DominicanRX-7

Hi, I am about to buy a JDM 3rd generation. Its going to be 98-01. I want to know, how different is it to the US market 7?? Engine, or exterior wise. What are the main differences? Since I live In Dominican Republic, importing is not a problem, but I have to switch the car to LHD. The problem is that I dont want to have to order parts from japan whenever the car needs anything, so I want to know everything that wopuld be compatible . Also where can I get pinouts from the computer, since I am thinking about modifying it right away.

Thanks!

FormerPorscheGuy

This has been discussed a lot. Do a search.

SpeedKing

iTrader: (4)

Where exactly do you live? If you are located in the U.S., there's no way you're going to get a '98 - '01 model here, even via the DR and with a LHD conversion without spending a LOT of money and going through a lot of red tape.

DamonB

Did you read the part where DominicanRX-7 says "Since I live In Dominican Republic..."?

FormerPorscheGuy

You will have to source some parts from Japan, get used to it.

SpeedKing

iTrader: (4)

Yeah, I saw that but he gives his location as the "United States", so who knows? Figure he's another one of these dreamers who tries to brings a '99 spec car over.

bee

You can, as stated in nearly everyone of these stupid posts, bring any year of 7 in to the us and register it. You will have to have it imported by a RI, they will have to aquire an HS7. From there you have the vehicle inspected and wallah... You have a 99spec RHD7. Only hitch is this process takes about 6 months, costs about 20k over the price of the vehicle, and is very dangerous. IE, if you send your money overseas and no car is sent back, you have very little recourse.

But since this post had nothing to do with that..

They are very simmilar part wise. Most parts can be purchased here or parts here can be retrofited. The computer is different compared to the 93 to 95 sevens we had here in the states, but you would be replacing that with a Power FC anyways..

DaiOni

You'll have to be careful when modding - for example, if you buy a power FC meant for a US FD it isn't going to work (8bit vs 32).

RHD --> LHD conversion sounds like an absolute nightmare to me.

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

Id say the opposite works tho...J-spec Power FC works on US FDs....cuz the one I have is J-spec. Made in japan, for japanese market, instructions in japanese, etc. works just fine...

DominicanRX-7

I'm not interested in bringing the car to the United States. Sorry for the confusion, about my location. About Switching the car to LHD, thats not the biggest problem, since there is a japanese cars exporting company that has base here in DR and are used to do this to all kinds of cars, they are charging me US$1000 for the job. Theyll put another dash and reroute everythng thats needed. anything you think would be tricky about this??

My main concern would be exterior wise and engine wise. If I want to order things like DP, turbo kit, or even a broken part , or any kind of exterior dress up (Ive read that from some point on the car was 10mm shorter due to something I dont recall right now, so because of this, are all body pieces campatible? ). or are these specific for every market?

DaiOni

FDNewbie: a JDM type I-III unit would be cross-compatible, IV is 16bit, then I think the 32bit came in either with the type V or VI. SO if he was to purchase a powerFC direct from the US, then (though someone correct me if I'm wrong) a US 8bit unit wouldn't be the applicable unit.

I'd have to know more about the rhd-lhd conversion to comment on it. One thing though - from my experience the dash materials on the later models are a little different to the early versions... color matching might be an issue, but it's nothing to lose sleep over.

DP you might as well get from the US anyway, as you'll need a US compatible version when converting.

I'm only guessing, but from my experience, US cars are often longer, not shorter - something to do with design regulations.

Most people get their bodykits from japan anyway - so whether you get it direct or from an importer - only the price tag should be an issue

seanfd3s

i have a 2000 engine ,tran and ecu. the only difference between the us and later jdm is turbo size. mod and replacement will fit but u will have the same problem as me w/ ecu trying to add to it, i have the wireing digrams for it but i dont know if you would be so luck to get a hold of it.
dont know if this helps but hope it does
sean

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

DaiOni, you obviously know more about it than I do haha. I was just saying that some (as you pointed out, a certain type) is cross compatible. I got mine from RX7Trix, and they don't get their PFCs from the US. They get J-spec ones directly from Japan...that's why. But thanks for the clarification

DaiOni

I'm not sure how he's going to have problems with the ecu. It's not a conversion job - it's the whole car. As for aftermarket ecu - you'd have to use a JDM unit (powerFC is the weapon of choice for most, anyway) - and source it from japan. OR, get an importer in the US to order you one specific to your (16 or 32bit) vehicle.

I don't know the details - but I'm sure there are a host of little differences in the engine bay (95- y-pipe springs to mind). No car manufacturer has a production run of around ten years without upgrading bits and pieces along the way (as faults are realised, warranty claims come in, etc). There are lots of obvious and advertised updates - sometimes the little things aren't so well publicised. That said - there's always the option of using an importer to help you, I'm sure you can't get into too much trouble.

DaiOni

FDNewbie: they all get them from japan AFAIK, there is no export model-specific version (again, someone please correct me if I'm talking out my butt here!)

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

DaiOni, in the sense that Apexi makes 'em there, and ships 'em out...yea you're prob right.

But to my understanding...and i could be wrong, but when I spoke to Brandon @ RX7Trix, I understood that there is an export model-specific version, because one of the reasons why his price changes at times for the PFC is because there's a US-spec, and a J-spec one.

For example, right now, the PFCs he's selling are more expensive than usual (they're going for the normal $1300, vs. before when they were $1050 - $1150) because they're US-spec. There was a recall on the last 50 or so J-spec PFCs because of a problem w/ the drivers..so he's now selling only the US-specs until the driver problem is resolved, and the new batch of J-spec PFCs comes in (then back to $1050 - $1150). I'm guessing that for the J-spec one, he doesn't need to go through a US distributor, so he gets 'em cheaper.

That's what I understood from him. This isn't a quote, so don't hold him liable for this =)

Oh, and last thing, I remember when I got mine, he had to fax me this one page sheet on instructions of how to install it. You know how on 93 models, you had to splice some wires to install the PFC, but not on the 94 and 95s? Well the J-spec PFCs require splicing of the wires for all models (since they're J-spec being used on US-spec FDs)...so I had to splice mine. That's another diff. I just remembered that led me to believe there really are 2 different models/specs

EDIT: yea...i think I just like saying "J-spec" LOL

DominicanRX-7

About the Dash, do all dashes are the same, except for the fact that one is RHD and the other LHD?? Do they come with all the same buttons, and everything just on the opossite side??