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Yeah, but the only way to get one [stock] with the RB26, is the Autech 260RS, which I'm sure is $$$
Otherwise, it's N/A RB20 & 25 or single-turbo RB25DET
Also must be AWD to the get the R34 running gear, otherwise it's Laurel suspension.
Yeah, but the only way to get one [stock] with the RB26, is the Autech 260RS, which I'm sure is $$$
Otherwise, it's N/A RB20 & 25 or single-turbo RB25DET
Also must be AWD to the get the R34 running gear, otherwise it's Laurel suspension.
Yep. I was looking at an Autech 260RS... They're running around $30-40K. They are sweet, though:
But I will say, an RB25 Turbo with AWD can be had for under $20K..... Hmmmm
Looks like I will be moving there late spring / early summer. My leading candidate..... Levorg STI. I want something newer, and not very expensive, as I need the extra cash for home purchase. I could change my mind if persuaded. But this would be my primary car. Then I can look at others in about a year.... these are 2018 pictures.
I know. Like an Imprezza wagon, sort of. And turbo to boot.
Mighty Car Mods did what Subaru should've done. Take a wrecked STI and swap everything into it. They are way further into the build now but it should've been like this from the beginning.
Looks like I will be moving there late spring / early summer. My leading candidate..... Levorg STI. I want something newer, and not very expensive, as I need the extra cash for home purchase. I could change my mind if persuaded. But this would be my primary car. Then I can look at others in about a year.... these are 2018 pictures.
Where are you moving to in Japan? And what's the opportunity?
Awesome, I've always wanted to go out there, but I've heard that military people aren't so liked around there.
Not true.
Explanation - I lived there a total of 9 years (2 active duty and the other 7 as a civilian. Okinawans are very genuine and nice people. It's not that they dislike the Americans. It's that they have been there so long (~80 years) that it's more しょうがない (Shoganai), not a direct translation but "it is what it is, out of our control" type of thing. A lot of locals work on the bases, and they of course like Americans.
As a tourist, you will have zero issues. The active duty folks have a curfew, that helps the few that want to be stupid can do it on base. And it's always the few. A lot of Americans help out with orphanages, clean ups at the beaches, etc... Good volunteer stuff. But it's always the bad ones that make the news.
Not true.
Explanation - I lived there a total of 9 years (2 active duty and the other 7 as a civilian. Okinawans are very genuine and nice people. It's not that they dislike the Americans. It's that they have been there so long (~80 years) that it's more しょうがない (Shoganai), not a direct translation but "it is what it is, out of our control" type of thing. A lot of locals work on the bases, and they of course like Americans.
As a tourist, you will have zero issues. The active duty folks have a curfew, that helps the few that want to be stupid can do it on base. And it's always the few. A lot of Americans help out with orphanages, clean ups at the beaches, etc... Good volunteer stuff. But it's always the bad ones that make the news.
Thanks for clarifying it. Where I heard it is from the news. which definitely won't show the good things, and always the bad ones in most cases. One thing for sure is one of my regrets is not being stationed in Japan as well, but I do want to go visit Okinawa as I heard its very beautiful over there.
Thanks for clarifying it. Where I heard it is from the news. which definitely won't show the good things, and always the bad ones in most cases. One thing for sure is one of my regrets is not being stationed in Japan as well, but I do want to go visit Okinawa as I heard its very beautiful over there.
If you visit, spend a day or two around Naha. A large capital, but not really. Also, in early sping it's home to the Yomiyuri Giants (baseball). Then I would fly further south to Ishigaki or Miyako. You'll get a taste of real Okinawa without the American presence and resorts. A lot more of the older way of living. Oh, the diving there is stupendous, along with the unspoiled beaches. Look up Kabira Bay and you'll see what I mean.
Alright, looks like May/June is the timeframe. But I have a conundrum. I love the Levorg and I'm still leaning that way because it will be the 2.0 STI, like these:
HOWEVER...................................... I saw these and the prices are very similar (same year, low km, ~$15)
This is tough. The Merc would be more in maintenance, but I am on a small island, not driving but 5kkm / year. Tough choice. I looked at the Audi A4 and BMW 3 series wagons. If I'm going German, it would be a Mercedes. Any thoughts on these? Just curious.
