7I did imply on my very first post that I am partial to Japanese brands. Calling a part JDM was probably incorrect being that it is available in the US either officially or through gray Market Avenues the either way know what I was implying

#usdmcarsmatter

It says "Made" in Japan because that was the last country to add value by assembling it. Every single component in it may have (and probably did) come from some other country.
I am "getting this information" from 3 decades in the business.

Out of those companies only Tomei or HKS are very relevant anymore as far as actual performance, and compared to other companies nothing they make I consider of exceptionally high quality vs. brand X. And it's not like I see tons of parts from JDM companies on cars as I walk through the paddock. Usually they are only found on hard parkers.

HKS Quality!! On their own 86 time attack car.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...&postcount=184

Do you not realize you are just paying extra for a legacy from the early 2000's when all these companies cashed in on the popularity of Fast and the Furious?

Made and assembled of course means two totally different things. When a product is only a assembled in a certain country it will strictly state that on the product but of course many companies blur this line.

I'm not one to think something is no good just cuz it's not from Japan matter of fact I think the best intake manifolds come from hypertune Australia
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/18211...-1/s-l1000.jpg

OH crap the Prius is made in Indiana. It is a USDM car. It isn't Japanese at all other than the parent company. I can't find a break down of who makes what on it but I doubt it is even 25% Japanese made content.

Are you not familiar with Arc? One of the best-known companies for their Cooling parts and they are still around just not as big. Also I doubt with you being in Oregon people are exactly favoring to put Japanese Parts on their car location makes a big on what you see people using.

I can't really comment on those terrible looking welds on the HKS 86. I don't know if that was done in-house or third party by somebody else or the backstory behind it.

All the Toyota lineup hybrids are made in Japan regardless of model but as far as non hybrid a good amount is made right here in the states

False - the hybrid Camry, Highlander, and Avalon are all built in the states from my research.

Yours is a hybrid? For some reason I thought it was all electric.

Ya it was the Camry I was thinking of in Indiana.

Arc, no not familiar. Outside of additional oil cooling and ducting there are not any cooling parts I have researched or needed. And for oil cooling I have always used Setreb.

Yeah, lots of crappy weather up here so not as much hard parking. Lots of women in sweatshirts too.

Looks like you are correct the Camry was initially built in Japan but now in the US but the Prius itself to this day is still japan-only

This is the most idiotic statement I've heard to date. People who know what they are doing "mod-wise" buy parts based on the value they provide to them (whether that be for street performance, track performance, etc.). Hell, after all my ranting, I've heavily considered the CSG-Spec Tein Flex A's. Granted, I'd be supporting CSG as well, but still a Japanese company. While, I'm obviously always going to look to support a local business if I can, if that product doesn't fit my needs, I'm going to go with the product that will regardless, of who makes it.

What does being from "Oregon" have to do with anything. Oregon is an amazing place. Next you'll say, "Illinois is a stupid fly over state" forgetting that Chicago, a major international business hub, is located in that state.

Your world view is astoundingly naive.

To be fair, as far as the car scene Oregon is pretty bland. So enthusiasts tend to actually be enthusiasts :burnrubber:

Location has a lot to do with many things. Don't try and pretend where you're located doesn't affect what you are exposed to, influence your likes and dislikes and what you're familiar with.

For example seeing a car with stretch tires and stance style you will see in much more major cities and if someone is saying they don't like it I'll often see it's from an area such as Alabama where they never see stuff like that. So naturally especially being different one isn't so keen on it

Oregon sure does like them some Subaru's though. Bloody things are everywhere.

Stretched tires were never "in style"!

Some of the nicest cars i seen come from Chicago which to be honest I was not expecting

Where I am located does not mean that is where I am from. Technically I am JDM lol. I also tend to spend a good 6-12 weeks out of state for work.


I like function, you like style. I can respect that as long as I know that is where you are coming from :cheers: Not my cup-o-tea but I don't hate on it.

I’ve seen more skylines and random real jdm cars in Eugene than any other city. Grew up in Charlottesville and spent significant time in nova and Southern California.

A college kid daily drives a yellow 458 to class, rain or shine. A white evo 1 rips by daily, tons of other actual jdm cars here.

Troll car, troll post. What a way to spend a Wednesday.

I think that is mostly because of the lesbians and hipsters to be honest :bellyroll:

In early 2000 when I first got into this I wished it caught on with more people.


It did but like Americans always do is that had to give it a lame lable like stance and hella flush and turn it into a movement.



I just called it aggressive wheels

Not going to lie, I'm probably going to go ahead and get Fortune 510's at this point. This thread made me go way down the rabbit hole on them...so for whatever its worth, thanks for this stupid thread!

#metoo

Was looking at RCE Tarmac II's but might give the 510's a go instead after this season.

On a serious question why would you not consider dg-5. It has been stated to be the best coilover anyone has ever used not just a fanboy like myself but so many people

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11847

I don't know why I am going to ask this, but WHY would you not expect that? Is it because middle-americans can't quite possibly have any taste? Do you realize that people who live in, let's say Chicago, were not just born and raised there - they actually come from all over, and it's a great big mix of cultures? The concept that makes the US so much more unique than so many of the homogenous countries elsewhere in the world.

