7 ms·

I've seriously contemplated getting one of these. Street legal, fuel efficient, simple, but when I started researching them I started to see a pattern. It's h

I've seriously contemplated getting one of these. Street legal, fuel efficient, simple, but when I started researching them I started to see a pattern. It's hard to find anyone in rural areas willing to work on them and not all mini trucks are equal. Some are not shipped correctly and have frame rust issues. There are YouTuber's that cover some of the models and the gotchas and things to inspect. I would never buy one without inspecting it locally. I've seen a couple of them in town and the owners somehow manage to keep them running. I am leaning more towards a street legal side-by-side as there are a few dealers here and they have people to perform more advanced repairs. Downside is they cost more especially if I want a fully enclosed cab with windshield and heater, something that is a must during the winter here. Upside is I can take it into the mountains and also use it to run into town for groceries. An upside to either of these options is that these are the remaining vehicles that do not as of yet have any of the telemetry, dashboard infotainment systems, pay-as-you-go for subscriptions for standard features, etc...

kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
SXS are overpriced and underdeliver compared to what you can get from a minitruck.
- leetrout 4y ago
  Or even just a used jeep wrangler given how overpriced they are.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
doublerebel 4y ago
I’d recommend looking for a reputable dealer who does a proper shipment and inspection. Here in Seattle we have https://sodo-moto.com https://sodo-moto.com who works with fvej.com to bring vehicles over and ensure the quality.
codalan 4y ago
They probably share a lot of the same drivetrain/engine/etc. parts from vehicles of the same era. If you are mechanically inclined and have the right tools, you might be able to do some of the work yourself. Most auto mechanics familiar with older Japanese branded vehicles should be able to work on them like they would on a regular US import. The biggest issue I have is that they are right-hand drive. I'd be hesitant driving a mini-truck on streets and highways, even if it's licensed. This would be a non-issue if the intent is to leave it on private property, unlicensed. I wish mini-trucks had a bigger demand here. I'd like a pickup, but I don't need the monster trucks that are on the market these days. Just something to move furniture, appliances, and junk around town.
- pwthornton 4y ago
  There are some smaller options these days. The Honda Ridgeline has led the way here as a very livable, smaller (although not small) truck. The Ford Maverick is even smaller. It is a bit more barebones but it might work for you.
  - codalan 4y ago
    The problem with the Maverick (as others have mentioned) is that they squander valuable bed space by adding a cab to the design. To me, a pickup truck is a pretty utilitarian thing. I don't need a cab. I have other vehicles if I need to take passengers. I remember pricing out a pickup a few years ago, and it was hard to find one that wasn't already configured with a cab. I guess the market demand is larger for people who have kids but still want a pickup for whatever reason.
    - pwthornton 4y ago
      There is apparently no market for cab-less pickups in the U.S. Ever since overfed suburban poseurs started buying trucks, the market has shifted to crew cab and luxury.
    - aaronblohowiak 4y ago
      used Cargo van
fundad 4y ago
I guess if there's a dealer that's something but isn't it getting hard to get any kind of car worked on in rural areas?
- LinuxBender 4y ago
