Support NeoGAF

[Evo X]

So watching the 2016 Motor Trend Driver's Car of the Year Laguna Seca hot laps...

Redesigned 2017 GTR ran a 1:37.

Can anyone explain to me why a 565HP/467TQ supercar with a sophisticated AWD and DCT setup driven by a professional can't go faster around a track than an understeer tuned RWD GT4 with a wimpy 385HP/309TQ naturally aspirated motor and insanely long geared old fashioned manual?

Begs the question of how fast the GT4 could really be if Porsche didn't gimp the hell out of it.

Are these the same Ford GT's?

Ford GT Test Drivers Caught Going 101 MPH In A 50 MPH Zone: Police

Yep. lol

 

[AlphaSnake]

So watching the 2016 Motor Trend Driver's Car of the Year Laguna Seca hot laps...

Redesigned 2017 GTR ran a 1:37.

Can anyone explain to me why a 565HP/467TQ supercar with a sophisticated AWD and DCT setup driven by a professional can't go faster around a track than an understeer tuned RWD GT4 with a wimpy 385HP/309TQ naturally aspirated motor and insanely long geared old fashioned manual?

~1000lbs of difference for starters. Plus the center of gravity. The brakes on the GT-R looked pretty shit too, the car was wiggling hard outback every time the brakes were hit. And don't forget, these GT-Rs have softer suspensions now. If it was a Nismo, it'd have been quicker.

And long gearing allows for less shifting and saves a butt load of time, see Camaro SS lap which was extremely quick. Randy ran most of it in 3rd, he said. The SVRs laptime I noticed suffered because of its much shorter gearing, due to the ZF 8-speed. It was constantly shifting up and down, and there was even some lag when Randy stopped the throttle and when the car jumped into the right gear. Surprisingly, Randy said it had the best AWD of any of the cars.

Gearing makes a huge impact on a track.

 

[Evo X]

~1000lbs of difference for starters. Plus the center of gravity. The brakes on the GT-R looked pretty shit too, the car was wiggling hard outback every time the brakes were hit. And don't forget, these GT-Rs have softer suspensions now. If it was a Nismo, it'd have been quicker.

And long gearing allows for less shifting and saves a butt load of time, see Camaro SS lap which was extremely quick. Randy ran most of it in 3rd, he said. The SVRs laptime I noticed suffered because of its much shorter gearing, due to the ZF 8-speed. It was constantly shifting up and down, and there was even some lag when Randy stopped the throttle and when the car jumped into the right gear. Surprisingly, Randy said it had the best AWD of any of the cars.

Gearing makes a huge impact on a track.

Then who is the GTR made for exactly if it can't even use all of it's fun killing wizardry to set fast lap times?

For more or less similar prices, you can get an ACR Viper which will dominate everything short of a hyper car on the track, an AMG GT, 991.2 S, or SVR F-Type if you want a good looking luxurious daily driveable street rocket, or a GT4 which is a far more rewarding driving experience.

 

[Fallout-NL]

So watching the 2016 Motor Trend Driver's Car of the Year Laguna Seca hot laps...

Redesigned 2017 GTR ran a 1:37.

Can anyone explain to me why a 565HP/467TQ supercar with a sophisticated AWD and DCT setup driven by a professional can't go faster around a track than an understeer tuned RWD GT4 with a wimpy 385HP/309TQ naturally aspirated motor and insanely long geared old fashioned manual?

Begs the question of how fast the GT4 could really be if Porsche didn't gimp the hell out of it.

"Wimpy", he says.

 

[matmanx1]

"Wimpy", he says.

Yeah, it's all a matter of perspective. My MX-5 makes all of 166hp so to me, 385 is a pretty substantial number.

That being said, numbers are just that, numbers. What makes a great car is a mixture of so many different things and HP/TQ is just one of those ingredients. I can tell you without reservation that my MX-5 is more fun and I prefer it over the 330hp G37 that I owned despite it having half the HP.

To be a great track car you have to have a great gearbox with well chosen ratios, proper tires, a good power to weight ratio, strong, fade resistant brakes and controls (pedals, steering, etc.) that respond in a way that make it so that the driver can get the most out of the car on a consistent basis.

