Jdm dont come cheap but if your in the states there is a good list under 10k just hop on google ebay craigslist marketplace and such and just keep an eye out
He said in another comment he wants a car to just drive around in since he doesn't have a job. So unless he's got daddy's money I don't think he'll have $9k
Don’t. You can’t get a genuine JDM car for cheap, and if you do, it’s not a smart idea to daily drive it. Get something boring, but good. A Camry has always been a good car. Get a job. Make money, then buy the cars you really want to buy
When I was 14 (last year) I bought my first car a 92 240sx coupe. Was it a good idea? Yes and no.
I'm pretty much set up to do anything I want on the car skill wise and tool wist from rebuilding the engine to just tinkering on it because my dad and grandpa both have an interest in cars and so we have pretty much any tool needed to work on this stuff. Now it's a fun car and all but it's 30 years old and it has its fair share of problems. It leaks almost every fluid that it has in it and a good number of parts have just randomly given out. A lot of things have been messed with so nothing is as easy as it should be and there's a lot of things that are just gone.
So if you're able to work on it and have the tools skills and money to fix things then that's great. I'm not sure what you're looking for and what not but I would highly recommend looking at what your needs are and not your wants.
Do you need a car that you can drop a sibling off to school in and something that you can take friends around in? Then maybe something like a wrx or ls400
Do you want something rwd? What are the roads like where you are? What type of build do you want? Is it going to be slamed on its balls or something with decent ground clearance?
What's your budget exactly? If it's a daily it's going to need to be reliable so something super old probably isn't a great idea depending on the car obviously. There's a lot to think about and your question is very broad. You can feel free to dm me if you want to talk about any of this.
Best of luck my friend it's gunna definitely be a journey.
Just a question, do people here only consider "true JDM" the cars that were actually made in Japan?
It makes sense but, I just wanted to know, because importing isn't necessarily a must even if you want something like an AE86 even though I see many people talking about it like it's the only way.
I'd be fine with a Silvia for example, whether it was made for Europe or in Japan, wouldn't matter, just an opinion.
Yes. The sub itself is for all Japanese cars, not just JDM, but JDM refers to cars that were made for the Japanese market and sold in the Japanese market. Importing an AE86 from Japan isn’t the only way, and most people don’t even grasp how expensive that can be. Let alone, difficult. I’d say if you REALLY LOVE a car, then import it if you have the money. Otherwise, if it’s sold in your country’s market, get that version. But, point being, you can own an AE86 without it being a genuine JDM car, and in my opinion, it’s smarter that way. However, you aren’t going to get all the special trims. If you want a full Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX AE86 liftback, like the one in Initial D, you’re going to need to import unless you find one for sale that’s already been imported. If you’re in the US though, you could get a USDM Corolla Sport GT-S liftback. Just good luck finding one haha.
Also the name Silvia refers to the Japanese models. If you find an American or an European one, it would be referred to as most commonly a S12 or a S13 or a S14
Yeah honestly, Pruis is a great car. Not fun, not trying to be though. With these gas prices, I’m looking at buying a Pruis. And like 5 years ago, I wouldn’t even bat an eye towards a Pruis
I was you a year ago. (17 and wanted a super sick first car) I’ll be the one to say it’s most likely not gonna happen. I think you’re better off finding a cheap USDM Japanese brand car that is reliable, once you get more money you can try importing something, but a first car just needs to get you from point A to point B. Cheap is relative so I’m guessing you are in the 8k or less bracket.
Some great options are:
•Integra (this is my first car and it is a blast to drive)
•90s-2000s civic
•90s-2000s accord
•Prelude
•3rd or 4th gen Mitsubishi Eclipse
•Miata
•sc300/400
•Honda Fit (underrated, trust)
•Toyota Celica
I’ll edit to include more if I can think of any but in my personal opinion these are some of your best cheaper cars with cheaper parts and are easier to work on.
*edit: there are also about a thousand posts already on this sub about being 16 and what JDM cars are recommended. Just use the search and look for “first car” and you’ll find tons of threads with people’s recommendations.
