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