Porsche does a fantastic job of mixing all of those elements together in almost every car they make. Other car makers get it right less often and less consistently but still manage to produce some fantastic automobiles, as we are seeing lately with the Lightning Lap results from Car and Driver and the Hot Laps from MotorTrend. For a performance car enthusiast like myself (and like many of you) it's a really exciting time to be a fan.

 

[matmanx1]

Correcting some errors from an earlier post of mine. When I talked about the Lightning Lap results from Car and Driver two pages back I got a couple of things wrong. Blame my faulty memory.

1) The Corvette Gran Sport base price is 79k + and as tested was 90k. It's still a great bargain considering the performance and the company that it keeps (McLaren, Ferrari, 911 GT3) but at that price I like it considerably less than I did. At nearly 100 large I think I would prefer something with a bit more cache and class than a Vette but that is purely my subjective opinion.

2) The Mustang GT350R was actually a couple seconds faster than the Cayman GT4, not a tick slower as I originally posted. At 63k, it's still an incredible deal (although I don't know if you could actually purchase one at MSRP since price gouging is still a thing).

 

[Smokey]

Maybe it's the color combos I've seen, but lately I feel like the Mustang is a really nice looking car? Camaro may perform better but I dunno...it looks a little toyish in comparison?

Am I trippin or nah

 

[Mattlikewhoa]

Now.., wheres that car jack..

I really like the choices that you're making with your cars. Gah I love these rims!

I just put a deposit on a set of Work VS-KF's. I'm having them rebuilt for better rim specs for the Chaser.

 

[SummitAve]

There's something about seeing the words designo and 4matic on a Mercedes that makes me tick.

 

[AlphaSnake]

Then who is the GTR made for exactly if it can't even use all of it's fun killing wizardry to set fast lap times?

For more or less similar prices, you can get an ACR Viper which will dominate everything short of a hyper car on the track, an AMG GT, 991.2 S, or SVR F-Type if you want a good looking luxurious daily driveable street rocket, or a GT4 which is a far more rewarding driving experience.

You can't drive an ACR Viper on the street. I mean....you can, but you'd need a chiropractor on speed-dial.

None the less, you're failing to realize that the GT-R is approaching a decade in age. And it's still plenty fun, it's just its pointlessly harsh ride has been slightly toned down and it hasn't lost much time for it, since MT said the last non-Nismo they lapped was like .3 seconds slower or something. And that's just statistical noise. The suspension has been softened up just enough to take the car from a little understeer to neutral/little oversteer. So the GT-R hasn't lost much, it's just primarily gotten older.

What's actually is commendable is that the car keeps making MT's list every year and still manages to compete with cars so new and so much more advanced, while running on hardware put together a decade ago. That's like an iPhone 3G having enough processing power to compete against a Galaxy S7 in benchmarks.

Having said all of that...I'd never buy one for $100K+ though. Way too much bread for hardware that old.

 

[Mattlikewhoa]

Having said all of that...I'd never buy one for $100K+ though. Way too much bread for hardware that old.

Same here! though my uncle just traded in his '10 for a 2017 Nismo.

I still plan to purchase one in a few years (See 3-4 years), used. Once the little one is not so little.

 

[AlphaSnake]

Same here! though my uncle just traded in his '10 for a 2017 Nismo.

I still plan to purchase one in a few years (See 3-4 years), used. Once the little one is not so little.

I would, however, consider the new 2016+ models with the updated interiors and exteriors for sub-60k used down the line.

 

[mkenyon]

Maybe it's the color combos I've seen, but lately I feel like the Mustang is a really nice looking car? Camaro may perform better but I dunno...it looks a little toyish in comparison?

Am I trippin or nah

100% right on.

Camaro is gonna look awful and dated right away. The new Mustang will be a collector. Shit is timeless and elegant, while still being aggressive.

Neither can touch the road presence of the Challenger tho.

Way too busy of a design, looks like a toy:

Classic proportions and nicely shaped/aggressive without going over the top:

Timeless:

 

[nabe_shogun]

You can't drive an ACR Viper on the street. I mean....you can, but you'd need a chiropractor on speed-dial.