  isn't it getting hard to get any kind of car worked on in rural areas? It is. I can do some mechanical work but I have no idea what special tools and tricks are required knowledge with these trucks. At least with side-by-sides there are a myriad of dealers and mechanics near me as so many people use them around their ranches, to go into town and to go into the mountains. There is probably some little shop that would say they could work on the mini-trucks but my experience with the small businesses here as that most of them fake it until they make it, but they never make it. So I would be taking a bit of a gamble. If I found one that was cheap enough it might be worth the gamble as I could just write off the loss if it has some obscure problem. That is why I am still on the fence.
asciimov 4y ago
I seriously miss compact trucks, like the Mazda B-series, Ford Courier, Ford Ranger (before it became a mid-size in 2019). These kinds of trucks might more to your liking. Sure they aren't as small and cute as the imports, but your local auto store can still get you parts for them. They are fun to drive, fairly fuel efficient, and are capable of hauling material from the home center. I learned to drive stick, and how to pop the clutch when you have a dead battery, in a Ford Courier on the high plains of west Texas.
- iancmceachern 4y ago
  You can get the Ford Maverick
  - munificent 4y ago
    A Maverick is just an open air hatchback. It's the same length as my 2002 Xtracab Tacoma, which is nice, but my Tacoma has a bed that's literally twenty inches longer.
    - saalweachter 4y ago
      I still long in my heart for a pickup that is as small as possible while having an 8 ft bed, but honestly once you also need to take children with you wherever you go, the compromise of a shorter bed with a good sized back seat (to accommodate car seats) really begins to make a lot of sense. I ended up just attaching a trailer hitch to my Chevy Volt and buying a lightweight 8ft trailer. As long as I just need to move big and not heavy, it's perfectly adequate, and the mileage when I'm not hauling is a lot better. And it cost me about $2k while keeping me out of the insane used truck market.
    - Maursault 4y ago
      > A Maverick is just an open air hatchback. Not always. Sometimes it's a weird little muscle car platform.[1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Maverick_(1970–1977) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Maverick_(1970–1977)
  - 4y ago
AtlasBarfed 4y ago
I cannot wait for EV drivetrains to invade side by sides, especially ones based on sodium ion or LMP or LFP.
robocat 4y ago
Perhaps consider a visit to New Zealand and buying one there if you can’t import one from Japan (keyword “direct import”), although your total costs would be high. We are friendly buggers over here, so you are not likely to get ripped off unless you are a numpty. Buy an unregistered spare one for parts - used farm ones without plates get sold much cheaper. https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/suzuki/carry/search https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/suzuki/carry/search — all used imports from Japan. Note prices are in NZD, reduce prices by 1/3 to get to USD. You can get GST (sales tax) refunded on exports but it might not be much money because second hand goods are zero-rated? I really wanted a 1.3 litre 4WD Suzuki Carry a few years ago, but they really hold their value so they were not cheap enough for me. USD8000 for a 20 year old ute! They are in high demand in NZ. I personally would avoid the Subaru mini-truck: I think mechanical issues and access to parts are problems. I also looked at the equivalent Hyundai mini-truck, but the Suzuki is probably the best bet. Japan has regulations that make old vehicles expensive to keep, so they export them before they get really old. New Zealand buys a lot of second hand car stock from Japan. If you need something 25 years old, then New Zealand might have more stock. We don’t salt our roads. Anything that has spent all its life in dry areas like the Canterbury Plains would be best - don’t buy if it has been long periods in wet climates. Avoid anything that has been on the coast - avoid sea-spray rust damage (don’t buy from my local area, New Brighton).
- lancewiggs 4y ago
  We do, however, drive on the other side of the road from those in the USA.
