Priceless Head-to-Head against an MR2
August-17th-2003, 11:17 AM
#18
P1 Student
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Northern VA, Fairfax
Posts: 531
what kind of lexus do the patrol cars use down there?
same in Egypt too,where I used to live
even though it is VERY crowded, some people still have manners
in sided streets or lighted streets, everybody drive with parking lights on. only use headlights where there is no city lights, which is kinda hard to find
but we also have signals in cars and horn honks
6honks in a certain manner mean, "l love you,,,I love you"
tapping your brakes twice means.....**** off
so on and so forth
pretty cool stuff, shame nobody here understands it
same in Egypt too,where I used to live
even though it is VERY crowded, some people still have manners
in sided streets or lighted streets, everybody drive with parking lights on. only use headlights where there is no city lights, which is kinda hard to find
but we also have signals in cars and horn honks
6honks in a certain manner mean, "l love you,,,I love you"
tapping your brakes twice means.....**** off
so on and so forth
pretty cool stuff, shame nobody here understands it
August-17th-2003, 05:53 PM
#19
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Japan
Posts: 95
Originally posted by pro00
what kind of lexus do the patrol cars use down there?
what kind of lexus do the patrol cars use down there?
Of course not all patrol cars are Lexus, we also have smaller cars. Once on the way to Kyoto, I spotted a Supra patrol car. That was pretty cool!
August-17th-2003, 09:10 PM
#20
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Orlando, Fla
Posts: 313
Let's start a Caretaker thread, we all want to ask him so much.
I'll start, do the Japanese know how awesome MSPs are, cause they are totally rad. Also: Please send me your 4wd drive train so I can put in on my MSP. That is all.
I'll start, do the Japanese know how awesome MSPs are, cause they are totally rad. Also: Please send me your 4wd drive train so I can put in on my MSP. That is all.
August-17th-2003, 10:03 PM
#21
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 144
Great thread...I too have experienced similar curteous actions when I lived in Japan...being born and raised there. Really, more than the patrol cars over there, it's the "shirobai" you have to watch out for...the cops on crotch rockets...they'll damn fly.
August-18th-2003, 02:08 AM
#22
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Japan
Posts: 95
Originally posted by pluto316
Let's start a Caretaker thread, we all want to ask him so much.
I'll start, do the Japanese know how awesome MSPs are, cause they are totally rad. Also: Please send me your 4wd drive train so I can put in on my MSP. That is all.
Let's start a Caretaker thread, we all want to ask him so much.
I'll start, do the Japanese know how awesome MSPs are, cause they are totally rad. Also: Please send me your 4wd drive train so I can put in on my MSP. That is all.
the same models here are often 50-100 HP more. The reason for that is an obscure taxation method for import cars which is based on horsepower rather than engine size. So in order to be competitive, many makers had to reduce HP.
Our Honda Accord here are over 200 HP, the same for the Subaru Forrester (which has a turbo). Many cars also did not make it to the US because it would have been a shame to skim them, the Nissan Skyline GTR and the EVO comes to mind.
The MazdaSpeed protege is a limited version and was excluded to this tax scheme because it is tuned-up by Corksport which is an American Company.
So sometimes I kinda laugh when I hear in the movies comments like "american muscles" ;-) I`d take an RX8, a Skyline, a Supra, a WRX, an EVO VII or an NSX anytime ;-) Suzuki also developed a rallye car that delivers 1000 HP with a weight of 900KG..insane. You can see it in Gran turismo 3 for PS2. And those cars, beside the NSX are all below 40,000$.
In Japan the taxation is based on engine size, not HP. So we see a lot of small cars with turbos delivering 150 HP. Even a 1.3l Turbo is a good match against a 2.0l non-turbo car ;p
Last edited by Caretaker; August-18th-2003 at 02:54 AM.
August-18th-2003, 10:09 AM
#24
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Japan
Posts: 95
Originally posted by pluto316
Yeah I knew all that, but:
Do they know how awesome?
When are you sending your drivetrain?
Yeah I knew all that, but:
Do they know how awesome?
When are you sending your drivetrain?
I did not know about the MSP until I looked for the equivalent of the Sport20 in USA.
