Americans who have imported JDM cars are split over unique feature that was compulsory in Japan

Americans have discovered that certain JDM cars have a divisive feature mandated by the government in Japan which has split opinions.

JDM – AKA Japanese Domestic Market – cars are quite a hit in America, with brands like Nissan, Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi all propelling their cars into the larger country.

But this wasn’t always the case, and to get a Japanese car, many Americans needed to transport the beloved models over to the States.

This birthed the JDM market, and it turns out there’s an easy way to identify whether a car was shipped over: wind chimes.

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Authentic JDM cars in America come with a divisive feature

The process of shipping JDM models around the globe has become quite a phenomenon. These Japanese cars have become increasingly popular with a richer history than brands can offer at other international factories.

But authentic JDM cars have a mandatory feature for Japanese roads which is equally as ingenious as it is irritating.

Back in the 80s, the speed limit in Japan was set to 62MPH, around 100KMH. The government then mandated that each car made within the country should have an alert for exceeding the limit.

But rather than a siren or a beeping, the Japanese cars were fitted with a unique choice of alarm.

In fact, a wind chime noise came from the dashboard when the driver went too fast.

The chimes are far from the most egregious sound ever, unlike the alerts in American cars for handbrakes or doors being open.

But it is enough to subtly let the driver know they are going too fast. But this also means the noise can be driven through if you’re partial to a bit of percussion.

Still, many Americans had no idea that this feature existed, and upon discovering it, opinions were split.

In a YouTube Shorts video titled ‘Nostalgic or Maddening’ with a Toyota Sprinter Trueno as the subject, many drivers expressed admiration and frustration.

“From my perspective it’s cool initially but it can get really f***ing annoying really quickly,” wrote one driver.

Others reminisced o old JDM cars like the early Honda Prelude, with memories being triggered by the chimes.

Fortunately, this only happens in JDMs that are over 25 years old. So your modern-day Nissan GT-Rs won’t blister your ears.

Still, there’s a lot to love about JDM cars, especially the older supercars that have become popular in Hollywood culture.

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