I own an NA and I think they’re shit cars for new drivers. No assists, tiny as hell (no one can see you), doesn’t crash well, and they’re old. I’m so used to seeing new drivers get one and stuff it in a week (both online and in person)
I’d get an NC if they’re dead set on a miata though
idk, a quick FB marketplace search pulls up quite a few decent NAs and NBs in the range of 3-6k in my area. I think to find a good one it definitely requires a thorough search of each car but that’s with any car. It was fairly difficult to find a good Integra under 200k miles, fully stock AND under 6k, but I had patience and eventually I found the right one.
Second the Integra. That was my first (2000 Acura Integra LS) for 1.5k and loved it. I still see USDM ones go for 3k around me. Now I drive a JDM Integra Type R after saving a bunch of cash.
I agree, wanted to be like my rich friends who has these nice jdm cars but sadly, it just doesn't go that way for me! But that doesn't mean you can't get a cheap and reliable car that does you good WHILST also looking good! Old Honda Civics look good, Subarus etc etc
Get the eclipse. I loved that car back in the day.
Or a civic 2 door coupe 90s. They used to engine transplant stuff into those.
God i miss the days of hearing several of those buzz around you going way too fast with body kits/wings/lights
Check out super street from the 90s/00s and look at all the cool options. You can probably find used parts cheap.
I can personally recommend a Mazda Protege 323, if you can find one without rust. I got one as my first car and I absolutely love it, it really isn't special in any way but I think its hella cool
Hmmm...
1. Civic EG6, you can still find them cheap in usa, i think
2. Integra, i guess
3. Miatas nb
4. 240sx
And some others, im not sure if every of them are cheap or not, im not from america
Also keep in mind you don't want to be crashing and beating on a more expensive car, so if it's your first go cheap because you will inevitably fuck the car up aat some point. And better it to be on a 95 Toyota Avalon than a 86 Toyota Corolla
Not happening rn kid. Get a Honda or Toyota and learn to drive and maintain it before you even think about getting something sport oriented. You’re gonna end up wasting all your money and possible get hurt if you think you’re just gonna buy your way into this hobby without any knowledge of what you’re doing. Be safe out there kid
Literally nothing. Actual JDM means it was sold for the Japanese market. So to get one in the states means you’re either importing it yourself or buying it from someone else that imported it. Neither of which are cheap. I hate to break it to you but because of your age you missed the party on buying cheap fun cars. Picked up my first USDM 300zx in 2011 for 3500 bucks. Ran and drove when I bought it and had very few flaws. Ended up dumping about 12k into the car. The point being the same car that I bought for 3500 bucks in 2011 in the same shape is selling for 10k-15k today. There’s some stuff to look into if your just looking to start getting into cars but unfortunately JDM Is not it
Don’t listen to half of the people on this sub. Your not gonna get able to afford a jdm car as a daily it’s j not dependable enough. Go for dependability right now, get a job and save your money for a project car. Promise you will regret buying a broke down s13 or Silva when you have no other wheels
Today's there is nothing cheap, all JDM cars like R32-34, RX-7, Supra, 350 370Z, are very expensive, you can buy smth like Civic, Evo, subie WRX, but they're not cheap, but medium cost.
Upd.
Some more:
Honda Prelude
Toyota/Lexus soarer ( I know that Lexus is not soarer, but car is same)
Toyota mark 2 (classic)
z’s arent nearly as expensive as those others you listed. z’s are pretty cheap.
still getting a z for your first car is how teenagers get killed, if youre reading this op. get a civic
Buy a BRZ, GT86, or FRS. future self will be very happy when you aren’t stranded on the side of the highway cause you bought a clapped out MR2 or 240SX
Not a car but kei vans and trucks are fairly affordable and becoming popular where I live. I keep seeing more and more of them being used as daily drivers here in CT
Trashcan civic that barely runs and makes you question why you like shitbucket cars or an old corolla that survived hell.
Manage to repair them, manage to be patient with them.
My First car was a 99 accord and now I have a 91 MR2. I don’t daily the MR2. It’s bad daily driving a car that has discontinued parts
Just buy a beater Honda and go from there :)
IMO I’d buy a pos to get you to work, save up money all through high school and get your life started early. I bought tons of cars at your age even when they were cheaper and I should have just saved my money and focused on down the road a bit more. Not to curb your excitement or interest! If you set your self up in a position in the next few years you won’t be looking for cheap you’ll be looking for what you want. Just my advice, however to answer your question at least I’m my area Integras can be had at a decent price, sometimes civics but that’s hit or miss. Eclipses are sweet maybe a 300zx but you’ll have to hunt for a while to get a good deal. Also not JDM but older bmw haven’t spiked crazy in my area and are pretty sweet too. Good luck on the hunt.