None the less, you're failing to realize that the GT-R is approaching a decade in age. And it's still plenty fun, it's just its pointlessly harsh ride has been slightly toned down and it hasn't lost much time for it, since MT said the last non-Nismo they lapped was like .3 seconds slower or something. And that's just statistical noise. The suspension has been softened up just enough to take the car from a little understeer to neutral/little oversteer. So the GT-R hasn't lost much, it's just primarily gotten older.

What's actually is commendable is that the car keeps making MT's list every year and still manages to compete with cars so new and so much more advanced, while running on hardware put together a decade ago. That's like an iPhone 3G having enough processing power to compete against a Galaxy S7 in benchmarks.

Having said all of that...I'd never buy one for $100K+ though. Way too much bread for hardware that old.

I keep forgetting just how long the GT-R has been out. For some reason it doesn't seem that old to me.

That said, if I had the money I would totally buy an ACR viper and drive it everywhere.

That being said, numbers are just that, numbers. What makes a great car is a mixture of so many different things and HP/TQ is just one of those ingredients. I can tell you without reservation that my MX-5 is more fun and I prefer it over the 330hp G37 that I owned despite it having half the HP.

To be a great track car you have to have a great gearbox with well chosen ratios, proper tires, a good power to weight ratio, strong, fade resistant brakes and controls (pedals, steering, etc.) that respond in a way that make it so that the driver can get the most out of the car on a consistent basis.

Completely agree. I use my 240sx as a track car, which probably makes at most 140hp at the wheels. Sure I get passed by every single car on the straight, but in the curves I can keep up with pretty much everyone. Its challenging but fun, getting the most out of my car to keep up with other cars with twice the power. Though if I'm honest I would like another 20hp or so.

 

[David Incorporated Esq.]

Completely agree. I use my 240sx as a track car, which probably makes at most 140hp at the wheels. Sure I get passed by every single car on the straight, but in the curves I can keep up with pretty much everyone. Its challenging but fun, getting the most out of my car to keep up with other cars with twice the power. Though if I'm honest I would like another 20hp or so.

I think you want enough power so that you have to be careful with the throttle but not so much that you're constantly babying it. It's fun when a little too much takes you sideways.

 

[Evo X]

You can't drive an ACR Viper on the street. I mean....you can, but you'd need a chiropractor on speed-dial.

None the less, you're failing to realize that the GT-R is approaching a decade in age. And it's still plenty fun, it's just its pointlessly harsh ride has been slightly toned down and it hasn't lost much time for it, since MT said the last non-Nismo they lapped was like .3 seconds slower or something. And that's just statistical noise. The suspension has been softened up just enough to take the car from a little understeer to neutral/little oversteer. So the GT-R hasn't lost much, it's just primarily gotten older.

What's actually is commendable is that the car keeps making MT's list every year and still manages to compete with cars so new and so much more advanced, while running on hardware put together a decade ago. That's like an iPhone 3G having enough processing power to compete against a Galaxy S7 in benchmarks.

Having said all of that...I'd never buy one for $100K+ though. Way too much bread for hardware that old.

My point was that all the cars I mentioned do their specialized purpose better.

A Viper is a better track car, an SVR is a better GT, a GT4 is a better street/track hybrid.

They are all unique vehicles full of character. The GTR is just blah by comparison. It was a great value at launch around $70K. Not so much at $120K. It is need of a complete overhaul badly.

It doesn't even have to do with price or badge either. An MX-5 is a great car under $30K that fulfills it's vision perfectly. The Camaro SS 1LE and Mustang GT350 are a third of the price of the GTR and more fun to drive while providing similar lap times.

The only reason the GTR is invited to these competitions yearly is to fill a void and appease it's rabid internet fanbase. Both it and the M4 GTS are wholly disappointing and the last cars on their list I would spend my own money on.

 

[AlphaSnake]

My point was that all the cars I mentioned do their specialized purpose better.

A Viper is a better track car, an SVR is a better GT, a GT4 is a better street/track hybrid.

They are all unique vehicles full of character. The GTR is just blah by comparison. It was a great value at launch around $70K. Not so much at $120K. It is need of a complete overhaul badly.

It doesn't even have to do with price or badge either. An MX-5 is a great car under $30K that fulfills it's vision perfectly. The Camaro SS 1LE and Mustang GT350 are a third of the price of the GTR and more fun to drive while providing similar lap times.