  - robocat 4y ago
    Yeah, but this thread seems to mainly be talking about left-hand drive imports. If someone does their homework, they could bring over a big American Ute to NZ (buy cheap in US, sell for heaps in NZ). Need to be extremely careful about NZ regulations though - complicated and relatively costly/risky. Ideally find someone in NZ that has done it for the model you would import into NZ.
itronitron 4y ago
>> the owners somehow manage to keep them running the people that depend on these vehicles are particularly tuned in to how to keep them alive... Years ago, when my wife and I lived in a 'rural adjacent' community we had a ~20 year old manual transmission european sedan sitting in our driveway for about a year, tires slowly deflating, until one couple stopped by to enquire about it. My wife told them that if you can get it running you can have it, the husband came back a few days later to sign the paperwork, and after popping the hood and turning a few knobs was able to get it started and drove it away :) Very happy that the vehicle had an extended life with someone that could put it to use.
- tecleandor 4y ago
  OOC, what car was it? :)
  - itronitron 4y ago
    It was a Swedish car whose model number is equivalent to the number of hours elapsed in ten Earth days.
    - tecleandor 4y ago
      Oooooh, that's nice! And I really love the wagon version.
poulsbohemian 4y ago
>It's hard to find anyone in rural areas willing to work on them and not all mini trucks are equal. Living in a rural area, I first saw these popping up at least a decade ago. The typical farmer / rancher has to be mechanically skilled and one of the benefits of these vehicles is that they are relatively simple mechanically speaking, IE: assuming availability of parts you could do the work yourself.
- bombcar 4y ago
  I’ve also found that many rural mechanics (try the tractor/large truck guys if the car mechanic is skittish) are perfectly willing to work on them for time+materials; they want to know that you know it may take more time and cost more. Once past that they’re quite capable. So if you can source the parts for them, and be willing to have it take some time; you’ll find help.
JKCalhoun 4y ago
Too bad you aren't inclined to work on them yourself. To me a key truck is a "hobby car" and I have no compunctions about learning to wrench on one. (YouTube certainly has plenty of how-to videos on it.)
crazyjncsu 4y ago
I’m Jake from the article. The trucks have all just gone through auction and have inspection reports. Mine I bought for $2k was grade 3.5 and what I’d consider pristine for a 25 year old truck. The Japanese are pretty trustworthy people to do business with, and they build great vehicles. One thing the author left out was the fascination I had with the whole process. Watching auctions, assignment to a ship, tracking it through the ocean and storms and watching on video as it passed through the Panama Canal. Then the customs and importation paperwork with CBP, going to the port, the driving 200 miles home in my new “truck” that had road manners more akin to my golf cart than anything actually on the road around me. I-95 was terrifying— I barely got off the on-ramp before looking for the next off-ramp to find backroads for the rest of the journey.
- markdown 4y ago
  From a quick Google, these all seem to be cars from the 90s. Did you see any fpr sale that are less than a decade old?
  - crazyjncsu 4y ago
    I did not, but I was only looking for 25 year old trucks as that is the age requirement for import.
  - kalleboo 4y ago
    These are still made and sold brand new starting at around $6000. The interest in 90's ones is due to the 25-year rule on hassle-free importing into the US. * https://www.daihatsu.co.jp/lineup/truck/ https://www.daihatsu.co.jp/lineup/truck/ * https://www.suzuki.co.jp/car/carry/ https://www.suzuki.co.jp/car/carry/
    - markdown 4y ago
      Interesting. In my country it's illegal to import vehicles over 5yrs old, not to mention having to meet emissions standards.