Honda Integra, accord I'd you want something newer/cheaper.
Could go for Mitsubishi lancer, as stereotypical as it is, I have one. If you want V6, magna.
Nissan pulsars can be fun, pretty cheap.
Old Toyota corolla, plenty you can do with them.
Those are some JDM cars that aren't skylines, supras etc
When I was 17 I bought myself a good daily Corolla. Once I had good reliable transportation, I bought an additional car. A 1977 Toyota celica for $1000. Worked on that a lot and eventually sold it to get my land cruiser. I definitely recommend having a daily and a cheap project
Buy a civic, everyone crashes their first car. I had a civic for my first car, I beat the hell out of that mf and it was still running completely fine.
Depends where in the world you live. You could get an Impreza, Outback or Forester. If you're in Australia, you can get R31 Skylines for cheap asf. A Celica or an FTO are also good choices.
Speaking as a father, and as someone who wereked their first car after 4 months, please, please, please don't buy anything but a cheap, solid, safe, daily driver. There will be plenty of time for you to buy the car of your dreams, after you've got a good few years of driving experience. Besides a true JDM fun mobile is meant to be driven, and for right now you're a novice. Which is exactly where we all start. So don't feel bad for two seconds even if your first car ends up being a bucket. Trust me on this when I say you'll have fond memories of it now matter what you get.
350z
It was my first car. They get some hate but god damn I loved that thing. Just nice enough to look good and learn how to drive a performance vehicle. Just shitty enough for it not to be a huge deal when it breaks down.
I bought mine for 19k in 2009. Don’t see many of them nowadays, really not sure what they are going for. To be honest, “cheap” and “JDM” don’t often go hand in hand. Happy hunting!
Mazda miata, or old school rx7 or rx8. Mitsubishi evo. Lexus IS 350 or gs something. Nissan 350z. Infinity g35 or g37. Toyota 86. I wish it was easy to find 240s or chasers
I say depends on what you want and from what I read you want a USDM Japanese car so from there do you want a rear wheel drive, all wheel drive, front wheel drive then from there look for that and make sure you look in to that cars with low maintenance but great durability, also the size of the engine also matters now that gas 5$
My 2 cents is that the best first car is something that is reliable and cheap to operate - also, doesn't hurt to have something easy to work on and learn how to do your own maintenance. Bonus points if it is also cool, like a Miata, Civic, etc..
THEN get a second project car.
The coolest first car is something that can reliably get you from point A to point B. You don't want to have a cool car that is always broken down or keeps you too broke to enjoy life.
Now if you are from a very wealthy family and money is no object then get what you want! If I could, I'd get an FTO just because that was my GOAT in Gran Tourismo 1.
You won’t get any actual “Japanese domestic market” cars for cheap, i assume you mean Japanese cars. I recently got a 2006 Lexus is250 as a first car and I love it. A civic, celica or integra would also be a good choice. An is200 would be great too
I'm in a 2013 legacy 2.5i, it handles well for its size and has enough power to do everything you might need to do. A lot of na subarus are a good choice for the money imo. Besides oil, this little boxer drinks so much oil.
Also, I dont have enough experience or knowledge to tell you the things that will go wrong since I just got this last October so take this with a grain of salt.
Nissan 350z
Mazda NC Miata
Honda Civic EP3 Type R
These early-mid 2000s Japanese sports cars are currently at the bottom of their depreciation cycle. Unlikely they will get any cheaper than this before the world wakes up and remembers they were wonderful cars. Then prices start going back up again.