The only reason the GTR is invited to these competitions yearly is to fill a void and appease it's rabid internet fanbase. Both it and the M4 GTS are wholly disappointing and the last cars on their list I would spend my own money on.

It really has nothing to do with fanbase, it's simply because they had access to one and Nissan said they can use it to compete. Ferrari and Lamborghini chickened out, on the other hand. Plus, it was actually competitive.

And again, the entire point is it's an 8 year old car hanging with brand new cars, running within hairs of them. Even the MT staff was amazed at that fact in the video they posted a few hours ago. They literally reiterated my exact sentiments: it's old, but it can still hang. A new one is in development, but they've gotta scrape every last dollar out of this car to fund the next.

It's a fast car, it has a good ride, it has a decent trunk, it handles extremely well, it's very tuner friendly with abundant parts, it has been proven to be capable of making 700WHP on stock internals, and so it appeals to JDM fans. A number of people would prefer the GT-R over other cars for those reasons and simply due to taste...some people even prefer its styling over traditional sleek coupes. I'm neither of those people, but I can understand them. A Porsche is often seen as a safe choice. Other people just want to stand out in the crowd with something really different. Those people get GT-Rs, because there's just nothing on the road that looks like it.

Different strokes.

 

[FStop7]

Maybe it's the color combos I've seen, but lately I feel like the Mustang is a really nice looking car? Camaro may perform better but I dunno...it looks a little toyish in comparison?

Am I trippin or nah

Agreed with the exception of the Z/28. The chin spoiler and fender flares make all the difference.

 

[ascii42]

Maybe it's the color combos I've seen, but lately I feel like the Mustang is a really nice looking car? Camaro may perform better but I dunno...it looks a little toyish in comparison?

Am I trippin or nah

The rear end looks weird with the angling, but other than that it, yeah, it looks good.

 

[jongkookie]

Somebody bought that Designo SL550 for $60K.

Wtf... @___@

 

[shinshoryuken]

I still think a GT-R is a capable car...especially for the older ones (not worth 100k though)

Very easy and not crazy expensive to make it go even faster.

Pretty reliable and not crazy expensive to maintain

Very easy to daily drive - drive like a maxima if you don't push it....going to taco bell or In-N-Out like it ain't thang..

Decent MPG around 22 to 26mpg...which is insane for a car that is so capable

Unique looking enough to turn heads even though I think it's on the ugly side. Like for example most people won't even know the difference between all the porches 911, all the mustang/camaro...When I was porches shopping the first thing my GF said was "EWWW...." she thinks only old people drive those cars, I was like

 

[ascii42]

I still think a GT-R is a capable car...especially for the older ones (not worth 100k though)

Very easy and not crazy expensive to make it go even faster.

Pretty reliable and not crazy expensive to maintain

Very easy to daily drive - drive like a maxima if you don't push it....going to taco bell or In-N-Out like it ain't thang..

Decent MPG around 22 to 26mpg...which is insane for a car that is so capable

Unique looking enough to turn heads even though I think it's on the ugly side. Like for example most people won't even know the difference between all the porches 911, all the mustang/camaro...When I was porches shopping the first thing my GF said was "EWWW...." she thinks only old people drive those cars, I was like

Because most people who can afford expensive sports cars tend to be of the older sort.

 

[AlphaSnake]

I still think a GT-R is a capable car...especially for the older ones (not worth 100k though)

Very easy and not crazy expensive to make it go even faster.

Pretty reliable and not crazy expensive to maintain

Very easy to daily drive - drive like a maxima if you don't push it....going to taco bell or In-N-Out like it ain't thang..

Decent MPG around 22 to 26mpg...which is insane for a car that is so capable

Unique looking enough to turn heads even though I think it's on the ugly side. Like for example most people won't even know the difference between all the porches 911, all the mustang/camaro...When I was porches shopping the first thing my GF said was "EWWW...." she thinks only old people drive those cars, I was like

Precisely my point.

Nothing looks like a GT-R. It's so unique, and so Japanese. When I had my Zs, unknowledgeable people complimented me on my Porsche or Audi TT. Uhhh, thanks! LOL

With my XKR, I get the Porsche and Jaguar or Mercedes compliments. But never in a million years will anyone confuse a GT-R for anything other than something different. They often just ask "what kind of car is that"?

