While most people do not own an authentic JDM vehicle, most customized Japanese vehicles attempt (quite often rather poorly) to appear as their Japanese spec. cousins. This is often accomplished by swapping our headlights, tail lights, adding aftermarket exhausts, aftermarket mirrors, and other external and internal accessories.

eBay is a great place to buy custom parts for Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, and other imports. Virtually any item can be found for most types of cars on eBay. And about 95% of them are one hundred percent sh!t. Easy ways to spot real JDM merchandise from the run of the mill aftermarket stuff are:

-Early 90s Honda lights are made by Stanley! If it doesn't say Stanley somewhere on the lens or on the base, it isn't a genuine Honda part. Also, the majority of JDM lights are 1 piece units. Those stupid clear "JDM" turn signals that people slap on old Accords are not JDM since JDM Accords have 1 piece headlights.

-JDM mirrors are hard to pick out from American mirrors. Usually the easiest way to find them is to search for the most expensive items. Those cheesy M3 mirrors available for old Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, and even some American cars usually don't look good on older bodies. Most true JDM Honda mirrors are powered and also fold automatically at the push of a button since streets are often narrow in Japan and leaving your mirror sticking out is an easy way for it to get clipped off. There are also some nice real carbon fiber racing mirrors available that will give your car a more customized look.

-JDM Tail Lights are often similar or the same as their North American counterparts. Check and see what company manufactures your stock tail lights ~ chances are that they manufacture the J-Spec ones as well.

-Side Marker Lights and Fog Lights are small but essential accessories to making your car closer to is Japanese counterpart. They will usually be made by the same company as the headlights. Also, the same marker lights are used for multiple models. Example, Honda Accords, Acura Vigors, and Acura Legends all share the same Stanley marker lights. Note that these additions will require cutting a decent size hole in your fender that is best left to a professional. Fog lights may or may not fit your American bumper, so you may need to order a J-Spec bumper to make the real ones fit. Wiring is simple.

-Other cool stuff includes the interior. Some people opt to go entirely JDM and purchase a front clip over eBay for the motor, transmission, and RHD conversion. Others just go for the conversion. If you don't want to dump a few thousand into your old Honda, Nissan, or Toyota, and want to give it a JDM touch there are several little things you can do. The country of release will determine what type of center console, armrest, units on the gauge cluster, and other small details in the car. American 10th Anniversary Edition Accord Sedans have a unique emblem, powdercoated wheels that expose the all wheel disk brakes, and also posess a one piece style center console that is used in most Canadian models. The EX-R trim is a Canadian badging, while the SE-R badging is Japanese. SE-R Accords come with a VTEC engine producing approximately 200 horsepower stock ~ unfortunately the price of the engines, transmissions, and computers will possibly make you decide to purchase a new car instead. Swapping emblems and a gauge cluster can redo your car from American to Canadian or externally Japanese.

A car that is styled as a stock RHD Japanese vehicle will draw more attention at a show than an everyday rice rocket with a fart can, altezza lights, body kit, obnoxious vinyls, and aftermarket projector headlights. So good luck with your search of authentic J-Spec parts and I hope that this guide has been helpful to you.