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Copying is usually the best strategy to start from behind. Japanese started the same way. In the 60s and 70s "Made in Japan" meant cheap, low-quality knockoff

• moufestaphio 10y ago
  Ditto for Korea. In the 80/90's they were the cheap Japanese knock offs for tech stuff like TVs etc.
  • deleted 10y ago
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• marincounty 10y ago
  I've never heard "rice cups". I heard the degeogratory phrase "rice rocket". That said, it doesn't matter. Japan made decent vechicles, better than Ameriacn vechicle throughout the 80's, even early 80's. Toyota was making sensible vechicles in the 70's. By sensible, I mean simple mechanically, and built to last. We were so used to inferior Japanese quality, we just assumed 80's Japanese vechicles were built terribly. They were engineered better that American cars in that decade. I'll admit I'm a Toyota fan. I bought a 80's Toyota vechicle with a 22r engine that literally has 370,000 miles. In all those miles it needed a new clutch(a DIY job), a few spark plugs, a few fornt break pads, a water pump, and I'm planning on buying an extra alternator. Why, because the original is still putting out 14.5 volts--and it should have died a long time ago. My fear with Japanese automobile manufacturing is they are going away from what I loved about their vechicles. That is simplicity, and cheap cost of ownership.
• sliverstorm 10y ago
  Public perception lagged reality, I think today looking back it's clear Japanese cars from the 80's were good quality. I suspect they have generally outlasted domestic models from the same decade.