Ridiculous Prices

One day, my friend showed me 2 cars on his phone and asked for my opinion on those. One was a Lexus CT200H and another one, I have forgotten. Judging from the way he drives (which is like a demon), I do not think those suited him at all. Then he told me, it is actually for his girlfriend/fiance. When I was out with them, she told me she wants a car that has a not too big engine that produces 200 horsepower and cheap to maintain. I was surprised by her requirement because she was so specific and knows about cars. Normally, 200 hp can be easily produced by a turbo engine but she specifically said no turbo cars because those are noisy and I suspect my friend was behind this idea. After thinking hard, I suggested them to look for either a Toyota 86 or a Subaru BRZ. The exterior is modern and sporty, it has a 2 liter engine (low road tax), rear wheel drive, could be maintained like your regular car and comes in automatic transmission for the ladies. Since both manual and automatic transmission have 6 gears, the difference is not too big. All these combination means its attractive to both my friend's fiance and on the weekends, he could bring it out for a wild drive. It also helps that the 86 and BRZ are relatively cheap for a sports car, which is good for my friend's wallet. So, my friend, being lazy, asked me to look for one.

While driving, I did noticed a few places with nice JDM sports car for sale and I went to take a look. At one place there was a Honda S2000. First, a little information on the S2000 in Malaysia. The market price for a used unit starts from Rm 145,000 cash. It is expensive due to being extremely rare to find one for sale and those here are mostly the pre-facelift, AP1 models. The one that I saw is a white, AP1 with Amuse GT1 Full Wide Body Kit, J's Racing carbon hood, a hard top, Rays Volk rims and a GT wing. It also has both the facelift AP2's, front and rear lamps. I think the suspension and exhaust system are modded as well. The list of mods will definitely increase the price of this S2000 and it is sold at RM 178,000. Although the S2000 has a legendary engine that revs up to 9000 rpm, I absolutely think that the selling price is ridiculous. Not even with all the above mods, especially the wide body kit, do I think it is worth it. Only the rich could cough up this amount of cash but I think they would rather buy something more luxurious. Regular JDM enthusiasts like me, could only dream of driving and if ever so lucky, to be able to afford a S2000.

Amuse GT1 Full Wide Body Kit

Super Long and Super Low Nose

On the same day, I went to another place where I spotted 2 JDMs. The first one was a Subaru WRX STI Version 10. Many people did not know that the version 10 came in 2 manual and 1 automatic variants. First, there is a JDM version that has a 2 liter engine with a twin scroll Turbo and only comes in 6 speed manual. Then, there is a version that has a 2.5 liter engine with a single scroll Turbo instead. These 2.5 liter models came in either a 6 speed manual or a 5 speed automatic transmission. Surprisingly, both engines make the same amount of horsepower but I heard the 2.5 liter engine causes a lot of trouble. Besides, the different engines, the JDM models gets more equipment. The one I saw was a white, pre-facelift, non-widebody unit, with automatic transmission. This particular one lacks Recaro seats and Brembo Brakes (Front 4 pot & Rear 2 pot), which is something I would want in my car. It was selling at RM 110,000 and to me that is a cheap price for a fun, turbo, AWD car. However, I prefer the sedan version and hope to buy one in the future if prices goes down.

Beautiful multi-spoke Rims

At a distance, I saw a FD2, Honda Civic Type R, parked behind. When it was launched in 2008, it caught the attention of JDM enthusiasts, especially the Honda fanboys. It is a front wheel driven (FWD) sports car with the legendary K20A engine and a 6 speed manual transmission like most previous Type R models (EP3, DC5). As it combines a 4 door sedan with Honda Racing tech for the first time, it became popular even until today. It provides convenience (big boot and rear seats) and a sporty drive in one package. That is why the market price for a used FD2R is not only high but also very stable over the years. It is also the last model to feature a Naturally Aspirated, VTEC engine because the later Civic Type Rs adopted a turbocharged engine instead. All these solidifies its selling price starting from RM 110,000. In my opinion, this is overpriced because it has a similar price to the above mentioned WRX STI. Although, the FD2R is fairly quick for a FWD and comes with equipment such as Brembo Brakes and Recaro seats, it certainly is not a WRX STI. If both prices are the same and I have to choose, the FD2R will not be my choice. It might be a tad bit ridiculous to choose 225 hp over 300 hp.

