Are you as big of a JDM fanatic as we are? Do you also gobble up JDM info just like a sponge? Then you must know a lot of facts about JDM cars. Let’s test out your knowledge about JDM shall we?

Below are surprising facts about JDM that you may or may not know. Let’s see how many you get. Even if you don’t know a lot about JDMs, the facts you’ll read below can help you be correctly informed about them. 

Not All Japanese Cars Are JDM Cars

This is one of the most important facts that you should know about JDMs. Even if JDM stands for Japanese Domestic Market, it doesn’t mean that all the Japanese cars are JDM. You see, there is a difference between the Honda cars that they sell in Japan and the Honda cars that they sell in the US. 

That doesn’t mean that the cars being sold to the US are substandard. However, the Japanese have higher standards when it comes to their cars so those that are sold in Japan alone are better. These are the JDM cars that we are all after. 

Additionally, the true JDM cars are not US-market Japanese cars that have JDM parts. They aren’t JDM cars with replaced parts either. True JDM cars are JDM cars with JDM parts.

Japan Makes A Whole Lot Of Cars

Compared to the US, Japan is a smaller country when it comes to the landmass. However, that doesn’t stop them from producing a lot of cars. The US only got into the top 6 ranks for the country that produces the most cars. Japan is way up into the second spot while China dominates at the top.

25 Years Of Waiting

In order for JDMs to be legal in the US, it needs to wait for 25 years after it is released in Japan. So all JDM cars are definitely old models released 25 years ago. However, they are still that good. One of the most recent and sought-after JDM cars that are now legal in the US is the Skyline GT-R. You can now get your hands on these babies.

JDM And Drifting

Apart from awesome cars, Japan gave us drifting too. This move was first started early in the ’70s when Kunimitsu Takahashi purposely oversteered at corners. This caused the rear of the car to create a storm of dust and smoke. It may look like the car is losing traction because of how the rear wheels look but don’t be fooled because these front-wheel drives are certainly still in control.

The Green And Yellow Arrow Sticker

Many JDM car owners take pride in their vehicle that they even put this green and yellow arrow sticker as if to identify that their car is JDM. However, this sticker isn’t really a sign that the car is JDM. This sticker is originally used in Japan to denote a Wakaba or Shoshinka mark. 

This is a requirement for new drivers in Japan. They have to put this sticker in their car for a year to let people know that they are new drivers. 

JDM’s Great Potential

JDM’s are 25-year-old vehicles so why are people paying more for it than simply buying a new car? Well, that’s because, with proper tune-up and upgrades, they can become great cars. 

They might have started with about 270 hp but could reach 500 or even higher with minimal upgrades that aren’t that costly at all. There are a lot of mods that can be done with them and they prove to be cars of great potential. 

Junkyard Of Treasures

Car junkyards are plentiful in Japan. They are called Kyusha cemeteries and they are places where the old JDM cars die. The people would rather get new vehicles than stick to the older models. That’s because older cars would incur higher taxes. 

As they say, one man’s trash is another’s treasure. That’s where the US market comes to the picture. The US is a perfect place for dumping these old but high-powered vehicles. 

Not only are the Kyusha cemeteries gaining profit from shipping old JDM cars, they also gain a lot of profit from selling parts. They salvage old but still usable JDM parts and sell them in the international market. They are worth a fortune! Well, at least those of the Supra and Skylines are.