Anyone here own a Kei truck? How do you feel about it?

I'm really just curious, because it's the current rabbit hole dominating my search history. I've got a YouTube history filled with Sanbar, Carry, Acty, Midget, Hijet, Minicab and Scrum.

Does anyone here have a Kei truck? Is it registered as a low speed vehicle, farm vehicle, off road only, a 25 year grey market import without usage restrictions? What's it for, and what's it like to live with?

I've seen them in person from a distance, driving around, but I've never driven one. My closest experience is a Samurai, which seems to have the same interior materials, but looks like a comparable monster with 15" wheels and double the horses.

You've been watching Mighty Car Mods, haven't you?

No direct experience.  The only legal ones I know of around here are titled and plated as a regular car (imported when over 25 years old).  There was a blue Honda that I would see locally pretty often.  It looked like a lot of utility in an easy to park package. (note this is metro Detroit suburbs, so I only saw the guy comuting on relatively low speed streets or parked in front of the local pub)

In reply to Appleseed :

No, but I just Googled - they're apparently hanging out with Keith Urban? I've been watching some mostly small channels:

Waybeforethefame

Four Sons Off-Road Inc.

Living This Life

Jimmy Oakes

MyHondaFix

I don't know anything about them or if I'll fit in one but I am often tempted to build a baby Dakar truck for running errands. 

From what I understand, in Indiana you can register a Kei car/truck and drive it on any road except an interstate.  Unfortunately, in Ohio (where I live) there is not a similar ability to register one that I have found in the regulations, except an oddly worded section about being able to locally register one for use in that town / village / etc.  Not sure what Illinois regulations are (which I think that is where the OP hails from).

I have a blue hi jet with a small lift and bigger wheels. It's tagged just like any other vehicle. I wanted a separate bed, so Honda was out, the main reason I went with this over the Suzuki, was the color, since most are white, and the ability to add a plow easily. They're comfortable up to @55mph, and are great for just having around the yard. 
 

In reply to einy (Forum Supporter) :

They're apparently allowed here in MS too, but none of the ones that pop up for sale have titles(they're probably just lost - no one can keep track of a title down here it seems), so I'm not sure about the details. 

Someone at my work has one in Illinois, road legal that they commute in occasionally.  It's a Subaru, looks to be a 25 year old import.  I have not yet figured out who it is to talk to them about it.  

The KEIth Urban MCM episode was actually really good.  You can tell that they had a good rapport and Keith seemed really genuine.  Like it obviously was marketing shill but it was less obnoxious to me than the immediatly prior Black Ops E30 V8 swap episode was.   

I rode in a Kei van once when I was in Taiwan many years ago, it seemed fine to me.  
Taiwan drives on the same side of the road as we do in the US so it was left hand drive - I don't know if there's any way to get a left hand drive one here (they all seem to be imported from Japan) but it would make life easier.

The regs seem to have become cloudy through the patchwork of local regs around the country that are carved out just for Kei trucks. From what I can tell, the 25 year rule is more or less uniform, and should apply to Kei trucks. There are a lot of places that allow Kei trucks (and more or less just Kei trucks) as low speed vehicles. This seems to be a state thing, or a state thing that empowers county and city level regs. For the most part, low speed vehicles (LSV) can be newer than 25 years when they enter the country, but must have a speed limiter that prevents the vehicle from exceeding 25 MPH, and may be required to have a reflective triangle on the rear. Most of what I've read about LSV use is restrictions to roads with a speed limit of 35 MPH or below and/or specifically designated roads. In many cases, the importer removes the shift boot and trim and mounts an external shift gate that prevents shifting into any gear other than 1st or reverse, and boom, you have a limiter. Finally there are really lax rules around farm vehicles that may allow use of the trucks.

Me? I'm not saying I'm into the idea, but if I did, I'd be after a 25 year rule import so I can operate it without restrictions. From what I can tell, the DMV here in IL allows "gray market" vehicles to be registered. My worrynis whether Kei truck (pre-25-year) rules cloud the 25 year rule for import.

Wally (Forum Supporter) said:

I don't know anything about them or if I'll fit in one but I am often tempted to build a baby Dakar truck for running errands. 

I mean, if you don't bring tiny Mattracks to the Dollar Store, are you really getting anything done?

nocones said:

Someone at my work has one in Illinois, road legal that they commute in occasionally.  It's a Subaru, looks to be a 25 year old import.  I have not yet figured out who it is to talk to them about it.  

