Your Yaris Goals

[JosephDoc]

Originally Posted by cleong

I know what it is, just can't figure out why.



I think you need to check out some of our local cars if you think the aftermarket is thin here - the skirts and spoilers that you guys get so excited about are a dealer-fitted optional accessory, and that's only just the beginning.

You can't get more JDM than importing your own RHD Vitz from Japan. Long ago, one issue of Import Tuner had this guy taking a bare US-market EK Civic hatchback and hanging all-JDM parts onto it, from a genuine EK Type R engine, gearbox, seats, etc. Fine for show and great to read about. He probably went to great expense to do it as well, but it still remained LHD. It kind of takes the shine off the JDM look.

The car costs about US $32000 over here (damn taxes!). Our car's aren't JDM either (made in Thailand). We do have JDM Vitz as a small volume parallel import, and done the comparison, if you wanted to get down to it being JDM through and through, are you going to swap the front windscreen glass just because one is inscribed "Toyota Japan" and the other simply says "Toyota Safety Glass"?

Its just one of probably hundreds of tiny differences that set the Vitz apart from the Yaris.

Its slight, but while both cars look like twins, the more you look around, the more differences you pick up, it feels a little less well put together, the engine sounds a little rougher than a JDM 1NZ-FE, it lacks certain quirky but nice little touches of JDM that have probably been deleted to simplify the manufacture.

Like the guy with the LHD Civic EK9 Type R, it would be a supreme effort to make your car pukka JDM as you want. I'm not raining on your parade, just wondering why, as it is pretty difficult. You wouldn't be the first guy to want to JDM his Yaris, and I suggested the same thing to him the last time - buy a JDM Vitz.

I am sorry for your initial big bucks to buy the car over there. $30K us money proly can get 3 LBs here. More about it, us modle here are
"100% Made in Japan"; at least my window sticker said so and also stated its origin province in Japan.

Anyone can spend big bucks on the car to make the car more JDM authentic, but there is always a line of acceptance level, and everyone's line draw differently. The LB model here comes with 2-door only, which did not give me a chance of letting the car been more JDM authentic, but at least Toyota told me that it was actually built in Japan. I am not that crazy to wish the IC chips inside ECM were also Japan-made, but at least I can tell myself: "Joe, this xxxxx part was made and imported from Japan, and now I am about to put it in to my car".

I am hardcore in JDM parts at an illness level (I have seen worse!); JDM IS A PART OF MY CULTURE AND THAT IS MY REASON OF BEEN HARDCORD IN JDM. I'v even asked one of our club vendor/moderator if he knows his O/E parts were actually Jap made. It turned out he is not sure and no one knows if JDM O/E parts were really Jap made either. My brain was tired so I called up my connection and asked to import all parts from Japan Toyota dealer for me. That is the only way for me to tell myself "Yes, I have tried my best".

About the body kit..... yup, same here. I will not put up any bodykit on it since it is my only car that I can eat out peacefully without worry, and stop asking for a table by window. I am not playing cheap on this car, because I have 50% of whole car in custom warp-around-edge clearbra. That costs more than a nice set of JDM bodykit with made-in-usa installation labor.

If you have question about clearbra and where to get the best... mine was done at a store officially contracted by Ferrari, Lambo, Prosche dealers nationwide. I think their work can be considered the best clearbra on Earth! (my LB set a new record of "the cheapest car" in that store's history also )

Joseph
----------------------
FIY about best clearbra company: Premier Mobile Group
Sample pic here "They offer on site service if you pay for their travel"

[cleong]

Originally Posted by JosephDoc

<snip>

That's cool mate. Glad to see you like the car that much to give it the royal treatment.

Maybe its because I had the chance to go over a Vitz RS that I felt it was futile to try to make a JDM replica, but hey, its your car and your money.

Best of luck!

[eTiMaGo]

Originally Posted by cleong

That's cool mate. Glad to see you like the car that much to give it the royal treatment.

Maybe its because I had the chance to go over a Vitz RS that I felt it was futile to try to make a JDM replica, but hey, its your car and your money.

Best of luck!

Well, as far as I can see, "JDM" is all the rage in the US now (just pick up any magazine like Import Tuner or Modified...). It's kind of understandable too, even just looking at the Yaris, in the US they usually get a much different and often inferior version of the Japan-spec car. So, these guys want to bring their cars back to the same kind of level as it should have been, with original parts from Japan. Over time, though, "JDM" has evolved to not include just OEM parts, but other parts and mods which are very Japanese-style.
Some may consider it a pointless waste of money, some may consider it fanatical attention to detail, but it does take a lot of time and dedication to track down these odds and ends that will bring your car closer to what it should really have been like...

