Why JDM isn't always the best!
 

There seems to be some misconception out there that Japanese built parts are of the highest quality and design.

Well here are some pictures that will probably shock you. Not really surprising to us though as we've seen it all too often.

This is a japanese Buddy Club 3" Cat-Back Exhaust for the Subaru WRX/STi that someone asked us to install.

http://www.ultimate-racing.com/DARRYL/buddyclub2.jpg


Notice the small muffler? Must be pretty loud right? Actually no, it's rather quiet.

http://www.ultimate-racing.com/DARRYL/buddyclub1.jpg


Here's why!

http://www.ultimate-racing.com/DARRYL/buddyclub3.jpg

This lovely 3" exhaust comes with a very lovely resonator with a 2" inside diameter. Most likely to keep noise to a minimum.

Comments anyone?

Darryl

Darryl, I have also seen this is some parts from Japan.


It's probably great for sound, but horrible for flow.

i have to agree with you there buddy, JDM isn't always the best. as a matter of fact, i am starting to realize that JDM is only good for interior, exterior and rims. when it comes to engine and power mods, all the best pieces i have seen so far for the EVO comes from the likes of you guys, Vishnu, buschur, ams and all the other US tuners. even i, which deals with JDM parts all day and can get them for a good price have decided to go with only USDM parts for my engine. {thumbup}

Not quite sure but wouldn't that be considered a BIG restriction to air flow, thus negating the funtionality of the entire exhaust?

That's the whole idea of this post! To educate. :)

Guess he was going for looks and sound, not performance

But its JDM!! Its gotta be the best. LOL j/k

I completely agree with you! Look at HKSs cat back they have a 2.5 flang to bolt onto the stock cat but it's a 3in exhaust. Why?

RSR makes things out of mild steel and the exhaust muffler is 2.5in were the piping is full 3in?

Eric

hey guys,

Not all JDM products are good or bad. and same goes to USDM products as well. Pls don't flame on JDM products, because their the ones who first invented all these products then all these vendors starting to imitate them.

I agree.

FYI, not all restrictors will negate performance. For example, I have a 2.25" SS Borola exahust on one of my cars. To make it quiter, it was suggested that I install a restrictor after the muffler. The restrictor looks like a venturi and reduces the diameter to 2" after the muffler. According to Borola and TechTonics (very reputable VW tuner), it does not result in any performance losses and does get the sound down a bit.

The Borola venturi does not look anything like the JDM muffler above though. Also, it reduces .25" and not a full 1". Also, that venturi is specific to the Boroloa straight through mufflers - not sure it was designed to work with other mufflers or systems.

i don't know of any usdm tuner who is imitating that crap. Just because these are japanese cars doesn't mean the USDM tuners are imitating the aftermarket scene.

I am sure that he was looking for more performance and was not expecting to get what he did. What makes a JDM tuner any better than an American tuner? Besides that, we have to pay for the shipping and exise (sp) taxes once it gets here. I am not saying that JDM pieces are good or bad, but I think that we can get just as good of products, if not better, that are made here in the U.S. I will be laughing my ass off once the JDM market is looking for the "good ****" USDM pieces to make their cars faster at a reasonable price!

I know some of the guys in the UK already have discovered how cheap you can get quality parts over here from vendors. They just get insanly screwed on taxes... much more then we pay for something from japan.

Yep, not all the JDM products are inferior. But alot of them are overpriced. Check out some of the supertrick pieces from Veilside for the Supra's. HKS Cam's are the standard with most cars. Alot of tuners figure why recreate the wheel with spending significant amounts of money to create an equal product...just sell the HKS if it works good. Although it will be intresting if Crower comes out with a set of Cams.