Kei car vs golf cart and importing from Japan

So my wife really wants a golf cart to drive round the neighborhood which I thought cool until I looked at the prices of the things. I had also been looking at inventory on JDM importer sites the other day. I saw a lot of kei cars for the same price or a bit more then what I am seeing used golf carts going for and a kei car seems a lot cooler and a little more useful then a golf cart.

So that got me wondering what is it like to import a kei car from Japan? How terrible an idea is a kei car for an suburban/urban environment and will a 6'2" individual actually fit in any of them? I'd love to hear from people have imported cars from Japan.

I would kind of love a kei van with lowering and wheels.

Not much complexity in a golf cart.  Parts are plentiful and repairs are easy.  Can't really say that about any 25+ year old car imported from Japan. 

There are also infinite choices for customizing a golf cart.

NYN 

Body swap a Fiat 500 onto a golf cart.

nderwater said:

Not much complexity in a golf cart.  Parts are plentiful and repairs are easy.  Can't really say that about any 25+ year old car imported from Japan. 

Where is the fun in that though? The idea of spending the money for something I can only drive round the neighborhood versus something I could at least drive to downtown and grocery stores is kind of what made me lean towards kei cars. Well that and the country club image of golf carts and the one time I went golfing I was asked to leave because of a golf cart.

It's worth noting that's electric golf carts need about $1000 in batteries every few years depending on how often you use it, charge it, etc... 

If you get a golf cart, get an EZ-GO. The rest have annoying issues. 

I sell a ton of golf carts each year.

They really don't depreciate a whole lot, if at all.  Parts are cheap and they are easy to park drive etc.  They are super easy to sell as well, at least here in Florida near the beach.  The buy in is high but you should get your money back when you are done with the cart.

Granted they are similar in size to a kei car but I see them filling completely different roles.

If you get a cart get a club car.  They don't rust like ezgo's and the have a better suspension system.

We have a 2014 club car that probably will need batteries at some point.  I basically spent several grand on a pit vehicle that goes around the yard and across the street sometimes.  I kinda think I probably should have looked closer at kei trucks, but at least the golf cart fits in the trailer with the racecar.  It's pretty good though for what it is.  If i had to do it again, I wouldn't do it.  

A set of batteries is $650 ish. They should last about five years with proper maintenance.  

An electric Moke would be cool, but they're $20k. https://mokeamerica.com/products/emoke

" So my wife really wants a golf cart to drive round the neighborhood "

This is the key sentence in the OP. Check into renting one once in a while to satisfy her desire and see if there will be continued use. Use I see here is similar to home exercise equipment. Occasional trip around the hood when first purchased then less frequently till a flat, dead battery or stuff gets piled in, on, or around it preventing easy use.  Then they sit, till someone like pimpm3 comes along to breathe new life into it and pass it along to the next player in the game.

Is a side-by-side an option? Similar to a golf car, can be used as a pit vehicle, and can be fun off-road. 

First question is, are golf carts (or kei vans) allowed to drive on the streets in your area?  I know they are in some, but make sure it's alllowed before buying anything.

If it were me I'd go for the van, just because I think they're cool.    You also get a roof over your head, and heat and air conditioning, and probably a radio.  Many of them also have four wheel drive.  A friend of mine runs a resort, and he got a Honda van with four wheel drive to use as a groundskeeping vehicle - he liked it a lot and can use it year around (I think he put some all terrain ATV tires on it to make it better in the snow.).  Rather than trying to import one yourself it's probably worth buying one from a dealer that already has brought some in - they've already handled the overseas purchase, shipping, dealing with customs, and all that.

One of the towns near me allow licensed LSV which I believe stands for Low Speed Vehicle. They must have lights, turn signals, horns, etc. and license plates. They are limited to roads with speed limits under 35 mph. Most are golf carts in various forms, some with multiple rows of seats, most lifted or some form of customized equipment. They are everywhere in this town almost to a fault. Really haven't heard of many accidents.
 

Probably convenient and from that type travel get used a lot. Friend has a Polaris Gem with doors and all sorts of extras and drives it in all kind of weather. Plus one for the mini moke, but the new electric ones are fairly expensive

I don't live in one of those golf cart type neighborhoods, but why not just get a small used car? I guess another way to look at is, what use case does a golf cart/Kei car solve that your primary vehicle doesn't? I'm wondering if you bought the wrong vehicle? If it's a two vehicle household, maybe each vehicle should have different strengths?

Snrub said:

I don't live in one of those golf cart type neighborhoods, but why not just get a small used car? I guess another way to look at is, what use case does a golf cart/Kei car solve that your primary vehicle doesn't? I'm wondering if you bought the wrong vehicle? If it's a two vehicle household, maybe each vehicle should have different strengths?

Vehicle Insurance and another ICE to maintain are what immediately stand out to me.

And for the price of a golf cart you could get several spridgets...

Just saying.

Baby Dekotora would make you the talk of the neighborhood.

j_tso said:

An electric Moke would be cool, but they're $20k. https://mokeamerica.com/products/emoke

Even a regular Moke would be cool!

Not cheap though...

The easy button is to find one already imported. They're all over Craigslist in the Mid Atlantic. I'd do a small truck, then you can use it for truck things too. 

Apexcarver said:

And for the price of a golf cart you could get several spridgets...

 

Just saying.

 

 

I assume, not one as nice looking as that!

And here is your answer $900 electric car from China. Funny read, the new owner does appear to love it. Jalopnik

In reply to z31maniac :

If a golf cart is converted to an LSV it needs insurance.  Keep in mind a tag costs the same as a car ($400 in Florida) and you have to pay taxes on it as well.

We have used ours more than my wife's SUV during the pandemic.

NOT A TA said:

" So my wife really wants a golf cart to drive round the neighborhood "

This is the key sentence in the OP. Check into renting one once in a while to satisfy her desire and see if there will be continued use. Use I see here is similar to home exercise equipment. Occasional trip around the hood when first purchased then less frequently till a flat, dead battery or stuff gets piled in, on, or around it preventing easy use.  Then they sit, till someone like pimpm3 comes along to breathe new life into it and pass it along to the next player in the game.

The key sentence is wife wants a golf cart, if she wanted a Kei van she probably would have said, I want a small Japanese vehicle to drive around the neighborhood. 

Wally (Forum Supporter) said:

Baby Dekotora would make you the talk of the neighborhood.

Well, there’s another future project idea.