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What is JDM?
What is JDM?
An Introduction to the Japanese tuner scene
by unknown posted 2008/-0/7-
What is JDM? - 2007-06-26
Welcome to the underground world of tuner cars. For anyone who is new to the scene, the term JDM seems to be THE word for finding the car of their dreams. But what does “JDM” really mean? By definition, JDM stands for Japanese Domestic Market which translates to parts and cars that were originally intended for the Japanese market only. But why is it that these cars and parts are so sought after by North American consumers? Why have these cars and parts grown in such popularity in such little time? And most importantly of all, how can someone get a hold of these products?
The Japanese tuner culture has grown in popularity over the last few years because of movies such as "The Fast and The Furious" which drew attention to the underground world of street racing. Modern media such as YouTube have also helped the culture by spreading amateur video of street races. Eventually, interest grew and cars like the Nissan Skyline became sought after in the North American market. Other Japanese car owners started replacing their stock parts with JDM parts with the promise of performance boosts and unique styling. To meet the growing demand, import companies started providing consumers with JDM parts and have now created a niche market for themselves.
JDM cars and parts are also becoming sought after beyond the tuner market by people just looking for low mileage cars and engines. In Japan, cars are subjected to inspection every two years and as a result have to be kept in excellent condition. The high cost of operating a car in Japan also keeps the mileage of these vehicles extremely low. Combined with their mild winters, these cars and parts are usually in very good condition despite their age.
As JDM cars become more widespread, the introduction of other, non-sport cars, have also been coming into the North American market. Turbo-diesel trucks, common in Japan but rarely seen in North America, and "Micro Cars" or "Kei Cars", a special classification given to small economic vehicles, have also been making their way across the ocean thanks to North American consumers looking to save money at the pumps. Other cars like Toyota's Sera appeal to consumers because of their unique styling.
So where can someone find JDM products? Companies specializing in Japanese imports have been cropping up all over the country offering JDM cars and parts to meet the growing demand. Fierce competition among these companies has also been growing over the years and just typing "JDM" into Google yields millions of results. Many of these companies are found in major cities across Canada (mainly Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver).
The subculture of the Japanese Tuner world is constantly growing. More and more events and movies popularizing the phenomenon have made the products more widely available. As time goes on, it seems that what started out as a small niche market will eventually grow into a serious option for the average consumer looking for used parts and vehicles.
An Introduction to the Japanese tuner scene
by unknown posted 2008/-0/7-
What is JDM? - 2007-06-26
Welcome to the underground world of tuner cars. For anyone who is new to the scene, the term JDM seems to be THE word for finding the car of their dreams. But what does “JDM” really mean? By definition, JDM stands for Japanese Domestic Market which translates to parts and cars that were originally intended for the Japanese market only. But why is it that these cars and parts are so sought after by North American consumers? Why have these cars and parts grown in such popularity in such little time? And most importantly of all, how can someone get a hold of these products?
The Japanese tuner culture has grown in popularity over the last few years because of movies such as "The Fast and The Furious" which drew attention to the underground world of street racing. Modern media such as YouTube have also helped the culture by spreading amateur video of street races. Eventually, interest grew and cars like the Nissan Skyline became sought after in the North American market. Other Japanese car owners started replacing their stock parts with JDM parts with the promise of performance boosts and unique styling. To meet the growing demand, import companies started providing consumers with JDM parts and have now created a niche market for themselves.
JDM cars and parts are also becoming sought after beyond the tuner market by people just looking for low mileage cars and engines. In Japan, cars are subjected to inspection every two years and as a result have to be kept in excellent condition. The high cost of operating a car in Japan also keeps the mileage of these vehicles extremely low. Combined with their mild winters, these cars and parts are usually in very good condition despite their age.
As JDM cars become more widespread, the introduction of other, non-sport cars, have also been coming into the North American market. Turbo-diesel trucks, common in Japan but rarely seen in North America, and "Micro Cars" or "Kei Cars", a special classification given to small economic vehicles, have also been making their way across the ocean thanks to North American consumers looking to save money at the pumps. Other cars like Toyota's Sera appeal to consumers because of their unique styling.
So where can someone find JDM products? Companies specializing in Japanese imports have been cropping up all over the country offering JDM cars and parts to meet the growing demand. Fierce competition among these companies has also been growing over the years and just typing "JDM" into Google yields millions of results. Many of these companies are found in major cities across Canada (mainly Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver).
The subculture of the Japanese Tuner world is constantly growing. More and more events and movies popularizing the phenomenon have made the products more widely available. As time goes on, it seems that what started out as a small niche market will eventually grow into a serious option for the average consumer looking for used parts and vehicles.
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