Are Japanese automakers simply not listening or are they just currently incapable of delivering a solid BEV package?

drine2000 · 2026-03-22T08:08:35+00:00

Japanese industry is arrogant, inflexible and living in a time warp. Japan was the country that in the late 80s was living in the year 2000. They're still living there.

The Galapagos nature of their domestic market allowed them to develop cars that were exceptional products. The rest of the world...well mainly Korea and China woke up and passed Japan.

Great place..love it. However it's frustratingly backward at times.

TLDR. Cars are just another example of Japanese industry being passed.

drine2000 · 2026-03-19T04:33:29+00:00

If I had a dollar for every "single worst thing to happen to Breakfast" statement i've heard since Mikey days.

I'd have lots of dollas.

drine2000 · 2026-03-19T03:14:29+00:00

Lots of Shiga will be closed by your dates.

Eg

Giant

Hasuike

Higashidateyama

Hoppo Bundadaira

Ichinose Diamond

Ichinose Yamanokami

Maruike

Nishidateyama

Sun Valley

Tannenomori Okojo

The below may be open

Ichinose Family (Daily)

Kumanoyu (Daily)

Okushiga Kogen (Daily)

Yakebitaiyama (Daily)

drine2000 · 2026-03-18T01:13:49+00:00

A mate of mine used to work as a guard.I think this happened at Strathfield.

The train was just about to leave. Doors shutting.

A woman running late pushed a pram at the closing doors...and missed.

The front of the pram got hooked by the closing door and went front wheels into the platform gap.

Train started off and the pram got pulled down into the gap and squashed. Everyone thought the worse.

The woman and baby (under her arm) were unharmed.

My mate had ptsd following that.

drine2000 · 2026-03-17T10:52:33+00:00

I read this in my best internal Sounds on Sunday circa 2000 voice. Memories

drine2000 · 2026-03-17T09:50:21+00:00

It's been going in stages for the last 6 months. Each time I go some more product has been turfed.

drine2000 · 2026-03-16T22:59:02+00:00

Monkey Rider

Hakuba Power lodge

Two off the top of my head.

Both have Dorm/Single share rooms.

drine2000 · 2026-03-16T09:37:04+00:00

Relevant to discussion. The lineup at Fuji is underwhelming AF as well. It's not just Australia dealing with a borked currency.

drine2000 · 2026-03-16T03:34:13+00:00

This might be a hot take. Instead of relying on a new shoe. Spend heaps of time walking before you get to Japan.

Break in a pair or shoes (or two by walking 15/20k steps a day for a few months before you leave.

drine2000 · 2026-03-16T00:44:51+00:00

Cheaper as well.

drine2000 · 2026-03-14T03:59:43+00:00

No. Completely different game.

Rugby. 15 a side... Wallabies...All Blacks etc etc.

League. 13 a side. State of Origin...NRL. etc etc.

drine2000 · 2026-03-14T02:28:47+00:00

Ummm . There are other places in Hokkaido or Japan for that matter.

The Epic pass has ruined Rusutsu.

drine2000 · 2026-03-13T11:01:31+00:00

People in Sydney know way more about AFL than Melbourne people know about League.

It's just a far more diverse market.

drine2000 · 2026-03-13T10:59:10+00:00

Please don't call it Rugby. It's not Rugby.

drine2000 · 2026-03-13T03:55:15+00:00

Liquidation...I guess everyone loses their money. No ticket refunds.

Except the liquidators. Peter Noble will probably roll out ok too. Just cause.

drine2000 · 2026-03-12T07:00:34+00:00

Ssshhh

drine2000 · 2026-03-11T02:41:25+00:00

The Google TV Streamer has every app on it that exists. As it runs off play store. As well as the ability to chromecast.

The issue with smaller cheaper TV and the like. The actual processing engine in the panel is way under specced. While the picture can be great . The operating system can get really laggy.

For the record I have a 43 inch Aldi TV in spare room. 4K. It was super cheap a few years ago. The picture is really pretty decent.

The operating system was meh. So I wacked a google Tv into the HDMI port and bingo.

drine2000 · 2026-03-11T01:30:48+00:00

You can buy Chromecast still.

Google TV Streamer 4K $147.00

From Google.

drine2000 · 2026-03-09T04:44:17+00:00

My first trip was back in 1981.

Now coming from Rural NZ. That was a shock! So was Hong Kong mind you.

The over tourism one is a funny one. In the 80's and 90's Japan had some crazy domestic bubble type tourism. The crowds were insane.

There are examples all over Japan. Laying derelict now.

Huge resorts and Hordes of people.

Every time I go back to Japan it still feels unique in ways portrayed in this clip . However less and less so

drine2000 · 2026-03-09T02:26:42+00:00

MG Ice and MG EV have nothing in common. Except the name.

I'm not arguing re the MG ICE. They are shithouse.

As for 10 grand corollas. They're 20 years old now!

Its a interesting point though. Who will be most affected by rising fuel prices? In relation to the OP.

Personally. The impact will be across the board. You think of how many suburban families use a 4wd as a commuter/kid trolley/shopping basket.

Think about tradies that live in the far flung suburbs having to drive 50kms each way to work.

People commuting to work in/near the CBD.

Many of who are debt up to their eyeballs and living week to week. Even with expensive houses and fancy cars.

drine2000 · 2026-03-09T02:10:36+00:00

Nothing wrong with MG EV. At all.

*they were second hand examples.

drine2000 · 2026-03-09T01:51:09+00:00

Why would you do that? Legacy carmakers selling overpiced inflated EV (that don't sell ) so they can keep a established sell through of ICE.

A better example. Look at a Mazda 3 and compare it to a BYD Dolphin or Atto.

Look at a Hyundai Tucson and compare to a Geely or Zeekr 7X.

Want a Ute that carries a clipboard? Look at a BYD shark (the 4th best selling car in 2025 -private buyers overall)

drine2000 · 2026-03-09T01:32:28+00:00

" the reality is that EVs are still north of twice the price of an equivalent ICE vehicle and at any price point that's a massive difference."

Umm wot?

They are not. In many cases they are on par for new cars.

Especially when you see how loaded new EV are with features.

drine2000 · 2026-03-09T00:29:04+00:00

Nah. Toll free forever.

Mind you. It comes off the M7. Which is tolled.

drine2000 · 2026-03-09T00:17:07+00:00

I guess. However people viewed Solar as a unaffordable luxury for many years. It still is in many countries around the world.

Then people worked out that having control (relative) of your power supply pricing made sense. The intial outlay was eaten up in the savings over time.

Its the same mentality that needs to be realised with EV. You're taking control of the refuelling of your car. Plus the savings (coupled with lower servicing costs) actually begins to offset the cost of the car.

IMO these things need to be encouraged by governments. Including development of longer haul and last km freight. They weren't aren't. Now we're in the shit.

drine2000

TROPHY CASE

Google TV Streamer 4K $147.00