As for myself, I see my car as a kind of jack of all trades, master of none... It's gotta look good, it's gotta look somewhat aggressive, but not extreme. Burnout bodykit, smoked head and tail lights, eyelids, and a big fat white stripe down the middle will achieve just that. It'll also need to have a bit more oomph, an engine swap, over here at least, is the most cost-effective way to do this. As much as I would want a mental turbo 3S-GTE swap, the 2ZZ-GE seems most likely, as it is still a decently economical engine when driven below 6000RPM.
Sound system is just fine as it is, not gonna win any sound level or quality awards, but more than enough for me to enjoy, and does not weigh a ton.
Inside, eventually I want to cover most of the dash and consoles in black leather with red stitching to continue the theme, and CF trim parts.

But most of that'll be next year, now is the time to plant a few money trees before anything can happen

[JosephDoc]

Originally Posted by cleong

That's cool mate. Glad to see you like the car that much to give it the royal treatment.

My custom clearbra is there to protect this 100%-Japan-made car. My heart goes if I see a rock-chipped mark on the bumper/hood. If I really see one then I can say... "Joe, you did the clearbra... you did your best already" Don't feel bad if you are not getting a Jap made car because Toyota is about to produce their economic line(s) in China around 2010.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=120972

I am glad you see there are us-people in U.S. who are bone-level-JDM here. I am nothing to compare with my friends in Southern California, and I am sure they are here watching our posts and getting good laughs already. There are strong JDM dudes will do everything to convert us-JDM cars to a true JDM level. (I also hope you get the joke when everytime I use the "us" word )

Originally Posted by eTiMaGo

Well, as far as I can see, "JDM" is all the rage in the US now (just pick up any magazine like Import Tuner or Modified...). It's kind of understandable too, even just looking at the Yaris, in the US they usually get a much different and often inferior version of the Japan-spec car. So, these guys want to bring their cars back to the same kind of level as it should have been, with original parts from Japan. Over time, though, "JDM" has evolved to not include just OEM parts, but other parts and mods which are very Japanese-style.
Some may consider it a pointless waste of money, some may consider it fanatical attention to detail, but it does take a lot of time and dedication to track down these odds and ends that will bring your car closer to what it should really have been like...

Thanks again, Mr. vendor/moderator.

[Pars]

goals?

-Getting all four hub caps replaced, all four of them are scratched up from the curbs.
-Getting replacement for front brake-pads, the car has 60k (km) on it, so it's about time.
-rotating the new set of tires, hopefully this set will last longer then the originals
-patching up a big stone chip on the windshield, the other minor ones probably wont start a fracture.
-replace the broken clip that holds that driver side floor-mat into place.

Stay tuned, I'm sure I'll have many more 'goals' in the near future since I'm putting on about 70,000km/year on my 07 Yaris. Perhaps my next car can relax in the driveway while being lavished by all the priceless add-ons, but my poor black Yaris can't afford the luxuries and has to work for a living.

[cleong]

Originally Posted by JosephDoc

My custom

<snip>

Thanks again, Mr. vendor/moderator.

I plan on repainting my car every couple of years or so. Beats clearcoating and waxing it so much, and you can change a colour if you so wish. Its also an opportunity for the body shop to iron out any door dings, trolley dents, etc.

[JosephDoc]

Originally Posted by cleong

I plan on repainting my car every couple of years or so. Beats clearcoating and waxing it so much, and you can change a colour if you so wish. Its also an opportunity for the body shop to iron out any door dings, trolley dents, etc.

To me,
New_paint != JDM
New_paint != Original
Clearbra = I did my best to protect a Jap-Made car.

Help~~ I need to fine cure for my JDM illness.

[eTiMaGo]

Originally Posted by JosephDoc

Help~~ I need to fine cure for my JDM illness.

Move to Japan?

[JosephDoc]

Originally Posted by eTiMaGo

Move to Japan?

Sigh... here is how I did my best on that.

I usually take 3 weeks vacation there in a year. In that 3 weeks, I can kiss-kiss-ban-ban all JDM toys if I can afford. I either bring things back by myself or ship things back before I take off.

In past years, sometimes things went out of control... things like
$1500 G-Shocks
$1500 OE Foglights
$11000 Tom's SC Kit
$600 Zippo Lighter
$800 Tamiya R/C
$3000 Panasonic 2Lb Notebook
$2000 Navi/Dvd Head Deck

3 weeks hotels and shopping... I did my best on trying to fulfil my JDM living. I did my best... cuz I guess if I stay 1 more day there, I might end up broke in US, and there won't be next vacation there again.

Moving there? I am trying that everyday... ; I need to work harder here so I can retire there. Nothing wrong for me to go back to my culture.