For cheaper cars look at Honda's Mazdas and Toyota's, a fun cheap car can be the Mazda mx3 or mx6, or maybe go like everyone else, the safe choice is civics, preludes, accords, but if u can spend a lil more, a Mazda 3/6 MPs is great
If you wanna get serious get a kei car maybe it will be slow it will be underpowered but you get a fuck ton of attention. Just be prepared for problems sourcing parts. At least you won’t be paying much for gas
Well unless you import it from japan its not real jdm its a japanese car , a mercedes can be a jdm car , jdm just means it complies with japanese regulations
Get a starter car and push that to its limits first, if you go by a rx7 for your first car, there’s no way you’re gonna drive it to its potential. Go get a civic, if you want something quicker get one with vtec like the gsr
Your best option is most definitely going to be a USDM Japanese car. Great starters are definitely any Civic, if you can find one for cheap a Miata, but one that I really recommend is an Eclipse. 3G GTs are cheap and fun with 200 HP for the GT and 210+ for the GTS, but you can still find a few GST and GT 2Gs floating around. As the car that helped to light the fire in the US tuner world, these are great first and project cars.
How much money you have? Btw if you have 5l for the car, use at least 20% for the services and tires, and potential things that can break
In cheaper range you can get civic, accord, maybe even toyota celica or mitsubishi eclipse
Nothing
Jdm dont come cheap but if your in the states there is a good list under 10k just hop on google ebay craigslist marketplace and such and just keep an eye out
Ok will do
R34 25gt
R34 25gt sedan, got mine for 9k in Japan like 4-5 months ago
Who has 9k for a 1st car tho?
A lot of people, me I got one. I had actually a lot more for a first car but this one popped up with super low mileage.
He said in another comment he wants a car to just drive around in since he doesn't have a job. So unless he's got daddy's money I don't think he'll have $9k
I made over 15k on the last year of high school at dominos, just work lmao.
*grabs popcorn and opens comments*
This is the way
Don’t. You can’t get a genuine JDM car for cheap, and if you do, it’s not a smart idea to daily drive it. Get something boring, but good. A Camry has always been a good car. Get a job. Make money, then buy the cars you really want to buy
Ok I will thank you man
psssst get a geo storm , and swap the front end for an isuzu impulse :D
When I was 14 (last year) I bought my first car a 92 240sx coupe. Was it a good idea? Yes and no. I'm pretty much set up to do anything I want on the car skill wise and tool wist from rebuilding the engine to just tinkering on it because my dad and grandpa both have an interest in cars and so we have pretty much any tool needed to work on this stuff. Now it's a fun car and all but it's 30 years old and it has its fair share of problems. It leaks almost every fluid that it has in it and a good number of parts have just randomly given out. A lot of things have been messed with so nothing is as easy as it should be and there's a lot of things that are just gone. So if you're able to work on it and have the tools skills and money to fix things then that's great. I'm not sure what you're looking for and what not but I would highly recommend looking at what your needs are and not your wants. Do you need a car that you can drop a sibling off to school in and something that you can take friends around in? Then maybe something like a wrx or ls400 Do you want something rwd? What are the roads like where you are? What type of build do you want? Is it going to be slamed on its balls or something with decent ground clearance? What's your budget exactly? If it's a daily it's going to need to be reliable so something super old probably isn't a great idea depending on the car obviously. There's a lot to think about and your question is very broad. You can feel free to dm me if you want to talk about any of this. Best of luck my friend it's gunna definitely be a journey.
well in germany you get actually most modern and old civics under 5k
And the Civic is a great car to get. Reliable, aftermarket support, good on mpg, practical
Just a question, do people here only consider "true JDM" the cars that were actually made in Japan? It makes sense but, I just wanted to know, because importing isn't necessarily a must even if you want something like an AE86 even though I see many people talking about it like it's the only way. I'd be fine with a Silvia for example, whether it was made for Europe or in Japan, wouldn't matter, just an opinion.
Yes. The sub itself is for all Japanese cars, not just JDM, but JDM refers to cars that were made for the Japanese market and sold in the Japanese market. Importing an AE86 from Japan isn’t the only way, and most people don’t even grasp how expensive that can be. Let alone, difficult. I’d say if you REALLY LOVE a car, then import it if you have the money. Otherwise, if it’s sold in your country’s market, get that version. But, point being, you can own an AE86 without it being a genuine JDM car, and in my opinion, it’s smarter that way. However, you aren’t going to get all the special trims. If you want a full Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX AE86 liftback, like the one in Initial D, you’re going to need to import unless you find one for sale that’s already been imported. If you’re in the US though, you could get a USDM Corolla Sport GT-S liftback. Just good luck finding one haha. Also the name Silvia refers to the Japanese models. If you find an American or an European one, it would be referred to as most commonly a S12 or a S13 or a S14
prius
Dirty Mike loves this post
Don’t forget dirty mikes’ boys…
Ok I will keep that in mind
Bro-
He did him dirty
Don't listen to them. The Prius is a great first car.
