Japanese M3's

Post Tue Jun 16, 2015 8:41 pm

Can anyone advise any specific spec of M3's in Japan - I've been looking into importing one from there but it seems to be a real mixed bunch and have seen, what I believe to be plenty of US spec cars (reflector along the bumper strip), but then also models which appear to be EU models.

Thanks

Tom

Post Tue Jun 16, 2015 8:55 pm

There happens to be two jap spec M3's in at ML for work at the mo.

They have a visocus fan as well as electric, a/c and no rear fog lights. Other than that than that they are pretty much the same as euro spec ones so still have a dog leg 265 box and 3.25 diff.

The ones I have seen tend to have clean bodies but perished rubber and patchy history, quite often with dubious mods.

Post Tue Jun 16, 2015 8:58 pm

North American cars also had the viscous and a/c but always had side market lights and an overdrive H patern 265 box with 4.10 diff. Usually high spec with leather, hifi pack, 13 button OBC, cruise and sometimes heated seats.

Cloth is pretty much non existant on NA cars.

Post Tue Jun 16, 2015 11:24 pm

Thanks Barry - great advice as always.

Post Wed Jun 17, 2015 10:24 am

Be very careful. There is loads of scrap out there. The worst M3 I have ever seen (up against very stiff competition !) was a Jap turd with 'replacement' floor pans riveted / Tigersealed over the f000ked originals !

Post Wed Jun 17, 2015 11:13 am

bss325i wrote:The ones I have seen tend to have clean bodies but perished rubber and patchy history, quite often with dubious mods.

That is something that seems to be very common on Japanese imports of all kinds,
I think two things come into it, Japan does not salt it's roads and the Japanese seem a lot more comfortable modifying or doing the their own work to their cars.

Import Nissans can be real mine fields.

Post Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:31 am

Home market stuff (Nissan, Toyota etc) tends not to be very well rustproofed due to the mild climate and short intended lifespan. Mazdas shipped to Europe are like this which is why they rot so badly.

I've seen some Jap import BMW stuff and bought a written off AC Schnitzer E36 turd that was imported the year before. It was like new underneath, zero rust, all the cad plating intact and you could wipe the dust from the suspension parts. It was a 1993 K plate as well. It depends how long the car has been in the UK. If it was imported in 2003 then it will be as fucked as the rest of them.

Post Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:37 am

The thing to look out for as others have mentioned is missing history, clocked speedos and morsels being pilfered before the car is shipped or in transit.

I had a 1980 911 3.0 SC that came from Japan which had the most spectacularly clean bodyshell that you can imagine - again, possibly a result of the non-use of salt on the roads there.

Post Wed Jun 24, 2015 9:19 am

I had a Subaru Imprezza WRX jap import that was as per the porsche mentioned above beautiful underneath, and the best bit was once i got into it i discovered all the suspension was STI spec, aloy arms etc and it also had the closed deck block as per STI. the guy i sold it to 5 years ago still has it now and it's still mint and never welded / painted. I'm a fan of Jap imports but it's worth knowing their auction grading system, the cars that are sold by auction have a dial sticker on the screen ( which my old one still wears ) which gives their "grade" at the time of auction. I'm sure you can find out the exact info on the web.

Post Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:05 am

Shame they loved LHD and automatics so much on the E30s.

Post Wed Jun 24, 2015 3:49 pm

Kedge wrote:Shame they loved LHD and automatics so much on the E30s.

Japan drives same way as us but LHD IN Japan = Gangsta LOL

Post Wed Jun 24, 2015 3:55 pm

Ianb wrote:
Kedge wrote:Shame they loved LHD and automatics so much on the E30s.
Japan drives same way as us but LHD IN Japan = Gangsta LOL

What does Gangsta LOL mean?