 

The KEIth Urban MCM episode was actually really good.  You can tell that they had a good rapport and Keith seemed really genuine.  Like it obviously was marketing shill but it was less obnoxious to me than the immediatly prior Black Ops E30 V8 swap episode was.   

That's reassuring. I've seen a Nissan Figaro at a car show here - I expected people were getting it done somehow in the state. 

stuart in mn said:

I rode in a Kei van once when I was in Taiwan many years ago, it seemed fine to me.  
Taiwan drives on the same side of the road as we do in the US so it was left hand drive - I don't know if there's any way to get a left hand drive one here (they all seem to be imported from Japan) but it would make life easier.

I've read that Japan's road inspection process means that there is an incentive for the Kei trucks to leave after a certain point. You're right though - I haven't seen anything LHD. 

Actually, the market itself seems odd. I'm surprised that nobody has made a strong alternative product importing old, worn trucks. 

Steve_Jones said:

I have a blue hi jet with a small lift and bigger wheels. It's tagged just like any other vehicle. I wanted a separate bed, so Honda was out, the main reason I went with this over the Suzuki, was the color, since most are white, and the ability to add a plow easily. They're comfortable up to @55mph, and are great for just having around the yard. 
 

 

 

Looks pretty legit! It seems like that shade of blue is the number one color after white. Maybe there's a major commercial buyer in that color? Are the tires highway rated? I dig the Acty, what's the advantage of the separate bed?

We have Dihatsu for the farm. "Farm Truck" plate, only use it for dump runs, and on farm stuff. Wouldn't want to go farther than maybe 10 miles in it due to ergonomics being cramped. Has true 4x4, with locking center and rear diffs, and low range with a very useful dump bed. Bed sides all hinge and fold flat, and it makes a great jobsite work surface/bench. Much more useful day to day than an UTV on the property in the mountains of Virginia.

I used to drive a HiJet when I worked at campus housing, it was fun little truck. We only drove it around campus,, so it was mostly low speed stuff. It was much more useful than our cushmans, and much better to drive than the 1-ton with a dump bed. We would put a plow on it during the winter, and it was 4wd. Fortunately, I had a cdl and could drive a stick, so I got to drive everything from cushmans to busses. The HiJet was fun in a slow car sorta way.

What is it like getting parts for these? I've heard conflicting stories.

I am pretty sure if they are over 25 years old they are legal to drive in any state except maybe California. 

To answer a few questions:

Advantage of separate bed is you can get dump/scissor bed kits if you want, and bed is removable if I ever need access. 
 

Parts are simple, at least for the hi-jet, from what I've found. Air conditioning is rare.
 

Getting one 25 years old is the way to go, no registration hassles

Figaros have been 25 years old for 4 years now, that's how they're getting here. 

Wally (Forum Supporter) said:

I don't know anything about them or if I'll fit in one but I am often tempted to build a baby Dakar truck for running errands. 

I'm sure you can fit in the back. 

There's a Honda Atcy or 2 running around in the NW IL suburbs. Buddy had one come into his shop recently for service. Another one was sitting for sale at a Ford dealer for a while.

I know here in NJ it has to be over 25 years old.  Newer are not allowed to be titled or plated.

There is a dealer (realtor who stocks 3-6) for them in my town, my former employer has the contract for servicing them in the warranty period. I've never seen one played here but farmers seem to be the popular buyers, one guy told us it was cheaper then a mule or gator but does the same jobs for him. I'm in Ohio and never asked why they didn't plate them 

einy (Forum Supporter) said:

From what I understand, in Indiana you can register a Kei car/truck and drive it on any road except an interstate.  Unfortunately, in Ohio (where I live) there is not a similar ability to register one that I have found in the regulations, except an oddly worded section about being able to locally register one for use in that town / village / etc.  Not sure what Illinois regulations are (which I think that is where the OP hails from).

In Ohio, I am pretty sure you can just drive it anywhere with no restrictions.  I met someone with a Subaru kei truck at a cruise-in once.  Said it handled the Interstate no problem, aside from EVERYONE sticking their cell phones out their windows to get a picture.

Obviously, must be over 25 years old to be imported as a motor vehicle.  That's a Fed thing, though, not Ohio.