Loved my W205, and really wish they'd brought the wagon here.
Love it in Cardinal Red too.
My main complaint was that it went through tires pretty quickly, in normal DD duty. The runflats were on the wear bars in 16k miles, and the non-RFTs I replaced them with were good for about 35k. I had a Sport pkg, which had staggered width 19s & the RFTs were also directional, so they had to be dismounted to rotate.
If I were buying today, I'd lean a bit more on the Levorg.
Levorg for sure. It's forbidden fruit in the US. You can get a C class sedan here easily and that's basically the same thing. Nothing close to a Levorg here.
how long are you planing to keep it? The Benz doesn’t look old enough to be a maintenance problem yet.
The red one is dead sexy (similar to the Mazda Soul Red). It's a 220d. So it's a diesel, which means it should outlive me. Ha.
Originally Posted by 00TL-P3.2
Loved my W205, and really wish they'd brought the wagon here.
Love it in Cardinal Red too.
My main complaint was that it went through tires pretty quickly, in normal DD duty. The runflats were on the wear bars in 16k miles, and the non-RFTs I replaced them with were good for about 35k. I had a Sport pkg, which had staggered width 19s & the RFTs were also directional, so they had to be dismounted to rotate.
If I were buying today, I'd lean a bit more on the Levorg.
I would probably get the stickiest tires that are good int he rain (no snow there, tropical climate)...... And I do admit, the maintenance cost on a Levorg would be less.....
Now I could turn back the clock and get an S402 wagon..... Choices..... (full STI, WRX 300hp engine, etc..)
I mean, the 220D is not really an exciting engine… gets the job done, sure but it’s pretty sedate. If you miss your coffee in the morning, it might be safer to go with the Subby .
I've always loved that gen Legacy in a wagon.
The Levorg would probably still get a bit more consideration.
Aren't cars taxed differently over there? Or does your travel/living situation preclude that?
The taxes are based on car size and engine displacement. The Subie would be a 2.0L. The Mercs I saw would either be the 220d or the 1.8L petrol engine. Now, if I went with the S402, still a 2L engine.
But I'm thinking I want the more modern powertrain and features.... The Levorg, well, if I had the cojones to do a 6MT swap then it would be perfect.
Gotcha, didn't realize the Legacy was a 2.0 also.
Guessing you're looking at 1G Levorg? 2G has a 2.4 turbo.
Personally, I like the look of the 1G better.
Gotcha, didn't realize the Legacy was a 2.0 also.
Guessing you're looking at 1G Levorg? 2G has a 2.4 turbo.
Personally, I like the look of the 1G better.
Yeah, over in Japan the 2.0 is a twin scroll turbo on the old Legacy sedans and wagons. I owned a 3.0. That was great because the torque came on early and just stayed level through the range. Sadly I had the old 5 EAT, and that was a bit of a downer.
On the Levorg, the 2.0L turbo (same as the WRX) is through 2020. in 2021 they went 1.8L or 2.4L..... I don't think I'll get the 2.4. A bit pricey for a guy who's gotta buy 3 cars and a house. Brand new, the top line STI 2.4 is ~$40K. USed it can be had easily around $25K. But I have to spend a bit less.
Last edited by mrmako; 01-12-2024 at 06:50 PM.
Reason: grammar
How are car prices in Japan compared to here? An acquaintance of ours is Japanese and he told us that the import taxes are very high there. He first visited us back in 2002, when my parents had a Volvo S70 T5 and he said those were really expensive there.
How are car prices in Japan compared to here? An acquaintance of ours is Japanese and he told us that the import taxes are very high there. He first visited us back in 2002, when my parents had a Volvo S70 T5 and he said those were really expensive there.
TLDR: Suck it up and don't be lazy. Read...... j/k
Yes, import taxes are high. But here's the thing about the Japanese market: The vast majority of the public like to buy brand new, and get rid of the car at the 3 or 5 year mark. The reason they do this is two fold: 1) Warranty and 2) JCI/Inspection
Warranty for most cars is 3 years. And most Japanese people use the dealer network for all repairs/services. And the JCI (Japanese Compulsory Inspection or shaken 車検) is a requried inspection for all cars that are three years old (so not when new), then every two years after that. During the inspection, if a car fails, the item is pointed out. If a dealer does the inspection, they will fix the problem then you gotta pay. And it can get costly.
