DaiOni

1. That is cheap for an NSX - and probably for a reason 2. You can't compare Australian delivered prices - look at the GTO - you still see them advertised for A$30k-40k+ in australia. You can buy a similar car for under A$10k in japan. 3. $35k for a 92 is a big figure in the japanese used car market. The only other 'mainstream' car that I can think of that is similarily expensive would be an absolutely immaculate, low km, mainly stock, r32 GTR v-spec.

stock for stock it's an awesome machine - the nsx-r, with it's ultra light weight, is devastating. However, things don't remain stock vs stock for very long, and there are no parity rules on the street.

"yotte iru" - yeah maybe that had something to do with it.

NSX prices remain very high in japan - they are a massively respected car (honda san is a god here).

I had to yell it at an enkai once (rezz will know what I mean). Wasn't with old people either. T'was weird

see the rx7 vs gtr thread for a pile of numerical data (95 spec though - nsx-r is the king)

yay, my favourite thread. posted the following on PF a while ago, but I'll repost it here as a point of reference: FWIW, just checked out an old bestmotoring vid (may 96) from my collection - it's a comparison of JDM cars of 95 (a big update year). For those who keep saying X car is better than Y car - this shows just how bloody close these cars are (at least stock vs stock - and these cars were all 100% stock). Anyway, scribbled down some notes - * RX7 RS - 1280kg - 265ps. (4.83kg/ps). Standard sports model. RWD. * RX7 RZ - 1250kg (recaro racing seats, no rear seats) - 265ps. (4.72kg/ps). Top line car (but only mildly upgraded). RWD. * Supra RZ-S - 1490kg - 280ps. (5.32kg/ps). RWD. * GTO MR (3000GT) - 1610kg - 280ps. (6.6kg/ps). 4WD. * NSX-R - 1230kg - 280ps. (4.39kg/ps). RWD. * NSX - 1350kg - 280ps. (4.82kg/ps). RWD. * R33 GTR V-spec - 1530kg - 280ps. (5.5kg/ps). Atessa 4WD. - 0-400m - * R33 GTR V-spec: 12.978 (used a couple of times in the comparison - other times: 13.06/13.31/13.01) * NSX-R: 13.276 * RX7 RZ: 13.386 * GTO MR: 13.395 * RX7 RS: 13.566 * NSX: 13.636 * Supra RZ-S: 13.982 - Autokhana - hairpin/chicane section: * NSX-R: 9.96sec * RX7 RZ: 10.01sec * R33 GTR V-spec: 10.14sec * NSX: 10.28sec * RX7 RS: 10.30sec * Supra RZ-S: 10.33sec * GTO MR: 10.50sec laptimes: * R33 GTR V-spec: 36.25sec * RX7 RZ: 36.28sec * NSX-R: 36.33sec * NSX: 37.14sec * RX7 RS: 37.30sec * GTO MR: 37.33sec * Supra RZ-S: 37.58sec (note: the following two are fairly meaningless without the full description, but is a ranking of sorts) handling rating (out of 10) * R33 GTR V-spec: 9.2 * NSX-R: 9.5 * RX7 RS: 9.0 * RX7 RZ: 8.8 * Supra RZ-S: 8.5 * NSX: 7.8 * GTO MR: 7.0 engine/transmission rating (out of 10) * NSX-R: 10 * RX7 RZ: 9.2 * NSX: 9.2 * R33 GTR V-spec: 9.0 * RX7 RS: 8.8 * GTO MR: 8.8 * Supra RZ-S: 8.5 - Tsukuba Circuit Race - (5 laps) (note: the grid was set with a handicap penalty - but I'm not sure what that was based on) Grid: 1: Supra RZ-S/RX7 RS 2: RX7 RZ/GTO MR 3: NSX/R33 GTR V-spec 4. NSX-R Finishing Order: 1. NSX-R 2. RX7 RZ 3. R33 GTR V-spec 4. GTO MR 5. Supra RZ-S 6. NSX 7. RX7 RS Best Lap: 1. NSX-R: 1'06.33 2. RX7 RZ: 1'06:36 3. R33 GTR V-spec: 1'07:13 4. RX7 RS: 1'07:44 5. NSX: 1'07: 49 6. Supra RZ-S: 1'07:76 7. GTO MR: 1'07:78

the flares are required by law in japan - all cars have to have them (I've had three cars in japan and sure enough...). I haven't found anything at all in my cars - but I bought them at a dealership, not at auction

I think low 15s is optimistic at best. Go the wrx out of those two - the prelude is not even in the same league! honestly, the "I'll get a newer car" theory kind of shits me. Get the best car you can for your money. That definitely doesn't mean get a newer car. With that budget I'd be looking at either a tight s14a or a very nice r32

honestly, how can you seriously measure a device like this on a dyno. Is a dyno fan providing anything like normal airflow. How many of you drive around with the bonnet up? personally, I have to go for the pod because the stock box won't work with a fmic... otherwise, it would be a panel all the way - hopefully with an aftermarket induction setup (or a ghetto DIY setup at worst).

