Why Are Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) Classics Like the GT-R So Popular?

Okay, so if you have read my bio or any of my work on here, you probably know that I am an Air Force vet. I spent around 13 ½ years in the USAF, and I knew a lot of dudes who spent time overseas. Japan has three Air Force Air Bases, so lots of guys brought back JDMs. Of course, it wasn’t always worth it; the import process can be a real hassle. But the dudes that did were borderline obsessed with their little JDMs. 

And this mania extends far beyond the military circles, although those certainly are responsible for a good chunk of it. 

Kei cars, micro vans, and mini-trucks are one part of the wave of unimported Japanese vehicles, and they are sweet whips, but today we are thinking about something a little more…spicy. We’re talking about fast cars like the Nissan GT-R, Toyota Supra, and Subaru Impreza and Impreza WRX. These are just a few examples of cars that are highly popular to import to the U.S. because they are awesome but they were never imported. 

So, why are they getting more popular? Let’s find out. 

The Growing Popularity of JDM Classics in the U.S.

JDM classics like the GT-R are gaining popularity due to their reputation for exceptional performance, reliability, unique design aesthetics, and a growing appreciation for their historical significance, especially among car enthusiasts who are drawn to their cutting-edge technology and engineering from past eras, often seen as iconic and desirable due to their limited availability in certain markets of the U.S.

There are a few reasons for the rise in popularity of JDMs.

The most popular JDMs are high performance sports cars that never came across the water for one reason or another. GT-Rs, Supras, and Imprezas are powerful little rockets. Several of the more popular models like the Impreza are also all-wheel drive (AWD) so they stick to the asphalt like glue. 

They are also distinctive designs that do not look like the cars typically imported to North America, making them sleek, stylish, but also different. And different is desirable. Cultural influence definitely plays into the equation with media portrayals of popular JDMs in American cinema, namely the “Fast and Furious” franchise. 

There is also the collector value of these cars. Since they aren’t imported through normal channels and each example has to be individually brought over, there is an intrinsic collectable value. It’s not that they are rare; they are just rare in the U.S. So, the added benefit is that you end up with a “rare” car, but it is still totally easy to get parts and accessories thanks to the global market. 

Why Car Enthusiasts Love JDM Imports

There are lots of reasons why you would love a JDM import. First and foremost, they’re unique. The likelihood of you running into another JDM owner in an unplanned meeting is pretty low.

Second, they’re Japanese. Meaning, that without too many exceptions they’re going to be ridiculously reliable and well give you years and years of use.

Rarity and Collectability

But seriously, we all know that rarity is a significant factor in the decision to import a car. Because, let’s face it: it’s going to be a pain to get it approved and imported.

Of course, once the import paperwork is complete and you own it here in the good ol’ U S of A, we’d be more than happy to help you title and register it through Montana. 

But I digress. 

This isn’t to insinuate that cars are commonplace in the Japanese market, but they aren’t rare like they are here. They are standard production cars in Japan and are readily available and accessible. They aren’t now nor will they be in the future here, so there will be a collector’s influence in the market.

Nostalgia and Cultural Influence

Looping back around to my intro: nostalgia. For the thousand of dudes who served in Japan, they might have never got that out of their system.

And of course, back to the movies. What looks good on the big screen looks good in the imagination of a thousand movie goers.

Popular JDM Models in the U.S. Market

What Makes The Skyline GT-R In Particular So Popular?

The Skyline is basically a cult status classic. It is considered a legendary high-performance car with a long heritage of winning races. Like the Subaru Impreza, the Skyline GT-R is an AWD platform which makes for sick acceleration. One of the weakest points in all sports cars is getting traction; sure, it’s sexy as hell to roast the tires but that only does two things: 

1. Wrecks your tires

2. Takes precious time off of acceleration. 

An AWD car puts more tires into motion, spreading those radical torque values across the whole car instead of just one or two corners. 

So, not only is it a beautiful car, and a very, very fast car, but it also is a car that stays on the road and gains purchase on the pavement almost immediately without roasting your tires off. And again, I know I already said this, but it is just plain iconic. It is an iconic sports car that hit the silver screen in 2003 when Paul Walker rocketed along in an R34 GT-R.    

We Don’t Do the Import!

Okay, so it is important we put this out there because we get this question a lot: we DO NOT do the import. We are a title and registration company, and we will help you get a clean title and registration for your car, micro-van, or mini-truck once you have gotten it imported. 

Getting Your JDM Classic Street Legal with Dirt Legal

So, you have either bought a JDM that was already imported or are doing the import yourself to have a car legally in the U.S. Cool. But this is still not the same thing as being street legal. To make it a street legal, you need to have a title, and that is where Dirt Legal enters the equation. 

Title and Registration Services

The first step in the import vehicle titling service is to get a VIN inspection conducted by law enforcement or other designated rep. This is the same VIN inspection that has to be done by most states when you are bringing in a vehicle that has an out-of-state title. 

We suggest you get our VIN check first so there are no surprises when you go to the police station and they ask why your VIN is stolen or something equally bad. In fact, you should definitely get the VIN check done before you ever buy anything. I did a couple of years back and it saved me from buying a lemon. 

We will send you the paperwork for the VIN inspection to be completed, and once you get it signed and filled out by a designated rep, we can get on with the rest of the process.

One thing, though: we can only do 2013 and older vehicles. Our focus here are the classic JDMs. 

Once we get a clean VIN inspection form and your vehicle is 2013 or older, we will use the Montana LLC title and registration process much like any other car or truck. It is a simple, 6-step process that only takes a few weeks. 

Step 1: Buy the Imported Vehicle Titling Service 

Step 2: Complete the order form.

Step 3: We’ll send out some paperwork and you need to complete it. 

Step 4: Either mail back the paperwork in the pre-addressed and postage-paid envelope, or upload it to the secure website. 

Step 5: We will prepare the document package and submit it to the DMV for you. 

Step 6: The Montana DMV ships your title, registration, and license plate to you. 

Why Choose Dirt Legal?

There are a lot of good reasons to choose Dirt Legal, but mostly because we are simply the best in the business. When you want to import a JDM classic, you need to know that the company you’re working with will stand with you! And you also want to know that they have done this a time or two in the past, because getting that car through Customs is no easy task. 

We have over 20,000 orders fulfilled and thousands of satisfied customers from our years in operation. 

We are the fastest and easiest way for you to get your imported JDM classic from your driveway to the freeway, guaranteed. If we don’t meet your expectations? 100% money back. But we really don’t think that will be an issue.