Lastly, I went to another car dealership to look at what my friend was looking for, the Toyota 86/ Subaru BRZ. When I arrived, I felt I came to the right place because there were around 5 units available. This place however, sells unregistered or reconditioned cars that are imported from Japan and mostly in stock condition. The unit that caught my eye was a red one from the photo below. At first glance, it looked like a Toyota 86 because of the 86 front bumper but I noticed the emblem was Subaru. When I looked closer, the headlights was different than the white 86 next to it. Then, I entered the red one and was greeted by the interior of a BRZ. It was a manual variant and had a lot of red bits here and there. As 7 out of 10 86/BRZ in Malaysia have automatic transmission, you could imagine how a manual variant is a nice find for me. The price range for a unregistered unit is around RM 120,000 to RM 160,000, depending on the manufactured year and if it has some mod. This price range is out of my friend's budget of below RM 110,000 and I advised him to get a used unit instead. After viewing all these different cars, I felt I would pick the WRX STI over the 86/BRZ anyday. The WRX STI is cheaper to buy and have the same road tax but is more convenient (4 doors > 2 doors) and is more powerful with its turbo and AWD. The only downside is the different in age. 

Fast and Furious 8

Remember 2 years ago when I put up some post on the Top 3 JDMs used in the Fast and Furious franchise ? If you have not, the links are Fast&Furious:Honorable, Fast&Furious:GT-R, Fast&Furious:Supra and Fast&Furious:WRX STI. This year the franchise welcomes a new addition, The Fate of the Furious, a.k.a. Fast & Furious 8. So, here I will discuss about the JDMs used in this new installment.

We all know that the main character, Brian O'Conner has been the one who drives JDMs consistently in every movie that he is in. It is also understandable that with the passing of the late Paul Walker, his character had to be retired. The whole scene where Brian is happily playing with his son, Jack and along with his wife, Mia by the beach was heartwarming and the last ride with Brian and Dom which ended with them driving off towards different direction was just sad. The franchise had to change and that means there will be a significant decrease in JDM appearance because the other characters are not fans of JDMs. Han was also driving JDMs throughout the movies he was in but unfortunately, he too died. However, lucky for JDM fans, there is a new character in this movie that drives JDMs. We were introduced to a new special agent in-training/assistant to Kurt Russell's, Mr.Nobody. This character is played by Scott Eastwood and he not only drives one Subaru but two Subarus in this movie.  His first ride was a modified Subaru BRZ and if you read my previous post on Fast & Furious, you might remember that this is not the first time a BRZ was featured in the franchise. The BRZ's first appearance was a brief one in Fast & Furiuos 6 and was not driven by any of the cast members.

Inside the BRZ

By the WRX STI

From the outlook, we could see that the BRZ is equipped with a Rocket Bunny bodykit. This particular bodykit has been trending and I have to admit, I am a fan of it too. The fender or wheel arches are widen with an add-on, making the stance wider. In the spoiler department, instead of a huge wing attached to it, it only has a ducktail spoiler. On the inside, there seems to be a green, full body roll cage, sport seats, blue harnesses and an aftermarket steering wheel. This car is definitely ready for the track or drift course.

We first see Scott's character in the BRZ when the team formed a blockade in front of the now, bad-guy, Dom Toretto. Then, he made a rookie mistake which allowed Dom to escape and the chase began. So, the whole team was on the streets, chasing and we got to see the BRZ drifts a bit, alongside Deckard Shaw's Jaguar F-Type Coupe. Dom had to loose the BRZ and he drove into some construction poles, which then began to fall. Scott's character was too focused on chasing Dom and it was too late to brake. This resulted in the sacrifice of the Subaru BRZ under the fallen poles. Although I must say, that is better than getting blown up by explosives like how most cars get destroyed in the franchise.

Drift !!

Drift !!

When he realized he is doom.

R.I.P. BRZ

In the next act of the movie, we were transported to the icy terrain of Russia. The team is here to stop Dom from helping the bad guys steal a nuclear submarine. When things went south, the bad guys remotely controlled the submarine and tried to make an escape. So, the team rushes out on ice, in their new rides, hoping to reach the gates before the submarine escapes and disappears. This time Scott's character drove a Subaru WRX STI. This is the latest model of WRX STI and at a glance, it might seem like the only mod is the GT Wing and rims but actually, the front and rear bumper and front lights are aftermarket parts. It is safe to say that the WRX STI is also equipped with a roll cage, sport seats, harness and aftermarket steering wheel like the BRZ. However this time, all we see is the WRX STI just driving around, mostly dodging missiles, bullets and explosion. Surprisingly, not a scratch was made on the car and remain like new. This is so unlike the Fast and Furious movies I know, where most cars were destroyed. The WRX STI made it out in one piece. I am happy it was not sacrificed in the movie but felt like the WRX STI could have a bigger part.

