Issue #8 · 17, 2026
The 25 Year Rule
Published August 17, 2026
Japanese Auto News
Broad Arrow's Lake Como auction saw five R34 GT-Rs sell below expectations, including a rare 2002 Clubman Race Spec by NISMO from the final production year.
Laguna Seca debuted a dedicated JDM Car Show during Monterey Car Week, August 12-15, marking a milestone celebration of Japanese motorsports alongside historic race demonstrations.
U.S. Customs issued new duty offset guidance for medium and heavy-duty vehicle parts under Section 232 tariffs, updating October 2025 automobile parts instructions.
Yen Snapshot
¥1 JPY =
$0.0063
USD · as of Aug 17, 2026
Live rate as of Aug 17, 2026. Don't forget to factor the 27.5% import duty into your landed cost — use the calculator for your exact numbers.
Section 232 Auto Tariff Offset Extended to Medium/Heavy-Duty Parts
— Trade UpdateSection 232 Auto Tariff Offset Extended to Medium/Heavy-Duty Parts
U.S. Customs issued updated guidance extending the import adjustment offset — originally introduced for automobile parts in October 2025 — to cover medium and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) parts under Section 232 duties. The update clarifies entry filing procedures for importers eligible to apply offsets, adding procedural relief for MHDV components alongside the existing passenger vehicle framework. Classic cars 25+ years old remain exempt from Section 232 under HTS code 9903.94.04, but the expanded offset applies to newer vehicles and commercial parts subject to the 25% tariff. Importers should confirm proper HTS classification with licensed customs brokers, as offset eligibility hinges on correct filing at entry.
Featured From the Feed
2000 Nissan Silvia S15
S15 · blue · 0 km · 2000 cc
Zero-kilometer S15s arrive with mystery, not premium. No grade, ¥1M hammer, and 25 years of stillness means you're betting on storage quality and unseen mechanicals. The romantic version assumes museum care; the realistic version accounts for cluster swaps and unknown custodianship.
Auction
¥1,000,000
USD Est.
$6,800
Landed
$13,600
1989 Toyota Supra
JZA80 · Black · 82000 km · 3000 cc · Grade 3.5
1989 Supra listed as JZA80 is the first flag here — that's the fourth-gen chassis code, and this is a third-gen MA70. Beyond the typo, 82,000 km on a grade-3.5 A70 is honest mileage for the era, but at under $13K landed it's priced like a project, not a collector piece.
Auction
¥900,000
USD Est.
$6,120
Landed
$12,920
2000 Toyota Chaser
JZX100 · N/A · 115000 km · 2500 cc
JZX100 Tourer V at ¥2.48M reflects where clean 1JZ-GTE metal is trading right now. No grade listed keeps this speculative, but 115K km and that hammer price suggest either documented history or visible upgrades. These are reliably over $20K landed if the bones are right.
Auction
¥2,480,000
USD Est.
$16,864
Landed
$23,664
1999 Toyota Chaser
JZX100 · white · 127000 km · 2500 cc · Grade 3.5
Grade-3.5 Chaser with 127,000 km is the realistic comp in this batch. You're paying nearly $2M yen because someone can verify condition, and that clarity is what separates an import you can title from one that sits in your driveway waiting for parts that don't ship.
Auction
¥1,980,000
USD Est.
$13,464
Landed
$20,264
Landed cost estimates include shipping (~$1,500), US customs duty (27.5%), broker fees, and port handling. Actual costs vary. Use the calculator for your exact numbers →
August 2001 Unlocks: But Zero-KM Doesn't Mean What You Think
August 2001 cars officially crossed the 25-year threshold this week, bringing another wave of JDM eligibility — including late-production S15s, mid-cycle JZX100 Chasers, and the tail end of early-2000s performance metal. But this week's auction feed surfaced something worth addressing: a zero-kilometer S15 listed at ¥1,000,000 hammer. For newer importers, that sounds like a find. For anyone who's seen how auction grades actually work, it's a tell. Zero mileage after 25 years signals an undriven asset or a replaced cluster — neither of which guarantees solid mechanicals. Compare that to the higher-priced Chasers in the feed, where real miles and transparent service history justify stronger money. August eligibility is expanding your choices. Just make sure you're reading the whole sheet, not just the odometer line.
Honda Integra Type R (DC5)
K20A 'red-top' engine with 8,000-rpm naturally aspirated theater, Brembo 4-piston fronts, helical LSD, and a driving character the USDM RSX Type-S never approached. This is the FWD benchmark.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII (CT9A)
First Evo on the wider Cedia platform brought improved structure and Active Yaw Control. The 4G63T's final peak before the switch to aluminum blocks — and rally heritage you can actually feel on backroads.
Subaru Impreza WRX STI (GDB)
Bugeye WRX STI with the EJ207 closed-deck engine, DCCD, and a chassis balance Subaru spent the next decade trying to recapture. 2001 models carry the earliest build dates now eligible.
How to Read Auction Sheet Mileage (When It Actually Matters)
Odometer reading is one data point. The auction inspector's full evaluation is the picture. A zero-kilometer car might mean careful storage — or a replaced cluster and no service documentation. Here's how to separate signal from noise:
- →Check the grade first. No grade or N/A means the inspector couldn't verify enough to assign one — that's not a neutral signal.
- →Look for service records or export cert notes. Real preservation comes with paper. Silence suggests gaps.
- →Compare mileage to hammer price and grade. If a high-mileage car with solid grade pulls stronger money than a low-mileage unknown, the market is telling you something.
- →Understand what 'undriven' actually costs. A car that hasn't moved in 20 years needs every seal, fluid, and rubber component evaluated before it's roadworthy.
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