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These JDM cars are so cheap you’d crave them... or you shouldn’t, until you know why they're so affordable.
Japans entry into global car manufacturing has turned the automotive world on its head. Once known for boring, cheap economy cars with small families in mind, Toyota, Honda and Nissan have become world leaders in automotive production. The first truly successful imports to the U.S., Toyota's 2000GT and Datsun/Nissans 240Z, took on the best that U.S. industry could muster and bettered it in every way for less cash.
A win for JDM cars seems a forgone conclusion, better engineered and equipped. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Maybe Japan's automotive industry has gotten a bit complacent; for every great JDM car worth every cent, there are some less than perfect rides. All too often, offering more for less brings some nasty surprises - sports cars with front-wheel drive anyone? How about some un-Japanese-like build quality issues?
Stumbling across a bargain JDM car might be a lucky find, but we suspect there's often a good reason behind it.
Related: 5 Japanese Sports Cars We'd Buy Over Any Muscle Car (5 We Wouldn't)
Front to rear, the FTO in undeniably one of the most interesting sports cars never destined for U.S. shores. Mitsubishi produced the second generation FTO for six years, shifting some 38,000 cars across various trim levels. At the upper end powered by a 2-liter V6 putting down 197 hp.
In its home country scooping the highly coveted 1994-95 Car Of The Year Award Japan should stand the FTO in good stead. Despite the FTO's sporty appearance, digging a little deeper reveals its Achilles heel. Mitsubishi, master of all-wheel drive performance monsters decided on a cheaper front-drive platform.
Cheap for good reason; Daihatsu's Copen is a Kei car. Designed for busy Japanese cities where space is at a premium. Smaller bodies and engines attracting cheaper taxes, running costs, and sales prices. The Copen never officially made it to U.S. shores, leaving gearheads to ponder the tiny pocket rocket's merits.
Picking up a Copen is going to leave you short on choices, but kicking around the classifieds is your best bet. Opting for a first generation L880 Copen with a rev-happy 660 cc turbocharged motor is where the fun is at. Packing 67 hp in something tipping the scales at 1,830 lbs, it's a slice of JDM history every gearhead needs to try.
RELATED: Here's What Made The Daihatsu Copen Special
Only the brave succeeds right? We're not sure if this applies to Mazda's innovative, if slightly quirky RX-8. Coming off the back of three generations of rotary-powered RX-7s, the choice to stick with Wankel motors made sense. It's just a shame Mazda screwed up the RENESIS 13Bs development. This one was garbage to begin with.
On a good day, escaping the RENESIS habit of leaking seals, coil, starter, and catalytic converter failures, the 1.3-liter twin rotor engine cranked out as much as 238 hp. High failure rates aside, the new RX, in adopting a four-door 2+2 layout, had lost its predecessor's sporty appeal.
Another self-inflicted shot in the foot for Toyota, the seventh generation Celica passed quietly into obscurity in 2005. Out-maneuvered by Honda's S2000 in every respect despite the temptation of Toyota's 2ZZ engine. Not especially pretty to look at; Toyota clearly trying to wow buyers with a futuristic wedge look.
The allure of a 2ZZ-GE engine in higher trim levels might tempt you to take a punt on the Celica, but hold off. As legendary as the straight four is, Toyota hobbled the Celica with a hood threatening 188 hp driving the front wheels.
Stumbling across Nissan's legendary Z-car for cheap might surprise you. However, which model and year can make all the difference? The original 240Z became a big seller in the U.S. overnight, thanks to a keen pricing strategy and decent performance. Fast-forward several years and a slew of weight-adding updates, bigger wasn't better.
The 280ZX grew by nine inches to accommodate two small rear seats. To compensate for the weight gains, Nissan fitted a larger 2.8-liter straight-six, turning out 143 hp, resulting in a barely faster top speed of 127 mph. Come sale time, more is less. The 280Z can be found for a fraction of the 240Z's asking price.
RELATED: Here's What We Love About The Datsun 280ZX
You only have to gaze upon Subaru's straight-line design XT to see why this one occupies the cheap classified section. Unloved at launch even in its home market, where just 8,170 XTs found buyers. The JDM wedge despite a poor showing wouldn't be Subaru's final space-ship on wheels; that honor goes to the follow-up SVX/Alcyone.
The thinking behind the XT was about showcasing Subaru's engineering expertise. Everything you see here was a nod towards the future, inside and out. Maybe Subaru pushed the boundaries too far, too soon. Despite the limited success of the XT, it did pave the way for later Subarus; both the Impreza and WRX followed a similar turbocharged all-wheel-drive format.
From the wedge-shaped Mk. I through the "baby Ferrari" styled Mk. IIs, Toyota's MR2 was a winner. Imagine then, the surprise gearheads received with the MR2 Spyder's arrival in 2000. On appearances alone, the Japanese carmaker had lost its way with a curious push-me/pull-you front and rear design.
Swapping to a Spyder-only body brought its own issues. Roof gone, the MR2 lost much of its rigidity and agility. Engineered down to price, Toyota further ruined the MR2 by using MacPherson struts front and rear in place of a superior double-wishbone set-up. The MR2 dumbing down process continued under the hood, Toyota providing a sole 1ZZ engine option cranking out 138 hp.
The best-selling sports car of all time, the Miata MX-5 is shifting millions across the globe. Back in the early '90s MX-5s were hot properties, thanks to a simple light-weight chassis and engine line-up at affordable prices. Performance for the price was respectable too, with a 1.6-liter 116 hp engine.
Naturally, Mazda built these down to a price. Luxuries were in short supply, but that didn't detract from the overall driving experience. Picking a cheap NA model might seem like a safe bet for a weekend car, but be warned, these cars are not without their issues. Water ingress behind the bodywork is hard to detect, leaving rust to build up.
RELATED: This Is What We Love About The NA Miata
Another Nissan Z-Car that falls way short of the performance mark. Great to look at, if only Nissan hadn't loaded the Z31 down with luxuries in place of performance goodies. Down-scaled in size, the 300ZX shipped with compact V6 engines, turbocharged in later cars.
Turbocharged or not, the Z31 was too heavy to be a sports car, and it's widely recognized as the worst Z-badged model in Nissan's history. While the engine itself can take a lot of punishment, the car's electronics are notoriously unreliable. At auction, the Z31 regularly comes in under $10k.
Finishing up with another bargain-basement JDM motor from Mitsubishi. Reinvented for a fourth time in 2005, the Eclipse had its engine in the right place, and even sent power to the correct axle. Mitsubishi was eager to deliver affordable sportscars to suit every budget, and they gave gearheads five trim levels with up to 265 hp.
Why are they so cheap? You only need to look at the extensive recalls to see all is not well with the fourth generation Eclipse. Brake boosters, master cylinders, faulty ABS and suspect fuel tank mounts all blighted Mitsubishis until 2015, three years after production had ended.
Raised in a car-obsessed environment from an early age ensured a keen interest in anything car-related. first and foremost an F1 fan, but also an avid follower of other motorsports. Professional background working closely with a well established UK based Supercar manufacturer in recent years.