There you have it. The only two JDMs that were driven by the cast member in this year's Fast and Furious 8. I hope that in the next sequel of the franchise, more JDMs could be driven by the main characters. Although the amount of JDM was low in this movie but there is a an extra scenes where JDMs could be spotted but not driven. This scene was when the team just got attacked by the bad guys and needed to get some equipment after. They arrived at a facility where all the impounded cars were kept a.k.a. the Toy Shop. When the scene opened, most of the audiences must have their eyes on the Bentley Continental Coupe, which would be driven by Roman Pierce in the first chase scene. However, keen JDM fans like myself would be able to spot some JDMs on the racks by looking at the side view. In the same scene, a yellow, Honda S2000, a blue, Subaru BRZ (Scott's car) and a white Nissan Concept could be spotted on the left rack. Meanwhile, on the right, fans would notice a blue, Nissan GT-R R35, a grey, Toyota MR-S and a red, Toyota Supra MK IV.

In the photo below, audience get to see the same cars from the front view. This confirmed the cars that I noticed from the side view were exactly the cars that I mentioned before. I would say this is a very good collection and I would like to have this many cars in my garage, if I have a garage.

The photo below shows the Nissan IDx concept car that was revealed in 2013 in a show. A lot of fans have been asking Nissan to make a production car out of this fine concept. However there are no plans for that to happen. Many speculations were made and most of them said that this could be either the new Silvia or the new Fairlady Z. I personally think this would suit the Silvia badge more. Let us hope Nissan will make use of this concept.

I did manage to find one more hidden gem and that could be a Lexus LFA, if I am not mistaken. Sorry for the blur photo.

Dream Car Expo 2015

One week before Christmas, there was an expo in Mid Valleys called the Dream Car Expo 2015. I think it was the last car related event before the year ends and I have been to the last Dream Car Expo in 2014. Let me say that this is not exactly what I would consider as an Expo and the "Dream Car" term is quite misleading. I remembered my first visit in 2014, I had expectations but I was soon disappointed and I even went there on the sole purpose of going to the expo. It was just a small hall filled with your regular every day cars that you can view just by going to any showrooms of each brands. I soon realized the purpose of this Expo and it is to help folks who wanted to purchase a car and get some good deals and maybe freebies on that day. I think calling this expo a sales event for every brand would be much more accurate. So you would most likely ask, why was I there again in 2015 ?

Well, this time I did not go there on purpose but I had to do some last minute Christmas present. I thought since I was already there, I might as well take a look at this year's expo. I went without any expectation but I was shocked, surprised to see something I did not expected. I was greeted by a bright red Audi R8 at the entrance. You would have thought it was the 2nd generation R8 that was said to launch soon and it was because Audi participated in the Expo. As you can see from the photo below, it is the 1st generation V10 R8. I found out that this supercar was brought in by a company that sells reconditioned and used cars.

The same company also brought along a BMW i3 and its written on a paper on the windscreen, "1st in Malaysia". BMW Malaysia happens to only sell the i8 here and so this company might be right about this unit being the first but is it really the only one here ? I definitely do not like the i3 but being curious what kind of car is this electric vehicle and decided to take a look. On the outside, I have to say it is butt ugly. Definitely, you can never ever get me to buy this car, much less see me drive in it especially with that price.  However, I do have to say that the suicide doors are awesome. 

Time to head inside the cabin to see what it looks like because this is the first i-series car of BMW that I am in and I was curious to see how futuristic it would look like. When I finally got in, I had mixed feelings. Sure, there are some cool future elements like the blue accent on the steering wheel (Tron inspired maybe ?) but it sure is boring like how all BMW interiors are (no offense here). After a minute the exciting parts get drowned by the "simple" elements of the cabin. 

Next, I found a sports car that makes regular appearances in many car related shows in Malaysia, the Subaru BRZ. This is a car that I both like and hate at the same time but I have met the BRZ almost every time I go to a car show. If you are happy to see the BRZ, you should thank Subaru for officially selling the car here. Nothing much to talk about it because the BRZ has made it into some of my posts in 2015 and I believe every time I see the BRZ it is the same car. You usually have showroom unit but are you interested in this event unit ? If Subaru is selling it cheap, I might just take up on that offer. 

After some exciting entries, I began to walk around and realize that although this year's expo has the same theme but there are some new cars that was only made available in 2015 that I have yet seen on the road such as the Chevrolet Malibu, the new Peugeot 308 THP and the MK7 Volkswagen Golf R caught my attention as well. I am not a fan of Golfs (GTi and R too) but I liked the fact that Golf Rs are AWD with a 2 liter turbo engine. The MK6 models had nice Recaro seats but I was disappointed to find out that the MK7 does not  have Recaros. 

