The 25-Year Wait: Why Some Dreams Are Worth It
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The 25-Year Wait
If you're not into imports...
You've probably never heard of the 25-year rule.
But if you've ever dreamed of owning a Skyline...
A Silvia...
An RX-7...
A Chaser...
Or any of the incredible vehicles we never officially got in America...
You know exactly what it means.
Twenty-five years.
Not because the cars aren't good enough.
Not because enthusiasts don't want them.
Simply because U.S. law generally doesn't allow a foreign-market vehicle that wasn't originally built to meet U.S. safety standards to be permanently imported until it's at least 25 years old.
For many enthusiasts...
The countdown becomes part of the dream.
Every January, another model year becomes eligible.
People celebrate birthdays...
Import enthusiasts celebrate model years.
"Only one more year until I can finally bring one home."
When that day finally arrives...
It's more than buying a car.
It's bringing home something you've admired for decades.
Maybe it's a right-hand-drive Skyline.
Maybe it's an Evo we never officially received.
Maybe it's a tiny kei truck that makes everyone smile.
Or maybe it's a car you've had hanging on your bedroom wall since you were fifteen.
The wait makes the reward even sweeter.
Because some dreams...
Are worth waiting 25 years for.
For me, this isn't just something I read about.
It's something I get to live.
My car is a 1999 Toyota MR-S.
While the third-generation MR2 eventually arrived in the United States as the Toyota MR2 Spyder, mine began its life in Japan. It's the original Japanese-market version—right-hand drive and built before Americans ever saw one sitting on a dealership lot.
Today, she's 27 years old.
That means she has a story that started on the other side of the world long before she ever found her way into my garage.
Every time I slide into the driver's seat, I'm reminded that I'm not just driving a convertible.
I'm driving a piece of Japanese automotive history.
One that enthusiasts once had to wait years to legally bring home.
And honestly...
I'd wait 25 years all over again.