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Some people collect trading cards, designer bags, sneakers, and coffee mugs. Some serious auto enthusiasts choose to collect Japanese vehicles—not just any car from Japan, mind you, but classic, vintage, and collector’s cars. These are not sold in new auto dealerships but may only be found in private collections, used-car auctions, and pre-owned auto exporters. Finding one is quite a challenge in itself, but if you’re lucky you can easily find one in online marketplaces for used cars. The popularity of JDM, or Japanese Domestic Market, vehicles in the car collector niche is growing. JDM vehicles are Japanese-brand models that were designed and engineered to conform to Japan’s road and vehicle regulations and market preferences, and as such were sold only in Japan. The country’s strict Shaken motor vehicle inspection system makes sure that all cars on the road are kept in excellent condition; otherwise, expensive fees would have to be paid. As the vehicles grow older, so would the fees pile up, forcing some owners to just sell off their cars or have them scrapped. Scrapping sounds like a waste of good Japanese engineering, so most of the cars find their way to exporters’ stock yards instead. As a result of this meticulous inspection system, Japanese vehicles are remarkably well-maintained, with a low average mileage. They may have some years on them but the quality, build, and timeless design remains the same. This is what collectors go for. As these old models grow even older, their appeal increases as classic cars. A car that’s over 25 years of age may be considered as a classic. It may have been a common sight during its heyday, but finding one in pristine condition now is a task for the pros. This hard-to-get allure motivates car collectors around the world, who would not think twice about paying up to US $375,000 for a 1967 Toyota 2000GT. The Toyota Corolla 2000GT is famous among collectors for being the first Super Car made in Japan, among other achievements. It’s been hailed as the first Japanese collector car as well. Aside from the 2000GT, other models have also made it to auto collectors’ must-have lists. The Mazda RX-7 series, Datsun 240Z (also known as the Nissan Fairlady Z), Toyota Corolla SR5 (and other older generations), Mazda Cosmo 110S, Datsun 510, and the Toyota Celica series are all considered as collectors’ items in the international automotive market. Fans of classic Japanese vehicles usually band together in an online community or local group to provide information, restoration plans, and maintenance ideas to other enthusiasts. These groups work hard to keep these old models working and running smoothly. Indeed, there is a growing nostalgia for classic cars made in Japan. The niche has grown so much that there are aficionados who specialize in a certain model or generation of Toyota Corollas, for example. If you need help with your car, you just need to have a chat with this person and he or she will direct you on the best action to take, or the best vintage car garage to visit in your area. Collecting Japanese vehicles may be an expensive hobby but for many enthusiasts, it’s worth it, especially when you see all these classics gleaming under the bright sun and running smoothly side-by-side, thirty or so years after they were first made.
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japanese vehicles, used cars, japanese cars, import cars,
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