Why Kids Buy Japanese

[cal67ss396]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

your right wrong event...sorry I got the winner of PGD confused with dragweek.

So we can let the dust settle. I will concede that I do no know much about import motors and the capabilities that the stock, oem, production blocks and parts can handle...and yes you can do a helluva lot more for less with them. Trust me I know. My motor is not near as wild as some and I have alot of money wrapped up in it. So I guess that makes me a knuckle dragger that likes his V8's. And your right nobody is going to build a one off motor just for dragweek, it just not fiscally rational for starters and second if you got that kind of money your gonna run top fuel and probably still do it cheaper than building a custom motor.

[bnjny]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

This all went off on a tangent... The topic is why kids buy Japenese cars. Which is funny , as there some adults that buy them too... LMAO... Anyway... Talking about how it's a fad or that brand C makes more power than brand X is a very small part of the puzzle. Bottom line is access, affordablity and acceptance by your peers... There will be exceptions to what I am saying, no doubt about it.

Untill the shrinking 3 come up with something that provides comfort, respectable performance and well rounded performance at a price a young guy can afford. Wrapped in sheetmetal he/she will not be embarrased by... They will keep on loosing market share...

[squirrel]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

You speak as though kids all go out and buy new cars. I guess you live in a different neighborhood than I do.

[bnjny]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

You speak as though kids all go out and buy new cars. I guess you live in a different neighborhood than I do.

Actually, I do live in a different neighborhood. Thanks to the man upstairs. ;D


In this neighborhood, mommy and daddy don't buy their kids a car... Or help them build cars...

It doesn't have to be a new car... What else is affordable, gets good mileage, is reliable, is not a truck and is accepted by their peers? Not much with an American nameplate.


This is the inherent problem with the car culture. We are not open minded enough to accept anothers expression of how they see cars... I did not say like, I said accept.

[JWX]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

You speak as though kids all go out and buy new cars. I guess you live in a different neighborhood than I do.

Thats my thing. Not too many of my friends have new cars, and some say they won't because of how much value is lost as soon as you drive it off the lot. Also, Most people who bought Jap cars took care of them so they are in better condition than most Cavaliers I have seen(which I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole). Most domestics(compacts) are owned by people who either don't have the money to maintain or just don't maintain them. Thats my take on it anyways.

[JWX]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

This is the inherent problem with the car culture. We are not open minded enough to accept anothers expression of how they see cars... I did not say like, I said accept.

Thats my problem with thus thread. I consider myself a "car guy" I'm mostly into Subarus though, but I would LOVE to pick up an old something with a flathead in it, or a Nova SS, or...ok the list goes on. My point is, being close minded about other things is not a good way to be.

That said, I still hate Honda's :P

[min301]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

;DLOL

I'm sorry, but that is funny.
In all honesty, when it comes to high performance stuff,
I stick to the best, the american v8.

Stop and go every day, I'd likely buy a jap car, if I had money.

[RyanWalker]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

Deiselgeek, guys have tried all kinds of configurations of nitro motors. More than you or I can think of. My uncle raced top fuel cars from the early 70's to the early 90's and you would be pretty surprised what some the seriously oddball configurations he has told me about. People ( with big money ) have tried it all. The V8 Roots blown V8 lives the others don't ( I know its part of the rules to run what they run but they still have tried it ). Also I threw my comment in there when we were talking about the Integra funny car. Not Drag Week pseudo stock whatever cars. Anyways...........why kids buy Japanese? They have limited choice like it or not. For driving around town problem free, it's the way to go. Plus when have guys like deiselgeek to build motors for you, you can have car that does it all ( mpg, power, bulletproof reliability). Why not? I LIKE CARS........... all kinds I really don't care where they come from.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

I just stay awake all night - worrying about the trade imbalance
will chrysler [and my job ] survive another day ?