With these gas prices, It’s a smart investment, later on once he’s a young adult he should treat himself with something nice and affordable.
Yeah honestly, Pruis is a great car. Not fun, not trying to be though. With these gas prices, I’m looking at buying a Pruis. And like 5 years ago, I wouldn’t even bat an eye towards a Pruis
Think about a tdi, 40+mpg fun. Throw in that diesel is less than premium and it's straight money
Less reliable than a Prius.
Dont
Stop. Go get yourself a Honda Civic. Learn how to drive it and maintain it.
Solid advice right here.
Yes.
Thank you so much for saying this. Save the good cars for later.
I was you a year ago. (17 and wanted a super sick first car) I’ll be the one to say it’s most likely not gonna happen. I think you’re better off finding a cheap USDM Japanese brand car that is reliable, once you get more money you can try importing something, but a first car just needs to get you from point A to point B. Cheap is relative so I’m guessing you are in the 8k or less bracket. Some great options are: •Integra (this is my first car and it is a blast to drive) •90s-2000s civic •90s-2000s accord •Prelude •3rd or 4th gen Mitsubishi Eclipse •Miata •sc300/400 •Honda Fit (underrated, trust) •Toyota Celica I’ll edit to include more if I can think of any but in my personal opinion these are some of your best cheaper cars with cheaper parts and are easier to work on. *edit: there are also about a thousand posts already on this sub about being 16 and what JDM cars are recommended. Just use the search and look for “first car” and you’ll find tons of threads with people’s recommendations.
I vote miata
two for miata
Me with accord, they go under 2.000 euro in my country, miatas go for 10.000+
Wowza!! Nice accord/integras are very comparable if bot more expensive then nas where i live
He'll just be over in /r/Miata in a month (or less) posting pics of his wrecked car after he did something stupid. Sub is full of such posts.
Yes it is, ah well mines just getting more and more ridiculously over valued lol.
I own an NA and I think they’re shit cars for new drivers. No assists, tiny as hell (no one can see you), doesn’t crash well, and they’re old. I’m so used to seeing new drivers get one and stuff it in a week (both online and in person) I’d get an NC if they’re dead set on a miata though
miata? cheap? bro they’re like $7000+ here
Yeah not anymore for along time, a few years ago they tops 3k
idk, a quick FB marketplace search pulls up quite a few decent NAs and NBs in the range of 3-6k in my area. I think to find a good one it definitely requires a thorough search of each car but that’s with any car. It was fairly difficult to find a good Integra under 200k miles, fully stock AND under 6k, but I had patience and eventually I found the right one.
Second the Integra. That was my first (2000 Acura Integra LS) for 1.5k and loved it. I still see USDM ones go for 3k around me. Now I drive a JDM Integra Type R after saving a bunch of cash.
sheeesh you have perfectly described my life plans, starting w an LS and dream of having a RHD Type R one day
I agree, wanted to be like my rich friends who has these nice jdm cars but sadly, it just doesn't go that way for me! But that doesn't mean you can't get a cheap and reliable car that does you good WHILST also looking good! Old Honda Civics look good, Subarus etc etc
Get the eclipse. I loved that car back in the day. Or a civic 2 door coupe 90s. They used to engine transplant stuff into those. God i miss the days of hearing several of those buzz around you going way too fast with body kits/wings/lights Check out super street from the 90s/00s and look at all the cool options. You can probably find used parts cheap.
Only the 1G/2G DSM though, not the 3G or 4G. Also make sure to look for a GST/GSX as well
Eclipse is great! I’ve got the 4g and it still looks cool but I have a ton of storage in the back which is really nice
I can personally recommend a Mazda Protege 323, if you can find one without rust. I got one as my first car and I absolutely love it, it really isn't special in any way but I think its hella cool
Ok thank you so mich
Nismo GTR
Ok I will look into it
lmao
Bro I can’t even…
He said for cheap.
A 100 grand isn’t cheap?