Regarding my drive train..I'm keeping it..
;-)
August-18th-2003, 03:00 PM
#25
formerly chastan
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: California, USA
Posts: 2,350
By the way, the new 2004 WRX STi has 300hp / 300ftlb of torque, and the Forester Turbo XT is here (don't know the specs--it's faster than the regular WRX though, lol). We now have the most powerful STi in the world 
(powered by the 2.5L engine).
(powered by the 2.5L engine).
August-18th-2003, 05:30 PM
#26
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: MPLS, MN
Posts: 58
Originally posted by Caretaker
Our Honda Accord here are over 200 HP, the same for the Subaru Forrester (which has a turbo). Many cars also did not make it to the US because it would have been a shame to skim them, the Nissan Skyline GTR and the EVO comes to mind.
So sometimes I kinda laugh when I hear in the movies comments like "american muscles" ;-) I`d take an RX8, a Skyline, a Supra, a WRX, an EVO VII or an NSX anytime ;-) Suzuki also developed a rallye car that delivers 1000 HP with a weight of 900KG..insane. You can see it in Gran turismo 3 for PS2. And those cars, beside the NSX are all below 40,000$.
Our Honda Accord here are over 200 HP, the same for the Subaru Forrester (which has a turbo). Many cars also did not make it to the US because it would have been a shame to skim them, the Nissan Skyline GTR and the EVO comes to mind.
So sometimes I kinda laugh when I hear in the movies comments like "american muscles" ;-) I`d take an RX8, a Skyline, a Supra, a WRX, an EVO VII or an NSX anytime ;-) Suzuki also developed a rallye car that delivers 1000 HP with a weight of 900KG..insane. You can see it in Gran turismo 3 for PS2. And those cars, beside the NSX are all below 40,000$.
When they refer to American muscle they typically are talking about Vipers, Corvettes, and all the 60's and 70's big dogs like GTO's, Shelby Cobras, and any vehicle running a Hemi(*drool*). Basically american cars with big v8's or V10's in the vipers case.
August-18th-2003, 06:11 PM
#27
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Japan
Posts: 95
Originally posted by bud_d
The Accord in the US is 240HP.
When they refer to American muscle they typically are talking about Vipers, Corvettes, and all the 60's and 70's big dogs like GTO's, Shelby Cobras, and any vehicle running a Hemi(*drool*). Basically american cars with big v8's or V10's in the vipers case.
The Accord in the US is 240HP.
When they refer to American muscle they typically are talking about Vipers, Corvettes, and all the 60's and 70's big dogs like GTO's, Shelby Cobras, and any vehicle running a Hemi(*drool*). Basically american cars with big v8's or V10's in the vipers case.
When I left Canada in 95, I think the max you could get in an Accord was 140Hp.
August-19th-2003, 09:49 AM
#28
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Orlando, Fla
Posts: 313
Things are starting to balance out in terms of Japan versions vs American versions. We just have to pay a bit more. 
Anyway, Japan still still doesn't produce big block V8s the way America churns out every year. Over here it's all about wheel stands and quarter mile time.
Anyway, Japan still still doesn't produce big block V8s the way America churns out every year. Over here it's all about wheel stands and quarter mile time.
August-19th-2003, 06:15 PM
#29
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Moscow, Idaho
Posts: 20
What is the police detector thing you have, and how can I get one in the US? That sounds like the ultimate safeguard... no more worrying about false radar alarms or cops turning on the radar at the last minute.
August-19th-2003, 06:45 PM
#30
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Japan
Posts: 95
Originally posted by jnorion
What is the police detector thing you have, and how can I get one in the US? That sounds like the ultimate safeguard... no more worrying about false radar alarms or cops turning on the radar at the last minute.
What is the police detector thing you have, and how can I get one in the US? That sounds like the ultimate safeguard... no more worrying about false radar alarms or cops turning on the radar at the last minute.
Anyway, there are 2 major players in the detector market in Japan: Cellstar and Yupiteru
http://www.cellstar.co.jp
http://www.yupiteru.co.jp/index1.htm
I bought the SKY-130DL from Cellstar because it was found to be the best in comparative studies.