 

[FStop7]

LMAO the GTR is an absolute monster, I think we're being spoiled by the incredible progress that has happened in sports cars since summer 2008.

The GTR still posts sub 7:30 ring times and sub 3 second 0-60 times, the number of cars that can compete with it is tiny, even more so when you factor in the price.

And BTW a lot of that progress of the past 8 years was driven by the GTR handing out ass whippings left and right. Porsche had to really step it up, for one.

 

[mkenyon]

It really has nothing to do with fanbase, it's simply because they had access to one and Nissan said they can use it to compete. Ferrari and Lamborghini chickened out, on the other hand. Plus, it was actually competitive.

And again, the entire point is it's an 8 year old car hanging with brand new cars, running within hairs of them. Even the MT staff was amazed at that fact in the video they posted a few hours ago. They literally reiterated my exact sentiments: it's old, but it can still hang. A new one is in development, but they've gotta scrape every last dollar out of this car to fund the next.

It's a fast car, it has a good ride, it has a decent trunk, it handles extremely well, it's very tuner friendly with abundant parts, it has been proven to be capable of making 700WHP on stock internals, and so it appeals to JDM fans. A number of people would prefer the GT-R over other cars for those reasons and simply due to taste...some people even prefer its styling over traditional sleek coupes. I'm neither of those people, but I can understand them. A Porsche is often seen as a safe choice. Other people just want to stand out in the crowd with something really different. Those people get GT-Rs, because there's just nothing on the road that looks like it.

Different strokes.

Stop being so reasonable!

This, pretty much. JDM fans see it as, "finally, we can compete with you fuckers that have been thumbing your nose at us for years!"

As a JDM fan, I definitely felt that at first, the GTR was the car I wanted more than anything.

Another thing to note is that since it is so comparably bland and ugly, it's a pretty great blank slate for people who not only want to mod the car, but personalize and mod the exterior.

 

[No Love]

Timeless
:

Nah. Timeless is the E39 coming into your garage. Which still outperforms the junk Challenger in every single way. Has a better interior. And maybe the greatest BMW styling ever. That's timeless.

Btw the GTR has crazy longevity. Can't imagine how insane the R36 is going to be after all they've learned with the R35. I keep wondering if Nissan will reset the bar once again.

 

[mkenyon]

Nah. Timeless is the E39 coming into your garage. Which still outperforms the junk Challenger in every single way. Has a better interior. And maybe the greatest BMW styling ever. That's timeless.

Yes, but men with such distinctly good taste as ourselves should never go out of our way to point out just how good our opinions are.

 

[TheBryanJZX90]

Stop being so reasonable!

This, pretty much. JDM fans see it as, "finally, we can compete with you fuckers that have been thumbing your nose at us for years!"

As a JDM fan, I definitely felt that at first, the GTR was the car I wanted more than anything.

Another thing to note is that since it is so comparably bland and ugly, it's a pretty great blank slate for people who not only want to mod the car, but personalize and mod the exterior.

A true JDM fan doesn't like the R35 because it was actually sold in America. The main appeal, after all, of the R34 and the Evo IV and the S15 etc. is that you can't actually buy them, only play them in Gran Turismo. Once they're actually sold in your country they're no longer forbidden fruit, but just another car you can't afford.

/s (kinda)

 

[jongkookie]

A true JDM fan doesn't like the R35 because it was actually sold in America. The main appeal, after all, of the R34 and the Evo IV and the S15 etc. is that you can't actually buy them, only play them in Gran Turismo. Once they're actually sold in your country they're no longer forbidden fruit, but just another car you can't afford.

/s (kinda)

Hahaha. The /s is unnecessary, this sadly is a real reason to many JDM dorks. I know a few dudes who are talking to Japanese Classics right now as they want to import a couple of RHD Miatas. You read that right, a fncking right-hand drive Miata... from what I'm seeing, it'll be at least double the cost of an LHD copy, and there's literally no benefit from getting an RHD Miata. Maybe better headrest speakers?? It's fncking dumb lol.