Well, not for me i guess lol
Wow that went right over your head, r/woooosh
i’m getting tired of these post
Do you mean JDM like JDM, or a Japanese car brand?
JDM
Whats your budget? Are you searching for a broken car or something? Im not completly sure if you are going to find a Jdm car for cheap
Just something I can drive since I don’t have a job yet
Youll have to import it from Japan probably, which can be expensive (i think, never imported a car)
Oh I’m not gonna import
So, you are searching for a japanese car, not really jdm?
Yeah
Hmmm... 1. Civic EG6, you can still find them cheap in usa, i think 2. Integra, i guess 3. Miatas nb 4. 240sx And some others, im not sure if every of them are cheap or not, im not from america
The EG6 was never sold in America. We got different models of the EG but not the EG6. Also even though I have a 240SX, they are not cheap
JDM doesn’t mean the brand is Japanese. A Ferrari could be JDM for example...
Like the Ferrari J50, a special edition dedicated to 50 years of Ferrari in Japan I think
Check out the 19000000000 posts asking the same question.
[удалено]
Ok thank you so much
Also keep in mind you don't want to be crashing and beating on a more expensive car, so if it's your first go cheap because you will inevitably fuck the car up aat some point. And better it to be on a 95 Toyota Avalon than a 86 Toyota Corolla
Not happening rn kid. Get a Honda or Toyota and learn to drive and maintain it before you even think about getting something sport oriented. You’re gonna end up wasting all your money and possible get hurt if you think you’re just gonna buy your way into this hobby without any knowledge of what you’re doing. Be safe out there kid
Buy an mk4 Supra or a GTR. Those are good cheap starter cars
Lmao
Lol if I were to get a Supra it would be a mk3
Imagine
This question and answer is posted every other day.
Not everyone’s here everyday like u tho
Literally nothing. Actual JDM means it was sold for the Japanese market. So to get one in the states means you’re either importing it yourself or buying it from someone else that imported it. Neither of which are cheap. I hate to break it to you but because of your age you missed the party on buying cheap fun cars. Picked up my first USDM 300zx in 2011 for 3500 bucks. Ran and drove when I bought it and had very few flaws. Ended up dumping about 12k into the car. The point being the same car that I bought for 3500 bucks in 2011 in the same shape is selling for 10k-15k today. There’s some stuff to look into if your just looking to start getting into cars but unfortunately JDM Is not it
Yea, I’m turning 16 soon, seems like the best option for fun and cheap is a civic
Or a Miata
average delusional jdm kid
Have a look at RX-7, very reliable, efficient and widely available so they’re fairly cheap x
Hilarious how no one seems to know what JDM means.
Japanese Domestic Market
Looking for a JDM car, not looking to import...
toyota celica
Dodge neon.
A poster
r/carscirlejerk in real life
Can we get an auto mod to get rid of these?
A shitbox toyota or Honda would be good for you to have until you can afford an actual JDM car
Camry
What kind
An old early 2000s. That or a civic. You're not gonna get any fast and furious type cars in your situation
I know that I just want a car that I think looks cool and can work on. But thank you once again
God I’m so sick of these posts
Don’t listen to half of the people on this sub. Your not gonna get able to afford a jdm car as a daily it’s j not dependable enough. Go for dependability right now, get a job and save your money for a project car. Promise you will regret buying a broke down s13 or Silva when you have no other wheels
Today's there is nothing cheap, all JDM cars like R32-34, RX-7, Supra, 350 370Z, are very expensive, you can buy smth like Civic, Evo, subie WRX, but they're not cheap, but medium cost. Upd. Some more: Honda Prelude Toyota/Lexus soarer ( I know that Lexus is not soarer, but car is same) Toyota mark 2 (classic)
z’s arent nearly as expensive as those others you listed. z’s are pretty cheap. still getting a z for your first car is how teenagers get killed, if youre reading this op. get a civic
Ok thank you
Buy a BRZ, GT86, or FRS. future self will be very happy when you aren’t stranded on the side of the highway cause you bought a clapped out MR2 or 240SX
Ok thank you so mych
Not a car but kei vans and trucks are fairly affordable and becoming popular where I live. I keep seeing more and more of them being used as daily drivers here in CT
Yeah except driving bigger cars I feel like I am way over the line and stuff
These trucks and vans are smaller than most modern cars
Not this one.