Hakujin1977: I believe this to be true (apparently the geography is way too coincidental). However, have no conclusive evidence of this. I think it would be highly likely that the author is from this area.

I believe initial D is set in gunma - which is in-between where I live and saitama (adjacent to tokyo). My defi setup should be in this week (been waiting for the phone call all day). It's an expensive set-up because - (a) they are expensive gauges, and (B) they require the defi controller unit. I can't be bothered going down to my car and checking the reciept, but I believe this is what it cost me: * boost gauge - 21,000yen * control unit - 11,000yen * holder - 1,200yen Once you factor in sales tax, it'd be about A$450-ish (with today's exchange rate). I'm adding a water temp gauge later on - the controller allows you to daisy chain each gauge.

I sent my brother-in-law the GTR char-g kit, it's pretty cool too.

Dave's on the money there. I would have recommended the same. The best thing you could do is see if the trip could be timed to coincide with one of the major autosalons, such as tokyo (jan) or osaka (feb).

don't worry about the kms - they're never that high, these cars tend to be babied. There are plenty with 10k - 20k km - less if it's a later build

a series 8 is still massively expensive due to the limited compliance opportunties (single complier?), not sure how that is affected (if at all) under the new scheme. The s8s have been selling for well above the GTR prices.

US is notoriously hard to import a car to (their regs are much tighter than oz) - which is why he probably said that (no?) I live in sadogashima - an island off the coast of niigata ken. Not as bad as it sounds - I can get to tokyo (by ferry and rail) within three hours Badman - you want to be on JET. The difference is that it's a government job - not working for a business. You teach in high schools instead of offices. The pay is good, the perks are better than the rest (hey, you become a public servant!) - for instance, my rent is subsidised - I have a huge (japanese standards) place and pay only 30,000yen a month - compare that to what the other guys have listed. The only real bonus with a company like nova - you have a much better chance of getting a big city placement (if that is what you are after). I hear that GEOS is the best of the commerical places. And as far as not being able to own a car... I own three well, two now, I sold my mx5 this week (still have an r33 and a s6 rx7). This topic comes up a lot in performance forums - and I have posted about it a lot - so do a search there too, you'll learn a lot.

I'm not going to reiterate everything I said in the performance forums thread (go take a look if you're interested), but will respond to a couple of comments here. (disclaimer: I own a s6 and a r33 - and love them both. I don't have a GTR (and don't need one with the s6) but they are still one of my favourite machines) * first of all, I keep my skyline because it has a usable back seat and four doors (yes, 4) * re: GTR vs s6 over 400m. I have plenty of japanese videos too (lots!) and own the best motoring vid where they compare the 95 rx7 vs the GTR. A v-spec beats the rx7 (and, in turn, gets its arse handed to it by a top spec nsx). The rx7 beats the GTO and Supra, among others. The s6 is only beaten by the nsx around the tsukuba circuit (universal testing track in japan). There is a large margin behind these two. I would also like to remind people that the r32 GTR (which is what we should be comparing an early s6 too) also got smashed by the r33 v-spec in a best motoring review. Stock for stock, the JDM s6 is (at least) a match for the 32. * A s8 rx7 is a serious machine. * My rx7 weighs 1260kg * JGTC is not a good comparo (it's like comparing your garden variety commodore to a touring car). For a more realistic (but still very highly modded) comparison - the tsukuba time trials. current standings: 1. (S) JUN HYPER LEMON Evo 5: 55h976s 2. (S) M Speed Skyline BNR34: 56"372s 3. (S) ATTKD BNR32: 56"751s 4. (S) HKS Evo 7: 56"814s 5. (A) RE Amemiya FD3S: 56"863s

manuals uncommon? Not so, there are lots, but there are more autos. That's a fact - I was looking at them in a japanese car classified mag during lunch. I've been thinking of getting one as a daily driver to take home (4 doors are handy), but my other half doesn't like them - she thinks they look like a magna crossed with a bmw. I have to agree, but I've seen a few stunning examples - very nice when bodykitted (a bit like the r34).

cheapest one I've seen for sale here was 600,000yen (do your own conversion). Not a car I would want to have (twas metallic green too, with an 'amazing' 20k kms - despite being about a 90 model)

'cop it sweet' - you are in the wrong after all. as for the clean record - well, we all had clean records at one stage, didn't we? It's not like you've been driving for that long, relatively speaking.

also depends on length of the race - when I say an EVO could take a GTR, I'm talking about a traffic light sprint

which evo? there are 8 of them. and which GTR? V-VIII could put away a GTR - close enough for driver skill to be a deciding factor bitch slap me then!

to be pedantic, there is no evo 0. there is (was) a vr4 evo (extremely limited, no? homologation (spl?) special?) and there are lancer evo's I - VIII

EVO 7 & 8 are actually based on a cedia.