Here's my .02 cents about the GT-R:

I like it, I love what it provided in terms of competition, but I think Nissan completely missed the mark on it. It's just too damn expensive now. This was supposed to be the everyman's supercar but at this price point, why would somebody buy a goddamned Nissan when they can buy something that has prestige and performance?

Yeah the GT-R can probably murder those machines but that's not really the point.

The way I see it, the people who buy GT-R's are those people who want every competitive edge possible and that's a perfectly valid reason, but that's not me.

I want a car that is fun and challenging to drive, bonus points if it has the ability to kill me lol. The GT-R unfortunately doesn't fall in that category so while I do like it but hate it's price, ultimately, it's not something I'm really interested in.

 

[No Love]

Hahaha. The /s is unnecessary, this sadly is a real reason to many JDM dorks. I know a few dudes who are talking to Japanese Classics right now as they want to import a couple of RHD Miatas. You read that right, a fncking right-hand drive Miata... from what I'm seeing, it'll be at least double the cost of an LHD copy, and there's literally no benefit from getting an RHD Miata. Maybe better headrest speakers?? It's fncking dumb lol.

Here's my .02 cents about the GT-R:

I like it, I love what it provided in terms of competition, but I think Nissan completely missed the mark on it. It's just too damn expensive now. This was supposed to be the everyman's supercar but at this price point, why would somebody buy a goddamned Nissan when they can buy something that has prestige and performance?

Yeah the GT-R can probably murder those machines but that's not really the point.

The way I see it, the people who buy GT-R's are those people who want every competitive edge possible and that's a perfectly valid reason, but that's not me.

I want a car that is fun and challenging to drive, bonus points if it has the ability to kill me lol. The GT-R unfortunately doesn't fall in that category so while I do like it but hate it's price, ultimately, it's not something I'm really interested in.

There's actually a lameass doofus kid in my apartment complex whose parents bought him a GTR (like your typical rich kid who has everything handed to them, so common) and the fanboy put Godzilla claws and a Godzilla all over it and Godzilla slashes in the car and a giant wing. Lmao

 

[YuriLowell]

Hahaha. The /s is unnecessary, this sadly is a real reason to many JDM dorks. I know a few dudes who are talking to Japanese Classics right now as they want to import a couple of RHD Miatas. You read that right, a fncking right-hand drive Miata... from what I'm seeing, it'll be at least double the cost of an LHD copy, and there's literally no benefit from getting an RHD Miata. Maybe better headrest speakers?? It's fncking dumb lol.

There is a RHD Miata on my local CL for like 5k.


I think I might just buy a blower for my E36 M3.

 

[Futaba]

I nearly bought a 2013 R35 a few years back, the then-owner even let me borrow it for a weekend to make a descision on it, ended up thanking him and passing on it, while it's plenty powerful and well built i just felt it wasnt engaging enough, but my biggest issue, and probably the same reason why i generally stick with older, more mechanical vehicles, or cheaper vehicles in general was, to pull it apart and make my own changes would have cost way way more money, with the comouters fighting the changes i made at every point.

Perhaps i'm silly, but I prefer buying slow cars that act as a nice base and building them up to be what i require then going out and buying something that's basically already there far short of super expensive mods to improve the acceleration.

And honestly, for the type of driving i do, top speed and 0-60 time make virtually no difference.

For me, personally, nailing a string of near perfect corners, sideways, is infinitely more rewarding and enjoyable than blazing around an actual track.

 

[YuriLowell]

So who on Auto-GAF is getting Horizon 3?

Throw up your tags so I can add you guys.

 

[Shortt Sirket]

So who on Auto-GAF is getting Horizon 3?

Throw up your tags so I can add you guys.

You know I am man. Unlock is in just under 30 minutes!

 

[jongkookie]

If I get paid this week and it's enough, I'll be getting the UE of FH3. Otherwise, I'll be getting it in early October. I can get the standard edition on actual launch day but I want the car pass so I'll wait lol.

I'm "zoomzoomx5" on XBL, hopefully my tag starts gaining XP haha.

I think I saw a message that Shortt Sirket added me a few days ago, I need to add you man haha.

There's actually a lameass doofus kid in my apartment complex whose parents bought him a GTR (like your typical rich kid who has everything handed to them, so common) and the fanboy put Godzilla claws and a Godzilla all over it and Godzilla slashes in the car and a giant wing. Lmao

Good lord lol.