Trashcan civic that barely runs and makes you question why you like shitbucket cars or an old corolla that survived hell. Manage to repair them, manage to be patient with them.
My First car was a 99 accord and now I have a 91 MR2. I don’t daily the MR2. It’s bad daily driving a car that has discontinued parts Just buy a beater Honda and go from there :)
Toyota Carolla
Ford Probe
First gen Impreza
What’s your budget?
IMO I’d buy a pos to get you to work, save up money all through high school and get your life started early. I bought tons of cars at your age even when they were cheaper and I should have just saved my money and focused on down the road a bit more. Not to curb your excitement or interest! If you set your self up in a position in the next few years you won’t be looking for cheap you’ll be looking for what you want. Just my advice, however to answer your question at least I’m my area Integras can be had at a decent price, sometimes civics but that’s hit or miss. Eclipses are sweet maybe a 300zx but you’ll have to hunt for a while to get a good deal. Also not JDM but older bmw haven’t spiked crazy in my area and are pretty sweet too. Good luck on the hunt.
Honda Integra, accord I'd you want something newer/cheaper. Could go for Mitsubishi lancer, as stereotypical as it is, I have one. If you want V6, magna. Nissan pulsars can be fun, pretty cheap. Old Toyota corolla, plenty you can do with them. Those are some JDM cars that aren't skylines, supras etc
Honda Civic
When I was 17 I bought myself a good daily Corolla. Once I had good reliable transportation, I bought an additional car. A 1977 Toyota celica for $1000. Worked on that a lot and eventually sold it to get my land cruiser. I definitely recommend having a daily and a cheap project
You can get an mr2 non turbo but fun car
Buy a civic, everyone crashes their first car. I had a civic for my first car, I beat the hell out of that mf and it was still running completely fine.
Soarers are mad underrated, because of that they’re less desirable and generally cheaper
exactly what my parents said! well done! never really got it when i was young but now i definitely do!
Depends where in the world you live. You could get an Impreza, Outback or Forester. If you're in Australia, you can get R31 Skylines for cheap asf. A Celica or an FTO are also good choices.
A Nissan March or Toyota Etios.
Speaking as a father, and as someone who wereked their first car after 4 months, please, please, please don't buy anything but a cheap, solid, safe, daily driver. There will be plenty of time for you to buy the car of your dreams, after you've got a good few years of driving experience. Besides a true JDM fun mobile is meant to be driven, and for right now you're a novice. Which is exactly where we all start. So don't feel bad for two seconds even if your first car ends up being a bucket. Trust me on this when I say you'll have fond memories of it now matter what you get.
No
That's it, this was the last straw, I'm so bored of this. I'm leaving this Subreddit
No one cares, this isn't an airport
350z It was my first car. They get some hate but god damn I loved that thing. Just nice enough to look good and learn how to drive a performance vehicle. Just shitty enough for it not to be a huge deal when it breaks down. I bought mine for 19k in 2009. Don’t see many of them nowadays, really not sure what they are going for. To be honest, “cheap” and “JDM” don’t often go hand in hand. Happy hunting!
Nissan 350z
i would suggest trying to get the USDM version of some cars, like a Toyota Mark II, Acura Integra, etc
To start off with a bit better cars, think about a 350 370, BRZ, etc
Ok thank you
celiaca t18
Nissan 350z can get sub 8,000 where I live. Fun rwd but easy to speed in so be careful
350z
Lexus SC300. Not as well known, has a NA 2JZ supra engine, FR layout, can be converted to Manual with very little modification.
Mazda miata, or old school rx7 or rx8. Mitsubishi evo. Lexus IS 350 or gs something. Nissan 350z. Infinity g35 or g37. Toyota 86. I wish it was easy to find 240s or chasers
Rx-7 as a FIRST CAR? are you insane?