The expo only took 15 minutes of my time (some of it was to wait so I can sit inside the car) but this year I walked out with some nice photos. Definitely did not expect these cars to show up and this shows that maybe I should check out the expo every since it is free admission and you will never know what would be on display the next year. So, see you again in 2016.

Fast and Furious - Subaru WRX STI

March 2015 was THE MONTH when it is all about the Fast and Furious franchise, which lasted for 14 long years. This latest installment was already much anticipated by fans but with one of its main character's actor's recent demise, even the non-fans rushed to the cinemas to catch the latest movie, Fast and Furious 7. I was one of the earliest who watched on the first day it was released in Malaysia. Despite what critics said, I thought it was a great movie with everything from action, cars, family values and story closure. This article may contain spoilers. At first I was waiting for the part where they were going to kill Paul's character off and kept guessing when it was going to happen. Luckily, they changed their decision and made him retire instead. Of course some cried when they were watching the ending, which is a tribute to Paul Walker and it showed clips of each of the Fast and Furious movies which brought back memories for every audience. I immediately downloaded all 6 other movies of the franchise and decided to make a TOP 3 list of JDMs that appeared in the all movies. However, the list does not include many cars that appear as background cars in the first 3 movies in the series.

First up, we have the Subaru WRX STI. It is a model that made its debut quite late in the series but maintain appearance in every movie onwards. It made its first appearance in Fast and Furious (2009). Brian O'Conner was driving his iconic Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 through the desert but was later blown up by Dominic Toretto. After that, Brian told him Dom owes him a 10 second car, he smashed the WRX STI's window, gave him the keys and told him they are now even. After a great action scene, the WRX STI was filled with bullet hole and later smashed.

Before all the holes and beating it took.

That is how you buy a WRX STI

Rally Gene Shining

Next, it appeared in Fast 5 (2011) in its Face-lift, sedan form. It was one of the few cars that the team collected and tested in their hideout to slip through the many high speed cameras installed exactly like how it would be in the police station. I think Han thought the WRX STI could beat the camera (I certainly agree to this) but even with him driving, it was not enough. Even though it was only 20 seconds of footage but clearly it is worth the mention. Especially with Han stating that if this (WRX STI) could not get pass the camera, they are going to need invisible cars.

Han: The only way is to get invisible cars.

Talking about short appearance, who could forget the appearance of the WRX STI for 2 seconds in Furious 6 (2013). Dom was in London seeking out Letty and we were shown the racing scene in London. Out come 2 cars that were sideways on 2 wheels and one of them is a hatchback WRX STI. As if you can't tell it is a WRX STI, it even have a STI decal right on the hood. There some other more expensive cars but only JDMs count in this list.

Must be bad for tires

From this point onwards, there might be spoilers. You have been warned.
Last but not least, the WRX STI is one of the main stars (to me) in the latest, Furious 7 (2015) and it is driven by our Brian O'Connor. Clearly if you have watched the trailer before the movie was released, you already know that the WRX STI will be drop off a plane and what will happen to it. It is one of the most difficult sequence to shoot and timing was crucial to land on the ground via parachute. Then, we see a lot of action with the WRX STI and it was the end for it when Brian jumped into the bad guy's trailer. What a waste when I saw it crashed and they certainly could have donated it to me instead (wishful thinking).

Is it me or bullet holes goes well with the WRX STI ?

Drop Time

In action

STI Surfing !!

You'll be missed !!

Here I will reveal a surprise that many of you fans might have missed or maybe you saw it just like I did. Before the "dropping cars from a plane scene", we see the team reunite in an army-like base and were discussing their plans to infiltrate and stop the enemy. There was a sedan WRX STI parked in the base with almost the same color as the hatchback that was used in the drop. It was weird that they had a sedan but used a hatchback instead. I was happy though because I prefer the sedan version and do not want to see it get wrecked.

Also, since this is a Subaru article, I want to mention that there was a surprise Subaru that many might missed out or have forgotten about. In Furious 6, there was a blue Subaru BRZ in the background. In the beginning when Dom pays Brian and Mia a visit, you could see a BRZ when Dom's Dodge Challenger SRT8 drives in. However, a better shot of it would be when Shaw's men were after Mia and Elena. Does this ring a bell to all of you ?

The best shot

Remember to come back for the next JDM on the list: Toyota Supra MkIV.