Part of me wishes I grew up on old money just so I could do stupid shit and get away with it, but it's more satisfying swiping your own debit card at the machine than using a credit card or someone else's so I think I'm okay where I'm at lol.

There is a RHD Miata on my local CL for like 5k.

They say they don't trust those copies because they don't know if it was imported correctly but here's the thing.... RHD Miatas can be legally imported as the govt can use the same certification from the LHD/USA copies and apply it to the RHD copy. Basically if the car was sold here in the USA, the 25 year rule doesn't apply and they can be imported at anytime... and yes this applies to all cars that were sold here.

So for those RHD Miatas in the states, that doesn't even matter. It's just dumb JDM kids wanting to be JDM and shit.

 

[Futaba]

So for those RHD Miatas in the states, that doesn't even matter. It's just dumb JDM kids wanting to be JDM and shit.

Sadly it isn't even limited to kids wanting RHD for "lol JDM", at car shows here, especially for the GT86/BRZ/FRS, the "cool" thing to do is to import a USDM Scion and modify that instead of, say, just buying the vehicle locally.

Why anyone would import a opposite-hand-drive-to-my-country vehicle that's available locally regardless is beyond me.

 

[nabe_shogun]

They say they don't trust those copies because they don't know if it was imported correctly but here's the thing.... RHD Miatas can be legally imported as the govt can use the same certification from the LHD/USA copies and apply it to the RHD copy. Basically if the car was sold here in the USA, the 25 year rule doesn't apply and they can be imported at anytime... and yes this applies to all cars that were sold here.

So for those RHD Miatas in the states, that doesn't even matter. It's just dumb JDM kids wanting to be JDM and shit.

Not necessarily true. Just because there's a US version of the car, doesn't mean you can import a foreign one. Cars can vary enough from one place to another that you can't legally import one for road use unless the government says that it meets the same safety and emissions standards as the models sold here. That especially applies to newer cars which often have different bumpers than overseas models.

It shouldn't matter anyway since you can legally import 91 or older miatas anyway.

As for why someone would want to do it. I mean usually cars imported from Japan have a lot less miles and are in better shape than what you'd find here. I wouldn't go through the hassle when I could just buy one here though.

 

[Futaba]

Hmm, looks like I'll be ordering some blocks of metal to fabricate custom mounts, need to do dual rear brakes to hook the hydraulic hand brake up to rear disks, got an old set of brembo's that will fit the disk diameter, just need to build the mount to connect to the hub, probably a ring type to shift the stock caliper location over a bit and use it's mounting point to the hub for the bracket.

Time to break out the cad software i guess!

 

[YuriLowell]

Not necessarily true. Just because there's a US version of the car, doesn't mean you can import a foreign one. Cars can vary enough from one place to another that you can't legally import one for road use unless the government says that it meets the same safety and emissions standards as the models sold here. That especially applies to newer cars which often have different bumpers than overseas models.

It shouldn't matter anyway since you can legally import 91 or older miatas anyway.

As for why someone would want to do it. I mean usually cars imported from Japan have a lot less miles and are in better shape than what you'd find here. I wouldn't go through the hassle when I could just buy one here though.

Yup. I still cant legally import a Euro E36 M3.

 

[matmanx1]

Maybe it's the color combos I've seen, but lately I feel like the Mustang is a really nice looking car? Camaro may perform better but I dunno...it looks a little toyish in comparison?

Am I trippin or nah

You aren't wrong. I passed a brand new Grabber Blue Mustang GT yesterday and I did the literal double take head whipping around to stare and drool combo. The Mustang just has a great, aggressive look whereas something with the new Camaro just doesn't sit right, visually.

 

[ruxtpin]

You aren't wrong. I passed a brand new Grabber Blue Mustang GT yesterday and I did the literal double take head whipping around to stare and drool combo. The Mustang just has a great, aggressive look whereas something with the new Camaro just doesn't sit right, visually.

It's a shame because the performance of the new Camaro is supposed to be great (I haven't driven one), but a Mustang GT is one of the cars in my consideration line-up. The looks of the Camaro just don't really do anything for me. Granted, the upcoming ZL1 looks super aggressive but quite a bit more than I want to spend.