So because of the above, you can get a great car with low Km on her for half or more off the new price. Even cars that are 6-8 years old can be had very cheap, and maybe have 40-75k Km. This is why a Mercedes can be had after the 5 year mark, well taken care of, for the same price as a domestic car.
The USA is very expensive for used cars..... The Mercedes above this that I posted was ~$15k. The sedan there is about the same price as the wagon. The sedan in the US is around $25K. It's not even close. For JDM, it's about the same except for certain cars (WRX STI, NSX, S2000, Skyline, etc.). Those exceptions are insane.
Last edited by mrmako; 01-13-2024 at 07:39 PM.
Reason: More information
TLDR: Suck it up and don't be lazy. Read...... j/k
Yes, import taxes are high. But here's the thing about the Japanese market: The vast majority of the public like to buy brand new, and get rid of the car at the 3 or 5 year mark. The reason they do this is two fold: 1) Warranty and 2) JCI/Inspection
Warranty for most cars is 3 years. And most Japanese people use the dealer network for all repairs/services. And the JCI (Japanese Compulsory Inspection or shaken 車検) is a requried inspection for all cars that are three years old (so not when new), then every two years after that. During the inspection, if a car fails, the item is pointed out. If a dealer does the inspection, they will fix the problem then you gotta pay. And it can get costly.
So because of the above, you can get a great car with low Km on her for half or more off the new price. Even cars that are 6-8 years old can be had very cheap, and maybe have 40-75k Km. This is why a Mercedes can be had after the 5 year mark, well taken care of, for the same price as a domestic car.
The USA is very expensive for used cars..... The Mercedes above this that I posted was ~$15k. The sedan there is about the same price as the wagon. The sedan in the US is around $25K. It's not even close. For JDM, it's about the same except for certain cars (WRX STI, NSX, S2000, Skyline, etc.). Those exceptions are insane.
Dude, I’m not reading all that, can someone summarize? JK
Thanks for the info! Based on that, do you think most used cars are out there because they failed JCI, or simply because owners don’t want to deal with the headache of possibly failing JCI. How are electric cars doing over there? Something I noticed while visiting was that nearly all cars were well kept out there.
Dude, I’m not reading all that, can someone summarize? JK
Thanks for the info! Based on that, do you think most used cars are out there because they failed JCI, or simply because owners don’t want to deal with the headache of possibly failing JCI. How are electric cars doing over there? Something I noticed while visiting was that nearly all cars were well kept out there.
Cars 5 years old or less pretty much have not failed JCI. Japanese people tend to like warranty. They love the fallback of if it breaks, the dealer takes care of it. And yes, they do not like the idea of a JCI after year 5 because the car will need something, hence more headaches. What that means for us "car guys" is you can get used cars for very cheap. Here's an example:
The ad above (if it's still up) has a 2020 model, with only 24k Km on the odometer. So well under 20k miles, basically the car is still in a fairly new condition, with all factory services done. The price at the current yen rate is ~$19,900.00 That is a great price for something with that low of mileage. Something similar with slightly higher mileage is ~$26K in the US.
It's just different there. The JCI, as long as you keep up the routine maintenance is not a big deal, but that runs ~$600 - $1000 every time unless there are problems. PEople see that money as a waste and just get new cars, hence the market flooded with used cars.
To be fair, right hand drive hurts the value, you can compare,British to rest of Europe used car values to see that.
Anyways, I think you should get an R34 skyline, #yolo, am I right!
To be fair, right hand drive hurts the value, you can compare,British to rest of Europe used car values to see that.
Anyways, I think you should get an R34 skyline, #yolo, am I right!
The thinking is within their respective markets, prices are much better in Japan for a used car.
And an R34...... ***TRIGGER WARNING******NON-WAGON PICTURES FOLLOW*********
This nice R34 GT-R is ONLY............. $129K....... Ouch.
Soarer 
03-04-2021 | 02:38 PM
Looks like it's happening.....
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