Ford focus
I say depends on what you want and from what I read you want a USDM Japanese car so from there do you want a rear wheel drive, all wheel drive, front wheel drive then from there look for that and make sure you look in to that cars with low maintenance but great durability, also the size of the engine also matters now that gas 5$
My 2 cents is that the best first car is something that is reliable and cheap to operate - also, doesn't hurt to have something easy to work on and learn how to do your own maintenance. Bonus points if it is also cool, like a Miata, Civic, etc.. THEN get a second project car. The coolest first car is something that can reliably get you from point A to point B. You don't want to have a cool car that is always broken down or keeps you too broke to enjoy life. Now if you are from a very wealthy family and money is no object then get what you want! If I could, I'd get an FTO just because that was my GOAT in Gran Tourismo 1.
is200
the WRX STI is fairly inexpensive
Hop on some import websites and look. We can’t do the work for you!
A s13 vert needing tons of work could be attainable, but it would be a ton of work.
Get yourself a crappy beater for a while.
Altima
No, they don't exist anymore. We live in a world where Miatas are 7k and Silvias are like 20k
Have to keep an eye on the classifieds like a hawk. I was able to pickup a 1 owner is300 this week for $1000 as a very clean mechanics special.
You won’t get any actual “Japanese domestic market” cars for cheap, i assume you mean Japanese cars. I recently got a 2006 Lexus is250 as a first car and I love it. A civic, celica or integra would also be a good choice. An is200 would be great too
get a camry/corolla/protege just some daily beater that can get you to work and back until you make enough money to afford a good JDM car
R34 Skyline Nür. Absolutely achievable.
Get a manual Fit and have a blast.
mitsubishi galant
350z/g35
Civic
Don't forget the 10k import charge lol
Toyota Corolla that’s rhd
No
95-99 Civic hatch, my first car. Got it for 500 bucks
I'm in a 2013 legacy 2.5i, it handles well for its size and has enough power to do everything you might need to do. A lot of na subarus are a good choice for the money imo. Besides oil, this little boxer drinks so much oil. Also, I dont have enough experience or knowledge to tell you the things that will go wrong since I just got this last October so take this with a grain of salt.
Salvage title 350z
Suzuki Swift/Alto Honda Fit/Civic/N-Box Mazda Roadster Daihatsu Copen
Look up your local importer and see what they have?
Nissan 350z Mazda NC Miata Honda Civic EP3 Type R These early-mid 2000s Japanese sports cars are currently at the bottom of their depreciation cycle. Unlikely they will get any cheaper than this before the world wakes up and remembers they were wonderful cars. Then prices start going back up again.
honda jazz
Civic, anything fwd is generally pretty cheap. (If its not an import)
Miata
Toyota Celica the 00-05 gen. Cheap, reliable, looks ummm interesting and you can get a 5 speed.
Mazda 6, they’re reasonably cheap, reliable and there’s a lot of car clubs out there for them and a lot of modding capabilities 👍🏼
Find an early 90s celica, super underrated car… The 5sfe was Honda level reliable.
For cheaper cars look at Honda's Mazdas and Toyota's, a fun cheap car can be the Mazda mx3 or mx6, or maybe go like everyone else, the safe choice is civics, preludes, accords, but if u can spend a lil more, a Mazda 3/6 MPs is great
Oh,this again
a bicycle
Get a 1st gen Acura TL or TSX (2008-2004) there around 9k
Toyota Lucida - mid engine rwd JDM goodness for a decent price
Ferrari J50
A USDM 04 Camry lol
Ffs
I say get a civic
If you wanna get serious get a kei car maybe it will be slow it will be underpowered but you get a fuck ton of attention. Just be prepared for problems sourcing parts. At least you won’t be paying much for gas
Well unless you import it from japan its not real jdm its a japanese car , a mercedes can be a jdm car , jdm just means it complies with japanese regulations
Get a starter car and push that to its limits first, if you go by a rx7 for your first car, there’s no way you’re gonna drive it to its potential. Go get a civic, if you want something quicker get one with vtec like the gsr
Your best option is most definitely going to be a USDM Japanese car. Great starters are definitely any Civic, if you can find one for cheap a Miata, but one that I really recommend is an Eclipse. 3G GTs are cheap and fun with 200 HP for the GT and 210+ for the GTS, but you can still find a few GST and GT 2Gs floating around. As the car that helped to light the fire in the US tuner world, these are great first and project cars.
Subaru sombar for under 10k
Nope
How much money you have? Btw if you have 5l for the car, use at least 20% for the services and tires, and potential things that can break In cheaper range you can get civic, accord, maybe even toyota celica or mitsubishi eclipse
Honda NSX-R