What does Japan think?

jtkz13 said:
Just a note, my Acura is 75% American, and was assembled in Ohio. :)

I always thought it would be kinda cool to roll around Tokyo or Italy in a loud ass 500hp Mustang and frighten everybody. Thats probably not something they see very often, but here it's very common.

Actually having a 460hp blown cobra, with long tube headers, in italy is a bit of a trip. On the highway it is great to have power whenever you need it and in town it is really amusing how many people literly stop what they are doing and watch you drive by in your car.

Best thing a bout a loud mustang here in italy is that people will get out of your way because you are so loud, that and the fact that speed limits dont seem to exist here (120 mph is not considered a dangerous race speed here, its considered the speed that all Mercedes owners do to get to work). Worse thing is $5.89 dollars a gallon for gas after exchange rate. Needless to say that no matter how much I love my mustang it is not my everyday car with those fuel prices.
 
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I think the titan and armada are disgusting. The 350z is really the only Nissan I can stand to look at. I dont know where they get the body lines from. Its like someone made it smooth in photoshop and just extruded the corners to strange points. Stare at it long enoug and you actually start o laugh.
 
85GTKid said:
Most of the ones I have met and lived with are very nice people. Maybe it’s a generation gap?

That is possible, and I hope you're right. I'm only 24 by the way... The Japanese I work with are in their 40s at the minumum...

To point something out... Their cars are very small displacement because they're taxed based on engine size. The 600cc (0.6L) vans are a popular choice for a reason...

There really aren't many performance cars there... except in Tokyo, and that's like any other big city. I don't know why so many people have the impression that everyone drives Supras, EVOs, GTRs, STi's and Type R Hondas in Japan. It's a big misconception...
 
Ok, so they do sell V8's there, I was wrong. That's cool. Anyways, to falchulk, you've NEVER seen a good looking civic? try www.honda-tech.com These kids aren't ricers. No HUGE wings, or altezzas, just clean cars. You guys familiar with the term JDM? There are companies out there that can make a damn quick Honda that can handle too. Like I said before, I LOVE MUSTANGS, I OWN A 5.0, I'm not against the stangs in anyway, I understand the lineage and the heritage, and the beauty of a v8 with torque, and rear wheel drive. Trust me. But since I am a fan of cars, how can I deny some of these awesome Japanese cars? The WRX STI, come one, who could honestly not respect that car? Would I rather have a 2003 Cobra? Of course, but I'd take a WRX STI anyday...
 
I absolutely LOVE the ST-i, just delete the wing, and she is PRIMO!

I also LOVE DSM's(1st Generation only)... I dont know the attraction, but something about DOHC + TURBO and AWD makes me tingle... as well as 14seconds DEAD STOCK.

We are talking about technology that is 13years old alread kicking ass everyday!
 
I have nothing against Japanese cars. I am a fan of all autos to some degree. To me the civic is trash. Everyone thinks kids buy them becasue they are cheap. The initial buy might be cheap but the mods they do to them are big money. Kids get sucked into spending 10k + on a used car they paid $6500 for. Then they have an accident and the insurance company pays them $4500! Even ignoreing that, most Japanese styling sucks. There are a few cars that break this rule but they are mostly take their styling ques from westren brands. Thats fine that they make cars styled to their country. Just dont tell me that I have to think its beautiful in mine. I think more people will wake up and realize this if the US companies continue this styling revitialization.
 
They like small engines with big turbos.
They like very round looking cars--feminine. So feminine, it makes me want to puke.
They like cramped interior, which I hate. '04 Mustangs have an interior that is just too cramped for me.
They like short and hard (uncomfortable) plastic seats. '04 Mustangs have very short seats. I'm a 6 foot guy, not a 4 foot .... Couldn't stand sitting on those seats for more than half a minute at the dealer.

US is a big country, requiring cars made for it!
 
realtripp said:
Yeah its nice if the cars are built here and it creates American jobs, but it still pisses me off that our money is going in the end to a japanese company when all of our crap over here is dying.