kevin_thibedeau 4y ago

SXS are overpriced and underdeliver compared to what you can get from a minitruck.

leetrout 4y ago
Or even just a used jeep wrangler given how overpriced they are.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

doublerebel 4y ago

I’d recommend looking for a reputable dealer who does a proper shipment and inspection. Here in Seattle we have https://sodo-moto.com https://sodo-moto.com who works with fvej.com to bring vehicles over and ensure the quality.

codalan 4y ago

They probably share a lot of the same drivetrain/engine/etc. parts from vehicles of the same era. If you are mechanically inclined and have the right tools, you might be able to do some of the work yourself. Most auto mechanics familiar with older Japanese branded vehicles should be able to work on them like they would on a regular US import. The biggest issue I have is that they are right-hand drive. I'd be hesitant driving a mini-truck on streets and highways, even if it's licensed. This would be a non-issue if the intent is to leave it on private property, unlicensed. I wish mini-trucks had a bigger demand here. I'd like a pickup, but I don't need the monster trucks that are on the market these days. Just something to move furniture, appliances, and junk around town.

pwthornton 4y ago
There are some smaller options these days. The Honda Ridgeline has led the way here as a very livable, smaller (although not small) truck. The Ford Maverick is even smaller. It is a bit more barebones but it might work for you.
- codalan 4y ago
  The problem with the Maverick (as others have mentioned) is that they squander valuable bed space by adding a cab to the design. To me, a pickup truck is a pretty utilitarian thing. I don't need a cab. I have other vehicles if I need to take passengers. I remember pricing out a pickup a few years ago, and it was hard to find one that wasn't already configured with a cab. I guess the market demand is larger for people who have kids but still want a pickup for whatever reason.
  - pwthornton 4y ago
    There is apparently no market for cab-less pickups in the U.S. Ever since overfed suburban poseurs started buying trucks, the market has shifted to crew cab and luxury.
  - aaronblohowiak 4y ago
    used Cargo van

fundad 4y ago

I guess if there's a dealer that's something but isn't it getting hard to get any kind of car worked on in rural areas?

LinuxBender 4y ago
isn't it getting hard to get any kind of car worked on in rural areas? It is. I can do some mechanical work but I have no idea what special tools and tricks are required knowledge with these trucks. At least with side-by-sides there are a myriad of dealers and mechanics near me as so many people use them around their ranches, to go into town and to go into the mountains. There is probably some little shop that would say they could work on the mini-trucks but my experience with the small businesses here as that most of them fake it until they make it, but they never make it. So I would be taking a bit of a gamble. If I found one that was cheap enough it might be worth the gamble as I could just write off the loss if it has some obscure problem. That is why I am still on the fence.

asciimov 4y ago

I seriously miss compact trucks, like the Mazda B-series, Ford Courier, Ford Ranger (before it became a mid-size in 2019). These kinds of trucks might more to your liking. Sure they aren't as small and cute as the imports, but your local auto store can still get you parts for them. They are fun to drive, fairly fuel efficient, and are capable of hauling material from the home center. I learned to drive stick, and how to pop the clutch when you have a dead battery, in a Ford Courier on the high plains of west Texas.

iancmceachern 4y ago
You can get the Ford Maverick
- munificent 4y ago
  A Maverick is just an open air hatchback. It's the same length as my 2002 Xtracab Tacoma, which is nice, but my Tacoma has a bed that's literally twenty inches longer.
  - saalweachter 4y ago
    I still long in my heart for a pickup that is as small as possible while having an 8 ft bed, but honestly once you also need to take children with you wherever you go, the compromise of a shorter bed with a good sized back seat (to accommodate car seats) really begins to make a lot of sense. I ended up just attaching a trailer hitch to my Chevy Volt and buying a lightweight 8ft trailer. As long as I just need to move big and not heavy, it's perfectly adequate, and the mileage when I'm not hauling is a lot better. And it cost me about $2k while keeping me out of the insane used truck market.
  - Maursault 4y ago
    > A Maverick is just an open air hatchback. Not always. Sometimes it's a weird little muscle car platform.[1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Maverick_(1970–1977) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Maverick_(1970–1977)
- 4y ago

AtlasBarfed 4y ago

I cannot wait for EV drivetrains to invade side by sides, especially ones based on sodium ion or LMP or LFP.

robocat 4y ago

Perhaps consider a visit to New Zealand and buying one there if you can’t import one from Japan (keyword “direct import”), although your total costs would be high. We are friendly buggers over here, so you are not likely to get ripped off unless you are a numpty. Buy an unregistered spare one for parts - used farm ones without plates get sold much cheaper. https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/suzuki/carry/search https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/suzuki/carry/search — all used imports from Japan. Note prices are in NZD, reduce prices by 1/3 to get to USD. You can get GST (sales tax) refunded on exports but it might not be much money because second hand goods are zero-rated? I really wanted a 1.3 litre 4WD Suzuki Carry a few years ago, but they really hold their value so they were not cheap enough for me. USD8000 for a 20 year old ute! They are in high demand in NZ. I personally would avoid the Subaru mini-truck: I think mechanical issues and access to parts are problems. I also looked at the equivalent Hyundai mini-truck, but the Suzuki is probably the best bet. Japan has regulations that make old vehicles expensive to keep, so they export them before they get really old. New Zealand buys a lot of second hand car stock from Japan. If you need something 25 years old, then New Zealand might have more stock. We don’t salt our roads. Anything that has spent all its life in dry areas like the Canterbury Plains would be best - don’t buy if it has been long periods in wet climates. Avoid anything that has been on the coast - avoid sea-spray rust damage (don’t buy from my local area, New Brighton).