Has anyone here driven a Mustang GT with the performance pack and GT without?

 

[AlphaSnake]

Maybe it's the color combos I've seen, but lately I feel like the Mustang is a really nice looking car? Camaro may perform better but I dunno...it looks a little toyish in comparison?

Am I trippin or nah

We literally had this exact discussion a few weeks ago. I pointed out that Camaros look like a toy, cheap, and made out of plastic. Their colors just looked bland and lack the luster of the Mustang's finishes. So yeah, you're not the only one.

 

[YuriLowell]

It all comes down to looks over performance since the Camaro V6 1LE is faster than the Mustang GT with the track package, and the SS 1LE is faster than the GT350.

 

[Mattlikewhoa]

Sadly it isn't even limited to kids wanting RHD for "lol JDM", at car shows here, especially for the GT86/BRZ/FRS, the "cool" thing to do is to import a USDM Scion and modify that instead of, say, just buying the vehicle locally.

Why anyone would import a opposite-hand-drive-to-my-country vehicle that's available locally regardless is beyond me.

I am a JDM fanboy, and I would only go through the trouble of importing a car that was not available in my immediate market. I LOVE S-Chassis cars, but I'd only really import a S15. Well maybe a rust free 180SX but you get the point.

 

[YuriLowell]

A 6K E34 M5 just popped up on Craigslist.

I might go take a look at it.

 

[mkenyon]

A 6K E34 M5 just popped up on Craigslist.

I might go take a look at it.

I can feel this disease creeping into me too.

Despite just buying that E39, I'm already looking out for E36 M3s.

 

[YuriLowell]

I can feel this disease creeping into me too.

Despite just buying that E39, I'm already looking out for E36 M3s.

For as much crap that people give E36 M3s (Not real M Engine, blah blah), I still think they are a really good value for the money.
Way more reliable than an E46 M3 and much cheaper.

Wouldn't trade mine for anything.

 

[jongkookie]

You know, I'm actually interested in the basic V6 Camaro and Ecoboost 'stang.

Jalopnik says the V6 Camaro is a very nice cruiser/daily driver which is exactly what I'm looking for. But it's looks are definitely one of the reasons why it ain't concrete for me.

The Ecoboost on the other hand looks good, has a turbo so the future tunability is certainly interesting, but from what I hear it's not as good for a daily driver so idk.

If i really can't find anything, I'll probably just splurge on coilvers and comfy seats for my Miata lol.

Not necessarily true. Just because there's a US version of the car, doesn't mean you can import a foreign one. Cars can vary enough from one place to another that you can't legally import one for road use unless the government says that it meets the same safety and emissions standards as the models sold here. That especially applies to newer cars which often have different bumpers than overseas models.

It shouldn't matter anyway since you can legally import 91 or older miatas anyway.

As for why someone would want to do it. I mean usually cars imported from Japan have a lot less miles and are in better shape than what you'd find here. I wouldn't go through the hassle when I could just buy one here though.

That's true but there's really no difference between USDM and JDM Miata's besides the steering wheel position and speaker locations.

I'll agree on the last thing though, that's one of the reasons why I'd rather import a RX-7 from Japan since you can't really find one in decent shape here in Texas.

 

[mkenyon]

You know, I'm actually interested in the basic V6 Camaro and Ecoboost 'stang.

Jalopnik says the V6 Camaro is a very nice cruiser/daily driver which is exactly what I'm looking for. But it's looks are definitely one of the reasons why it ain't concrete for me.

The Ecoboost on the other hand looks good, has a turbo so the future tunability is certainly interesting, but from what I hear it's not as good for a daily driver so idk.

If i really can't find anything, I'll probably just splurge on coilvers and comfy seats for my Miata lol.

Cobb Tuning Stage 3 Ecoboost

For as much crap that people give E36 M3s (Not real M Engine, blah blah), I still think they are a really good value for the money.
Way more reliable than an E46 M3 and much cheaper.

Wouldn't trade mine for anything.

There's something definitely unique about them. Plus they look amazing with widebody kits

 

[No Love]

E36 M3 is sooo good. So balanced. Basically a 4 seater S2000 with torque. One of the best driver's cars ever. And when it came out in the mid '90s it was the best handling car period.