By: CAMERON ASHFORD
Staff Writer
Throughout the early 2000s, the Fast & Furious series had shined the light on Japanese tuner vehicles within the U.S. These cars were decently cheap, they looked nice, and they were fast. These ideals would make them perfect for car enthusiasts at a younger age. These Japanese cars impacted so many they earned the special acronym of JDM. JDM stood for “Japanese Domestic Market.” For quite a few years after the release of the first Fast & Furious film, teens and young adults would get their hands on these imported vehicles for a cheap price and pimp them out to their liking. After the hype of the first couple of movies died down, the Japanese car scene within the U.S. sank with the ship. Individuals started to invest in flashy modern American muscle cars, certain Japanese vehicles weren’t allowed to be imported in the U.S. for a 10-15 year time period, and the price for the remaining legal import vehicles skyrocketed. For years the tuner scene had dug its grave and wasn’t expected to ever revive itself. Most JDM car enthusiasts began to lose hope, but then a miracle struck. The 10-15 year import law had been botched and Japan could now legally import certain JDM vehicles to the US. Not only this, but these Japanese car manufacturers were starting to make upgraded models of these now older vehicles. Burnin’ rubber, putting our e-brake to use, and highly modifying these extravagant vehicles were all ideals that could finally be put to use again. This time car culture was bigger and better, and it was spreading quickly. Everyone around was excited to restore what was once thought as only history. JDM was back, and this time it was here to stay.