Where does this "best anyone has ever used" info come from? If I just search "DG-5 Coilovers" or "DG-5 Coilover Review" most info I find on them is old(2013 or older) and not very technical. Doesn't look like they have stateside product support from a reputable dealer. Price point really isn't bad but just not enough info on them for me to put them on my list.

Second that! I see nothing in that thread remotely useful except that the "Drift King" used them and that they were awesome for the NSX.

And why would I choose Fortune? They are in my backyard, will be custom built to what I need them for, have randomly been recommended by a trusted source at my local shop even before this thread, and seem to have excellent community engagement and customer service. And to top it off, I get to support a local business. Probably the same reason why I'm going to choose Mach V's new wheel over some Volk TE37 Time Attacks.

I've never heard of Mach 5 but from the quick search I did of them it looks like a replica company where they're most popular will is a copy of the 5zigen fn01rc from 2003.

Saying you are picking a Mach V wheel vs te37 isn't exactly even a fair comparison especially when they are two different price points let alone cast vs forged.


That's like saying I totally would have went for the Ferrari but then I want to support my local Honda dealer

I also don't know why it seems fortunato's seems to be the only coilover company that gets credit for allowing customers to pick their own spring rates let alone custom valving to accommodate that. Many other companies offer the same service with dg5 be in one of them

They are pretty much on par with my 57DR's which are just a cast knock off TE37 too :cry: People mistake the DR's all the time as reps because they look dual drilled though they are good enough for the girls I go out with.


I don't know where you pull this info. I don't get that impression and lots of companies offer different spring rates. I think biggest reason FA would tout this is they offer custom valving and build to order. You can't just offer different springs that are outside the ability of the valving to handle and expect everything to work right. Kinda the reason I am not interested in KW V3's even though they are well regarded. The valving won't support the spring rate I would want to run and KW won't revalve them.

A) You haven’t heard of them because you drive a Prius and not a Subaru. You likely also haven’t heard of them because they are located on the east coast and not “JDM”.

B) They are not a “replica” company, and the wheel you are referring to is not the wheel I was talking about anyways. Mach V is a performance shop, primarily focused on Subaru’s, that also manufactures their own line of products to include wheels and suspension components.

C) The wheels are flow formed not cast. Regardless, I was not “comparing” them. I was simply stating I will likely go local, get a solid lightweight track wheel for a great price and support a local business, rather than dump an excessive amount of money on another great wheel that will perform marginally better.

that makes a lot more sense to compare the 57dr to the wheel you're considering which wasn't the same dilemma you said you had earlier which was the much more expensive t37

I am late to the party (haven't made it to the end of the thread) so maybe someone has already commented on this. But... I just can't not respond to this.

You're discussing car parts, from Japan, while sitting in the US, with people all over the world, on a forum, using the Internet. What in the hell makes you think those people all over the world can't acquire parts from Japan just as easily wherever in the world they happen to be using the Internet?

Side note on Oregon having one of the largest and most active Subaru communities in North America.

I'm in Texas and I have not once every had a problem sourcing a part from anywhere, and I've ordered parts made (assembled or straight out manufactured) in Japan, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, and the US for my car without issue and at the click of a button.

THE INTERNET. Say it with me.


Stance is more common in major cities, because stance cars are nearly non-functional on normal streets and directly inhibit your ability to effectively get from point a to point b, which is far more important in rural areas. Also rural folk respect functional performance, and if it looks good too that's a bonus, but looks without performance is seen as stupid. "Sass with no gas" "All Show, No Go" aren't sayings around here for no reason.

Local culture may influence the car scene, but it does nothing to prevent someone from buying whatever parts they happen to want ON THE INTERNET.

I went WAYYYY deep on the suspension rabbit hole for my weekender/track car. I ended up getting RCE Tarmac 2s. Take that for what you will, but I'd reconsider your choice to go to FAs in preference to T2s.

They are just on the "consideration" list. :burnrubber:

Does anyone in this thread even have Fortune Autos?

not yet, but since Fortune Auto will build anything custom for you and see it as no big deal, and also make sure everyone knows everything they build is modular, which means you can always upgrade easily, so you can buy a simple 500 and if you need to you can upgrade it all the way to having remote reservoirs and the whole kitchen sink, they are worth looking into for everyone.

Yea, the videos are hard to watch, but they have a boatload of info.

You are so incredibly naive it is not even funny. So I take it you've never ever seen cars from other countries, oh wait, there are car magazines and an entire internet now. Not to mention real to life video games that have all the cars. I have no problem saying stretch tires and stance is for losers.Unlike you I have lived in 4 different states and been involved in actual different car scenes, not just socal jdm blindness.

I mean pay attention, the USA has a absolutely massive WRC fanbase even thought the World Rally Championship doesn't come to the USA. They didn't find that stuff in their local city and it happened before the internet. Just please grow up and get a clue.

Wait, this derp drives a Prius?