JDM

[freded]

There may be something on this site that addresses this topic. If so, I apologize for bringing it up again. But....like many of you, I'm a little frustrated with the prices of new and/or used vans out there in the market right now. One alternative I've been looking at is the JDM market and I am wondering if there is anyone who has any experience in owning and traveling in one of these JDM vans/RVs. I've had great luck with the longevity of Toyota vans that came to the US through the usual course (early vans, Previa, Sienna, etc.). but I have to say that some of these JDM Toyota camper vans, Firetruck conversions, and other high-top Toyotas look pretty cool. I know they have to be at least twenty-five years old and they are right-hand drive...but is there anything else I need to know about them. Are diesels worth a look practically??? Is a right-hand drive vehicle really a very difficult arrangement...except going through drive-throughs? The prices do seem to be good for the differences.

 

[WanderingRose]

What is JDM?

I’ve had diesel ClaasB vans for almost 15 years and found them to get good mileage and to be workhorses if properly maintained.

 

[Van Vliet]

What is JDM?

Japanese Domestic Market.

I have no experience living (or even traveling) in them but I lean strongly in this direction.
Until very recently, this guy on youtube lived in one year round.
https://www.youtube.com/c/ElementVanLife/videos

 

[cdwhit]

Disclaimer, I have never owned a Japanese domestic market vehicle, so my comments are based on experiences with a German domestic vehicle, and I owned this vehicle in the late 70s, so things change, but…

My old VW was a body style sold in the US (1968 Type 3 wagon) Looking at it, about the only thing you were likely to notice odd was the stock shortwave radio in the dash. The problem came in when it broke down. NO auto parts store or NO VW dealers I found had a parts list for this car! If a brake disk needed replace, the dealer supplied would not work. Same for the “brain” for the fuel injection, the injectors, and most other parts I replaced. The two things that saved me were a friend that owned an auto parts store that would let me go in back and open hundreds of boxes looking for parts that looked the same, and stumbling across a mechanic that was a pro on German vehicles and had actually attended training in Germany. While most parts were available in the US, the parts used were from different models of VW, Porch, or even BMW. It was a great car, but if it broke down, you needed alternative transportation for the weeks it was going take to gather the parts to repair, and after my 3rd or 4th trip to the dealer, they wouldn’t even attempt repairs on it.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

I looked into it.
When I started looking for a van was right when prices of domestic vans started surging.
The JDM ones are really cool looking, and not too bad pricewise compared to Ford, MBZ Dodge etc.
I really like the Mitsu Delica Chamonix. Or the Honda Kei vans.
However all the ones that I see imported have a few wrinkles.
First, due to some loophole they are old. Like 20 years +.
As I understand it this is because they are no DOT compliant.
But they are exempted if they are old enough because then it's a collector car.
Next, all that I see are right hand drive and manual trans.
Not impossible, but the combination of those two sounded like a learning curve to me.
The Delica Chamonix was 4x4 as well, so multiple shifters!
Plus side, they get good mileage, look cool and are easy to park.
As far as parts, the Delica had some crossover with a Mitsu SUV. Montero maybe?
One of the things that sold me on the Ford Transit is parts. It's a hugely popular van. There are Ford dealers everywhere. Getting parts is not hard.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Most often, JDM are better vehicles then what we get here in USA. Toyota makes great stuff and can't beat the fuel economy. It's like our government doesn't want us to have the good efficient stuff. I can see trying to find parts being difficult. You'll have to accept that and carry common spare parts that are hard to get. Mav off Youtube recently just got a Toyota Hiace.

 

[[email protected]]

I recently read an article regarding these vehicles being refused licenses in several eastern states. You might google it to confirm. I don't remember their reasons. Its too bad because the the vans I was seeing were really neat and very reasonably priced.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

There is an importer in the Southeast. I think maybe Tennessee? They say they help with getting you registered. Can't recall the name, but if you search Ebay, half the JDM Kei cars are theirs.

That Hiace looks 'ace'!

 

[Calaverasgrande]

Here is a vid from a UK photog that made a camper out of a Delica.