Anyone own one of those Japanese 4x4 mini trucks?

[atlas366]

I was looking at UTVs and stumbled on these Kei-Trucks. Pretty neat, affordable, 4x4, low gears, heater, street legal (except for interstate) in my state. The driver's side is on the right, but otherwise maintenance is my only concern. I've always kept a small pickup in the stable in addition to the two daily drivers and one that can do double duty as a UTV is appealing.

[Ural Driver]

I have looked at the Daihatsu and Daewoo versions as errand runner and a hunting truck. These would do 85% of what my ATV does at a comfort level well above what I currently get. My issue is that they cannot be registered for street use in Texas. If that changes I will probably buy one.

[bruce drake]

I've seen those little trucks operating all through out Asia and Europe. I'd love to get one as well. I would think the issue comes the standard safety requirements needed for vehicles in the US would stop it from being registered for on-road use. Then again, The Smart Car along with the Cooper Minis and Fiat 500s are tiny yet they can get registered.

[EMC45]

I drove them in Japan. Some of the ones we had had V Twin motorcycle engines in them under the bed. We also had vans. None of ours were 4X4 though. The were all 2WD. All right hand drive with a manual trans.

[Mica_Hiebert]

The reason alot of places dont allow them for street use is they are not crash test certified and most do not meet emission test standards they are imported as off road vehicles but places that allow you to register and drive 4 wheelers to drive on roads will let you license these. most of the time they typically have low milage because japan has weird laws where I believe your engine has to be replace in like 30,000 miles for emission reasons. you used to be able to get used motors from japan with very low miles for hondas and toyotas. companies imported them after they hit their maximum milage alowed by law over there. I think going price on these mini trucks is around $6000

[Teddy (punchie)]

Always like the small trucks, buddy had a ford ranger boy was it a good little truck. Older 80's

Newer , Nissan an makes a nice small truck, an other buddy has a few, all go good in the mud snow.

[Tenbender]

Real men don't drive toy trucks !

[atlas366]

Practical men might though. Pragmatic tools have a beauty of their own.
I currently have one of the Mazda - Ford Ranger clones. Great little truck. It does what I need it to do and I don't have to drive it like a bus in a parking lot. The full-sized offerings from Chevy, Ford and Dodge have just gotten gargantuan. Some of the dudes that drive them can barely park the things.

[Isaac]

Practical men might though. Pragmatic tools have a beauty of their own.
I currently have one of the Mazda - Ford Ranger clones. Great little truck. It does what I need it to do and I don't have to drive it like a bus in a parking lot. The full-sized offerings from Chevy, Ford and Dodge have just gotten gargantuan. Some of the dudes that drive them can barely park the things.

Agreed. Why do the modern trucks have to be so large? Used to be able to reach over the side and into the bed of my '80 F250 and 82, 96 F-150's and 86 GMC 2500 that I drove at work. Why do we need 17-20 inch tires? Ford, GM and Dodge have been making Crew Cabs for 50 years or so. Suddenly they have to be the size of a school bus (exaggeration, but you get my point). What about modern day diesels? Coal rolling? Exhausts as large as a small sewer pipe.

[rondog]

I think we need photos of these little trucks you're asking about.....

[atlas366]

[Hickory]

Real men don't drive toy trucks !

Real men can drive anything they want!!!

[waksupi]

Real men can drive anything they want!!!

I used to drive a Subaru, as only lesbians drive them. I find I have some very strong lesbian tendencies.

There are a couple of those little utes in this area, apparently street legal.

[mac60]

I used to drive a Subaru, as only lesbians drive them. I find I have some very strong lesbian tendencies.

There are a couple of those little utes in this area, apparently street legal.

Now - that there is funny.

[atlas366]

I used to drive a Subaru, as only lesbians drive them. I find I have some very strong lesbian tendencies.

There are a couple of those little utes in this area, apparently street legal.

I actually came across an article on MT minis. It is a good synopsis of their virtues.
http://billingsgazette.com/business/...d31d17531.html

[Markbo]

Older Suzuki Samurai or Isuzu Trooper or Rodeo can do all these little things can do for probably less money with great comfort and reliability. I've had a Trooper for a camp vehicle.for over 10 years and its great.

[Lloyd Smale]

theres was one for sale here a couple years ago. I thought it would be pretty cool to run back and forth to camp in until I test drove it. It topped out at about 45 and you feel kind of silly being passed by everyone. Acceleration made my 4 cyl wrangler seem like a sports car and if you ever drove a 4cyl wrangler youll get a chuckle out of that.

[Markbo]

Older Suzuki Samurai or Isuzu Trooper or Rodeo can do all these little things can do for probably less money with great comfort and reliability - and street legal. I've had a Trooper for a camp vehicle.for over 10 years and its great.

[LaPoint]

In Minnesota most of them are light enough fit in one of the UTV/ATV classes if you mount "flotation" tires on them. Once licensed as such they can be driven on municipal and county roads but not U.S. highways. My BIL has one that he uses as a maintenance vehicle at his U-Store business. They have their place.

[Mk42gunner]

One of our neighbors had a two wheel drive one back in the seventies. I remember it had a Kawasaki engine, and if you got stuck two teenagers could pick up the rear end and move it to get traction. It reminded me of a 3/4 scale Econoline pickup.

One reason they top out at ~45mph is most speed limits in Japan are 35mph IIRC it has been almost twenty years since I lived there.

Robert