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JDM - meanings and various interpretations


celicamojo

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Ok so maybe i'm wrong or just too old, but has the JDM phrase just getting taken out of context?

JDM is initially the term for Japanese Domestic Market.

I understand that JDM has also been adopted as a 'style' of tuning / modifying Japanese cars (not necessarily qualifying the first description)

But it seems to me that just about anything these days seems to be tagged with JDM.

I laugh each time I see a 'JDM as Fuck' sticker on the back of Fiats and BMW's.......

So what do you feel qualifies a car to be described as JDM (apart from the obvious it's an import) and how do you interpret the JDM culture?

I have refused many invitations for 'JDM' meets as my car is not JDM. When I say this I get funny looks / comments.....

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either the Fiat and BMW owners don't understand what JDM means, and they just assume it's something to do with tuning...

...or it's a tongue in cheek pisstake towards Jap car owners.

Although my Celica isn't an 'import', it did have a small 'Made in Japan' sticker in the top corner of the windscreen; so technically....... ;)

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What annoys me more is when people claim parts are JDM when they're just late spec/facelifts parts available across the globe.

For a car to be JDM in my opinion, it should have been originally sold in Japan, as the JDM models all have a different (normally better) spec' compared to the Europeon/USDM equivalent.

However to keep a "JDM" car JDM once imported it needs to be modified with Japanese parts. Too often I see nice cars fitted with cheap Ripspeed/ebay toot. If you want to modify it, use jap brands like HKS, TEIN, Kakimoto etc, only then will your car stay true to being JDM In my opinion.

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All Celicas were manufactured in Japan, so technically they are all imports, however they were made for their respective domestic markets (either UK, Euro, US etc)

But the way i see the tuning scene, if you fit JDM parts to a UK car then it becomes styled in a JDM way, the same way in Japan they have a style they call USDM where they fit the US domestic market parts to JDM cars

But fitting those stickers to anything other than Jap is plain wrong and the owners obviously have no idea what it means

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Yes my Celica is also made in Japan, in the Supra plant, but for the UK / Europe Market - hence not JDM..

either the Fiat and BMW owners don't understand what JDM means, and they just assume it's something to do with tuning...

...or it's a tongue in cheek pisstake towards Jap car owners.

Think it's just stupid Nedlings who are jumping on the 'bolt it on and make it cool' scene

being made in Japan does not make it JDM......

think its a 'youth thing'........

then again, with the education system the way it is, no wonder we are breeding sheep!

What is your interpretation on the JDM Culture, I have read several blogs / descriptions, but cant seem to tie it down to a particular style, hence my frustration.

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Yes my Celica is also made in Japan, in the Supra plant, but for the UK / Europe Market - hence not JDM..

Think it's just stupid Nedlings who are jumping on the 'bolt it on and make it cool' scene

being made in Japan does not make it JDM......

think its a 'youth thing'........

then again, with the education system the way it is, no wonder we are breeding sheep!

What is your interpretation on the JDM Culture, I have read several blogs / descriptions, but cant seem to tie it down to a particular style, hence my frustration.

richs old gen 5 is a perfect example of a non JDM car styled in a JDM way....and well done i might add

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All Celicas were manufactured in Japan, so technically they are all imports, however they were made for their respective domestic markets (either UK, Euro, US etc)

so if made for a different market than Japan, not JDM yes?

But the way i see the tuning scene, if you fit JDM parts to a UK car then it becomes styled in a JDM way, the same way in Japan they have a style they call USDM where they fit the US domestic market parts to JDM cars

What annoys me more is when people claim parts are JDM when they're just late spec/facelifts parts available across the globe.

For a car to be JDM in my opinion, it should of been originally sold in Japan, as the JDM models all have a different (normally better) spec compared to the Europeon/USDM equivalent.

However to keep a "JDM" car JDM once imported it needs to be modified with Japanese parts. Too oftem i see nice cars fitted with cheap Ripspeed/ebay toot. If you want to modify it, use jap brands like HKS, TEIN, Kakimoto etc, only then will your car stay true to being JDM In my opinion.

so if fitted with Jap spec aftermarket parts (tuning or more probably styling) then it evokes 'JDM culture' and would therefore be described as JDM. That I get and can agree with.

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This is how I see it:

Car built for the Japanese market = JDM

Car built for the Japanese market and modified with Japanese parts/brands = JDM

Car built for the Japanese market and modified with non Japanese parts/brands = JDM but diluted somewhat.

Car not built for Japanese market = Japanese car

Car not built for Japanese market and modified with Japanese parts/brands = JDM styled Japanese car

Car not built for Japanese market and modified with non Japanese parts/brands = modified Japanese car

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richs old gen 5 is a perfect example of a non JDM car styled in a JDM way....and well done i might add

Cheers :thumbs:

I went to quite a lot of effort to make my car look as JDM as possible, and only a Celica anorak would have been able to tell the difference, i'd wager that anyone not heavily into Celicas would not have been able to tell it was originally a UK car

so if made for a different market than Japan, not JDM yes?

so if fitted with Jap spec aftermarket parts (tuning or more probably styling) then it evokes 'JDM culture' and would therefore be described as JDM. That I get and can agree with.

Yep, 100% correct, a UK Celica is not technically JDM, but it can be styled in a JDM way to evoke the JDM Culture by fitting parts only available on JDM cars

But like Brendan says, that doesn't make the car JDM, but i see it is as being part of the JDM scene

Edited by rpsmith79
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Thanks guys, end of rant!!

I think It would be too difficult to inspect the Hondas / Subarus / Evos and determine if the parts are Jap spec to criticise...

at least I know that mine is UK Yo!!!!

but the German / Italian mob are Dumfuk Yo!!!!

Edited by celicamojo
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This is the thing though, you don't need to inspect them, it's purely down to the style of the styling

If its got a lairy body kit and BGW, then it's Ricer

If its got Ripspeed wheels and tat from Halfords stuck all over it, its Chav

If its stripped and painted matt black, its a track slag :lol:

If its got smooth clean looks, looks factory fresh, and a nice reasonable stance, then that's JDM in my book

No need to get your phone out and Google the VIN number to find out what market it was made for, its a "scene", not a rule book ;)

Edited by rpsmith79
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you sure, as far as i can make out the satin black look is for the VW boys, and with your spoilerless look and clean lines your into the euro look :sofa:

Ha! you know now that you cant spray yours Satin black!!!

Ok so mibbies more Euro, but hey different is good!

Shepherd not sheep!! :thumbs:

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Ha! you know now that you cant spray yours Satin black!!!

Ok so mibbies more Euro, but hey different is good!

Shepherd not sheep!! :thumbs:

I need to start bleeting like a sheep then, paint is so bad on my black car that im going to paint it satin :D

im also looking to get rid of the JDM rears as i dont think they work on the black car :(

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im also looking to get rid of the JDM rears as i dont think they work on the black car :(

Told you!!

as they say in the JDM culture 'Win!'

JDM rears are nice, however I think by keeping the origionals, I am keeping it real (Johnny Boy John style!!)

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