[CTX-SLPR]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

Kids buy what's on the market, its flooded with second hand Japanese vehicles. Some how I liken it to an AK-47 vs a M-16. The M-16 has a longer range, faster rate of fire, more accurate, and weighs less while still holding more ammo. However an M-16 is made with individually matched parts, made out of plastic, and is machined to tight tollerances that require constant maintenance and cleaning. An AK-47 is rather crudely made, made out of heavy steel and wood, and almost always comes with nothing more than iron sites but is almost universally interchangable, can live an entire lifetime without dissassembly and cleaning, and 1 round puts a bigger hit on you if and when you do get hit.
Amazingly the land of perfection (Japan) is turning out cars that get by with only the most minimal of maintenance by thier owners while the US, the land of 85% solutions make machines that require constant attention. Most American and Korean cars that are cheap... feel that way and really do last like they are cheap. Maybe its because we put new power lock switch designs on cars every 3yrs, fiddle with the power window mechanisms mid year, and completely redo everything but the block and transmission every styling refresh while the Japanese use the same power window switches since the mid 80's.
I drive 2nd hand American cars and let me tell you this. I buy them because they are more than an engineering exercise towards a corprately profitable transportation mechanism. They have quirky options that make you think, that's cool and throughful, they have that American culturally desired ompf off the stoplight, and they feel like someone has take atleast an artistic pass at the engineers and accountants design. I know lots of people with Japanese cars and they like them but when you ask them why its stuff like, so easy to keep going, it gets great mileage, I like how well its holding up. Its all practical stuff with no passion for the car and as no surprise none of them are car people. There are the stereotypical ricers out there with the "improves my downforce" spoiler on thier FWD car that think they are the bomb and then there are the ones that know what they are doing. Same can be said for the "should put a 350 SBC in it, it'll be much faster" to someone with a 500hp 455 or a 650hp Buick Turbo6 vs the dudes that appreciate cars like Brian Rock's GTO with its Poncho power despite thier own 72 Nova with a 468 BBC.

We can't change what's on the market but we can change the publics idea of what the new stuff is capable of in terms of MPG, HP on stock internals, handling, and especially reliability so that in the future the "dumb choice" for a cheap second hand car isn't always a Civic or a Camry but also a Cobalt, Fusion, Focus, or Neon.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

the reason why US bottom feeder cars are not up to snuff ? can't make money on them
isn't the focus the same car as the mazda 3 ?
all perception and marketing . cars break . I noticed verizon cell phones took a page out of toyota's book and repeat the word RELIABILITY over and over again .

[bnjny]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

the reason why US bottom feeder cars are not up to snuff ? can't make money on them
isn't the focus the same car as the mazda 3 ?
all perception and marketing . cars break . I noticed verizon cell phones took a page out of toyota's book and repeat the word RELIABILITY over and over again .

Big differnce is the Mazda 3 comes with more performance out of the box and the Mazdaspeed 3 is one little fast wagon... The SVT Focus was good, but nowhere near the Mazdaspeed 3 in sheer performance. My buddy has a duratec in his Lotus 7 wannabe... Good engine, good car but as proven by your point can be better.

Good example Spidey! ;D

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

but doesn't the mini have those little guys covered ?
I thought we used the example that import customers don't really care about performance
the duratec somebody gave me in a 98 contour is a p i g pig

[bnjny]

Re: Why Kids Buy Japanese

Beagle: A GTO is rated for similar mileage but from what I have seen does not really come close... Besides city mixed use is where the other cars would get better gas mileage... I average between 24-27 with mixed use and a autocroos or two thrown in the mix...

The GTO lost out when I was looking for a new dd (late 2003) as it did not have enough room... The WRX wagon has awd, decent performance (not the same as the goat in a straight line), and none of the issues of the clunky suspension... Not to mention that it was less money out the door...

A Evo will run circles around a Goat on any real road that does not just go straight. Not to mention that they really are in a differnt price bracket.. Gto 30's. EVo mid 30's to 40k.

The GTO pays homage to homoglation cars... The WRX and EVO are homoglation cars... Though not here, but in other coutries where like with most makes, there are better versions then what we get...

Now the new G8... That has caught my eye... With more trunk space, good power and mileage with cylinder deactivation, not to mention a better interior, ride and handling (drove both). It is a serious contender for dd...


Spidey: Contours are pigs... The Ztec (same no?) 4 cyl. engines seem to run very well and can take a little boost out of the box... Which will be a moot point with the new 5cyl turbo Focus RS... Which we will probably not get here in the US... Instead we get a lame Focus Coupe that looks like something a guy who loves polyester aws sleep where would buy.

The Ecotec products are great, too bad the cars they are in suck... The Cobalt is decent, but looks and feels like crap...


I personally am not a fan of Honda products... But if GM saw fit to replace their V6 in the Saturn Vue with the Honda V6... I really don't like the new Civic Si...