First of all, I am a JDM fan boy, but what exactly is JDM? It stands for “Japanese domestic market” or “Japanese domestic model”. Basically, it refers to Japan’s home market for Japanese-made vehicles from companies such as Nissan, Toyota, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Mazda and Honda. In the automotive culture, JDM refers to the modification of interior, exterior, performance, etc.
There are some legendary 90’s sport cars which still standing high in the JDM world. And they are always the shining stars whose value remain till today.
So what makes them so special? There are plenty of reasons. Firstly, modern cars prioritise comfort over feedback. This not only disconnects the driver from “feeling” the car’s handling, it makes driving a boring affair.
These cars have more mechanical parts that are so-called over-engineered and they offer us unforgettable experience in fast driving, superb handling, fun to drive. The driving experience is direct – just slam the throttle and have fun! 90’s monsters on the road do not need any high tech and advanced electrical system at all and driving a 90’s machine definitely isn’t boring. In short, the 90’s mechanical technologies offer us a solid and rewarding driving experience.
And they are plenty of aftermarket companies who offering performance parts that are affectionately called ‘poison’ in the industry. These companies include the likes of HKS, Greddy, Apexi, Power Enterprise, Cusco, Endless, etc. While we may find a lot of familiar names from the car manufacturer as well such as TRD from Toyota, Mugen from Honda, Nismo from Nissan, etc. In terms of aerodynamics, we have awesome bodykits from big names like Veilside, Chargespeed, Ridox, J’S Racing, Bomex, etc.
Hence, I would say it is a fun and wonderful experience to own a JDM car. Of course it is very much subject to how deep our pockets are, but I would like to share some must-have JDM cars for all the JDM fan boys out there. Here you go!
Honda NSX (1990 – 2005)
Honda NSX is the king of the JDM. It is always in the top hunting list. It is known as Japan Ferrari with its awesome design. It offers supercar performance along with solid reliability. It has prove itself around the world with the well-known Honda’s VTEC tehcnology. A 276bhp might not impress you in modern days but it is always a remarkable experience when the exclusive Honda’s VTEC kicks in and rev all the way to red line. Trust me, you will only understand why 90’s are so great to be driven in fun way! It will be pointless to chase for horse power on paper.
Estimate value in RM : 150,000 and above
Toyota Supra (1992-2002)
The fourth generation of the Toyota Supra was completely over-engineered. The Supra design is amazing and it is still comparable to modern super cars. It was with the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre 2JZ engine is known as bullet prove engine, offering 276bhp from the factory but coming with a monster even a light tuning, modification. It has proven its crazy power and handling on the road, on the track. There are too many videos in social media which you can see how a modified Supra smoke and shame ultra expensive Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc.
Estimate value in RM : 100,000 and above
Nissan Skyline GT-R (1989 – 2002)
GT-R is a brand, a unbeatable brand for JDM fan. Three generations of GT-R actually spanned this decade, with the R32 was introduced from 1989 and 1994, and the R33 inherited from 1995 and 1998, at which point the R34 took over the GT-R reigns under the name of Skyline. Nissan always wanted to dominate motorsport and the R32 was designed to win all in 1989, along with the legendary 2.6-litre RB26DETT. The R33 then came after with new styling and some improvements which also further enhance the Skyline GTR names. R34, the best looking Skyline GTR in my personal opinion, and became the icon and magnet for photographers in motorsports. Yet, it has destroyed many road warriors which failed to challenge the GTR.
Estimate value in RM : 100,000 and above
These are the top 3 JDM cars in my list. And there are still plenty of legendary rides which got huge demand and appreciation from different car manufacturer from 90’s,
For example,
Honda : Civic EK9 Type R, DC2 Integra Type R
Mazda : RX-7
Mitsubishi : GTO, Evo IV
Nissan : Fairlady 300ZX, 200SX
Subaru : Impreza WRX STI
And a simple question, are they really worth the penny spent on them? Well, it is very much subject to the appreciation, passion towards the dream cars for JDM fans. Of course, willing seller and willing buyer concept applies. Try own one of them before you are too late to own one of it.
Enjoy JDM, Enjoy Mechanical Technology & Regain The Fun & Pleasure of Driving Now!
– By: Nicholas Ng –