Category Archives: Question of the Week
QotW: Would you import a JDM car that you could get in America?
There are many degrees of JDM-ness, but we think it can be classified into four main categories. If we were to list them in order from most JDM to least, something very JDM like a Skyline GT-R that has absolutely … Continue reading
QotW: What will my 3-year-old’s first car be?
My son is three. I’ve always had dreams about passing down my AE86 to him someday. But by the time he turns 16 in 2035, a car built in 1986 will be nearly 50 years old. That would be like … Continue reading
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QotW: Should being celebrity-adjacent add to a car’s value?
As you may have heard, an R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R that appeared in one of The Fast and the Furious movies has sold for $1,357,000. Specifically, Paul Walker drove it in the fourth installment of the series. With an East … Continue reading
QotW: Who taught you about cars?
Teacher Appreciation Week starts today, May 8, but these unsung heroes aren’t just found in the classroom. Many of us had a relative, friend, or internet resource who fed our curiosity about cars, automotive history, or wrenching. Or perhaps you’re … Continue reading
QotW: What Japanese car would you drive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland?
A teaser trailer just dropped for Twisted Metal, a new series based on the 90s PlayStation game about automotive combat. The most surprising part isn’t that Sony is trying to build a franchise around a fairly obscure 20-year-old video game, … Continue reading
QotW: Why do you own a classic car?
There are many reasons to own a classic. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, or the feeling you get from driving something from a bygone era. Maybe it’s the desire to preserve something that gets rarer every year, or the satisfaction of … Continue reading
QotW: What JNC would be best for an EV conversion?
There was much internet debate about whether an R32 Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R would be an appropriate car for Nissan to convert into an EV. Meanwhile, Toyota’s already done so with a classic AE86. It’s a trend that will only … Continue reading
QotW: Which car has the best (or worst) seats?
Believe it or not, there is such a thing as Sports Seat Day in Japan, and it was started by a company you’ve actually heard of. Bride established the anniversary for April 10 because 4 and 10 can be pronounced … Continue reading
QotW: What are your hobbies?
Today is Hobby Day in Japan, a pun made from combining the numbers shi (4) and yumi (3) to make shumi (“hobby” in Japanese). Of course, one could argue that cars themselves are a hobby, but we’ve found that those … Continue reading
QotW: What aspect of car life makes you happy?
Happy International Day of Happiness, the day created to recognize happiness as a fundamental human goal. As enthusiasts we derive joy from many aspects of car ownership. It could be a drive on your favorite road, the satisfaction of working … Continue reading
QotW: Who would you pick, living or dead, to go for a drive with, and in what car?
Picking a a famous person to hang with is well worn question territory, but we’re going to add our automotive twist to it. You can choose anyone, living or dead, to take a spin in the motor vehicle of your … Continue reading
QotW: What lower-spec car would you be willing to own?
One JNC rule of thumb is that one should strive for top spec when buying a classic car. However, that’s not always possible, especially with prices rising the way they are. Furthermore, it often overlooks perfectly acceptable — desirable, even — … Continue reading
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QotW: What’s your favorite tuning house demo car?
There’s been no shortage of amazing one-off machines from Japan’s prolific tuning houses. The demo cars were built to showcase what the mad scientists were capable of. The most famous of them stood out as separate from the cars they … Continue reading
QotW: Who deserves to be in the JNC Hall of Fame?
Last week we wrote about two great men from Japanese motoring history. Former president of Toyota Shoichiro Toyoda passed away, while co-founder of Honda Takeo Fujisawa was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame. That got us thinking about creating … Continue reading
QotW: What once uncool family car is now desirable?
On February 13, 1997 the original Subaru Forester debuted in Japan. It was just another AWD wagon marketed as an SUV from Fuji Heavy Industries, bigger than an Impreza but smaller than the Legacy. In the era of Jeep Cherokees … Continue reading
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QotW: What would your dream garage build include?
We’ve asked about dream garages filled with your most wanted cars, but not about the garage itself. What kind of home with your cars live in? We’re not talking a Jay Leno-style museum for 100 cars, but something more reasonable. … Continue reading
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QotW: What’s your favorite JNC shout-out in a song lyric?
The Mazda MPV made its Japanese debut on January 30, 1990. Eagle-eyed observers might note that this date is two years after it debuted in the U.S. With available seating for 8 and 4WD, it was a unique conscription into … Continue reading
QotW: How do you scratch your car itch in the dead of winter?
It’s been a tough winter for much of the country and with weather reports predicting another snowstorm in the northeast, it doesn’t seem like it’s letting up any time soon. That means icy highways, weather too frigid to spend any … Continue reading
QotW: How do you get bad smells out of your car?
The question this week is a personal one. Of the many traumatic things that happened after my AE86 got stolen (and recovered) is the fact that the entire car now smells like smoke. I’ve owned the car for 20 years … Continue reading
QotW: What Japan-market car from 1998 would you import?
It’s a new year, and that means a whole new roster of formerly forbidden Japan-market cars are now eligible for import. The 25-year federal prohibition on cars built in 1998 is now lifted. So what will it be, a Honda … Continue reading
