Nice write up. I've done a JDM swap also and can't anything to that, very nice write up.

 

Addendum:
A) Coolant temp sensor needs to be swapped to an USDM one. If you don't, the radiator fans stay on all the time and the car goes nuts when it switches to closed loop mode (ie.. when the car warms up)

 

I think it's because a lot of foreign countries think americans are all so rich and that we won't mind/will still pay tons of money at the dealer for new parts. So they engineer american market cars with planned-obselecense designs in mind . JDM or european market cars seem to be built with better parts to last them longer, but then japanese and europeans are much quicker to buy the newest models. That leaves us all the nice lower mileage engines that are designed to last a little longer.

Just my .02

I don't think that thier land size or type of driving or anything like that make much of a difference in the design. They also think that americans don't like powerful awd turbocharged cars.... they're crazy.