lancewiggs 4y ago
We do, however, drive on the other side of the road from those in the USA.
- robocat 4y ago
  Yeah, but this thread seems to mainly be talking about left-hand drive imports. If someone does their homework, they could bring over a big American Ute to NZ (buy cheap in US, sell for heaps in NZ). Need to be extremely careful about NZ regulations though - complicated and relatively costly/risky. Ideally find someone in NZ that has done it for the model you would import into NZ.

itronitron 4y ago

>> the owners somehow manage to keep them running the people that depend on these vehicles are particularly tuned in to how to keep them alive... Years ago, when my wife and I lived in a 'rural adjacent' community we had a ~20 year old manual transmission european sedan sitting in our driveway for about a year, tires slowly deflating, until one couple stopped by to enquire about it. My wife told them that if you can get it running you can have it, the husband came back a few days later to sign the paperwork, and after popping the hood and turning a few knobs was able to get it started and drove it away :) Very happy that the vehicle had an extended life with someone that could put it to use.

tecleandor 4y ago
OOC, what car was it? :)
- itronitron 4y ago
  It was a Swedish car whose model number is equivalent to the number of hours elapsed in ten Earth days.
  - tecleandor 4y ago
    Oooooh, that's nice! And I really love the wagon version.

poulsbohemian 4y ago

>It's hard to find anyone in rural areas willing to work on them and not all mini trucks are equal. Living in a rural area, I first saw these popping up at least a decade ago. The typical farmer / rancher has to be mechanically skilled and one of the benefits of these vehicles is that they are relatively simple mechanically speaking, IE: assuming availability of parts you could do the work yourself.

bombcar 4y ago
I’ve also found that many rural mechanics (try the tractor/large truck guys if the car mechanic is skittish) are perfectly willing to work on them for time+materials; they want to know that you know it may take more time and cost more. Once past that they’re quite capable. So if you can source the parts for them, and be willing to have it take some time; you’ll find help.

JKCalhoun 4y ago

Too bad you aren't inclined to work on them yourself. To me a key truck is a "hobby car" and I have no compunctions about learning to wrench on one. (YouTube certainly has plenty of how-to videos on it.)

crazyjncsu 4y ago

I’m Jake from the article. The trucks have all just gone through auction and have inspection reports. Mine I bought for $2k was grade 3.5 and what I’d consider pristine for a 25 year old truck. The Japanese are pretty trustworthy people to do business with, and they build great vehicles. One thing the author left out was the fascination I had with the whole process. Watching auctions, assignment to a ship, tracking it through the ocean and storms and watching on video as it passed through the Panama Canal. Then the customs and importation paperwork with CBP, going to the port, the driving 200 miles home in my new “truck” that had road manners more akin to my golf cart than anything actually on the road around me. I-95 was terrifying— I barely got off the on-ramp before looking for the next off-ramp to find backroads for the rest of the journey.

markdown 4y ago
From a quick Google, these all seem to be cars from the 90s. Did you see any fpr sale that are less than a decade old?
- crazyjncsu 4y ago
  I did not, but I was only looking for 25 year old trucks as that is the age requirement for import.
- kalleboo 4y ago
  These are still made and sold brand new starting at around $6000. The interest in 90's ones is due to the 25-year rule on hassle-free importing into the US. * https://www.daihatsu.co.jp/lineup/truck/ https://www.daihatsu.co.jp/lineup/truck/ * https://www.suzuki.co.jp/car/carry/ https://www.suzuki.co.jp/car/carry/
  - markdown 4y ago
    Interesting. In my country it's illegal to import vehicles over 5yrs old, not to mention having to meet emissions standards.