace, not at home. I had suggested a kei car, but his commute has no traffic and he was worried about sustaining 75 mph in one. Also, the roads aren’t great so a low car isn’t ideal.

How can we save my friend from buying a 12-year-old EV?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What LHD car would you drive in Japan?“. Continue reading →

It’s much easier to import a USDM car to Japan than it is to import a JDM car to the US, especially if you live in California. In Japan, you do have to prove its smogworthiness, but different emissions equipment isn’t an automatic fail. And major cities actually have LHD toll booths. Many marques, like Chevrolet, sell LHD cars directly from the dealership. Imagine going into an American Nissan showroom and being able to drive out in a RHD Skyline GT-R.

But contrary to popular belief, there are USDM cars that were “better” than their Japanese versions. Our S12 200SX/Silvia, for example, came with a V6 while Japan only got four-cylinders. Today, February 10, is Left Handed Day in Japan, a play on the word le (0) fu (2) to (10) in Japanese, and established by the Japan Southpaw Association.

What LHD car would you drive in Japan?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What kid-friendly commuter is still fun to drive?“. Continue reading →