Can somebody in America explain to me where the logic is in this? I've seen this opinion expressed in domestic-car forums for years now and I still don't get it.

If a company just takes your money and moves it offshore without any capital investment, I can see why you might be resentful (although I still think it's narrowminded). But if that company turns its profits which it makes from your country into real investment and jobs in your country, who gives a crap where the profits go at the end of the day? Would you feel better if some exec in Detroit gets million dollar bonuses so he can winter in Fort Lauderdale, rather than some Japanese exec getting trillion-yen bonuses to blow on hospitality girls on the Ginza?
 
Mr Black said:
Would you feel better if some exec in Detroit gets million dollar bonuses so he can winter in Fort Lauderdale, rather than some Japanese exec getting trillion-yen bonuses to blow on hospitality girls on the Ginza?

Absolutely YES.

You just hit on the heart of the matter, even though you didn't realize it.

If a Japanese exec. back in Japan gets a trillion Yen bonus, he will spent or invest most of it in Japan, creating trickle down jobs and wealth back in Japan.

If an American exec. gets a $1m bonus, he will invest or spend it in the US, creating trickle down jobs, construction & materials for the house in Ft. Lauderdale.
 
I think maybe I picked a bad example. :shrug:

Whatever, I think the idea that keeping profits in your home country automatically benefits your country is a bit overblown, and moreover I have a problem with that kind of nationalist bias. That goes for overly zealous Americans, Japanese, French, whomever. The world becomes a smaller place if we resent other countries' products because we always fear they're getting "one up" on us. Just my semi-humble opinion.
 
I was in Japan for the 2003 Tokyo Auto Salon. Absolutely incredible! Every car show I've gone to since just pales in comparison. It's a lot like SEMA with a strong emphasis on the manufacturers supporting the aftermarket companies. In 10 days I saw more GT-R's, Supra's, EVO's STI's and NSX's than I could shake a stick at. Went for a spin in an '89 GT-R with light mods and it was life changing. Mostly though, you see small engine diesel powered cars as fuel is EXTREMELY expensive. Everyone thinks we have it bad in the US. When I was there, the locals told me it was a very good deal at about $.90 a liter! Right about $4 a gallon! Usually only the very wealthy will own these types of cars. You'll all find it funny that I saw a lot of "Riced" out imports over there. Lots of V6 'Stangs and Camaro's with huge body kits and almost scraping the ground. Hilarious! Most of the people I talked to were very excited about the 2005 Mustang but were not expecting to get the V8 as they would be very expensive to fuel. Parking is not spacious over there either and to go anywhere, it's best to take a bus or train. Don't be so close minded to think the Japanese don't enjoy our culture. They are very educated and are taught English in the schools. I think it's like in the US, you are what you're taught growing up. I highly recommend all of you visiting Tokyo and the rest of Japan. Gorgeous place and the people are great! I'm planning on heading back in 2005 to nail down a deal on an R-32 Skyline GT-R to bring back to keep my '86 Hatch company.
 
Mr Black said:
I think maybe I picked a bad example. :shrug:

Whatever, I think the idea that keeping profits in your home country automatically benefits your country is a bit overblown, and moreover I have a problem with that kind of nationalist bias. That goes for overly zealous Americans, Japanese, French, whomever. The world becomes a smaller place if we resent other countries' products because we always fear they're getting "one up" on us. Just my semi-humble opinion.
Well the problem with what you said is that the japanese ARE nationalist and biased. And as someone responded to you earlier, i'd rather have my money go to an american CEO tan a japanese counterpart. I wonder how WWII veterans feel about us buyin japanese over an american car.
so why should we not be "overly zealous Americans" when the japanese pose ridiculous taxations on Our exports to them :mad:



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ugghhh. When it comes down to American vs Japaneese racing...is it really any competition. If you take any of those classic muscle cars turned into hot rods pushing 500-600HP, they will eat any Japaneese car for breakfast. That race at the end of Fast and Furious 2 was retarded, that hot rod would have smoked the little 4 banger it wwas up against with or without the nitrous.